Accessible Paths and a Sensory Garden Help Everyone Feel Welcome at The Elizabethan Gardens

By Vanessa Infanzon
Jul. 08, 2025

Our family has a somewhat uncommon travel lens: our oldest of three sons, Ben, is nonverbal and gets around with a wheelchair. For weekend trips and simple day outings alike, we seek out places that are ready to welcome people with different abilities, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina has plenty of accessible experiences to offer.

Ben loves being outdoors, moving through a space, and taking in everything around him. When we discover a place that works well for him, it matters. Inclusive activities and accessible programming can make a visit feel more meaningful and less complicated.

Ben was not with us during this year’s trip to the Outer Banks, but as soon as I stepped into The Elizabethan Gardens, I could picture how much he would enjoy the trees, plants, and flowers. The moss-covered brick walkways, which are accessible and lead visitors toward individual gardens and statues, would allow us to return with Ben.

The idea for The Elizabeth Gardens began in the 1950s. Today, the gardens, fountains, and statues across 10.5-acres provide a peaceful setting for anyone who wants time with art and nature. This is the seventh season of the gardens being organically managed.

For families like ours, or for anyone traveling with someone who needs additional care, here are helpful things to know about The Elizabethan Gardens in Manteo:

What to Know Before Visiting The Elizabethan Gardens

1. Wheelchair accessible trails lead to the Courtyard, Pineapple Fountain, the statue of Queen Elizabeth, Great Lawn, Overlook Terrace and many more gardens. Stairs to the Mount and Well Head, and Sunken Garden prevent wheelchairs from accessing these gardens.

2. The new sensory garden is open for visitors to experience. Created through partnerships with the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, the local garden club and the Outer Banks Dementia Friendly Coalition, the garden measures 80-foot by 100-foot. Its planter boxes are shaped to accommodate someone using a wheelchair. Plantings are planned to engage all five senses, including basil, mint, a long leaf pine tree and a monkey puzzle tree. Visitors are invited to touch flowers and leaves, feel grassy foliage, take in the scent of lemongrass, and place their hands in the pond.

3. The Enchanted Gardens map guides visitors through an interactive search for 12 magical faeries placed around the gardens. After finding a sprite, guests can scan a QR code to access written and spoken information about her personality and story. All 12 are located in accessible areas of the gardens, and guests who find every one can receive a prize at the Gatehouse. The faeries are illustrated by local artist Alyse Stewart.

4. The nursery and new greenhouse offer native plants throughout the year, including herbs, ornamentals, shrubs and other options. The selection emphasizes specialty items and hard-to-find boutique style plants. The new educational greenhouse provides basic plant information and features a revolving exhibit.

5. Butterfly releases take place May through September on Wednesdays and Fridays in the Butterfly Garden. Visitors can learn more about insects, their roles, and their needs, with butterfly releases held four times a week.

6. Soft music plays from hidden speakers throughout the garden.

The source page includes comments from Dianne Denny, executive director of the Outer Banks Dementia Friendly Coalition, and Dan Hossack, the gardens manager with The Elizabethan Gardens. Their remarks emphasize inclusion, the sensory garden as a safe and welcoming space, the way the faerie search helps children engage with the landscape, the educational role of the greenhouse, and public participation in butterfly releases.

Categories

• Art & Culture
• Family Fun

Author

Vanessa Infanzon moved from New York to North Carolina for college and never left. When she is not writing, she is often paddle boarding on a river.