We came here for the first time when they had the temporary tree house exhibit and we had a good time. The lady that helped us up front was very helpful and gave us some great tips. We had a great time both inside and outside. The glass house was a blast for my 6 year old son as he loved interacting with the butterflies. He also had fun climbing in and exploring in and around the tree houses. When we asked him if he would want to go back, he said yes. So we are going to try it again in the different seasons. They do validate parking and once you are in, you are in. On the day we went, the parking lot was open until 11, so we were able to walk around the area without having to worry about it. The gift shop has a pretty large selection, and yes the prices are on the higher side. However, I have never been to a botanical garden where the prices were not high. For us, this made for a nice, fun part of a family day!