Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park Reviews

Beautiful, historic home with multiple garden areas plus greenhouses. Knowledgeable docent in the house who can guide you. The house and gardens are in need of maintenance yet still enjoyable to visit.

My husband & I thoroughly enjoyed walking the grounds and gardens, and especially our self-guided tour of the mansion. We happened to be there on a beautiful sunny day, which made our visit that much more enjoyable. While they need to renovate some areas, such as the Roman Bath, a visitor can still get a feel of what this estate was like at its peak. For us, the mansion was the most interesting part of our visit. We spent about five hours total, including lunch at the cafe, which consisted of crepe style sandwiches that were delicious. I would recommend a minimum of 2-3 hours if you really want to see everything.

Stopped by with my husband while traveling through the area. The mansion was beautiful and interesting to hear the history. There was plenty of staff available with details about the property. There were walking trails to each building and a lovely garden to walk through. There was a cafe for lunch, but it looked like it needed some attention. Wine tasting available featuring local wines, along with a gift shop. It was a nice stop to make and glad we did. Park grounds were well kept.

The blue and white garden was beautiful - and definitely my favourite. Some more work needs to be done on some of the flower beds and greenhouses, but most of it is very well kept, and was quite fascinatingly developed by the original family. The mansion is very well worth a visit too. There is some air-conditioning in it so it provides respite from the heat in the garden in July!

The gardens and grounds are a beautiful collection of plants, trees, a Japanese garden, and the 7 other gardens are well maintained and the audio tour explains the history of the site. The docents are not pushy, but if you ask a questions they are full of information about the history of the site

Dianna was our tram driver and she was lovely. The grounds were so well kept. The weather has been cool so annuals hadn’t been planted but the trees shrubs and perennials were beautiful. The mansion was amazing. Mrs Thompson was an interesting women.
Now on the the cafe…Jay was terrific! Remember, the gardens just opened the day before and there were very few guests. He was a one man show. The salads were fresh and delicious. Jay, we wish you the best!

Beautiful home & gardens. It's a shame there isn't enough $ to fully fund this beautiful home & gArdens. Volunteers do great job but the community needs to get behind this beautiful asset and improve the home & gardens. This could easily be another Biltmore Estate if the city would find a way to support it.

This is a beautiful historic site. COVID restrictions did limit fuller enjoyment of the mansion, and we were too late in the year to enjoy some of the flowers.
With a significant financial windfall, Sonnenberg could be restored to its original glory, but it would take a major contribution. With limited resources, they are working hard to maintain the property.

So glad that we stopped in and took the tour! Very interesting history and beautiful grounds. Our docent was lovely as was our driver!

Sonnenberg Mansion is worth the visit if you enjoy touring historic homes. While the home and outdoor gardens were interesting and lovely to walk through, they are sadly in need of repair. I'm sure it is difficult for the foundation to manage the upkeep of this property, particularly during these last couple years. Hopefully that will change. PLEASE NOTE: If you have any desire to also visit the Granger Homestead and Carriage House (highly recommended) - you can save $6 on you dual ticket purchase.

My sister and I were looking for a brief stroll around gardens and this was advertised as free. The greenhouses in the front were, but it was $15 admission. We didn't have enough time to walk the 50 acre property. It should be clearer how it's laid out and that it is not free. Also, the wine tasting was supposed to be open, but wasn't. We were disappointed with that.

I have been here twice and you see something different all the time. So beautiful, I can't image doing all of this gardening!

The history of the Mansion and Gardens is something to be shared. It was great to know that the owners' resources and funds were put back into the Canandaigua community. A small entrance fee gives you such an awe-inspiring experience. Not to be missed!

This was very disappointing. You can tell the grounds and mansion use to be something special, but they have not been maintained and are in very poor condition. Trees and bushes are in dire need of trimming - the flower gardens are pathetic and full of weeds. I understand this is run by a volunteer staff but unless the state of NY decides to spend some money on this property, I fear it will continue to decline. I would not recommend it as a point of interest to anyone in it's current state. It would be great if a private foundation or historical group were to take over and invest some real money into this property.

These were amazing gardens but we were here too early. There weren't flowers in bloom yet, except for some iris and a few poppies. It must be amazing when everything is in season. They had a trolley to take you from the entrance to the mansion if walking was an issue. The mansion was beautiful and the setting was stunning. Funding is limited and there are unfinished projects on the grounds and in the house. It's owned by the state of NY but receives no funding from the state. It survives on donations and trusts which are obviously limited.

I would give the visit to the house five stars, the gardens—at least at this time of year—only a two or three. It was wonderful to be able to wander around the remarkable house, with its huge rooms and verandas, without feeling pushed. Docents were friendly and willing to answer any questions. The work that has gone into restoring Mary Clark Thompson’s home and furniture is impressive. As for the gardens, well, I would have been willing to make allowances for the lateness of the season (mid-September). But other flower beds and gardens in the same region were bright, profuse, and doing nicely.
If you are visiting primarily to see the gardens, I would recommend taking a peek first from the parking lot to see how things are doing.

We visited Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion on our way back home from a trip to western NY. We toured the mansion and our guide was knowledgeable and interesting. We enjoyed walking the grounds and strolling through the various gardens where we saw lovely flowers, and trees that we had never seen before. Although I would not go out of my way to visit, it makes a nice stop while traveling in the Canandaigua area.

Beautiful grounds and mansion. Impressed with what the volunteers have done in the past but the buildings need some TLC to keep these grand structures in good shape. The Roman Bath was a little disappointed because the pictures on the wall was what it looked like in its day, fabulous. Took about and hour and a half to tour with a great lunch at the cafe at the end.

Did not meet my expectations! I had always wanted to see these gardens but found the Mansion more enjoyable. Maybe the name should be changed to Johnson Mansion and Gardens. I don’t usually write bad reviews but in this case feel it is proper. The Italian garden designs of coleus were scarce, the natural garden needed weeding! Unfortunately we could not enjoy the rose garden only because it was the end of August and we have had a hot dry summer. The greenhouses were nice but I worry about the structures. The pergola next to the Italian garden is showing a lot of wood rot. I appreciate the work of the volunteers in the Mansion as they were very helpful on this visit. We did notice the work being done on the water feature next to the Japanese garden and it will be nice when it up is done.I just feel that too many area are being neglected and most likely because of lack of funds from the State of NY. But if this were in Albany or on a Suny Campus the grounds would be immaculate. I am not dishing the Director as he probably can only do what a budget allows!

Husband and I spent several hours touring the mansion and gardens. It was really interesting to learn how it came about and to imagine what it was in its heyday. We can also appreciate the funds needed for upkeep. Nevertheless, we had a nice time walking through all of the gardens. Spent a couple of hours total, did not eat in the cafe.

I have visited Sonnenberg Gardens many times this summer and have fallen in love with it. The gardens are beautiful and change throughout the entire season. The mansion is indescribable. The staff is friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and their dedication is obvious.

I went here not knowing what to expect and I had such a beautiful day. This place is gorgeous. The volunteers are friendly and very knowledgeable. I was so impressed with the stories and happy atmosphere. Can't wait to go back!

flowers are always beautiful mansion is very pretty too its a little pricey but worth the money also it is totally handicap accesiable

It did not disappoint with the lovely gardens and grounds. The interior of the house was amazing. Lots of history behind this site. I would highly recommend.

We followed the recommended historic entrance route as we entered, passing by a pond lined with different shade trees, through the lush and green South Lawn and the East Grove to arrive at the mansion. The mansion has many rooms and is huge, but nothing special really stood out except for the view from the second floor balcony where it overlooks the Italian garden. It was quite spectacular. As we toured the gardens, the Italian Garden really stood out and was very pretty. Other notable gardens include: the Sub-Rosa Garden with statues of some Roman gods was interesting; the Japanese Garden was quite scenic too; the Peacock House looked interesting on the outside but it was closed to visitors; and finally the Rock Garden with its intrincate rock work was worth a stop.

Spent a couple hours here walking around the beautiful gardens and walked around the mansion. They have nice areas on the lawn to just sit and enjoy the scenery. Loved the Rock Garden.

My husband and I only had just over an hour here but very much enjoyed walking through the gardens, reading about the place and in particular walking through the mansion! The mansion is well-preserved, and we were amazed by all the details of this time period. Very interesting place!

My wife and I enjoyed a long weekend of exploring the Finger Lakes, including several wineries and picturesque towns. And a highlight was a self-guided walking tour of the impressive Sonnenberg mansion and gardens in Canandaigua. Some reviews describe the 19th century, Queen Anne style mansion as decrepit and in serious need of repairs. But we found all the rooms on the first two floors (the third floor is closed to the public) to be in good shape, including original woodwork, stained-glass windows and ornate lighting fixtures. We skipped the audio tour, finding the signage and brochure sufficient. Helpful volunteers answered our questions and added some background. Though it was a hot day, the manicured gardens provided enough shade for us to explore them, too. All in all, Sonnenberg was well worth an hour or two stop.

A truly unique property and now state park that traces the history of late 19th century and early 20th century America through the life experiences of Sonnenberg's family.

Visited the gardens on June 21st., 2018. Having never been to this attraction, I might have been expecting too much. The gardens and plantings were just average, and not particularly well maintained or well manicured. The annuals looked wilted and dry. The greenhouses were empty and in a state of disrepair. The Japanese garden area was the most attractive, in my opinion, the way it is nestled in the trees with a pond near the structure. The path through all the gardens was a peaceful, mostly shaded walk, with the exception of the rose garden and adjacent perennial garden but it was not hard to imagine what the property might have looked like in its glory days almost a century ago. The mansion we liked the best. Although not ostentatious, or overly ornate ( like Newport mansions ) or totally open to the public, the layout and architecture is interesting, and inviting. The porches all exhibit beautiful views, and the fireplaces and woodworking lend that touch of warmth where one could picture a bustling household almost a century ago. The docent provided us with a nice little tour and she was charming as well as informational.
Our last stop was at the cafe' on the property. I'd call the decor " shabby chic" at best, but the food was quite delicious. The soup of the day was a cheddar broccoli, and I had the seafood crepe, while my husband had the vegetarian crepe along with the tomato, mozzarella salad as well as the soup. A slice of chocolate cake was moist and rich - a perfect end to a great lunch. Would I visit the gardens again? Probably not but glad I did. I think with more staffing ( gardeners and/or volunteers ) this attraction could be quite a shining star in New York State.

Fabulous venue! The grounds are absolutely beautiful. The tour of the mansion was wonderful. Staff are super nice.

This visit was both interesting and depressing. The house and gardens clearly were once beautiful. The issue is the disrepair evident from the green houses, to the gardens with multiple water features not working, Roman baths crumbling and the mansion in desperate need of paint and other basic maintenance. In the spring, the gardens may be enough but in the fall, this was co variation on what could be.

My favorite thing that we did all weekend. The grounds, statues and mansion are just beautiful. We walked and toured for three hours. It is such a delight to see this property preserved. For those that could not walk everywhere, they had docents driving people around on golf carts. Very visitor friendly.

So worth admission. We toured ourselves without a guide and could take our time just walking and enjoying all the late summer blooms. Mansion is lovely also. We also did wine tasting because we had a lake wine pass which is worth the cost.

The entry fees were kinda high in my opinion. The place is very pretty and the gardens are nice. My kids favorite part was the pond with huge koi fish swimming around some appeared to be 18 inches or bigger. The mansion was nice. They were setting up for a wedding or something so there were alot of golf cars running around. All in all if it was a lower price I would have gave it a higher rating

Fabulous!!!! Unbelievable example of Victorian wealth. The gardens are spectacular even though restoration of them is nor yet complete. You can picture the lady of the home enjoying her surroundings. The mansion is a 40 room italianate home with tons of windows and unbelievable amounts of light. A real show piece. There is a cafe and a wine store on the premises. Don't miss the conservatory or the rock gardens! We spent 3 hours there, and I could have spent more!!! There's is a lot of walking, but they offered tram tours for those not up to it.

This was one of the best mansion tours I have been on. From the outside it reminded me of the Winchester Mystery house in San Jose. I see that a lot of people giving it a 1/5 are saying it is too run down. I recall someone saying they like ruins that are in good shape not run down. For stuff that is 100+ years old, I thought it was in pretty good shape. The rose garden was a bit underwhelming but it was nicer than the rose gardens I just visited in Syracuse. And that place is highly rated. I am very glad we stopped here. I was a bit sad knowing that I will never have that kind of money to have a place like this. The greenhouses were a bit disappointing, expecting some more lush greenery.

I visited Sonnenberg with my mom and sisters. We spent a few hours there exploring the different garden areas and the mansion. Although you are in the middle of town, just a few minutes from the thruway and the lake, you feel secluded as if you are in your own little world. We loved learning the history and really enjoyed our girls' day! Not too much for kids to do in my opinion, but my elementary school-aged kids have visited on school field trips and they love it too!!

This review is part of my annual wine trip to the NYS Finger Lake region with two other couples.

This was our first stop

It was a gorgeous morning. Admission was$12.00 for our group of 60 year olds

When we entered the park, a docent gave us some back ground on the gardens

The history is very interesting originally owned by the Thompson family who were eventually involved with Citibank and Chase

The gardens are owned by the state but the grounds are supported by a non profit group and volunteers. At one time the estate hosed a VA hospital

The grounds and gardens are very interesting
Great Japanese and Italian Garden. Much additional restoration is needed to get it back to the opulence it once had. Hover this does not in any way deter from the experience.

The home is open and it is magnificent.

If you have about 2-3 hours, this attraction is worth your time.

One always needs to ponder how really rich these people really were

The grounds surrounding this mansion are immense. There is so much to see and so many winding paths and fun places to explore. The house is beautiful and the history of the house was almost mind boggling. We absolutely loved walking around and enjoyed reading and learning. This was defintely worth seeing!

The Mansion tour is self guided, but there are docents to answer questions. Almost all rooms are open to walk through, rather than viewing from behind a rope. The Mansion is not air conditioned, and I would recommend getting there when they open. There are floor fans that help. Because of health issues, we did not walk the gardens. They were beautiful, as viewed from the second floor of the mansion. When you buy the admission tickets, you can get a money saving combo ticket that gets you into the Granger Home and Carriage Museum. The second half of the ticket can be used anytime during the season. Well worth the time to see.

We visited last week. Unfortunately, the gardens are past their prime for the season. We had a very nice time here, but came away wishing they had more funds available to finish renovating the house and gardens. The young man volunteering that day was very knowledgeable. All in all, I would certainly recommend a visit. Very interesting.

We went as a group with two tween daughters and had a beautiful visit. The girls loved looking at all of the statues and visiting the various gardens. The property is beautiful to explore on a sunny day! It did rain during our visit so we spent some time relaxing on the porch of the main house waiting out the storm.

What a great treasure. I'm glad the state has stepped in to fix the place up. Mansion was built with amazing craftsmen from a much different era. Docents were very nice and informative. The trolley driver was friendly and knowledgeable. Thanks to all the volunteers for keeping it going.

We really enjoyed the whole visitor experience at Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion. The staff is very informative and super friendly.

We visited in May 2018, many trees and flowers in bloom, a beautiful place. The Mansion was also very interesting to see. We had a nice lunch at their cafe. All the staff were very friendly and helpful. Well worth the reasonable price of admission

My husband and I randomly added a stop to the Sonnenberg on our way home from a visit to Niagara Falls (~1.5 hrs apart). On our way, the weather turned cold and rainy. We discussed skipping the visit and just going home . . . but we're so glad we stopped! After checking in at admissions, Jim gave us a guided tour of half the gardens. Once inside, Donna gave us a thorough tour of all the rooms open to the public. She's clearly an expert on antique furniture and we would have loved to stay all day to learn more. The house itself is gorgeous and appears to be well-maintained. We particularly enjoyed learning about owner Mary Clark Thompson and her extensive interests in plants, animals, and architecture. After the house tour, Jim met us again to escort us through the other half of the gardens. Even late in the season, we could appreciate the generous landscaping. We look forward to returning with friends when the flowers are in bloom! It's also clear that the Sonnenberg is in the process of restoring the landscaping to it's 1920's glory, so we look forward to seeing the progress in the coming years. In the meantime, between the house and the existing gardens, there is plenty to see over the course of an afternoon!

A beautiful grounds (50 acres of it), and interesting old summer home. The place could use a bit more upkeep. But still quite beautiful and a reminder of how the wealthy used to live....

My self and my 17 year old daughter visited on a Friday morning in August. Simply beautiful!! We both enjoyed walking around the different landscaped areas. The grounds are huge!! Lots of walking, enjoying the hardscape, plants, flowers, even suprise wild life throughout! The buildings are also beautiful, showing there aged character. The mansion is breathtaking. Everything is so well kept, with very little signs of insect's in the gardens. We were on a time restraint, I still feel we were able to see, and walk through completely in 2 1/2 hours. However I wish we had more time.

More available tour times would be great, but the self-guided tour worked well. Beautiful place. Trolleys from the parking lot were a great touch.

Definitely worth the visit. You can spend a lot of time on the grounds and taking in the beauty. We would return.

We visited the Sonnenberg site and found it lovely. The greenhouse was good but obviously in need of some TLC but had some wonderful plants.
The walk through the gardens was great. Again, some of the sites needed work but there are so many different gardens, it must be difficult to maintain them. This was September so many plants such as the roses and pansies were not in bloom but do not let that stop you from visiting.
The 40 room mansion was incredible and you should use the app or cell phone tour for more information.
Highly recommend.

Wonderful mansion and grounds. The mansion is mostly restored, and original. The kitchen is missing, but the rest of the rooms are great. The staff is friendly and helpful. There's a Japanese style garden on the grounds as well as a formal garden. There's a wine tasting room and gift shop on the grounds. It's a nice place to sample some New York State wines.

We enjoyed a recently renovated Blue and White Garden that was only just discovered years ago at our previous visit. A peaceful tranquil Saturday morning!

My wife & I were visiting western New York & saying in Geneva. We drove & spent about 4 hours touring the gardens & the house. Very well preserved & shows how wealthy people lived in the early 1900's.

This place is absolutely beautiful. Plan a few hours to visit, tour the gardens, have lunch, and visit the mansion.

I am a local who was been visiting Sonnenberg Gardens multiple times per year over the past near 10 years. I am an amateur photographer and I particularly love to photograph flowers, so I have always been drawn to the Sonnenberg Gardens grounds. In the past, the gardens have been well-kept and flourishing. However, over the past 3-4 years, there has been a noticeable and steady decline in the gardens and grounds. My most recent visit was during the last weekend of July 2022, and I vowed not to return to Sonnenberg and waste time/travel/money on this historic site due to how poorly it is being kept. As mentioned, the gardens have been flourishing in the past. During my most recent visit, there were almost no flowers blooming, and those that were blooming were unimpressive and in poor condition. This is hands down the worst visit to Sonnenberg I have had. I am incredibly saddened to see a once beautiful property be forgotten. It is clear that they are spending money in thoughtless ways, rather than maintain the acres worth of lawn and garden. The mansion itself is still in good and historic condition, and is interesting to walk through. However, if you are hoping to see beautiful flowers and lush gardens, do not come to Sonnenberg.

Imagine your chauffeur is bringing you home in your Duesenberg after a visit to the Eastman House in nearby Rochester. You pull up under stone porte cochere and mount the slightly worn stone steps or perhaps you stroll around to the garden to smell the roses and hear the fountains splash. When you enter the house , it's cool and welcoming and someone is playing Clair de Lune on the baby grand just off the entrance hall. You have the butler bring your sherry out to the expansive covered porch so you can enjoy the fireflies twinkling among the many trees on the broad lawn that slopes away from the "castle". Yes, this is Sonnenberg.

Where to begin. First make sure you allow apple time for your visit or break it up into two visits. There is a lot to see and do!
Starting w the beautiful gardens. You can freely walk among the greenhouses and see flowers and plants of all varieties. One greenhouse had over 15 types of orchids. There is a lot of walking so wear comfortable shoes.
There is a restaurant near the entry that offers lunch and light refreshments. It was part of the garden area.
The gift shop offers wine tasting from locale wineries as well as an assortment of locally made products and books
While winding your way through the greenhouses and the grounds look up! Some of the trees are simply magnificent. Giant trees. Most are well marked with variety information (hard to believe they are so well kept when the area is often troubled by major snow storms)
The walk to the mansion can be by-passed by hopping on the golf cart tram. One member of our group was 88 and didn’t want to walk the long distance. So he waited for us at the mansion.
Take your time strolling through the gri7nds.
We stumbled upon the pet cemetery for the owners beloved dogs.
Once at the mansion there is a lot to see and absorb.
The building itself is an architectural wonder. The level of craftsmanship and detail. The intricacies the sheer size of the mansion!
And ask the Docents to share their experience with the spirits ! Mary, the owner, is said to walk the floors or the third floor. And orbs are often seen in rooms.
The master suite is magnificent with an amazing view of the grounds and gardens
The mansion was transformed into hospital housing for a short time so the kitchen was dismantled to make more rooms for doctors and nurses. Which I found sad because I’m intrigued by old kitchens.
The kitchen was originally in the basement. Then Mary had it moved to thr main level. The servant quarters were on the third floor if I remember correctly.
Some of the heating elements are mounted on the top of the walls.
Lots to see inside the mansion. Look at the china and crystal.
I’m accustomed to tea sets and luncheon plates but they had some unsustainable pieces. Hair Jars
The docent shared with us that they hold a holiday theme where they decorate the mansion. We plan to return for that event. Because it must be magical in the winter

Our tour began in the well worn and much loved greenhouse. Our tour guide was funny, kind, and engaging, and obviously loved his work on the grounds. I prefer history to horticulture, so I wasn’t particularly interested. But….once we began walking through the grounds it was a whole new world!!! The authentic Japanese Tea House, Rick garden, and water features were so beautiful!! And the mansion…WOW!! Touring historic homes is often very limiting, with lots of off limit areas. But this home was VERY accessible and you were able to wander freely and experience the beauty of the home. It is a gorgeous place and a must see mansion.

Simply beautiful and locally run, this is a scenic place you will want to visit. The gardens are gorgeous and so is the mansion. So much history here! Plus, there is wine tasting on site and who can pass that up!

We were very fortunate to have a cart tour with Volunteer Roger who made us feel so welcome on our visit to a remarkable historic feast in the gardens and mansion. The story of Mary Clark Thompson and her vision of this grand property is really amazing. Mrs Thompson shared her wealth generously and gave huge foundation grants to most of the churches in town because her employees worshipped at those churches and she wanted to help. We just happened upon this State Park but highly recommend a visit.

We love Victorian homes and gardens. So we decided to go here and were not disappointed. The grounds are beautiful. The house is elegant. They also had wine tasting and we bought some wine. You can spend as much time as you want here. On a beautiful day it is just nice to sit and relax in the shade with the one you love.

There are so many individual gardens on the grounds including a Japanese garden, the blue and white garden and of course the beautiful garden in front of the mansion that somewhat reminded me of a scaled back version of Versailles. The mansion was the biggest surprise. Each bedroom had an ensuite bathroom - who knew they had that feature back then. The decor was authentic, including dresses from the era. There were also some very knowledgeable hostesses on site to provide answers to all your questions.

Agree with an earlier writer who said don't let a negative review stop you from visiting this wonderful garden and home. We went on a rainy day and still found the entire place remarkable. Our best afternoon of a short Finger Lake trip

We had a informative tour of the gardens and some green houses. The mansion was lovely and full of beautiful antiquities. There was a nice gift shop. They had tram service for people who needed them.

Enjoyed walking the expansive grounds on a warm summer day. Various styles of interesting gardens. Especially enjoyed the 1900's home. Looked like the family just stepped outside. Very homey and a good look at life more than a century ago.

Loved this place for not only the expansive beauty of the grounds but also for the history. Saw what the money earned by the founder of Citibank could purchase in an amazing country home, now an instructive historical venue. Our guide in the estate home was sensational — supplied many interesting anecdotes about the family and property. Many thanks! One caveat: Better to visit in the time of year when the gardens, especially the rose gardens, are in full bloom. We could only imagine the vivid splash of color they offer to visitors.

Even in the Fall, it was such a beautiful natural park and grounds. Gardens, trees and lots of green space and the mansion grounds are just beautiful.

Although we enjoyed the mansion and our very informative guide in the mansion, the “gardens” were a huge disappointment. There were very few flowers. There was trash, dead leaves and weeds throughout. Very few things were labeled in the greenhouses which were all run down. This place has HUGE potential, but is not worth seeing until it is properly taken care of.

This is a labor of love by the staff. Mansion is nice to see inside if you enjoy Victorian homes. Mansion is kept up nicely and has beautiful woodwork. Gardens are good but not spectacular. Greenhouses are in need of repair and attention but have a wide variety of plants. Beautiful and various trees on the property. Staff was awesome and very helpful. There are golf carts to take you from the visitor center to the mansion as it is a half mile walk.

Educational and enjoyable, but the grounds were difficult to navigate with a child’s stroller. There were many stairs and not all had a handicap ramp.

Google maps sent us right into this poor ladies' driveway rather than the actual entrance to the estate. She said that it happens multiple times every day. If Google maps tells you to take East Street - DON'T DO IT!! There is no way to get in through this house's driveway. The actual entrance is off of Gibson Street, you can't miss it. But on to the Mansion and Gardens: We were impressed at how good everything looks. The mansion itself is remarkably well preserved and really a site to behold. The gardens are best visited by strolling through them so you can get the full experience.

Beautiful grounds, serene, a photographer’s paradise! A great place to just wander through. The small outdoor cafe was a place to rest and eat. The cold fruit and berry soup was outstanding. I didn’t indulge in the available wine tasting but overheard several tasters say they wanted to buy several bottles of wine. The gift shop had some unique items.

This was a HUGE disappointment!!! Starting with the entrance (potholed gravel parking lot with saw horses, ugly admission shack, and greenhouses with broken glass and rotten wood), to the “gardens” filled with weeds, police tape, orange cones, and metal fencing, pergolas, statuary, fountains that were falling apart, in horrible condition, devoid of water, basically a death trap to visitors, especially children. After having visited I read some recent reviews on TripAdvisor, and was dismayed that the caretakers, foundation, whomever responded on behalf of Sonnenberg Gardens, refused to accept any responsibility whatsoever for the unforgivable state of disrepair, and instead did nothing but make excuses for the condition of what must have at one time been a lovely destination. DO NOT waste your time or money visiting this place. If you want to see a Victorian mansion and gardens that have been lovingly cared for and are in remarkable condition, I suggest you visit Maymont Park in Richmond, VA. If you really want an incredible experience you should also visit Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, also located in Richmond.

Love the garden evens more than the mansion . Pond has a lot of golden fish, bring some food for them:)))

We loved the tour of the Mansion. It was very historical and complete. The gardens were also really interesting!

Enjoyed our visit to the park. This is a great look at the Gilded Age and life at that time. Sitting on the porch was the best part of the visit for me. Overall the outside of the mansion could use a face lift. Sad that New York has such a treasure as this and it appears to be allowed to slide down hill. The iron observation deck in the rose garden is closed and rusting away. Hats off to the people who do keep this place going as they are all volunteers...Thank You for your efforts.

We recommend the tour! We walked around ourselves and it was gorgeous, but we missed the mansion. It was still spectacular.

We enjoyed touring the gardens and mansion on a hot summer day. The staff was very friendly and helpful, with lots of information on the history of the grounds. Improvements and repairs were going on all around the grounds. A very worthwhile place to visit.

Maybe we spent more time in the gardens because we felt safer during these Covid 19 times; we went to places in the gardens we'd never visited before. The 2nd floor of the mansion was closed off so this may have also pushed us outdoors. The docent was very welcoming & provided us w/ an expert background to the Thompson family. In spite of the challenges of maintaining the gardens during a drought & restricted Covid protocols, we still found nature's bounty a refreshing & rejuvenating experience at Sonnenberg.

Stopped in here while vacationing, beautiful grounds maintained by 90% volunteers! It's like stepping back in time.

This property is very big and just beautiful to walk around in. The grounds around the mansion are stunning! All the different areas are very interesting to read about. The inside of the mansion is also so pretty. Their gift shop is very nice too with a large selection of wines from the area. definitely worth a visit!

The Sonnenberg Mansion and Gardens are a must-see when in the Canandaigua area. The Mansion has been preserved well and allows a walk through history. The Gardens and grounds though somewhat maintained could be looked after better. Probably the accent is to lend the touch of age in the Japanese Garden and structures in the other gardens.

An aspect that added to the visit was the Volunteer Citizens who were at hand to guide visitors through the mansion, providing various details and anecdotes of its long history.

As the last stop of our "Mystery Bus Trip" we visited the magnificent Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion. I had not heard of this lovely place and was happily surprised and astonished at the overall beauty of both the grounds and the mansion. Learning the history of the place was also interesting and the fact that there were trams and guides to ride those of us for whom a lot of walking was difficult, was indeed a pleasure. A lot of the work to keep up and maintain these 52 acres are done by volunteers - God Bless them all! Donations are extremely welcome to keep these gardens and the house open for everyone to enjoy. I would rate this a "Don't Miss" stop if you go to Canandaigua. Gorgeous!!

Lovely gardens, many different areas, well maintained. Lots of shade and areas to sit to take a break from walking. We visited everything in less than 2 hours, but the house was not open the day we were there.

A very enjoyable visit to this historic estate - the visit included the house itself and the extensive gardens. Docents were on duty in the house to provide additional information and the furniture and decor inside is very interesting in itself. The garden has multiple different areas which can be explored. There are extensive conservatories with interesting plants as well as a gift shop which sometimes has wine-tasting.

I visited here with my older parents towards the end of the day. We were the very last people out, as the grounds were open until dusk. We got to see inside the house and get a glimpse of the mansion, plus walk the amazing grounds. The park, except for the second floor of the mansion, is all very handicap accessible. Would recommend for anyone who likes mansions, houses, or gardens, or is in the area.

We were there just last weekend, and the articles were very well kept. Staff/ volunteer was friendly. We spent a good amount of time here. Admission was reasonably priced ( Was informed it was run by non-profit organization)

You can see they are doing some renovations and it is in need of that. The house is in good shape other than needing a good coat of paint. The gardens need some help but they were working on them when we were there. It is a nice place to go if you are in the area.

Enjoyed everything about our visit. The history of the mansion and the original owners was extremely fascinating. The mansion itself was totally amazing. The gardens were the most beautiful I have ever seen! Even though we were not there during the scheduled tour hour of 1pm, we had a volunteer offer to give us our own private tour. She had extensive knowledge of the place and was able to give us such great insight into the mansion's history. So many beautiful gardens including an authentic Japanese Garden. Definitely a tour not to be missed during a visit to the Finger Lakes area.

Drove to Canandaigua with visiting family to see the Gardens and the Mansion. I had been there many years before but this was a pleasant surprise. Many of the areas still need some upkeep but I'm sure money is very tight. All in all it was a lovely place to visit on a bright and sunny summer morning and even the young kids found it very interesting. The gardens were especially gorgeous in early July. Lots of roses in bloom. Sometimes old mansions can be boring but this was fun to go through and see all the things in it which were popular many years ago, like an old Victrola and all the interesting furnishings. The gift shop is very nice. Didn't try the little restaurant as we had picked out a nice place for lunch in Canandaigua itself. Will have to try that next time. Was well worth the small admission fee.

The mansion was so comfortable and well planned, I would have loved living there, Every bedroom had a balcony with garden views, an ensuite bathroom and large closet. Some had fireplaces too, Rooms were cosy and welcoming, the various gardens drew you in to explore them. The Chinese garden was authentic with its bridge and tea house. Yes, things are a bit worn and well used but that only adds to the feeling that real people lived here and loved it.

We need to come back when the flowers are blooming. Even with this being September the grounds were impressive.

We were there as part of a bus tour. We had a guided tour of these lovely gardens (only got to see 5 out of a total of 9) and toured the 1887 Queen Anne-style mansion. Our guide was very well informed. You walk on blacktop and dirt paths (some uphill) or you can take the tram if walking is difficult for you. Plan on spending a few hours here if you want to see everything.

Ever since the state took over this place has gone down hill. I've been here many times over the years and it just gets worse.

Splendid last Century Mansion and Gardens that we all can enjoy. It was Father’s Day so they also had a car show around the house. It was delightful to seat at the rocking chairs in the porch while listening to oldies and enjoying the refreshing breeze
The mansion is well preserved, but the gardens are a delight.
Hopefully, they’ll restore the Diana’s Temple in the future.

Volunteers man the carts to bring people from admission to the mansion, and back.

A well spent day frolicking in past glory.

It had been probably 20 years since I was last at Sonnenberg Gardens. My husband is from Columbus, OH and since we now live in Rochester, NY again, I thought it would be a good place to visit on this beautiful summer day to give him a flavor of the gardens and Canandaigua. The place is so run down and neglected. Grass needed to be cut, bushes need trimming, fountains are dry, greenhouses are falling apart, some covered with plastic instead of glass. We could only imagine what beauty this place held in the past, and what I had remembered when I was last there 20 years ago. The mansion needed a good cleaning and some paint to freshen up the basics in the rooms. Some doors in the bedrooms had chipping paint. My husband said it would only take an hour to scrape and repaint. One of the ceiling fans in one of the bedrooms looked like it hadn't been cleaned in ten years. A thick layer of dirt (not dust anymore) covered it. How long would it take to clean that off? I realize it is a non-profit and funds are scarce, but a few committed volunteers could make this place beautiful again. The rock garden area is so cool, but again the ponds were dry so we could only imagine how the waterfall and running ponds had looked years ago. We didn't see many flowers, only a few. Everything looked like it needs a lot of help. Otherwise it could be gorgeous!

Great place to spend the day with Family or friends.
Plain on spending at least have a day there. Enjoy

Like many treasures, this property offers a trip back in time to a more civil way of life. The house is a very nice example of the era and is well taken care of. You'll enjoy seeing how the rooms are decorated and can only imagine how life was more primitive compared to ours (e.g. bathrooms), but more gentile, personal, and richer. The grounds are very large and offer any length of walk you might desire. However, they are clearly struggling to maintain the property. Such is the dilemma for these historic structures. Make sure you check out the Japanese garden.

It's true the rich are different. Not too many people can have acres of gardens surrounding an country retreat. Built in the second half of the 19th century, Sonnenberg offers today's visitors an expansive glimpse of yesteryear. The estate, maintained by over 30 gardeners and house staff in its day, is fascinating. Numerous gardens surround the building and are themed by design; moonlight, Italian, Victorian, formal, kitchen etc. The landscape itself is heavily influenced by Victorian design featuring varied and rare trees. Now grown to impressive sizes, these trees are themselves worth a visit.
The house is like many historical American homes of the time, a bit dark with heavy furnishings. It's the gardens that set the place apart. With lots of room for kids to run, rock gardens for older children to explore, tree caves made from sheltering ground level branches, Sonnenberg is a great family destination. There are restrooms, a cafe and gift store as well as a winery on site, and a tram to carry you about if the acreage exhausts you. The staff and volunteers are cheerful and obviously love the place. Highly recommend.

This is such a sad place. Go if you want to see what a turn of the century American businessman in America's summer house once was. It is so in the past. Things are crumbling, dying and actually missing. We did not tour the house...only the gardens. Shame on the state of New York for its neglect.

I have been a member of Sonnenberg for several years and just love the peacefulness of the place. I moved away a few years ago and was back for a visit so made the time to go with my Mom, BFF and Goddaughter. We had such a wonderful time. The restoration (much needed) is going wonderfully. So nice to see they have made such a nice comeback after the misuse it experienced several years ago.

Came to the area and are camping. Looking for something to do, remembered this and I am glad we did. Walked around then went to the cafe for lunch, very enjoyable

Visited last summer and never reviewed.
Beautiful place but, unfortunately, during our visit it seemed to be lacking maintenance. Will give it another try once back in the region though.

This must have been a beautiful place at one time. The renovations to the house put you back in time. The grounds however are in poor shape. I know they were redoing the green houses but they should be closed down because this is the first thing you see and they are a mess. First impression sets the tone. Hopefully, they can get the gardens back to where they should be. Overall, it was still an enjoyable tour.

What a varied and lovely experience viewing the vast "Garden Rooms". We especially loved the Japanese Garden. Our weather was "iffy" so we were glad to tour the mansion when the rain started. The docents here were very knowledgeable and friendly and we learned a lot about the family whose home this was. We had a nice lunch at their small cafe which was reasonably priced and delicious.

Out-of-state friends and I visited here during a "Girls' Getaway". We enjoyed our tour of the mansion - so many interesting things to see and take in. The view from the balcony of the 2nd floor master bedroom is wonderful.
It was a perfect day for walking in the gardens. We would have liked to spend more time there, but it was closing time when we finally left. The rose garden, Japanese garden and rock garden were the main areas we explored.
I'll certainly bring other company here to enjoy the beauty.

Sonnenberg Gardens is one of those late Gilded Age houses that survived through a combination of neglect and luck. Except for the interior furnishings, it seems as the buildings, trees and garden structures pretty much survived, although many elements are in various states of disrepair. As the management comments on these reviews as well as all of the guides will tell you, the issue is that although a state park, the property gets no money from the state of New York. If you want to see a Newport mansion all glittering and perfect, you’ll be sorely disappointed. However, there’s a lot to see here even though much of it remains to be restored.

A little bit of the problem is not lack of money but lack of imagination. Management clearly does not have the slightest sense of how to make a good first impression as once you drive down the impressive street and through the gates, you drive past ramshackle outbuildings that have too much lawn equipment and garbage in them. You end up in a completely unattractive parking lot next to the large conservatory complex, most of which is unpainted. Perhaps the worst is the purple bathrooms that hands down win the prize for the ugliest historic house bathrooms anywhere. Get a local paint chain to donate paint or give it to you at cost. Get every volunteer and Boy Scout troop to put a coat of primer on the greenhouse buildings so the first impression is one of maintenance rather than poverty. Also, a coat of primer will help preserve these buildings until the money can be found to do a proper restoration.

When you get on the golf carts, the guides are really nice and will drive you all over and spend a lot of time with you taking you through the highlights of the property. Even though there were posted hourly tour times, we ended up having our own private tour every time we got on a golf cart. This is quite rare for a historic property.

I would recommend having a guide drive you around the ring of main landscaped Gardens before touring the house. Most of these gardens surround the house and when you are inside looking out, you will have a much better understanding of what you are looking at. Also, after touring the house, it’s very easy to walk in a circle around the house and see each of the gardens.

Although the furnishings in the house are not original and are not particularly important, the house makes an extremely handsome impression. The two story parlor is quite impressive and the ceiling looks to be hung with a suite of very tasteful Tiffany chandeliers. Make sure you look at the book of original pictures to get a sense of the quality of the original furnishings. One of the most impressive features of the house are the many original bathrooms with great tile work and plumbing. It’s great to be able to wander around a house this big without a guide. One of the pleasures is going out onto one of the many porches and enjoying the view. So pick a nice day to go and your visit will be magical.

Back near the greenhouses and the parking lot, there’s a wine tasting room with gift shop and a restaurant. This is another place where lack of taste rather than lack of money is the problem. The restaurant has decent food but walking in, you walk past the kitchen through one of the dirtiest entry areas with the most pathetic excuse for a retail shop that I was sure I was going the wrong way. Move the restaurant to one of the outbuildings near the mansion where you could eat in a garden. I really thought I should get a tetanus shot after going to the restaurant. And that wine shop—just ugly. Where was the merchandise that relates to the mansion? If you had it, I couldn’t find it.

My other quibble is with the greenhouses. Is there no one on the property that has an eye for beauty. I would close off everything but the palm, succulent and orchid rooms and focus on making them really attractive, weeding out the dead plants and the bad signage that makes everything feel so sad. Isn’t there a gay florist in Rochester that you could get involved to make the plants look more attractive?

This is a really lovely property and I would strongly recommend a visit. For those who are adventurous, have vision and love a ruin, you’ll have the run of the place and be able to explore a really important house and estate.

To management, I would say, stop crying poor mouth. It makes you look like sad sacks and nobody likes a sad sack and nobody gives money to a sad sack. Get focused. Talk about how much you’ve done to a property that was in terrible shape. Pick one small project as your next, have every guide talk about it and put a donation box next to it. Finish it quickly and talk about how you finished it and what your next project will be. Everyone loves a Phoenix rising and small victories will ultimately add up and show progress. Paint those lavender bathrooms. Nobody looks good in a lavender bathroom. Above all, stop crying poor mouth all the time. It just makes you look like you don’t have the ingenuity to figure things out. If you told me how far things had come since the 1970s, I’d have had a much more positive impression and would have been more likely to make a donation.

Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion is worth a visit if you are Canandaigua. Costs $12 for seniors. Beautiful gardens and an interesting mansion to visit. Lots to look at. I highly recommend the guided tour. It is daily at 1300. Lasts 2 hours but you can leave anytime. Lots of walking but there are many seats to use. Our guide Michelle was very knowledgeable and liked in all the history of the owners. Enjoy your visit!

This estate is vey impressive. To imagine being able to live in such a place is a lot of fun. It is a bit run down, as I am sure maintaining such a property is quite expensive, but you still get the point of the place. It is nice to be able to stroll about the property at your own pace and experience what you like. The mansion is really nice and well preserved.

Came here today on our road trip around New York. Place probably looks amazing in full bloom but alas, not much was in bloom while we were there. Friendly staff and a nice walk around through all the gardens and mansion. Totally worth the price of admission. Mansion was amazing to walk around and explore. Surprised how you are left to your own devices. Audio self tour is available.

We went to a Fathers day car show!!! It was amazing!!! We decided to walk around the gardens. So disappointing!! To start, the lawn wasn't mowed. There were bags of mulch strewn around and the weeds were taller than the flowers. The greenhouses were falling down as well. So sad. The houses surrounding the grounds have better gardens. What happened ?

The grounds are magnificent. Beautifully kept with a variety of different types of gardens. We enjoyed our stroll and the different terrains and sculptures. the mansion was awesome and the docents knowledgeable. the upkeep impeccable, so worth the four hour drive to visit..

A beautiful park like setting. Gardens were beautiful. Mansion very interesting. Staff very informative.

It was fun to walk the property and read about the history. The Japanese Tea Room was a lovely spot with the Japanese Maples nearby. I really enjoyed the massive rose garden. The mansion was beautiful inside and out. So many bedrooms and bathrooms! The staff were very knowledgeable and friendly.

Sadly there were few flowers in bloom. The dry, hot weather has taken it's toll there. So many flowers were wilting.
the house was a nice & interesting visit.
Covid-19 protocols were followed in the house Masks Up!

I have always heard about Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion and wanted to check it out. It cost $10.00 for a senior ticket ( 60 +) They also offer AA discounts, etc.. Regular is $12.00. The recommended time for visiting is 2-3 hours. We thought we would do it in 45 min. since we don't typically take the docent tour or read every plaque. Near the entrance were some very dilapidated green houses and I thought this attraction would be a bust. The greenhouses were open and had orchids, tropical plants, fountains, etc. We continued to walk around and much to our surprise, the further we walked the better it got. One of our first stops was the beautiful Japanese Gardens. There were ponds, bridges and statues. As we continued we saw an English rose garden, horse stables, ice house, rock garden, deer meadow, formal gardens, and of course, the historic Victorian Mansion and beautifully landscaped grounds. There was something to see around every corner. Docents were available to answer questions in the mansion. They were not stuffy and we found them friendly and helpful. We ended up staying at least 2/12 hours and could have spent a bit more. Near the parking lot there is also a koi pond, picnic area, a gift and wine shop where wine tastings are offered.

What a lovely afternoon to spend viewing the house and gardens! The house is both grand and intimate. So many greenhouses and gardens to explore.

Held my husband's life celebration here- Kris and her staff could not do enough for all 150 of us, even providing niceties we hadn't asked for. On a scale of 1-10, our event was an eleven! Thank you, Kris!

I'm not sure what hours the pianist performs in the livingroom of the mansion, but if you appreciate classical music, you would enjoy that. I'm so glad we got to experience that.

My favorite part of the mansion's interior was the carved woodwork.

My favorite part of the grounds was the Italian formal gardens.

Because parts of the grounds were in a state of disrepair and because several areas were roped off either due to construction or the disrepair, our visit was not as enjoyable as I had hoped. Keep in mind before you visit to expect some areas to be magnificent and others to be not so.

Nestled in the picturesque Finger Lakes, Sonnenberg Gardens is a New York State Historic Park offering one of the few remaining estates with a Queen Anne Victorian-style mansion and 50-acres of formal gardens. It is not to be missed.

We arrived on a brisk morning as soon as it opened. We could not see the house from the entrance, but we followed paths, passed the gift shop, café and wine center, and first entered an immense green house. Its exterior was just as impressive with its paned glass structure over it all. We had to follow the paths that wound through the property. Finally, in the distance, we could see the house.

Sonnenberg, meaning “sunny hill,” was the former home of Frederick Ferris and Mary Clark Thompson. He was a New York City bank financier, and she was the daughter of New York State Governor Myron Clark. As newlyweds in 1863, the Thompsons purchased a 14-acre brick farmstead near Canandaigua Lake for their summer estate. By 1887, they had purchased additional land surrounding the house and replaced the previous residence with the current three-story mansion, with the aid of architect Francis Allen. In 1889, when Frederick died, more renovations continued. A wing for servants was added, along with balconies off the bedrooms on the second floor. Mary, infatuated with gardens of all kinds, traveled the world and then returned to design nine different kinds of gardens around the mansion. While touring Europe, Mary Thompson heard about a special tulip show in the Netherlands, and decided to go to it, delaying her return to America. It was a good thing, as on April 15th, 1912, her ship sank. It was the Titanic.

In 1923, when Mary Thompson passed away, her nephew Emory Clark inherited the estate. Eight years later he sold it to the Federal government and a Veterans Hospital was built on the property. However, the upkeep on the house and gardens faltered. In 1966, interested town’s people bought and began to restore the house and fifty acres of the estate. Then in 1972, the Sonnenberg estate was transferred to a not-for-profit organization by way of a passed bill. Original blueprints and photographs were found and then the house and gardens underwent formal restoration to the forty rooms, the covered porch entrance, interior and exterior arches, beamed ceilings and leaded pane glass windows. The house and gardens were finally opened to the public in May of 1973.

However, between the 1973 and 2003, the endeavor struggled under heavy debt and trying economic times. In 2006, the Board of Trustees ended up selling Sonnenberg Mansion and Gardens to the New York Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. A National Heritage Trust was put in place for any renovations needed in the future. The park operates only through public revenues from a gift shop and wine center, donations, grants, memberships, private special events, and its visitors, who can visit two of the home’s three floors and gardens.

There are many beautiful rooms, which include the Great Hall, the Billiard Room, Trophy room, Library, Drawing Room, Dining Room; and upstairs, the Master Bedroom and several additional guest and servant rooms. There was a desk with Mister Thompson’s photography equipment and letters, and tables, shelves, and desks with keepsakes. A docent showed us a few important pieces; one of which was a stuffed white peacock that stares out a window. Upstairs there is a banister, which has a lovely graceful curve to it. A coyote and a bobcat pelt are draped over part of it. Her bedroom was filled with light, her lingerie was draped over her bureau drawers, and a blue dress was there as if she was preparing her dressing for the day. There are several pictures of the couple in the house. My favorite one of her is included.

Standing on the balcony, the gardens were on display and enticed us to walk them. The extensive grounds are divided into different area, with large grassy lawns in-between them. There were originally nine gardens in total, and are changed up seasonally. Presently there are the rose garden, the old fashioned garden, the large Italian garden, the rock garden, and the Japanese garden with a tea house. We also discovered a Roman Bath that was in a great state of disrepair and a fallen temple to Diana. But no matter where one looked, the house was inviting and lovely, and the gardens seemed as if from a fairy tale.

Very cool to see how a wealthy couple lived here at the beginning of the last century. Awesome architecture. Really interesting stuff. Take your time and study every room. We didn't really walk the gardens as the weather was really hot and though my wife would have liked to, gardens aren't that interesting to me. :-)

While the mansion is in various stages of repair it was still nice to tour. The gardens are beautiful and spending a few hours there is easy to do. All the gardens are a pleasure to stroll through. The Rock Garden, the Japanese Garden, the Italian Garden, the Moonlight Garden just to name a few my favorites. They have a Tea Service that we didn’t try but another time I’m sure we will. We were there on a Thursday and any gift shop/wine store wasn’t open

At first I felt a pang of pain seeing the work that needed to be done to bring this lovely mansion and grounds back to its original elegance but the volunteer members that were working so hard gave me hope and even the "bones" of the mansion and grounds were still amazing. I can't wait to see what is done by the next time I visit. Well worth a visit for anyone in the area.

Beautiful gardens and mansion. Knowledgeable docent in the mansion. The place is coming back from a period of neglect, but still worth seeing. Fabulous grounds. Wine tasting on site as well as a café with very good food. Place was built by the founder of Citibank and Chase Bank. Those corporations should kick in some money to complete the restoration.

This is the poorest excuse for a historical site. Everything is run down and over grown. Spend your money somewhere else.

Great tour of the mansion and grounds. The docents were so friendly and helpful (shout out to Beth especially), they answered all our questions with such enthusiasm and patience, they almost made history come alive. The house has so many interesting features (they certainly love their bathrooms and bathtubs!). We've toured other historic houses like in Newport where everything and everyone is so stand offish but here, we just felt so welcomed, we could even sit in some of the furniture. Of all the gardens, the Italian garden is the most updated, beautiful view from the 2nd floor bedroom. The Japanese garden with its historic teahouse is also fascinating. With more funding, am sure this garden could be made to truly shine. Be sure to also check out the lovely stained glass mural at the wine shop.

Beautiful gardens and queen Anne house with many interesting antiques. Japanese garden is very similar to those in Japan. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the grounds.

This is a beautiful park...the mansion and the gardens. It's clear that a lot of work needs to be done to restore both the mansion and the many gardens to their former glory. Regardless, its worth a visit. Plan on at least 2-3 hours to see most of the grounds and house. The docents are knowledgeable and friendly. There's a nIce little gift shop and café, too.

We were visiting the Rochester-Buffalo area for a week last September and devoted an afternoon to this site. I love gardens, historic homes, picturesque sites, etc., so I was really anticipating a great visit here. I have to say it was a "mixed bag." First, it was nice that we got free admission as AHS members. Upon arrival, we went right to the cafe for lunch, walking past some unkempt empty greenhouse structures--not a great introduction to their grounds. The cafe was very odd--we entered a rather run-down little building to find one small room with cafe seating. We were not expected much, but I will say that our crepe sandwiches (I had the seafood, my husband the chicken salad) were very delicious!

After lunch, we walked through the greenhouse; although it had nice collections, some areas were in bad condition and were quite unattractive (hopefully it's under repair). Then we walked back to the tram stop for the ride up to the house, figuring we would start up the hill and work our way down through the gardens. There was a wedding ceremony to take place on their grounds shortly, and all the trams were tied up taking wedding guests from the parking lot to the garden spot, so we were kept waiting quite a while; finally, when a group of us had gathered, a woman got on her walkie-talkie and commandeered a tram back to the tram stop. Upon reaching the house, a docent was waiting to take us around the rooms; he did a nice job and gave us a good sense of the family who lived there. The house was nicely preserved but not particularly grand in design or decor.

From there, we walked through the extensive gardens that stretched from the house on the hill down to the parking lot/entrance area--quite a big area. At one point, we took a tram ride through the gardens/grounds and received some additional interesting commentary by the driver. As we walked around, we encountered the above-referenced wedding party and their guests milling all around, having photos taken. While it was nice to see the group all dressed up and enjoying such a beautiful setting for their wedding photos, they did tie up some large areas of gardens we couldn't tour without ruining their shots. I think that management needs to limit weddings and photos to after-hours, so paying guests are not impacted so much.

All in all, we enjoyed touring this place. The formal gardens, greenhouse, and estate were generally very nice, and the cafe food was delicious (we didn't visit the wine center, as we don't drink). We expected this to be a "five star" attraction--and it seems like maybe it was at one time and still could be. To make this attraction truly special, I would clean up the lower area, expand the cafe, and keep weddings from interfering with paying guests' enjoyment of the gardens.

We aren't gardeners but we enjoy visiting beautiful gardens. This place was quite disappointing. Very few blooming flowers in what should be a lovely time of year for a garden. All of the outdoor spaces were in poor condition with lots of weeds growing through the pathways.

The house was interesting and easy to self tour. The docent we spoke to was informative. But overall I don't feel that it was worth visiting.

Very disappointed. We drove a long distance to see the house and gardens. Should have been warned by the mediocre entrance area. Greenhouses were in complete disrepair - windows broken, paint peeling. Plants were okay but not well displayed. Gardens were pitiful - in large part due to drought but also due to poor maintenance. House was a total waste. Very little furnishings, inside and outside, needed freshening and the signs were outdated. I would strongly recommend not going.

Sorry but I only give positive reviews. Trying hard to find something good to say but alas….just skip it, brings down the rest of this area.

Nice mansion - interesting piece of history - docent in the house to answer questions. There is only one tram - 7 passengers and it was a very hot/humid day - not great for a very large group of 'older' folks. Volunteer guides are interesting and very enthusiastic. There is a gift shop, a N.Y. wine tasting room, and a cafe.

The gardens were neglected, particularly the rose garden. The Italian garden lacked color. The ruins were not atmospheric but merely depressing. We left without visiting the house. It seemed understaffed.

Spent a nice morning touring Sonnenberg. Lovely series of gardens connected by a walking path. Can self guide with the map provided at the entrance. Definitely worth going into the mansion as well.

A breathtaking walk in the past. Every part was beautiful. This place is history at its best and most interesting.

I like that you can tour the mansion at your leisure and not a lot is roped off. But the gardens were severely lacking. For the $14 a person price tag I expected better maintained grounds. The silver garden had 3 meager white flowers at best.

Just like all the other reviews, you should definitely check out this place. Great outdoor space to get some exercise and enjoy the beautiful gardens. The mansion was so unique. Usually older mansions like this are very Civil War American, but not this one. You could spot the Asian and Native American influences.

Stop at the wine tasting first and take a glass with you while you walk. Make sure to stop in the Cafe for a bite as well.

Like another traveler I give the Mansion 5 stars. Beth was our guide. Very informative and knowledgable since she had been there since the 80's. The grounds surrounding the mansion were beautiful, The rock garden and all the different types of trees. We were there end of Sept, so the big disappointment was the greenhouse. almost nothing was in them. Still we spent a couple of hours around the surrounding gardens and mansion. Lots of walking, but they do have large seated golf carts to take you around. costs extra though

I frequent this now State Park yearly.... it is beautiful setting with spectacular grounds and mansion.... well worth an afternoon's stroll. In my opinion the art festival they started here a few years back is one of the best, if not the best in Rochester area. The property has bits of disrepair here and there, as they are constantly trying to get everything in its best shape.... Still breath taking in many ways....

beautiful gardens and wonderful walking area they do have trams if you do not want to walk the mansion is in excellent shape and a delight to walk through the guides in the mansion are experienced and knowledgable we spent half a day at the gardens

We really enjoyed our tour of the gardens. We started with a wine tasting near the entrance at the gift shop. The woman who gave the tasting was very friendly and gave us lots of information on the gardens as well. You can see that due to the size of the property, it’s a constant work in progress, but it was a very relaxing place. We chose to walk but they did offer tram tours as well for anyone who can’t handle much walking. My favorite part was touring the inside of Sonnenberg mansion. All the rooms were open and it was so neat to see all the furnishings and Mrs. Thompson’s clothes in her dressing room. There was also a live pianist which added to the overall ambiance. We spent about an hour and a half here but would love to go back when we have even more time to sit and linger in some of the lovely little areas of the garden. Can’t wait to go back again to such a peaceful place!

Everything was very run down, especially the greenhouses and gardens. For the end of July, I would have expected the gardens to be full and lush; they were not. The mansion itself is an eclectic mix of architectural types and furnishings; not very well maintained. The entrance was difficult to find and not at all inviting. I kept thinking it will get better, it did not. The Wine center was not open the day we visited; perhaps this would have helped improve our experience :).

The mansion’s grounds provide a relaxing walk through greenhouses, pristine green fields and themed gardens with an interesting meandering of the mansion proper and its Victorian rooms.

If your party has anyone interested in history and nature, they will enjoy a quiet couple of hours roaming throughout the large property, admiring the old trees, pretty flowers and potential sightings of small wild animals (frogs and groundhogs and the like).

If you have a toddler in a stroller, do note you’ll have areas where you will need to lift the stroller to get through or walks that are too narrow or rocky, so you would have time to go around the main path, diverging from the rest of the party for a bit.

We enjoyed our tour of the mansion and gardens due to the friendliness and helpfulness of the volunteers working there. They were awesome and shared so much information with us! The price is very reasonable and the garden are beautiful.

We love Sonnenberg Gardens! It's very peaceful here and there are many beautiful settings for photos. My favorite area is the Stone Garden. I've taken pictures over the years of the kids making the same poses in the same area and then put them in a scrapbook to see how much they've grown. We have been to their Summer Concert series as well, which we really enjoyed. The grounds are lit up, there are refreshments, and then, of course, music and some dancing. Check the website for current dates and times. We have also done carriage rides here. They don't do them all the time, but for certain events they are available for a separate fee. They also have a beautiful carriage house for party rentals at a good price and seemed extra accommodating when I called about having a party there. When the kids were little, they did the scavenger hunt where you find an ink stamp in each area and mark your scavenger hunt paper with it. We haven't been in about 4 or 5 years and my daughter mentioned it the other day, so we'll be going back soon and looking forward to it. Many fond memories here.

I've been to Sonnenberg every year for the last four years now, and I'm impressed with how it has changed. The gardens are beautiful and it looks like improvements and restorations are being made. I'm glad the mansion and grounds have been rescued from neglect. There is so much to see, I never seem to fit it all in. My 7 year old daughter loves running around the grounds and also touring the mansion. There are a couple spots that always seem to have some mosquitos, like the Japanese garden area, so you might want to bring some spray or wear long pants.

The gardens are fairly-well maintained and are very interesting. They also have a number of old greenhouses with a variety of plants. There are a number of different sculptures at the Japanese Tea Garden, and near the Mansion where there are Italian beds and sculptures.

The huge old Mansion was built by Frederick Ferris Thompson (and his wife) who founded two different large banks in New York, and whose father-in-law was a New York Governor.

After Mr. Thompson died in 1899, his wife hired Ernest Bowditch, a Boston landscape architect to redesign the grounds.

There is a wonderful garden cafe restaurant in an old house near the greenhouses which serves light food such as soup and fruit salads.

The flower beds were very nice but could benefit from more volunteer help to edge them, etc. These type of facilities take a lot of money to properly maintain them. It would be great if they had a large endowment fund to do that. They need to find a benefactor.

Very disappointed. We thought the estate was very run down. Have visited many old mansions and estates throughout the east coast, and this one was not elegant. Would never return or recommend to our friends and family.

Nice stroll through the park, glasshouses and mansion. Mansion is a bit dark and dreary; it is in need of some upkeep. No formal tours. Gardens are beautiful. Lots of parking.

Visited the mansion this past weekend and it is really neat to see all the "relics" and such. We had one docent who latched onto us so much that we couldn't really enjoy what we were looking at but it was still very pretty.

The Founder of the First National Bank of the City of New York (now Citicorp) owned 5 homes, this one located in a beautiful park-like garden. The house is enormous, and not completely restored yet. A tour with a docent is a must, since there is so much to tell about it and its occupants. You really get a good idea of how the ultra-rich lived before the days of income tax!

A great stop in the Canandaigua area! With things to enjoy for both the antique-lover and the gardener in your group. The original owners sure had lots of imagination to create such a mansion and grounds! As others have noted, they need more money or volunteers to keep up such a large facility.....we hope they can do it!

Be prepared to walk the paths and enjoy the huge trees and the pretty flower beds. Unfortunately we were in between the spring and summer varieties so flowers were at a minimum but still a very pretty place to spend a day. Mansion is not to be missed!

We enjoyed visiting here. It is too early in the season to enjoy the flowers, but the grounds and gardens were beautiful. The volunteers were very nice.. Maybe a little too chatty but they were excited to tell us everything they new about the Thompson family. What a nice way to spend an afternoon.

We had a lovely day walking in the gardens and just enjoying the beautiful grounds. The house was lovely.

Beautiful mansion to visit. Large rooms with a lot of history. Grounds around the property are well taken care of. If you walk the gardens up to the mansion it takes about 10 minutes along a trail. Very nice. Also had a bar area for wine tasting and a gift shop. Must see if your in the area

Sonnenberg is always a peaceful place to take gorgeous pictures and brush up on local history! Quite a reasonable price!

We have toured many gardens and though nice, I was not blown away.

What was very cool was the mansion. Built by a couple from NYC around 1870. He was the head of what s now Citibank and she loved her gardens. They built a system of pipes that brought water up 2 miles from The lake. There is a framed newspaper that speaks to the Titanic. The wife had a ticket, but at the last minute decided to go to Holland to get bulbs for her gardens. Talk about lucky!

In July there are a series of night events where they light up the gardens and have different themed bands. We saw an Irish band and Young Irish dancers from the Rochester school of Irish dance. Great music and very adorable and talented young dancers.

If you love gardens, historical mansions and music, schedule a visit. Check the website to make sure you are there on the right day for the July events.

We were at the end of the season and things were being prepared for winter. Not the best time to visit. It is a beautiful piece of property. The Mansion, large and quite dark, is interesting but not that pretty. The gardens offer many green houses, Japanese Garden, Roman Garden, etc. May pass this up next time.

Once a glorious garden, now in some disrepair but some of the old grandeur, including the mansion, still on view.

Magnificent treasure in upstate NY. Spend a day strolling the gardens, marvel at the architecture and top your day off with a meal at one of the top two cafes in Central NY right on the grounds of Sonnenberg. I go 3x/year and look forward to it each season!

The house is a true gem. It really shows how the upper class lived. Great gardens with many unique areas. To do it justice I would plan 4 hours with a fair amount of walking.

Nice peaceful grounds to walk and see various themed gardens. Some of it needs lots of work, but hopefully they can find the funding.
Overall a very nice park with lots to see.

The gardens present such exceptional design variety and attention to every detail. Any season offers an abundance for the senses. So many types, much to see and learn - allow lots of time. The home is wonderfully preserved and the docents clearly enjoy their work, guiding guests to all the spaces with stories of the family, friends, and politically connected who summered in this beautiful home. The best view of the city and the lake from the upper levels, of course. A feast for the eyes! Make sure this is on your list - even children find fascination in the gardens.

So much to see here. My granddaughter and I spent the day in Canandaigua and decided to go to Sonnenberg, just a turn off the main drag... well nested near the Veterans Hospital, it's amazing the TREASURE this is to Canandaigua. We were at the end of the day and one of the drivers of the 'golf cart' transports was so wonderful.. HE knew we were interested and gave us a personal tour of the grounds and shared so much of the history of this place. Another gentlemen let us walk through knowing they were near closing and we got a 'personal' brief tour! What customer service, What a great memory to have with my granddaughter. I highly suggest it to anyone wanting to mozy through a gorgeous historic castle, the gardens.. beautiful...

Beautiful garden and grounds and a walk through of the mansion. Allow for time to see everything. Was a little disappointed that there were so few flowers blooming especially at this time of year, there were only a few rose bushed blooming. Most were small plants most without buds.

This place was incredible; plan on spending a couple hours here at least, wandering around! The mansion is incredibly well-kept and informative; the grounds and their separate gardens are both aesthetically pleasing and incredibly peaceful to wander throughout and temporarily lose yourself in the creations.

Beautiful property with amazing trees. Lovely garden areas. Saw some work being done on the structure of the garden - it needs more - but good to see work happening. The house was well taken care of, though needs some more work, so great to see the antiques and photos of it in its glory. The volunteer guides throughout the house were kind and very willing to share information. I’d say the garden could use a few more directional signs…you arrive at the greenhouses, then have to figure out where the house is. Also, the wine center is closed, so don’t plan on that. A good experience, but the place could use about $10 million to restore it to its original state. Glad it was preserved, though!

The house is wonderful and well worth a look, but the grounds are the main attraction. They have a lot of nice events on weekends, so check their calendar. Plan to spend a coupe of hours and wear good walking shoes.

We loved our day at the garden. The tour of the mansion and the factoids about it were particularly interesting.

See how the richer half lived during the turn of the 20th century. Beautiful gardens, lovely house. Make sure you do the guided tour. It adds a lot to the experience. There's a small cafe on the grounds.

Where did all the flowers go? August and no roses in rose garden. No daisies no color. Mansion is drab and needs TLC

Stunning landscape design and horticulture. If you like Japanese horticulture, there is a section dedicated to Japanese design. Besides horticulture, the mansion is also open to see.

My sister and I visited Sonnenberg Gardens during one of their Friday night concert events. The music was excellent and it was very enjoyable to stroll around the gardens while we listened. Access to the mansion was also included and was definitely worth the time. I highly recommend this place.

The drive down Hummel street begins to peak the interest of what is to come. The expansive homes along this street are aweing. Going down the winding entrance to the State Park with gardners in huge hats, set the stage for a by gone era. I expected more blooms in the gardens near the gate and gift shop. The walk up to the house is lined with shade producing hardwoods and one can only imagine the horse drawn carriages that carried family and visitors up to the mansion. Self guiding tour is available, since each room has placards describing what is seen. Learning how design moved through varying eras was very helpful. The porches provided lovely views of the gardens surrounding the house (which I had expected to see more flowers) - in June. I did not have time to visit the Asian garden, but the photos are peaceful. Well worth 2 hours of quiet serenity.

After years of neglect, the Sonnenberg Mansion has been restored almost entirely back to its original glory. Apart from the mansion itself, which is extensive and gloriously appointed, the property features several formal gardens in which to get lost in. Everything is immaculately maintained. For those with mobility issues, they provide a free tram service which will take you from the front gate to the mansion, or actually anywhere on the property you wish to go.

I was a member in 2015 and 2016 with the major motivation being having somewhere safe and pretty to walk while plugged into my iPod. I was always so surprised to notice the lack of flowers, and decided against membership in 2017. Thought I'd try again this year and bought a membership yesterday. Within about 15 minutes, I asked for a refund. Sad and tired and lacking color or energy. What is the point of gardens if there are so few flowers planted and if those flowers are neglected? When you charge admission, you should provide a beautiful garden experience. Dead flowers are not uplifting or pretty and not worth the price of admission for repeat customers. The several long planter boxes behind the admissions booth are full of primarily dead flowers. The beds look as though they are thirsting for water. Dry as a bone. I spoke to a volunteer who was doing her best to deadhead and weed, but one volunteer can barely make a dent. She said they desperately need volunteers, and I don't doubt that, but something needs to be done if you continue to charge admission. I then went up to the Old Fashioned Garden. Again, very little color at all and plenty of dead plants. I would think, of all the gardens on the property, this one would be the rich, overflowing showcase. Never is. Why not? And in front of the arbors, sad and dead peonies that haven't been deadheaded and look terrible. The Italian Garden was the only one that looked nice. After a quick, colorless walk along the path back to the admissions booth, I asked and received my refund. Very disappointed, and primarily because I love gardens. I would love to see Sonnenberg thrive. On a beautiful June day, fewer than 10 cars in the parking lot. That should tell the staff something. From a comment a staff member made below to someone else's review, it appears finances are the reason given for the neglect. If you invested in more employees and more flowers, I'm certain attendance would rise dramatically and so would revenue. You need to spend money to make money. Make it the showcase you claim it is. Make it the highlight of the Finger Lakes. Hire more gardeners to stay on top of deadheading and watering and planting. Look for innovative ways to recruit more volunteers. Scouts? School groups? Something needs to happen. Take a look at the website for Filoli Gardens in Woodside, CA. It has a mansion and gardens that are well cared for and thriving; so much color and beauty in every direction; so much energy and enthusiasm; special events and classes and hikes. During the summer months, their huge parking lot is usually packed. In addition to the variety of flower beds in several themed gardens, Filoli has dozens of big planters brimming with colorful flowers. Color, color, color. Fragrance. Beauty. Energy. Worth every penny of the admission or membership. What is stopping Sonnenberg? I didn't see one single gardener, other than the weeding volunteer. If you make Sonnenberg the beauty it could be (and should be), you'll get more people to volunteer because they'd be proud to be associated. I did not feel pride walking around yesterday. I felt sad. Very sad. I couldn't wait to leave. A garden property should uplift you, not depress you. When I lived in California, I walked at Filoli nearly ever day for four years. That's no exaggeration. AND I took between 300-400 photos each day! Again, no exaggeration. I didn't take a single photo yesterday. Sad.

Beautiful place to visit. After paying admittance fee, a volunteer driving an 8 passenger golf cart will drive you to the mansion. Also returns to take you back to parking lot or cafe or wine tasting/gift shop. A sweet, knowledgeable, docent gave 4 of us a tour of the mansion. Told us many interesting stories about the wealthy couple who made this their home and how generous and considerate they were to their staff, friends and community. It felt like we knew the beautiful couple as we learned how they lived. Also learned of the gardens and mansion being rented for weddings and similar events. How wonderful that would be. So glad the community is able to maintain the home and gardens and keep it open for tours. Definitely recommend taking a tour with a docent, much more interesting then just wondering through. We had lunch at the cafe on the grounds. Step back in time, nice lunch, reasonably priced. Wine tasting available and gift shop in separate building.

Everything here is extraordinary. The gardens are just magical and the house has been wonderfully restored. The architecture is outstanding. I spent two hours, and if I had the time I would have stayed longer. The Japanese Gardens and Rock Garden are just stunning. The greenhouses are fun to explore- do not miss the orchid house! Use the map they give you, or you will miss some of the gardens. I wish I was closer, as I would return frequently.

The reviews of writers stating dead plants, lots of weeds, broken flower pots, lack of color, and even lack of flowers at all in some gardens (pansy garden actually only had 4 little pale flowers trying desperately to survive) are all true. We read the managers reviews and all we see are weak excuses for lack of management and money. We were there after a rain so the drought excuse doesn’t cut it as the weeds seem quite happy. And don’t even get us started on the greenhouses...
The mansion is a beautiful place but was not as well kept up as it could be.
Can’t management arrange for youth groups or college students to work on the gardens and walk ways?
If the gardens can’t be a great experience for the guest you should change the name to just Sonnenberg Mansion and adjust your admission fee.

Beautiful setting but obviously neglected. Could use more volunteers for upkeep. Not a bad way to spend an hour or two but could have been so much better

This place is awe inspiring! There are 9 gardens, one being a Japanese garden with a huge buddha! They are so accommodating! My husband is unable to walk, so instead of the walking tour we were put on a tram and had a guided tour! The inside of the mansion is great. There are 41 rooms! This is not handicapped accessible, though. So, we stayed downstairs. Loved the stuffed peacock... The gift shop left a lot to be desired. No magnets, no postcards..very dark. Just a very pleasant lady working...

Sadly my visit was very disappointing. I had searched their website prior to the visit for admission cost information and was unable to find any. For 14 dollars I would have reconsidered my visit. It was early in the season so I did not expect to be wowed by the gardens but I also did not expect to see the grounds in such need of care. The green houses were in disrepair and plants within did not look well cared for. Now a NY state park I'd say it's a bit of an embarrassment. Daily wine tasting had closed for the day because with was still early in the season. Would have appreciated an early season discount in the admission price.

The Mansion was beautiful, the grounds amazing. Anyone who says other wise has no idea how hard it is to maintain historic sites. Keep up the great work!

Were staying in Geneva and hoped to find an activity for a cloudy day. We were so thrilled to find this home. Self guided tour was easy to understand. We enjoyed learning the history of the family, the area as well as touring the home and grounds. Although some things were obviously in poor repair, it didn't deter from the general ambience.

Stopped here Sunday morning and it was nice to see the gardens and the mansion. Walked outside and took some great pictures of the gardens and just enjoyed the fall day. Nice walkways with stone steps and pathways around the gardens. The mansion is beautiful inside with some history behind Mary! Nice hidden place to stop and enjoy, admission is $15 a person. I am sure this place is beautiful in the summer when everything is full bloom!

Went by myself.My first ever solo date🤣it was a wonderful experience and the gardens were beautiful

Great gardens and the house + history is excellent. We ate at the cafe which was quite quaint. Lots of parking.

This was well worth the money...everything was so beautiful. The house and gardens were really something to see

Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion is a wonderful place that you can go back to and tour every year. It's a gorgeous place, and both the mansion and the gardens are phenomenal. There is also a craft show there every year with very high-quality craftsmen selling their wares, and I would recommend this as well. It makes for a great summer afternoon trip!

It is a self guided tour with signage throughout the mansion. Good history given by a few of the volunteers. The gardens are lovely but not too much blooming in September. Good to visit when blooming is at peak.

A beautiful visit. Walk the path and stop at all the numbered locations. Linger in the gardens - stop and smell the roses (literally). The mansion is wide open and on a sunny day, take a seat on the sleeping porch upstairs or on the wrap-around.

Beyond our visit - I encourage everyone who visits to donate. While many parts of the gardens and mansions are well-kept, many are in disrepair simply because there's on so much time and money to go around. I vote for the Grecian temple that had to be disassembled.

There are paved paths to walk around. The trees, scrubs and flowers were nice. Overall the property is in disrepair. The roman baths and diana statue should be fixed. If your looking for a place to walk around in nature this is ok.

The Sonnenberg gardens and mansion is a Canandaigua landmark providing the city with a historical perspective for the immediate area. Canandaigua and the bordering lake provide the backdrop for this iconic landmark.

For a very reasonable admission price, you can wander through numerous beautiful gardens, a mansion, historic out buildings (Roman Bath, Japanese tea house, green houses), and even taste wine. The volunteers who give tours and drive trams are professional and knowledgeable. The Thompsons were fascinating people. I highly recommend a visit.

A visit to Sonnenberg makes for nice afternoon. Tour the mansion and rest up on the front porch before taking a walk around the grounds and gardens.

Wonderful place for a stroll around the grounds. Would still give it a 4-rating for off season visits, for the house tour, but if you can, go when the grounds are in bloom. THat's the real star attraction here.

This place is weird. It's both stunning and sort of melancholy. Some of it is breathtakingly beautiful. Some of it is run down and makes you think of a horror movie. That sounds bad, but it's not. It works. It makes the place more interesting. Definitely a cool place to visit. The Japanese gardens are..... Well..... I wish I had them in my backyard. Check this place out. It's definitely worth the entry fee.

Like so many gardens across America, this one would be so lovely with more volunteers to tend the gardens and more money to fix the broken greenhouses. The Sonnenberg Gardens are well organized and spacious. The Mansion is a treat to walk through and a helpful voluteer shared information about the place. But is also is lacking care and no doubt for the same reasons. The gardens around the Mansion were the best and most interesting. The gift shop was not open because of no volunteers to man it.

Many of the reviewers obviously had been there previously and were disappointed in the current appearance, As someone visiting for the first time, I looked with different eyes. True the gardens needed some more care and upkeep, but in an historical sense they were very interesting and well designed,
The docents for the mansion were all excellent, and a special thank you to the wonderful senior citizen who has been there for years and has a passion for her volunteer job.
The trees on the property are worth seeing by themselves.
While NY State is responsible , it is a small group of volunteers who do most of the work, and they are fully committed to doing their best. The group that does the flower arranging is also to be commended, and they were beautifully done and abundant throughout the house.

If you are in the area and enjoy touring historic homes, visit the Sonnenberg Mansion and Gardens. Many others have mentioned the disrepair, and yes, compared to some other mansions & gardens there is quite a bit of disrepair. Not all historic homes come with the benefits of money to maintain them in their original glory. Do not let that deter you from a visit. There is grandeur, beauty and wonder to find.

When you visit you will be treated to a wonderful property where you can imagine how grand it once was, appreciate how the property and its owners served the community, recognize what it takes to maintain without the privilege of private money, and engage with warm and welcoming volunteers. Remember that seasons change and, depending on the time of year you are there, not all of the many gardens will be in bloom. Be sure to check out the rock garden and its cozy pathways.

Our visit was made particularly special thanks to the volunteers. Paul was lovely and invited us to join his informative golf cart tour around the property which set the foundation for our visit. He graciously shared his favorite spots on the estate that we were sure to visit. The docent in the mansion was informative, sharing much more than the plaques could provide. Mary (and Debbie, her assistant for the day) operating the Wine Center shared stories of the space, treated us to a unique wine tasting and was incredibly helpful with recommendations for the remainder of our day. Thanks to them all!

The place is beautiful. The garden was quite impressive. The nursery was just OK and in need of better maintenance.

The grounds and the house can't be described in words. The history is so interesting. We were there during a craft fair so it was crowded but this place is a must see.

My wife & I are visiting our daughter in Rochester, and while she is busy during the day we are making day trips to places like this.

Today is a beautiful sunny day to wander around the gardens, unfortunately most but not all of the flowering plants are done flowering for fall.

I attached several pictures of the outside of the mansion and of the gardens and conservatory.

Laura was very friendly and informative inside the house.

Well worth the time. Plan on at least 1.5 hours. More if you really like to wander all the garden areas - 12 of them!

We found this place along scenic state route 20 in upstate New York, and decided to take the tour. It costs $14 per adult and prices go down from there for children. After paying your admission you are given a brochure with a map of the estate and offered to wander at your leisure of take a tram up to the Mansion. The tram is actually an oversized golf cart, but it did the trick. The tour guide was quite knowledgeable about the estate and it's former occupants. He also told us a lot about the trees growing on the property. The mansion is unoccupied and you are free to roam and read about the place from placards. It is also a wedding venue, and apparently a great place to take portraits, as some were doing the day we were there. There is a cafe, which the ladies at the entrance gate say has delicious food, but we did not partake, instead, we opted to eat a picnic lunch out by the pond on tables they provide for that purpose. Very peaceful and lovely property.

The gardens are beautiful, the tour guides are knowledgeable and the food in the cafe is scrumptious!

Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion is a wonderful place to spend a few hours of pure wonder and joy. It was the summer home of New York banker Frederick Ferris and his wife, Mary Clark Thompson, daughter of a New York State governor. There are numerous, beautiful gardens, sprawling lawns, and beautiful vistas. The house itself is a great example of a Queen Anne-style mansion. The forty-room home is impressive in its attention to detail: crown moldings made of plaster, many rooms with adjoining balconies, and bathrooms and water closets in each bedroom. And speaking of details, our British-American tour guide was incredibly informative as well as welcoming and exceedingly pleasant. For those who expect to see perfection here, don’t come. Some of the gardens are in need of repair - like many non-profit organizations, there is need for more funding. Be that as it may, it is well worth the trip. Photographers, both professional and amateurs, will enjoy countless opportunities for interesting photos. And make sure you don’t miss the Japanese-style garden and tea house. I highly recommend visiting the Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion when traveling to the Finger Lakes!

The mansion was one of 5 homes owned by the Thompson's! A real step back in time. My 13 year old daughter and I spent the day here and had a great time. She wants to go back just to eat at the Cafe ( you can eat there anytime without having to pay the entrance fee to the Mansion and gardens ) the food was all homemade and DELICIOUS!!!! Everyone who works there were very friendly and helpful. Lots of weddings are held there and they were preparing for one while we were there.

Many themed gardens at the mansion, so it's a great place to explore and walk through the different historic gardens. The mansion is also a museum and many times has special exhibits, so you can visit numerous times over the spring, summer and fall months to view the gardens during the seasons.

My wife and I love going into historic homes and gardens at many different states and Countries. Sonnenberg did not disappoint! Even after what was apparently a drought the gardens were well maintained and the House is spectacular! I felt like I was going into someones house from 1905 and it was still the way it was intended to look and feel.
Thanks for the wonderful experience!

You can walk around in the mansion and the mansion has some unique furniture to look at. There are some nice gardens to explore. Only 3 or 4 of the green houses are full.
If the place had better maintenance, the place would really be a huge tourist attraction.

Visiting the Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion was a priority for me during our most recent visit to the Finger Lakes. I love seeing formal gardens & learning about how people used to live. We visited on a sunny day, and loved seeing all the formal gardens. The Blue & White garden was my favorite; the Japanese garden a close second. The interior of the house was also fascinating, seeing all the old furniture & art. Given the family's wealth, it was a little less grand and more cozy than I expected. There are docents throughout who are helpful and open to answering questions. We spent about two hours there, which was enough time to see everything we wanted to see.

We visited in mid May on a drizzly chilly day. This early in the spring, gardens are just barely getting started from the winter. So the gardens weren’t especially nice looking but several volunteer groups were hard at work on the Italian garden, the rose garden, the Japanese garden, and perhaps elsewhere on the huge grounds. We were prepared for the drizzle so we enjoyed walking around and could imagine how gorgeous the grounds would be farther into the growing season.

We got up to the Mansion as the drizzle turned to a steady rain. A senior docent gave us a wonderful tour of the first floor. She seemed to know amazing details about the mansion and individual pieces. She was unhurried and enjoying sharing a wealth of information. Touring the 2nd floor was on our own. All in all we spent about 2 1/2 hours and enjoyed it. If the gardens had been in bloom, I probably would have given it 5 stars.

This charming mansion was build in the late 1800's. Set with beautiful gardens that are kept up be volunteers, and hosted by lovely people that genuinely care about the history of this estate.
There are Roman baths, statues and interesting features to this lovely landscape. A really nice little stop if you are travelling through the finger lakes region.
The flowers were not all out yet, but I can imagine just how wonderful it would be to visit in the summer months.

The variety of the gardens, the unusual trees, the kindness of the staff all impressed us. Lots of things to see and a tram to help you get around without too much walking. Lovely home with views of different gardens out each window. the lady who put this garden together had a very creative mind!

A true gem in our city thanks to benefactors and volunteers. Enjoy a day walking through the gardens appreciating what was, what is, and what could be, it’s all here and a wonderful opportunity to appreciate nature on a historic property. Oh that I had millions it would be well spent continuing the work that has brought this amazing property back into working garden status. Lots of volunteer effort and a true passion. The mansion is exquisite with possibilities. Each volunteer is truly engaged and committed to keeping Sonnenberg alive. I’m going to have to help.

With over 200 VOLUNTEERS this place is a historical gardens, events weddings venue...
Love the grounds gardens and the cafe was great place to take a break from the heat!
We had the chuarrtere platter fruit, cheese, crackers and iced tea lemonade so refreshing on a 90 degree day! Rose garden, English garden, vibes, Japanese gardens too much has been maintained the era 1850 s an on....well worth visit! Gift shop wine cellar too.

As much of the time is spent outside, it's best to go on a good day without rain, if possible. Unfortunately since we visited in the spring, many of the gardens are still not blooming, but if you're familiar with European gardens you can get a good idea of these Sonnenberg gardens even then. We took the free tram around the perimeter twice, with two different drivers, to learn more about this site. Unfortunately we didn't have a proper tour of the mansion--it's jaw dropping--so we didn't learn the history of the place, but wandering about on our own was still rewarding. I definitely want to go back when the gardens are blooming--one of the tram operators said July was a good month. However, one of the benefits of visiting before the season truly gets started is that there wasn't a lot of people; I imagine this attraction becomes very crowded, especially on hot days. The tranquil atmosphere will definitely change with more people; nevertheless the vastness of this estate should still provide much respite and peace. Incidentally, we've toured the Frick mansion in Pittsburgh--there's NO WAY it can stand even in the shadow of this place, even though Frick too was very wealthy and could afford much luxury. I do have a complaint, though about Sonnenberg: with as much patronage this site receives, why don't they pave the driveway into the enormous parking lot--we had to drive extremely slowly. Surely something can be done to better that road! The parking lot would also be enhanced if it were paved.

Glad we didn't listen to the reviews. My husband and I took a lovely self guided tour around the gardens and mansion. And while I agree that the greenhouses were not in the best shape, the different gardens with their structures and statues were beautiful and very interesting. And the mansion itself was so interesting. It was a lovely visit after a trip of mostly vineyards!

Beautiful place. Informative docents. Quite a bit of walking, but trams provided for those who need them.

Located in the heart of Canandaiguta,New York a well worth trip to see the Victorian mansion and the beautiful 50 acre estate featuring elegant gardens, green houses, beautiful flower beds, orchards, etc.. and truly a place to visit and spend time viewing the grounds and estate. One should visit the grounds when flowers are in bloom and the grounds are green. All employees encountered were personal, friendly and extremely informative. There is ample parking, a entrance price but reasonable, cafe, gift shop and wine shop. There is a rock garden, Japanese Garden, Roman bath, Italian Garden, Arboretum, several greenhouses, Mansion etc... to view with many paths leading to each. The day we visited was beautiful to view all. It truly gives one what it was like in the Victorian age. We will return! A gem!

It’s been years since I last went to Sonnenberg Gardens and it was as beautiful as I remembered! The stately trees on the property are impressive, especially the sycamores. My favorite was the weeping beech - the trunk alone was impressive. The map is easy to follow so we were able to find all the various gardens.

The moonlight garden was just starting to bloom and the roses were just branching out. The many bridges and fountains kept the kids with us enthralled and were beautiful for us to see. The Italianate garden was impressive, especially when viewed from the porch or the colonnade. The mansion is well tended and the staff inside were outstanding. So were the grounds and entry staff.

My only surprise was the state of the old fashioned garden. The beauty of the perennials was overwhelmed by the tall grasses allowed to grow and stand above all else. I see from their website it’s intentional but I think it’d be more striking without them.

We stopped in on the way to the Finger Lakes from Niagra Falls because they had a reciprocal deal with our local botanical gardens, and we got in free. Had lunch at the cafe and the crepes were surprisingly good. We walked the whole place and followed the map/guide, but felt that the house was the best part. So much of the garden is still "under construction" but the house was cool because you can walk in every room, not just look from beyond a rope and there are docents to answer questions. This house from 1880's had en suite baths and walk in closets which amazed me....

I didn't read reviews ahead of time so this is unbiased. While touring I accepted areas that needed some updating as just parts of the culture of Sonnenberg. The mansion and history are quite interesting. The green houses were nice and yes, could be kept better but again fit in with the culture. Gardens for most part ok. I was impressed with the growing and nurturing of plantings that were designated for reconstructive use in NYS parks. The biggest disappointment for me was the outdoor Cafe. Food was excellent. But table coverings shredded and ground needed sweeping. It didn't feel clean. Spruce it up and add citronella plants since there were insects. Since I am highly vulnerable to bites, I felt constantly panicky while eating my lovely lunch and swatting away bees etc. We should have moved inside for comfort. All in all I was glad I visited this NYS bucket list venue. Kudos to the volunteers working there.

We decided to take the parents on an adventure. A place they've never been to. They've lived here since 1982 & have never venture out to a romantic place on its time. A nice day we had, just the 4 of us; enjoying the gardens, stumbling along a wedding in progress & the sites of a wonderful mansion. A time treasure for anyone to enjoy.

The Italian garden was absolutely gorgeous and so was a lot of the other ones. The green houses were set up very nice too it was a very pleasant evening I spent there.

We revisited the mansion and gardens after a 25+ year time and were very pleased to see the rose garden. Worth the visit but beware the seasons. This entire property is primarily tended by volunteers and they do an amazing job. One of the founders of Citi Bank's original parent company created this "summer" home on the lake and his wife did amazing things to the gardens even after his death. Loved taking a peek at well-preserved portions of the gilded age and amazing stonework and wood craftsmanship. The restaurant near the entrance had very delicious food and the service is appropriate for a lazy visit without a time schedule. There are golf carts to bring you from one section of the property to another. They were setting up for a couple of weddings. Surely a lovely setting for those. We had a guided tour and that is absolutely the best way to view the house and learn the history. Maps of the gardens provided. Some of the property could benefit from more volunteer hours, but so, so lovely in the summer.

We are so glad this mansion is open to the public. The workmanship, without power tools for the most part, is unbelievable. The carpenters and stone masons were true artists, (and starving artists, we presume). But none the less fantastic to view.
The gardens were also impressive, and with limited funds, were well taken care of.
Help them out with your admission.
Well worth the trip. Spend a few amazing hours.

Concert and gardens at night were a worthwhile visit. Be sure to tour the mansion. Well worth the time.

What a great way to start our weekend getaway. This large estate had several different gardens. Among them was the Japanese garden with a beautiful Tea House. It was exquisite. There was so much to see and explore. This was a perfect place for a picnic.i can see why it is a popular place for weddings.

Mansion is beautiful with quite some history story, love those Gardens , big thumb up for 1pm tour , wonderful 2 hours all the way, thanks for all those volunteers to keep this place up and running , rocky garden is good for little kids play .

Two adults visited the Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion on a Monday in mid-August and had a great time. The gardens are beautiful and the mansion blew us away. We have been to many of the Gilded Age mansions in the Hudson Valley and we both agreed that the Sonnenberg Mansion just had a fantastic/livable feel to it. Mrs. Thompson largely designed and lived in the Mansion and on the property for years after her husband died and was really a fantastic planner/developer. Everything we saw in the house was very well thought out and implemented from the first floor common rooms to the second floor bedrooms. The docent in the Mansion was extremely knowledgeable and took her time explaining about the family and the property. There are nine gardens ranging from small to very large, but the “Old Fashioned Garden” was our favorite with its many blooms followed by the Japanese Garden with its peace and tranquility. This was a day well spent for us. There are greenhouses to tour and a wine shop/gift shop on site.

The grounds were striking and the mansion breathtaking and very historical. We spent many hours just enjoying the atmosphere.

our family grew up in Canandaigua. we all come back for an annual reunion. Sonnenberg has and always was a special place for relatives to go to

If you really like historical mansions and/or gardening, then this is a nice visit. It is a little higher priced than other NY state parks, and you need to be prepared to do some walking. We went mid August, and only few flowers still in bloom. The mansion is kept nicely, and the tour guides did a nice job with their explanations and answering questions. It is a very unique place to visit.

We recently visited Sonnenberg Gardens while on vacation in the Finger Lakes.

The story of the mansion and the grounds is nothing short of amazing.

We were very fortunate to have a personal tour with the Head Volunteer, Ginny.
She shared the history of the Ferris/Thompson family and all that they did for the community of Canandaigua.

The fact that all upkeep is done through grant writing and fundraising is quite an accomplishment.

They have been able to take those funds and really make the best use of them.

We would love to see the State of New York step in and help out with additional funding to see just how beautiful the area could look.

Our congratulations goes out to all of the volunteers and paid staff who have been able to make a little go a long way.

The mansion was beautiful with extremely large rooms - especially the various bedrooms. It also had an open floor plan which was unique for the late 1800s. The woodwork was also gorgeous. I liked the variety of types of gardens (Italian, Japanese, Blue, Rose, etc). But the gardens could have been maintained a little better. We were there for about 1 hour and 40 minutes on a self guided tour of both the house and gardens.

We made a visit from Corning and quite honestly it wasn't worth the effort. The architecture of the house is striking although in some state of disrepair in places. The interior space is similarly quite impressive but the furnishings are musty and a bit tatty.

The main draw, the gardens were a disappointment. They were sparsely planted and not impressive or 'botanical' (what we saw). Maybe they just started to organise them for the summer season? The Thompsons who owned the house were supposed to be prominent horticulturists but you would not have been immediately aware of that. The most interesting fact I gleaned was that Mary Clark Thompson was a booked passenger on Titanic but cancelled at the last minute to attend a horticultural event.

We were disappointed with Canandaigua, looked very touristy and tacky. However, the houses on the streets surrounding the estate were pure Americana, lovely big Victorian clapboard properties reminiscent of the family home in Meet Me In St Louis! I think I'd have preferred to wonder around these streets instead of Sonnenberg.

The place is great, sister and her grandson in from out of town. He wanted to see what it was like. The gardens are no where near as nice as they use to be. Who ever is taking care of them is obviously not a gardener. The Italian garden looked so bad it was hard to believe. The rose garden was ok but not in it's glory. We haven't had much rain but it looks like they just don't care anymore. Maybe since the state has kind of taken over that is the issue. Of course the mansion is still a great treasure and nice to visit. Hopefully one of these days the pool house will be restored. Not that they should ever let anyone swim there but at least put back together so it will last for people to see what it once was.

My daughter and I recently spent the day here. I've been wanting to go for years. We loved it. My favorite was the rock garden, the walkway and stone archway was gorgeous. There's so much shade which was great on a hot day. I can't imagine the amount of thought, time and labor it took to create all these gardens back then. Parts of the grounds need some work, but it is a massive piece of property to keep up. We downloaded the app which was great to listen to in each garden. We were surprised how much freedom we had walking around the property and the mansion. There was a woman playing the piano which you could hear all thru the house, it was wonderful. I was a little disappointed to find out that the cafe we planned to eat at wasn't in the mansion. That would have been awesome. The cafe is at the entrance so we had a late lunch before we left, and that was delicious even tho it was served on disposable plates lol and the waiter was the best!

We toured Sonnenberg in late May....perhaps a little to early to fully appreciate the gardens. It would have been lovely to see the roses in bloom. The free tram offers visitors with limited walking abilities to be able to see all the gardens along with some narration by the driver. This house has been used for more than a family mansion, which adds to it's historical ambiance.

I won free tickets to visit the gardens. We were hoping to go over the summer at peak season but didn't have the time. Given the time of year I was very impressed with the garden! Their were still some great flowers and the grounds was very well cared for. We enjoyed a tour by a volunteer in a "golf cart"! He was kind and knowledgeable. The mansion was well kept and had interesting artifacts. The cafe was very good. The fruit and salad was farm fresh. I also loved the garlic bread. We enjoyed the wine tasting and the variety of local wines. Everyone we encountered was friendly and helpful!
We spent more time than we anticipated exploring the grounds. We assumed it would only take an hour or two max but we stayed about 3 hours.
We hope to go up next summer when the flowers are at their peak!

My wife and I spent the morning touring the gardens and the mansion. She loves flowers (tho this hot summer had been a challenge for the garden-keepers, I'm sure.) I love fountains and the mansion was a real treat. There's a tram for those who tire of walking. Wonderful way to spend the morning before heading to the lake for a picnic.

Weather had turned rainy, but we opted to take a chance and visit Sonnenberg. Glad we did. We took the tram to the house, where docents were available to answer any questions. The house tour is self guided. One bedroom is filled with Women’s Suffrage History and tells of Mrs. Thompson’s philanthropy. Beautiful views from the porches. After our house tour, the knowledgeable tram driver took us along a path to visit all the gardens. We enjoyed the views and didn’t get wet. Reading other reviews I do agree it is not necessary to see the farm equipment upon arrival and the greenhouses look unsafe. But the greenhouses are not open to visitors. Gift and wine shop on site.

I have been to the Finger Lakes several times and finally visited the Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion. We were there on one of the last days of summer but there as still quite a few people on the grounds. The Mansion is lovely and is starting to show signs of needed repairs. It is a nice place to visit and to spend the afternoon.

While parts if the grounds were impressive, as a whole the upkeep of the fountains and pathways were not. We visited in mid summer and most of the water features had just dribbles; if any water, which left me longing for more.
Inside the mansion the placement of the period pieces are at best halfhazardly scattered without much thought as to asthetics. Less is more with such exquisite woodworkings and architechural layout. The (little)fresh painting schemes are monochromatic, NOT related to the at least three colored victorian age it should be.
This should be showpiece of how NYS and private .orgs could meld to bring visitors to upstate, however it is not. Yet.

Roam the flower gardens and grounds at your leisure, but be sure to give yourself enough time to tour the mansion. It will take you back in time. There are many stories and much history associated with the mansion.

We took a guided tour of the grounds & home. It’s a really nice place to visit and learn some history how some very wealthy people lived. The mansion is in nicely preserved condition, the grounds are very lovely and the Friends of Sonnenberg are continuing to seek funds to restore the grounds & gardens. We had lunch in the cafe and it was very tasty. Cute gift shop as well.

Went here on a senior bus trip. Amazing. They normally aren't open on the day we went but they are trying to encourage groups, etc. I had seen the brochures over the years but never got over there. Glad I went this time. We had a guided tour through the gardens and the main house. The staff and volunteers have done an amazing job,, but could use more to keep the place up. Great back story about the original owners. Bankers from NYC. This was their summer place. Alot of history here. Famous people. Charitable work they did. And the surrounding buildings in the area. Amazing gift shop. They do wine tasting with some special blends. don't miss that. Great place for a wedding or special event. Lots of different locations you could use. Amazing property

My wife really wanted to tour Sonnenberg so off we went Friday afternoon.It was her "thing" or so I thought till I got in. What a very pleasant surprise. The grounds are huge (50 acres) as is the 40 room mansion. I was trying to picture the grounds and Mansion around the early 1900's while in their glory. Can't imagine the cost to maintain such a place. The place is rich in history as the self tour and exhibits explain the lives of the Thompson's, where they got there money from , how they lived. It was hard to imagine that this was just their summer home. There are guides there to answer any questions.
There are lots of flowers planted around the grounds so it's lovely to see. A lot of the green houses are in disrepair as is av good amount of the concrete. The temple to Diana was taken down for safety though her statue is on display in a nearby area.
Kept wishing I had a time machine to go back and visit with the Thompson's during this golden time. .

Beautiful home and gardens - go on a warm, sunny day so you can enjoy everything.

There may have been an admission fee but no one was in the booth so our day was free. They are working on the main entrance so we had to go around to the back of the garden to enter …

The house is beautiful. The original owner had great taste and was a great traveler so the design and decor is very eclectic.

Take your time and enjoy!

Our guide was great. She explained all of the historic relevance to the mansion and gardens. There was a lot more walking than expected and it was over rough terrain. Everything was in state of disrepair. I know they rely on donations and that must be difficult. Just look past this and enjoy the history.

What a beautiful places. The house and the gardens were very beautiful. Much of the beauty came after the ladies husband died. She had may to much money to spend, but had an eye for beauty. In the heat of summer when all flowers are in bloom tis place would be amazing.

We visited here for our 49th anniversary. Everything is gorgeous, from the grounds to the mansion. The wine tasting was great as well. It is a must see for couples and youngsters.

While visiting my son attending school at Rochester, we happened to visit this historic property. It’s a hidden gem with a well manicured Gardens, an interesting history of the owners and their desire to create a beautiful home, and a hidden restaurant with Delicious food and a beautiful view.

When staying in Canandaigua, my wife and I visited the Sonnenberg Gardens. The Sonnenberg Gardens are a 50 acre estate comprising multiple gardens and a mansion built in the late 1880's. Different flower gardens are situated throughout the property. Additionally, the mansion is open to tour and docents are available for a more extensive tour. The mansion is very impressive and the gardens beautiful. Visitation to the Sonnenberg Gardens is well worth the trip.

We were in town for my (shhh) 40th high school reunion and my husband was keen to visit Sonnenberg. When I lived there the place was in fairly rough shape, so I wasn't all that excited about the prospect but..... I was so pleasantly surprised to see how very much loving care has been put into the estate and the gardens. It's absolutely lovely and an truly beautiful place to spend a pretty morning. We took advantage of the wine tasting and really enjoyed it. Meg (I'm pretty sure that was her name) knew all about the various wines and wineries and had interesting things to tell us about the wines and the NY State wineries in general. I'm really glad that my husband persuaded me to visit again.

Mansion interesting in decent condition,much of the gardens were in need of upkeep, too bad could be spectacular. Some were better than others but a real missed opportunity to make something special here

very interesting place to visit. gardens are wonderful. gift shop very nice. hours of entertainment to enjoy!

Lovely place with interesting history and variety of gardens. We visited in the Fall, so we missed a lot of the flowers in bloom, but we enjoyed our visit very much.
Street signage to find the entrance could be better.

We spent a relaxing afternoon visiting the mansion and gardens. We started with the greenhouses. They have lots of cactus and orchids. Then we walked the grounds to the mansion. There is a free shuttle available. The mansion is gorgeous. I love the architecture and woodwork. The gardens are beautiful although some are in the process of renovation. Disappointed that the Rosé gardens. The grass had many weeds and the roses were infested with beetles. Overall nice grounds and well worth the visit.

This place is very beautiful but do not expect it to be in the same shape it was in one hundred years ago in its heyday! The gardens are massive and would take a huge crew to get them in pristine condition. The house was was very interesting especially the history. Do not miss it. Some areas like the old pool place will take a massive amount of money to bring it back to its original condition and their maintenance is better spent elsewhere. WE thoroughly enjoined our walk through the gardens and were very well pleased with the experience.

This was a disappointment. There were barely and flowers in the gardens and the mansion is in serious need of some basic maintenance. Considering the number of visitors and the cost of the entry fee, we were expecting something more impressive. If you have nothing to do in Canandaigua and have money you don’t need, you might want to,stop by for something to do.

I suspect the gardens are much prettier during the spring and summer - much work is needed - I was very disappointed - people were very helpful and friendly though - the mansion was the hit of the visit - met the neatest 84-year old woman!

Amazing how this place was planned with its never ending landscaping. We went on a Saturday and the weather was perfect. Listened to a docent before entering the house and the docent inside was very informative. Only the first floor was open for viewing they stated at this time.

Some of the greenhouses need renovation, however, the plants inside seemed to be thriving. The wine center was not open, so did not experience it. The gift shop had many items in varying dollar amounts to purchase.

A wedding was starting and we saw the wedding party escorted by golf carts to a quiet location of the park.

A nice day. We enjoyed our visit.

we had a nice experience at the gardens, I would recommend a day there. we did notice that some of the gardens need more work.

Make no mistake - it was hot! Nevertheless we had a great time exploring the house and gardens. Definitely worth the price of admission. We even brought a picnic and ate down by the pond. Docents were very knowledgeable. Beautiful property.

The mansion with the grounds are amazing and fascinating considering that most of what you see is original or a replica of the original. A must see

I remember going to the gardens decades ago and enjoying them. I hope that someone or a group can infuse energy and money into the gardens to bring them back to their glory. It would be wonderful to have the names of the different trees and plants noted. And to have the signage in the mansion updated in a larger format. Maybe redo the notebooks in a poster format so that the information can be enjoyed as one walks through the mansion.. Maybe a local garden club and historical society could help?? Still a marvelous place to marvel at the ingenuity and creativity of the original owners and the landscape architect. Who knew they built homes with a bath for each bedroom in the early 1900s??
Great cafe! Excellent food.

If you like historic homes, gardens and birds, this is the place for you. The history of the home and garden is pure guilded age delight.

With an afternoon to spend near to home my family took to the roadway and landed at this hidden hem of the city of Canandaigua NY. We found an adventurous hike up curvy driveways to see the beloved grounds of the Sonnenberg estate. There are many trees and gardens to walk under and through on the way to and from the historically retained mansion. Built by the specifications of Mrs. Mary Clark Thompson, as a home for her and her husband part owners in Chase Manhattan Bank. Inside the story is told if her philanthropy to the surrounding community and the veterans hospital nestled nearby. This was a very passively enticing look into the past culture and creativity of people in the early years of modernization. There were plenty of things to see and do here from just enjoying the gardens to wine tasting... It filled an afternoon on the fourth of July before retiring the night with local fireworks.

Although I lived closeby for over eight years, I never visited Sonnenberg. Today a friend and I both went for the first time. It was much better than I expected. The grounds are beautiful, and so well kept up. Normally, I am not thrilled by the homes of the rich and famous, but I really love this place. My friend and I sat on a huge porch facing the gardens and I told a passerby that I decided to move in! A bit of rain cut our visit short, but I am pretty sure we saw MOST of what was available. I normally do not wish to return to places I have already been, but I could probably be persuaded to return.

Spent a beautiful Sunday morning touring the gardens. Well laid out walking path takes you through all the different types of gardens throughout the grounds. Detailed map given at the entrance describes each garden as well as placards along the way. The Japanese garden was amazing! About 2 hours spent including touring the mansion.

This mansion and the gardens surrounding it are well worth a couple hours of your time. Our docent was knowledgeable and reasonably patient with questions and they were volunteers posted inside the property. This is a tremendous spot to take pictures!

4 of us in our 70's and 80's were not informed of the tram service on a very hot day. Little color. Did not tour the mansion due to walking / heat issues. Greenhouse closed to visitors. Didn't work for us and too expensive (especially since the greenhouse was closed). We've been to lots of gardens but this one didn't work for us. Even the Japanese gardens was quite second rate

Ok we went because the B&B where we stayed was just up the road.

In another era these gardens and mansion were probably outstanding.

Today not so much, while walking around and taking in this site the word that kept coming to mind was tired.

So many of the items here are in need of major repair.

The mansion is nice and a good representation of a time gone by but the grounds need a benafactor to give them some money to kick start them.

This was our second visit in 3 years. In that time, it appears less maintained. Still beautiful, grass was cut, but waterways had no water in them, the Roman bath/pool was sad - a good weeding and cleaning would be helpful. Also, we arrived at 9:15, and they opened at 9:30 on a Friday. Upon arrival, the gate (sawhorse) was moved to the side, so we drove in and parked and walked around the koi pond to wait for the booth to open for tickets. Two volunteer women were having what I considered a snarky conversation that "someone moved the sawhorse - we don't open until 9:30". I understand most of these folks are volunteers, but us and the very few people waiting were just standing at the koi pond enjoying it. I considered giving only 3 stars in this review due to the volunteers comments. However, this is such a lovely, historic destination, it should be promoted. In addition to the entrance fee, I also made a donation inside the house.

Enjoyed the gardens and the mansion. Need more help to keep up the property. The gardens are lovely but in need of weeding.

What a beautiful place. The day was hot, but large trees shade much of the area. The gardens are beautiful and well maintained. The lovely house is kept well and friendly docents abound. The lady driving the golf cart gave us a ride back to our car, which included a narrated tour of several gardens. She was knowledgeable and delightful. This is a perfect place for a family to spend a day. The price was reasonable also.

The gardens and associated statues and water features, while pretty in a rustic sense, need renovation.

The public is allowed to wander through most rooms in the mansion. I even sat in one of the rockers. The hallways are wide, but the second floor is not wheel chair accessible.

There was a lovely art show on the weekend we visited, with food trucks, live music, and other forms of entertainment. We stayed for hours.

The house here is gorgeously restored -- a Gilded Age gem that, like many, has had a checkered past. Nice that the "tram" -- guess a kind of golf cart seating maybe eight -- driven by a kind volunteer whisked us around the extensive grounds to and from the mansion.

The place is somewhat unkempt, but not in a bad way. Some of the features are ruins, but that only heightens the experience. During my visit, the greenhouses were under renovation. There was a buggy to carry people around, but it is probably most useful for getting lame people to the wedding venue. The buggy does not travel the winding walking paths. Wear sensible shoes! And, oh! those paths! Cute little brooks with cute little bridges, single-file underpasses through rock formations, etc etc... it is quite a work of landscaping. So many ideas you will feel like applying to your own yard as soon as you get back home. Your neighbors will be astonished.

This place was a beautiful find when we visited in Aug 2018. This time in Sept 2021 it was in a shocking state of disrepair. The gardens are devoid of water and most plants looks utterly neglected. Weeds growing up through the paths everywhere, and lots of blocked off areas. Not sure what happened in the last three years but this was not the lively, well-maintained, beautiful place we saw before. The greenhouses are especially grim with all their broken glass and decrepit walls. And the potholed parking was a fitting goodbye. I don’t think we’d return. Very sad.

Sonnenberg is one of my favorite places to visit and bring those friends who are visiting me. We went last week for their Thursday Tea.
The house, exhibits, and docents were all excellent. Good displays, nicely curated and the mansion itself is remarkable.
The gardens we saw were mostly around or near the mansion as it was quite warm and we were under time constraints so could not wander too far. However, the gardens were well maintained and vibrant with color. Everything appeared quite fresh and well looked after. This is a real feat given the fact that, like state historic sites nationwide, staffing is limited. Sonnenberg’s grounds are vast, too, so keeping it all in good shape is an achievement.
Unfortunately, the Tea did not match the high level of the mansion and gardens. Flimsy paper napkins, dry and dull sandwiches-and not enough of them- were followed by plates of pretty but uninspiring sweets, and many were just cookies: tasty, but at a Tea I expect cakes and pastries, not cookies.
The scones were good. I thought they were a little small and they served whipped cream, not clotted cream, and no butter alongside the jam.
As for the tea itself they followed the shameful and generally American custom of brewing the bag in the cup. Yick. It is good to give people a selection, but if the selection is limited to regular, decaf and a couple of fruit or herb tea alternatives, one may use individual size tea pots as well as full size pots and brew the teas as they ought to be, in the pot. Having a basket of a pre-packaged tea variety selection on the table shows little thought or care.
So i give the mansion and gardens a solid A-(there were a couple of fountains that were not in use or damaged), and the Tea a disappointing B-.

Try and imagine how absolutely beautiful this place was in its day. The bedrooms, living area and the gardens. Then understand that it was a summer home!!!

My wife and I stopped here based on a local recommendation. Gardens are beautiful but don’t miss the mansion. I felt like I was transported back in time. There are volunteers that can explain the history of Mary Thompson with very interesting stories. I love the time spent here.

To say the mansion is exceptional would be so lame! This 1890's home is beyond words, and the reason is that for a house built back then, and since renovated by the madam of the home in the early 1900's, it has all the "modern" conveniences and tasteful decorating of that era. Most of the furniture is original and the added pieces are perfectly in-sync with the rest.
We are allowed the "free run" of the home, with some roped off areas but only so that we don't touch the fine pieces. The staff are well-informed and friendly. Photo-taking is encouraged.
The gardens are maybe not as expected - all but one are not manicured gardens, but rather are maintained just as they were planted, very simple and look just like we may have on our own property. Each garden area is named and some plantings and trees are identified.
What a joy to walk this 50-acre property, a state park.
Would I recommend this visit? - YES, a relaxing way to spend part of your day!

Interesting garden and home. A genuine reflection of the times. Wealthy NewYorkers from the 1800's travel to Europe and recreate bits of it in the garden with Japan thrown in. Nice trees and gardens, could have trees labeled better. Enjoyable for sure.

The gardens that exist today were developed between 1903 and 1920. There are vast lawns, beautiful mature trees and multiple gardens surrounding the mansion. There is a brochure for a self-guided tour of the grounds and gardens. There is also a self-guided mobile tour. The old fashioned garden had many colorful flowers and the Italian garden was well maintained. Many of the other gardens are a work in progress. The greenhouses are most interesting and contain a variety of familiar and exotic plants.
The Mansion is also open to the public and one can tour the first and second floor. The service areas and third floor are not included. The mansion was a private residence, a VA hospital and in 2005 the historic estate became the fifth state Historic Park in New York State.

The Rock Garden was so interesting and the history of the place was worth the trip. The gardens have seen better splendor, but are worth going through. It was a fun thing to do in Canandaigua. We would recommend.

Nice walk , sorry something's need major repair. The history of the house and family was nice .Great place to have a family picnic ,photo and a wedding. While there we were able to see on being set up .

Save your money. Many years ago, I went to the gardens several times and thoroughly enjoyed them. The only think good on the grounds is the mansion. The rest of the gardens look like they haven't been taken care of in years. The rose garden had very few roses. It certainly is not worth $15 entrance fee. I know that this is a volunteer organization and they probably try to do their best. However, they should not be charging with the way it looks now.

The mansion is for the most part beautifully restored. Gradually the surrounding grounds, gardens and fountains are being restored to their former glory. Worth the visit!

Be sure to hear/read the full history of the Gardens before visiting, it will make for a much more enriching experience. The grounds were in ruins when the renovations began in the 1970s. The work that has been done there is astounding. Although the gardens are not in the best shape, considering where they were, it is amazing. Worth the visit to appreciate all the work that has been done.

A must-see if you are traveling through upstate New York. There's a beautiful grand old home with its original furnishings. But the main attraction here are the exquisite groundsk, gardens and greenhouses. This wealthy daughter of a New York governor who was also the childless widow of the founder of Citibank spared no expense for these. She created the first Japanese garden in the U.S. She also brought in the architect who designed Golden Gate Park's wedding cake conservatory for the greenhouses. We also had a delicious lunch at the cafe here graciously staffed by a board member who stepped in when the chef unexpectedly had to leave his post.We spent a full afternoon here and didn't see all of it.
Note: There are free trams for people with mobility issues.

Not worth my time or money spent to get in. Pictures on the website is not what it looks like. The was was very disappointing. I am sure this place at one time was beautiful but not now. A lot of weeds in the gardens and not colorful. Looks like the current owners have left it get this way. Save your money. Stay away from here