Where to see butterflies in Atlanta — have a close-up butterfly encounter this summer, at these parks and nature centers!
Have a butterfly encounter this summer! You can get up close to hundreds of flying butterflies at local nature centers and gardens. If you’re lucky, you may have a butterfly land on your hand or arm. It’s a magical experience for kids and grownups alike.
Our list is focused on venues where you can enter a butterfly house, also known as a butterfly conservatory or lepidopterarium. (These are different from outdoor butterfly gardens.) They are special facilities designed for breeding and displaying butterflies, often with an emphasis on education.
Some of our local nature centers have special butterfly events each summer, when the butterflies have emerged from cocoons and are in the adult state. If you visit, bring a camera!
Best places to see butterflies in Atlanta
Where to see butterflies in Atlanta: festivals and up-close butterfly encounters!
Chattahoochee Nature Center’s Butterfly Encounter + Butterfly Festival
9135 Willeo Rd.
Roswell, GA
June 5 – August 6 in 2023
Mon. thru Sat. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Sunday noon to 4:30 p.m.
The Butterfly Encounter is included with general admission to the nature center.
PRICES
Adults — $15
Seniors (65+) — $11
Students 13-18 — $11
Kids 3-12 — $9
Under 3 — FREE
The Butterfly Encounter takes place in a mesh tent on the nature center grounds each summer. This walk-through exhibit lets you get up close to hundreds of native butterflies surrounded by their nectar plants. You can even hold a special “nectar stick” to entice butterflies to come to you.
If the exhibit inspires you to start your own butterfly garden at home, you can purchase nectar and host plants on site.
You must purchase your general admission ticket online in advance. The nature center is operating on a timed-ticket system to limit capacity, so you can enjoy the experience. No walk-ups are allowed. The time on your ticket is the time you may enter the Butterfly Encounter. You’re free to visit the rest of nature center after that.
2023 Flying Colors Butterfly Festival on June 3 & 4
The Chattahoochee Nature Center’s annual day Butterfly Festival is back for 2023!
You’ll want to buy your ticket online in advance:
* $25 general admission (this is $10 more than last year)
* Children 2 and under FREE
* $20 for nature center members
There are tons of special activities at this family-friendly event — in addition to the Butterfly Encounter. You’ll also find food and live entertainment.
HOURS for 2-day Butterfly Festival
Saturday, June 3 — 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sunday, June 4 — noon to 5 p.m.
Dunwoody Nature Center’s annual Butterfly Experience
5343 Roberts Drive
Dunwoody, GA 30338
September 9 & 10, 2023
$10 for adults (last year’s price)
Tickets are $10 for adults and kids over the age of three. Kids three and under are FREE.
Ticket sales begin on August 1st — and will probably sell out, so set a calendar reminder for that day!
More info on Butterfly Experience here
The 2023 event is said to be bigger than ever.
During the festival, you can enter mesh tents filled with colorful fluttering butterflies. The festival also showcases the nature center’s birds of prey, reptiles, and other wildlife. Activities include craft stations, live music, nature scavenger hunt, face painting, and more.
Smith-Gilbert Gardens’ Butterfly House
2382 Pine Mountain Road
Kennesaw, Georgia 30152
July 1-30, 2023
Tuesday thru Saturday
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Prices:
Adults — $10
Seniors (65+) — $8
Kids 3-17 — $5
Under 3 — FREE
A Garden with Wings Butterfly House opens to the public each summer. The newly expanded facility features butterflies that are native to Georgia, as well as their native host plants and plants that provide nectar for food. You can expect to see the entire butterfly life cycle here — from eggs to caterpillar to cocoon to adult.
This special exhibit is included with the price of garden admission (see prices above).
You an also visit an outdoor pollinator garden that hosts a collection of annuals, perennials, and flowering shrubs that attract and support native pollinators like bumblebees, hummingbirds, and butterflies.
You may buy tickets online in advance, or on the day of your of your visit, in person. as there are no on-site sales right now. The garden is still operating on a timed-ticket entry system, but the time slots are very broad.
More info here
The outdoor butterfly & pollinator habitat garden. Courtesy of Dahlonega Butterfly Garden.
Dahlonega Butterfly Farm
427 Castleberry Bridge Rd.
Dawsonville, GA. 30534
April 29 thru October 29, 2023
Thursday thru Sunday — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesday & Wednesday: Group reservations only
The Dahlonega Butterfly Farm features an indoor tropical butterfly conservatory, a containment room where our butterflies are born, and an outdoor caterpillar habitat.
The basic tour shows you the life-cycle of butterflies and the importance of pollinators in the environment. You can also “catch” a butterfly in the tropical conservatory to can observe up-close.
New this year is a U-Pick Sunflower & Zinnia garden in July for visitors to enjoy (and take home fresh flowers!)
This is an easy day-trip, and for some folks will be a much shorter drive than Callaway Gardens.
Advance Purchase Prices:
Adults — $8
Children — $5
Under 3 years — FREE
Seniors (62+) — $6
*Note: prices are $1 higher at the gate
Season pass:
Individual — $15
Family (up to 4 people) — $38
**Includes 10% off in the gift shop
The tropical butterfly conservatory. Photo: Dahlonega Butterfly Farm.
Freedom Park Bird & Butterfly Garden
The garden is located near the corner of North Ave. and Candler Park Dr.
FREE to visit
This is a bonus item, since it’s an outdoor butterfly garden and not an enclosed exhibit. Since Freedom Park is over 200 acres, the garden is unknown to many people.
The Freedom Park Bird and Butterfly Garden is a certified wildlife sanctuary. It is a joint venture between the Atlanta Audubon Society and the Dekalb Master Gardener Association. The garden includes more than 40 species of native plants.
More details
Tucker Butterfly Garden
Located at the Tucker Rec Center
4898 LaVista Rd.
Tucker , GA 30084
FREE to visit!
This certified pollinator garden features a wide variety of the host and nectar plants that support the complete life cycle of caterpillars and butterflies. It provides a complete habitat for the winged creatures that are native to Georgia and the Southeast.
Feel free to browse the butterfly garden and nearby native plant showcase garden — it’s completely FREE.
You’ll find the plants are labeled with both common names and botanical names. There is also educational signage that explains the butterfly’s transformational life cycle.
The Rec Center also hosts workdays where you can learn more about butterflies and how to provide a habitat on your own property. The workdays are held the fourth Thursday of each month from February through November.
More info here
Callaway Gardens’ Butterfly House & Festival
17800 US Hwy 27
Pine Mountain, GA 31822
Butterfly House is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The outdoor gardens and trails are open daily 9 a.m. to dusk
Butterfly Festival: 2023 dates not announced yet, but will probably be in September.
2022 Advance purchase prices:
Adults — $19.95
Seniors — $19.95
Kids 6-12 — $14.95 (see FREE offer below)
Kids 5 and under — FREE
Military — $14.95 adult and $11.95 dependent child
Buy tickets online in advance and save
About the Butterfly Festival
Children 12 and under who dress as a butterfly, caterpillar, or other insect receive FREE admission to Callaway gardens on Butterfly Festival weekend only.
This is family-friendly annual event that takes place each year in late September. Venture out on a scavenger hunt, create a butterfly mask, and participate in other activities and crafts.
The Butterfly Festival is included in the price of admission, and is FREE for resort guests.
Visit the festival web page
About the Butterfly Center
The Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center at Callaway Gardens is one of the largest tropical butterfly conservatories in the country. It’s a glass-enclosed facility that provides a complete ecosystem, complete with tropical plants that provide food for the butterflies.
The complete butterfly life cycle takes place inside the climate-controlled conservatory, which replicates the environment of a tropical rain forest — complete with a waterfall and pool. There are over 50 butterfly species in residence.
Purchase tickets in advance online to save $5 over on-site purchase of an adult ticket.
More details on the butterfly house
More summer fun around metro Atlanta:
Tuesday, July 25, 2023Shake Shack BOGO deal on milkshakes (must order online or thru app for pickup)
All Day | FREE | Multiple Locations
$2 movies with Regal Summer Movie Express (start times vary)
$2.00 | Participating Regal Cinemas
“A Garden with Wings” Butterfly House seasonal experience
9:00 am to 4:00 pm | $0-10.00 | Smith-Gilbert Gardens (Kennesaw)
Free summer meal program for kids in Cobb County (breakfast and lunch)
9:30 am to 12:00 pm | Switzer Library (Marietta)
Free summer meal program for kids in Cobb County (breakfast and lunch)
10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | North Cobb Regional Library (Kennesaw)
Butterfly Encounter (enclosed butterfly house)
10:00 am to 4:30 pm | $0-15.00 | Chattahoochee Nature Center
Colony Kids: crafts, games, entertainment, more
4:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Colony Square
Food Trucks Frenzy
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Powder Springs, GA
Wednesday, July 26, 2023Shake Shack BOGO deal on milkshakes (must order online or thru app for pickup)
All Day | FREE | Multiple Locations
$2 movies with Regal Summer Movie Express (start times vary)
$2.00 | Participating Regal Cinemas
“A Garden with Wings” Butterfly House seasonal experience
9:00 am to 4:00 pm | $0-10.00 | Smith-Gilbert Gardens (Kennesaw)
Free summer meal program for kids in Cobb County (breakfast and lunch)
9:30 am to 12:00 pm | Switzer Library (Marietta)
Free “Just Walk” group walk events at Mason Mill Park
10:00 am to 11:00 am | Mason Mill Park
Free summer meal program for kids in Cobb County (breakfast and lunch)
10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | South Cobb Regional Library (Mableton)
Butterfly Encounter (enclosed butterfly house)
10:00 am to 4:30 pm | $0-15.00 | Chattahoochee Nature Center
Back-to-School Bubblepalooza
11:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Duluth Town Green
Wednesday Wind Down in the Point
5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | East Point Commons
Yoga on the Square
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Colony Square
Brookhaven Food Truck Wednesdays with live music
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Blackburn Park (Brookhaven)
Midtown Movie Night: “Footloose”
8:00 pm | FREE | 10th Street Park (Midtown ATL)
Thursday, July 27, 2023Shake Shack BOGO deal on milkshakes (must order online or thru app for pickup)
All Day | FREE | Multiple Locations
“A Garden with Wings” Butterfly House seasonal experience
9:00 am to 4:00 pm | $0-10.00 | Smith-Gilbert Gardens (Kennesaw)
Free summer meal program for kids in Cobb County (breakfast and lunch)
9:30 am to 12:00 pm | Switzer Library (Marietta)
Butterfly tour
10:00 am to 4:30 pm | $0-8.00 | Dahlonega Butterfly Farm
Butterfly Encounter (enclosed butterfly house)
10:00 am to 4:30 pm | $0-15.00 | Chattahoochee Nature Center
Dunwoody Food Truck Thursday with live music
5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Brook Run Park (Dunwoody)
Alpharetta Food Truck Alley (with live music)
5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Alpharetta business district
Free all-levels yoga class
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | 10th Street Park (Midtown ATL)
FREE Open SKate Night (bring your own roller skates; no rentals on site)
6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Pullman Yards
Acoustic Open Mic Night
7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Indio Brewing (Sugar Hill)
Friday, July 28, 2023Shake Shack BOGO deal on milkshakes (must order online or thru app for pickup)
All Day | FREE | Multiple Locations
“A Garden with Wings” Butterfly House seasonal experience
9:00 am to 4:00 pm | $0-10.00 | Smith-Gilbert Gardens (Kennesaw)
Free summer meal program for kids in Cobb County (breakfast and lunch)
10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | South Cobb Regional Library (Mableton)
Free summer meal program for kids in Cobb County (breakfast and lunch)
10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | North Cobb Regional Library (Kennesaw)
Butterfly tour
10:00 am to 4:30 pm | $0-8.00 | Dahlonega Butterfly Farm
Butterfly Encounter (enclosed butterfly house)
10:00 am to 4:30 pm | $0-15.00 | Chattahoochee Nature Center
Avalon Nights Live (outdoor concert)
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE
Groovin’ on the Square outdoor concert series
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Colony Square
Fridays-N-Duluth: food trucks, live music, special theme nights
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Duluth Town Green
Groovin’ on the Green concert
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Halcyon (Alpharetta)
Broadway in the Park
6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Town Center Park (Suwanee)
City Green Live concert series
6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | City Green Park (Sandy Springs)
Summer Covers Concert Series
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Decatur Square
Saturday, July 29, 2023Shake Shack BOGO deal on milkshakes (must order online or thru app for pickup)
All Day | FREE | Multiple Locations
“A Garden with Wings” Butterfly House seasonal experience
9:00 am to 4:00 pm | $0-10.00 | Smith-Gilbert Gardens (Kennesaw)
Back to School Bash: family fun, plus FREE groceries and school supplies
10:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Families First (ATL westside)
Chamblee back-to-school bash: bounce house, food, school supplies giveaway
10:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Chamblee City Hall (3518 Broad St.)
Butterfly tour
10:00 am to 4:30 pm | $0-8.00 | Dahlonega Butterfly Farm
Butterfly Encounter (enclosed butterfly house)
10:00 am to 4:30 pm | $0-15.00 | Chattahoochee Nature Center
Alpaca Barn Tour
11:00 am to 4:00 pm | $10.00-15.00 | Creekwater Alpaca Farm (Snellville)
Groovin’ on the Green concert
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Halcyon (Alpharetta)
Broadway in the Park
6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Town Center Park (Suwanee)
Peachtree Corners Summer Concert Series (click for this month’s performer)
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Peachtree Corners Town Green
B at the Movies (outdoor): Super Mario Brothers Movie
7:00 pm | FREE | Brook Run Park (Dunwoody)
Hops and Humor — FREE comedy show
8:00 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Pontoon Brewing (Tucker location)
Sunday, July 30, 2023Shake Shack BOGO deal on milkshakes (must order online or thru app for pickup)
All Day | FREE | Multiple Locations
Butterfly tour
10:00 am to 4:30 pm | $0-8.00 | Dahlonega Butterfly Farm
Butterfly Encounter (enclosed butterfly house)
10:00 am to 4:30 pm | $0-15.00 | Chattahoochee Nature Center
Alpaca Barn Tour
11:00 am to 4:00 pm | $10.00-15.00 | Creekwater Alpaca Farm (Snellville)
Sunday FUNKday: live music, outdoors
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | The Works (westside Atlanta)
FREE “Sunset Sessions” concert series
7:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Park Tavern
Monday, July 31, 2023Shake Shack BOGO deal on milkshakes (must order online or thru app for pickup)
All Day | FREE | Multiple Locations
Butterfly Encounter (enclosed butterfly house)
10:00 am to 4:30 pm | $0-15.00 | Chattahoochee Nature Center
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