Bookworm Gardens Is A Magical Place Where Books Come To Life In Sheboygan
Remember those favorite stories you read when you were little? What if they jump right out of the books in a special garden? You can climb on the Magic School Bus or hunt for dinosaur bones with characters from classic tales. This amazing place is called Bookworm Gardens. This fairy tale garden combines book magic with nature’s beauty. And it is not a small place; after recent expansions, the garden now covers almost 25 acres. Let’s take a look at this magical place and all the fun things you can do there as it is celebrating its 15th season of wonder this year.
The origins of bookworm gardens
Bookworm Gardens began with one woman’s big dream in 1999. One day, the garden’s founder, Sandy Livermore, visited the Michigan State 4-H Children’s Garden. She saw it and thought, “I want to make something like this in my town! The community was excited about her idea and supported it. After many years of planning and fundraising, the gardens finally opened in 2010. Since then, it has become a beloved landmark.
The garden is located near the UW-Sheboygan Campus. What is special about Bookworm Gardens Sheboygan? It takes stories from children’s books and turns them into real places kids can play and explore. You can explore more than 80 different gardens here. And each one comes from beloved books. Bookworm Gardens Sheboygan Wisconsin, started small, but it now welcomes thousands of visitors every year. When you visit Bookworm Gardens in Sheboygan Wisconsin, you walk through different themed areas like the Animal section, the Pond area, and the Woodlands part. In each area, you can expect new surprises based on different stories.
A world of story adventures
At Bookworm Gardens, every path takes you to a new adventure through eight special areas. These bring your beloved stories to life. You start at the Welcome area, climb aboard the iconic Magic School Bus, and explore a rainbow garden inspired by Lois Ehlert’s Planting a Rainbow. Next to it, Animal Gateway lets kids be young paleontologists to dig for dinosaur bones in a sandy pit inspired by How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? You can also see the Three Little Pigs’ houses hiding in the green plants.
If you love nature, you will appreciate the pollinator-friendly plants and native Wisconsin species woven throughout the gardens. The Farm Gateway teaches you about composting and lets you smell fresh herbs growing in the garden. At the Woodlands Gateway, you can sit in a comfortable spot and read favorites like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Little House in the Big Woods, and Magic Treehouse for story time.
For kids
Kids can have fun all over the garden. In the Creative area, they can make music with different instruments. At the Pond area, they can meet real koi fish that inspired books like The Pout Fish and Frog and Toad. They might even find the famous troll hiding under the bridge from The Billy Goats Gruff.
Bookworm Gardens photos show how beautiful it really is. They capture gardens’ colorful flowers around storybook sculptures. As a family, you can take pictures beside oversized picture frames from Katie and the Sunflowers. Bookworm Gardens reviews always say the place feels “magical.” Visitors love how creative the story areas are and how peaceful the natural setting feels. As the gardens celebrate 15 years in 2025, this beloved Sheboygan attraction is inspiring book lovers and nature lovers of all ages even more.
Special events and fun celebrations
When fall comes, September becomes Member Month with special treats just for Bookworm Gardens membership owners. They get to enjoy after-hours events, garden celebrations with themed cocktails, and behind-the-scenes tours. In October, Bookworm Gardens Halloween brings Happily Haunted on the 10th-12th, and the gardens are lit up with over 100,000 twinkling lights. You can go on pumpkin walks, not-so-spooky ghost hunts, and even purchase seasonal concessions. These limited-time events make Bookworm Gardens even more magical than usual. In bookworm gardens reviews, people always praise the amazing atmosphere events create and how they offer great activities for the whole family, making each visit unique.
Planning your visit Bookworm Gardens in Sheboygan Wisconsin
Bookworm Gardens opens every year from May 1st through October 31st, 2025. Bookworm Gardens hours? In May, September, and October, the gardens open Wednesday through Friday from 10 A.M. – 4 P.M. On weekends (Saturday and Sunday), they stay open longer – from 9 AM to 5 PM. The gardens always close on Mondays. Everyone can afford to visit Bookworm Gardens in Sheboygan Wisconsin, thanks to different Bookworm Gardens tickets deals. Regular tickets cost $15 for adults (18 and older) and $13 for kids between 3 and 17. Kids 2 and younger get in free. If you live in Sheboygan County, you can get free admission by registering online in advance.
Are you planning to visit the gardens a lot? Then you can buy a Bookworm Gardens membership. Members get free entry every day, cheaper tickets to special events, 10% off anything you buy at the Nature Gift Shop, and are invited to exclusive members-only events all season long.
FAQs Section
How long do bookworm gardens take?
Most people spend about 2-3 hours walking around and exploring the gardens.
Where is the bookworm gardens?
Bookworm Gardens is at 1415 Campus Drive, Sheboygan, Wisconsin 53081, on the Sheboygan Center Campus.
When was Bookworm Gardens built?
Sandy Livermore got the idea for Bookworm Gardens in 1999 after she visited the Michigan State 4-H Children’s Garden. Workers started building it in 2008, and it opened for everyone to visit in 2010.
Is Bookworm Gardens wheelchair accessible?
Yes, most of the paths have hardened rubberized mulch so the wheelchairs and strollers can easily roll over them. The restrooms are handicap-accessible too.
Conclusion
After 15 years, Bookworm Gardens has become something truly special in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. This amazing garden was first started as a woman’s simple idea. She wanted to bring a creative space to her hometown. Today, it has blossomed into a beloved regional attraction featuring over 80 book-inspired spaces in about 25 acres. Families drive from all over the region to Bookworm Gardens in Sheboygan Wisconsin, just to experience the magic of their favorite stories come to life in this beautiful garden. Throughout the year, celebrations like the Fairyfolk Festival and Happily Haunted celebrations give families reasons to return again and again. Giving them unforgettable memories with each visit.
