Along the Delaware River, Andalusia Historic House, Gardens & Arboretum is located in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. The 50-acre property brings together a historic house, formal gardens, native woodland areas and an arboretum. The site offers a variety of highlights: architecture and collections in the Big House, garden spaces with a long history and a range of named trees.
Big House: Architecture and Collections
The Big House is designated a National Historic Landmark and is considered one of the finest and most distinctive examples of Greek Revival architecture in the United States. The historic house contains exhibition rooms where personal belongings and clothing are displayed alongside portraits and historical depictions. The library contains more than 3,000 rare volumes, kept in original bookcases.
The art objects also offer a tangible glimpse into the collections: they include marble statues made in Europe, porcelain and lacquerware from China, and elaborately crafted American silver objects. Visitors interested in architecture, books and historical objects will find several distinct themes within the house, rather than just a single collection.
Gardens, Walking Paths and Arboretum
The gardens of Andalusia have been in existence for more than 200 years. A self-guided visit lets you explore the formal gardens and native woodland areas. The Green Walk is the entrance to the gardens and lies east of the Big House. The Walled Garden is on the former site of Andalusia’s greenhouses; the grotto was built in 1834 and 1836 as a Gothic “ruin.”
The season also shapes the garden views: in spring, thousands of daffodils line the Woodland Walk. The River Walk features a paperbark maple, a China fir and an old shagbark hickory. These named areas showcase different aspects of the grounds, from a striking spring bloom to individual tree species.
The arboretum is accredited at Level II by ArbNet and is listed in the Morton Register of Arboreta. Its public database lists more than 800 trees. Those especially interested in gardens and woody plants can connect these records with specific examples along the River Walk and the seasonal daffodil bloom.
Season and Visit Planning
The 2026 visiting season runs through November 13. The grounds are normally open Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., except on certain holidays. Selected Saturdays are also scheduled, including October 24 and November 7. For the remainder of the 2026 season, weekly garden tours are offered on Fridays at 1:00 p.m. Check the dates before you travel to make sure your visit falls within the seasonal calendar.
As a separate annual event, the Garden Symposium includes book signings, a luncheon, afternoon tea and a private garden visit, among other activities. Alongside self-guided visits and weekly garden tours, the calendar also includes events with their own programs. Which option is right for you depends on whether you want to focus on the house and collections, the garden areas or the symposium.
Discover more destinations: Langhorne, Yardley, Warminster, Feasterville-Trevose, Bristol, Croydon, Bensalem, Morrisville.
For the broader travel overview: Bucks.
