Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

If you’re someone who feels most alive surrounded by trees, flowers, fresh air, and wide-open views, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is truly a place that will warm your heart. This isn’t just a garden to walk through quickly — it’s a place that invites you to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with nature. The trails take you through beautiful native California landscapes—from peaceful redwood groves to vibrant meadows alive with color in bloom season. Along the way you’ll hear birds, feel the breeze, and catch stunning views of the mountains and even the ocean in the distance. It’s the kind of beauty that feels both calming and inspiring at the same time. What makes this garden special is that it celebrates native plants and the natural environment, not just manicured flower beds. You get the sense that you’re experiencing California the way it was meant to be. There are plenty of benches to sit and reflect, and every turn in the path offers something new to admire. Whether you’re an avid hiker, a plant lover, a photographer, or just someone needing a mental reset, this place delivers. A visit here doesn’t feel rushed or touristy — it feels like a gift to yourself. If you love nature, peace, and quiet beauty, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden will leave you refreshed, inspired, and already planning your next visit.

Just about a 2-hour drive from Los Angeles, this place feels like a whole different world. Away from the LA crowd and noise, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is extremely beautiful, calm, and peaceful. Surrounded by native plants, mountain views, and fresh air, it’s the perfect spot to relax, take photos, and reconnect with nature. Everything is well maintained, quiet, and very scenic. If you’re looking for a peaceful getaway near LA, this place is highly recommended. Truly worth the drive!

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is awesome! The garden has many local plants, flowers and trees. There are many amazing locations to take photos. The stairs made from stone, bridges over the waterfall, and majestic trees are some of the locations. Benches made from tree trunks were very well done. Overall, a great experience!

Such a fun garden! 🌸🌿 It’s definitely different from others I’ve been to—super unique and full of surprises. There’s a bit of hiking involved 🥾 so be prepared—we went in dresses and didn’t know 😅 but still had a great time! I loved how it changes atmospheres as you walk through 🌲🌼, and there are hidden gems throughout that are perfect for kids to explore 🧚‍♀️🔍. Even though one area was closed when we went 🚧, it was still a beautiful and peaceful place to visit 💖🌞. Great for a little adventure and nature time!

Nice garden and everything is walking distance. The drive there was awesome as well. Most people don't do Tipton trail but it worth it for the view. See photos.

This is a nice place to visit if you have 2 hours to spare. The garden highlights native California fora. Most of the paths are unpaved and comfortable shoes are a must. I loved the little creek with the stepping stones.

I cannot believe how wild, extremely beautiful, silent and spiritual this place is. With the little creek running through stepping stones, so many hidden corners where you can sit and enjoy the view on the mountains or the ocean… and then the people working in the Botanic Garden are all so sweet! I absolutely loved it and could have wandered for many more hours in this lovely “garden” which feels like a magic place of its own ❣️ from the garden I walked down to the Old Mission, easing myself into the lived world again 😇 oh and how lucky was I : the poppies were blooming!

The Santa Barbara botanical garden was a nice garden that showcased many of the local plants and species that are native to the area. The meadow was the most beautiful part of the garden and was really enjoyable to walk through. There were many other nice places to walk through but I didn’t feel that they compared to the meadow. Overall, we were happy we came here but likely wouldn’t return a second time.

The grounds of Santa Barbara Botanic Garden are diverse and stunning. I've been to a handful of botanic gardens, but I think this may have been the first that required paid admission ($20 for adults.) That caught me off guard for a moment, but figured it takes so much to maintain the grounds that it probably just goes to supporting those initiatives. Luckily, they take all forms of payment so it was so problem. I was surprised to discover how vast these grounds are. We basically started off on what felt like a quick little hike in the woods among the redwoods, explored some of the dry climate succulents and then worked our way on up to Conservation Gallery Center on the top of the hill to watch the sunset (which was peaceful and spectacular.) Although we weren't able to cover everything it was time well spent and a beautiful and worthwhile adventure.

A beautiful native plant garden with a wonderful plant nursery and gift shop. If you're hoping to buy books about California native plants and history, they have a lovely selection. I was able to pick up some small pamphlets as well which will be useful when I go walking. Their merch was very cute and I also liked that they had some general Santa Barbara merch so I could get my souvenir shopping done in one go. I was fortunate enough to grab a Ray Hartman Ceanothus as well and it looked healthy and beautiful. The view of the mountains past the meadow right st the entrance is one of my favorite views ever. I was very impressed by the redwoods and big wide Sycamores. I'm from the Los Angeles area so the river and waterfalls were a treat. Across the street from the parking lot there is also a Channel Islands section I would have missed had my friend not pointed it out. Overall very beautiful and unique compared to other botanical gardens. I love California native plants and am so glad to visit and support a garden that aids in their research and conservation.

I love this botanic garden. Staff is always so friendly and willing to share their knowledge. I've visited a couple times now and always so amazed that they have the beautiful redwoods and well curated garden areas. They have plenty of benches around the garden to sit and rest. I have used my AHS pass to receive complimentary admission both times and really appreciate that perk. This time I also went out to see the conservation building and got a little glimpse of the Channel Islands this time!

Most recent visit was unpleasant as the noise of a leaf blower was continuous for the two hour visit. Then it rained and I was hoping that at least the leaf blower would cease to be operated! Much to my chagrin it was still be used!

Lovely experience for first time visitor. We left the foggy beach and drove to the SB Botanical Gardens den. There is a desert plant are, a meadow and a redwoods walk which is shady and cool and will make you think you,ve been transported to the. A Redwoods National Park! We heard deer rustling, saw hummingbirds squirrels and lizards. Water was steaming into a pool near an old aquifer that captured water and sent it down for storage at the Mission. There was a kids' storytelling trail, and we enjoyed the nice store near the entrance. A sign pointed to a picnic area so that will be our next adventure. Highly recommend. They have a reciprocal arrangement with the Ventura Botanical Garden, so bring your membership card. We purchased our tickets online, so we'll remember for next time!

We Have the Flower 78-acre garden that's dedicated to preserving CA native plants and displaying them in their natural setting. With over 1,000 species of rare and indigenous species, this garden has more to it than meets the eye. The Good: *Fairly inexpensive at $20/adults & $12/kids *Extremely friendly staff, especially the guy running the parking lot (more on that later) *Five miles of well-maintained trails that'll ensure one gets their steps in for the day. *Good signage to inform visitors of what they're looking at and why. *Great place to bring kids of all ages, as there's lots of fun interactive things for them to do. The Meh: *Reservations required (more on this down below). The Ugly: *Don't be dummies like us and show up without a reservation. I mean, technically, yes, you can--but you really shouldn't, and I'll tell you why. And, no this isn't some outdated covid measure, it's because quite frankly their parking lot fucking sucks. Narrow with a deep slope and extremely limited to less than 100 spots, it's a real shit-show is putting it quite kindly. Fortunately, the parking lot god was there to aid and abet our misdeeds and found us a place to park. Conclusion: Great place for kids and nature enthusiasts to visit, but just make sure to plan ahead.

Surprised I never wrote a review of this place. Been coming here on and off for over 20 years, although it's been over 10 years since I was last here. It has changed a bit since then. Price has definitely gone up. It's currently $20 for adults and $12 for kids between 3 and 12. I also noticed it added several kid-oriented items throughout some of its trails. I saw a small zip line and maze area for kids. The main focus of this garden is preserving California's native plants. It has 11 main sections. Redwoods section, which is on the north end of the garden, is my favorite, but my kids love the Backcountry section, which has 4 subsections specifically designed for kids to explore. Parking is free but the lot is small and narrow.

My sister suggested stopping here on our way back home from Solvang. She and my brother were heading to San Diego while we (hubby & I) were bound for Temecula. We wanted to take advantage of the opportunity since we were going by there. We are so happy we did! Bought our military discount entries at the window. The young lady there was very sweet & friendly and her eyes brightened when she asked if this was our first time. She wished us a good day and to enjoy the garden. Our first stop of course was the gift shop full of very cute items. I bought a shark mood ring & t-shirt with bugs on it that becomes colorful in the sun for my grandson, wood earrings, and locally made almond brittle. It came to a little under $40 of which goes back to help the garden. It was beautifully laid out with the different areas indicated in the map. It was a beautiful, warm day perfect to be out and about and appreciating the beauty of nature so well maintained. It was challenging for me to go up & down some of the steep steps made of rock and to walk long distances with my fake hips (and being way out is shape!) but my hubby & sister graciously gave me support as we were traipsing along the various paths. It was well worth it! We loved the redwood grove, the children's maze, and everything else about this well appointed garden. We only saw a portion of this magnificent place! We definitely will visit again and see the rest of it!

We came by on Monday and it was a nice stroll through the vegetation. We went for the Redwood Forest first and it was nicely shaded and easy to navigate to. Then we went thru some bridges and saw mini waterfalls. Even went across the street to the conservation building to see if we can see the Channel Islands from the 2nd floor. Our family of 4 got complimentary admission to the garden using our AHS membership and reciprocal benefits.

Really beautiful outdoor space. If going in the summer, maybe come in the AM or later in the afternoon, it can get hot. Family friendly. Different trials, choose your own adventure. Helpful staff.

Spending $40 for 2 people, I was hoping for a lush botanical garden with different themed sections and with botanical name plates. Parking is free and you do need to make a reservation in advance, though a same-day reservation is okay. I forgot my student ID and paid for a regular adult while my sister was a student, and they didn't even check her ID which was disappointing as I could have saved $6 buying myself a student ticket as well. This rather small to medium-size garden has just California plants and severely lacks name plates on plants. It's more of a mild/beginner hike, with few unique features. There is a very small gift shop and small nursery, with a small stream with little water. There were poppy's, but otherwise no notable flowers. The highlight of the garden was a handful of 100 yr old redwood trees which we enjoyed. The redwood trees made this place worth about $10/person in my opinion and if they weren't there, it should have been free honestly. Regardless, definitely not worth $20/person. Do prepare for warm weather during spring and summer months (sunscreen!), potentially bug spray as they warn to watch out for ticks, and poison oak. They do allow leased dogs which was nice, but no water for them, potty bags, or trash cans throughout the trails, so prepare for that.

Used to come here as a child during school field trips. Recently came back with my family and I was happy to see it still had the same charm. We went on a Saturday around 11am and it did not seem too busy. Do bring comfortable walking shoes, sun protection and water. My favorite part was probably the Red Wood Forest. A great place for families.

Walk through many biomes and you will get your steps in! We loved the redwoods best. Photos are from a new children's space with a maze, tire swing, and tree houses. We had guest passes from a friend so did not pay the twenty dollar admission and life was good. Surprisingly dogs are allowed. Not wheelchair friendly if you want to go far.

Love this small, but mighty garden tucked away in the Santa Barbara hills. It's a great place to meander with little hiking trails. I usually spend a couple hours here and my favorite spot is the redwoods. Since it's been a wet winter, we were accompanied by sounds of the flowing creek and rushing water, which was so soothing. If it's a clear day, make sure you cross the street for a view of the ocean and islands. BONUS: they allow leashed dogs!!!! Not aware of many gardens that are dog friendly :) Staff is friendly, there's a small parking lot, and as of April 2023 it's timed entry and you can purchase tickets online.

I love and enjoy visiting local Botanical Garden everywhere I go. We decided to visit Santa Barbara Botanic garden during our visit to Santa Barbara. I have visited many Botanic Gardens, to mention a few; Los Angeles County Arboretum, California Botanic garden, The Huntington library and botanic garden, Descanso in LA county, Japanese Friendship garden in San Diego and Japanese Tea garden in San Francisco in addition to Botanic garden in San Francisco and Botanic Garden in Palm Springs Santa Barbara Botanic Garden  is not spacious at all compared to other botanical gardens.  Also, it didn't have a wide variety of cultivating plants like some botanic garden I visited. It looked like short hiking trail instead of Botanical garden. Most of the roads were not paved. You have to be prepared for steep steps and walk in unpaved dusty roads with no rails. In some path, I felt it wasn't safe at all. So these paths were not handicapped friendly or even convenient for people who have arthritis problems. Even the path to the tea house was very uncomfortable and had steep steps. The gift shop was nice. This was the only highlight in this Botanical garden. In general I was disappointed. May be it is a good place for the local. It was wasting of both money and time. I don't think I will go back

This is not the biggest botanical garden I have been to, but it is so well designed, beautiful, and easily walkable. I was rather late, but the lady at the counter was so kind and understanding. The paths are very easy to walk with plenty of seating everywhere so there is no need to fight for a spot to take a break or even eat lunch or snack. I wanted to take a picture of the nice field with the mountains in the background but couldn't quite capture the beauty of it. Many people were there to enjoy the sequoias, redwoods, and blooms of the flowers. Note that parking lot is small and limited. Best to arrive on time so once someone leaves, you can go into their parking space. Sometimes, you may have to circle a couple times before getting a spot.

Wow! This place is stunning. We went in mid May and everything seemed to be in full bloom. Be sure to take the Redwoods Trail. For a brief moment, I felt as if I was swept away to Washington. There is even a little waterfall. Sadly, we didn't have time to see everything, but we will definitely come back. I'd recommend this place to anyone. There are a lot of flat areas to walk and clean restrooms as well. Everyone who worked here was very kind!

We visited during Soring and probably the ideal time to do so in terms of beauty and good weather. It is large but not that hard to cover all of it if in average shape.

Gorgeous natural area with beautiful paths and amazing use of space. You feel like and almost every plant labeled so you know what's what!

Until recently had no idea this lovely garden existed although it has been there over 80 years. It's all about native plants and preserving the beauty of our planet through awareness and education. Climate change's impact is visible here as the once flowing creeks throughout the park are now dry river beds. The folks who run this charity have done a tremendous job at planting and arranging the various sections of the gardens. The Redwood area is my favorite, especially with the intense heat, one can really appreciate the cooling canopy of the towering trees. There is a main paved path that runs throughout the garden, total walk distance is one mile. There are also are various smaller paths which are either dirt or graded rock steps to explore. Dogs on leash are welcome and the garden is kid friendly. There's a maze of shrub hedges a child of any age would enjoy, including old kids like myself ;-) Plan to spend a couple hours and take your time...bring your hat and sunscreen. Reservations are suggested, check on line for admission details and enjoy!

The gardens are located up in the hills a bit, which lends its well to the various micro climates in Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara usually has temperate temperatures, but as of late it's being slightly drowned by the current rains; I was there just before the storms broke out & drove out to the gardens to see what was transpiring. This is a great spot to take the kids, let them run the trails; also a nice place to hike & check out various gardening ideas. Don't forget to cross the street to the other side of the property to get a view of the city & ocean; gorgeous views. See a plant you like, don't forget to wander about their garden store or look inside at some cute merchandise, should have gotten a black long sleeved shirt, darn. Love this spot!

It's so beautiful and maintained here. Reservations are suggested but we saw a few people walk up and buy tickets as the weather was a bit colder today so it was less busy. There's so many waterfalls around and the scenery was definitely worth the price of $20 pp. It's worth checking out if you're in the area. :)

We arrived on a weekday mid-afternoon and were greeted by the friendly staff who asked if we had a reservation. It appeared pretty quiet with plenty of parking spaces available and we were admitted without a reservation. Due to my mom's limited mobility, I asked if the path was wheelchair friendly and she replied that there was a slight incline. That seemed doable to me. Admission was $14 and $12 for seniors. As we entered, we were again greeted and given an overview of the grounds. There is 1/2 mile loop that takes you around the garden and through the redwoods. I highly suggest you do not visit this location with those that have limited mobility. The slight inclines were not slight and the paved road only lasted for about half of the loop. A staff member passing said although it allows for a wheelchair, we are not ADA compliant. The grounds are beautiful and there are many hikes to take throughout. A portion was under construction and will open in June. The loop ends at the gift shop and nursery where you'll find plants for sale.

Make sure you know this is a native garden site . It was much more like a park than a show garden imo I've been to a number of botanical garden in USA. While most have native sections this garden really lacks any real flower displays/ appearance is weedy There are no section on garden vegetables , no greenhouse etc If you are only interested in native plants then go , otherwise it was a huge disappointment and waste of money Not particularly pretty especially for 20 bucks admission

My friend and I wanted some exercise while on vacation but were not wanting a long hike, this was the perfect place. I bought tickets online though their website for a Tuesday when it opened at 10:00 a.m. When you check in, you are given a map. There are 11 areas to walk through, perfect for all ages and they allow dogs on a leash. All the plants and trees are a labeled. The grounds were well taken care of. People that work there were all very nice, giving us a warm greeting when we would pass them. It took us a little more than a couple hours. Don't forget to go across the street to for more areas. By the time we left the paths were getting busy, the parking lot was filled. So plan ahead if you want to avoid the crowds. Worth the visit!

If you're visiting SB in the summer and want to do something naturey, I'd say skip it and visit in the spring or at least when the weather is more agreeable. The main garden is just ok and I would probably not come back BUT I love this garden for its Island View section. It's across the street from the entrance and you can sit here for awhile and just enjoy the tranquility. The gallery itself has AC, water refill, and clean bathrooms. It's an exhibit and a lab space as well so you can peek in and see what they're working on in the intersection of art and science. Pics below are from 2018 in March when everything looked more lush.

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is such a great place to explore whenever you feel the need to get in tune with mother nature. This garden is also considered an outdoor living museum where California native plants are preserved and displayed in a beautiful setting. The whole landscape of this garden is very well kept and the flow of it is easy to walk. You don't need hiking shoes, but I do recommend wearing tennis shoes and not open toed. One of my favorite areas to explore here is the Redwood Forest. The tall trees help keep the trail shaded and cool, and it comes in handy if you want to cool off during a hot day. There are a couple of benches provided to sit back and relax. The Porter trail is my second favorite. On this trail you will find California lilacs, spring wildflowers, California bush sunflower, succulents, maritime ceanothus, and many more beautiful plants. If you have kids, this is the perfect place to let them run wild and explore, but just be careful of any poison oak! Check in with the docents or staff to make sure you take safety precautions and know which areas to avoid. There is a cute little area hidden along the trail called "The Hives". There are two Redwood constructed bee hives that kids can play inside of or take a break and eat their lunch or snacks while the parents can chill on the benches provided. Dogs are permitted as long as they are on a leash. I highly recommend packing a lunch and beverages, so you can take advantage of the picnic areas. It really is a great place to hangout in a peaceful environment with nature surrounding you. Free docent tours are available for those that are interested in learning more about the native plants, or you can just wander freely in the garden. If you decide to get a membership the day of your visit, your entry fee will be refunded. Overall, the botanic gardens offers something for everyone and they also have special events such as their annual beer tasting festival, yoga, free senior day and bird walks. Check them out if you haven't already!

Of course it is Beyond Amazing! Fun family time & eye pleasing, smells are magical, highly recommend going there when in town, not just dining at upscale restaurants in Santa Barbara, hey u may run into Prince Harry & family!

I thought this was going to be a small botanical garden, but it was so much bigger than I thought! It had so many different biomes to explore. It took us about 2 hours of our day strolling around the whole garden. It is especially beautiful when we went in March. Highly recommend if you love going out in nature. Be sure to bring some shoes you don't mind getting dirty because there are some trails. Also, wear pants (unlike my boyfriend in the picture lol) because there is poison ivy in some of the trails.

A must go for anyone interested in California native plants. Beautiful space with lots of treasures. There is a small gift shop as well as a nursery where you can buy seed and plants. Be sure to go across the street to the conservation center as well, the trails around and behind it have some really lovely plantings. Will definitely be coming back anytime I am visiting Santa Barbara.

What a beautiful place to wander and enjoy! Thankful for the EV charging station. A few of the scientists in the research center stopped by to chat me up while I was walking around the grounds and I really appreciate it there interest and information! I think this is a must do event in Santa Barbara!

We've visited many gardens during our world travels and this one is a decent local botanic garden. It is worth a visit for 1 - 1.5 hour max. We really enjoyed the redwood tree area. There is a also a quick 0.5 mile trail that takes to you a scenic view of the island.

I have been to botanical gardens in Berkekey, Arcadia, San Diego and have never see such a complete mess as this weed infested, dusty mess of ramshackle structures and can only hope that someone in charge reads this and adjusts this mess to turn it into something Santa Barbara can be proud of. Where are the local donors. This is an embarrassment. Get some local leadership to honor this place - where are you - Ty Warner? What a disgrace for this community. Get real! This place needs financial support!

Beautiful botanical garden, even on a gloomy rainy day. Adult admission is $16 or $10 with student ID. Parking lot can get a bit full. I really appreciated the fact that its dog-friendly (on leash) and picnic friendly (multiple tables and benches scattered throughout). They also have a nursery that sells native plants at quite affordable prices! The meadow didn't have many flowers during the winter but they were planting poppy seeds during our visit so there should be some in the spring. The Redwoods section was the highlight, in my opinion. Overall, a great place to visit when in Santa Barbara.

We took a trip to Santa Barbara today and decided to visit the Botanical Garden since it allows dogs. We all had a lovely time, including our dog. The grounds are beautiful and, for the most part, well-maintained. There are paved and unpaved trails, none of which were at all strenuous. There were helpful volunteers throughout the park.

I definitely had my breath taken away by the view of the gorgeous mountains and native flowers!!! My friends and I were surprised to see how beautiful this botanical garden was. We explored the area for a few hours, stopped by the gift shop, and browsed through the plants they had for sale. We came on a rather warm day and didn't expect to be hiking a bit but there are benches in some areas that are great to sit at and enjoy nature. It's a great location to immerse yourself in and/or take photos! Parking- Decent-sized lot but it does get full.

This is a gorgeous botanical garden to visit on a cooler day. I loved being able to explore different plants specifically native to the area, and marvel at their beauty. Nestled within a trail, there was a natural maze that looked like it was in its growth process (so fun later in the year). There also were various sculptures hidden about as well. I could see this garden being completely different throughout the year, so I feel like I need to revisit immediately after spring when things are more nourished. *While here two young kids were separated from their parents and my friend and I were questioned by staff if we had seen them in passing on our way to the car. Once in the car, we weren't allowed to leave until the kids were located. I mention this for any parents concerned about bringing their littles to enjoy it, and such incidents happening. This place takes it seriously, so I commend them.

I love Mother Nature. I love being amongst trees, flowers, fresh air and sunshine. Do you? Decided to take my family to Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens for Mother's Day weekend. I had a vision to create beautiful pics of my parents amongst nature here (achieved, btw but didn't post here on Yelp). My amazing mom is in a wheelchair and I chatted with the staff to learn the best possible route. We walked mostly along paved walkways, some areas of dirt path required a bit of muscle to push my mom in the wheelchair -but was totally worth the views and experience. Tall, old redwood trees were gorgeous and my family enjoyed it all. Seniors have a discounted admission price. Parking was packed (it was Mother's Day weekend) but free. If you have a green thumb, various flowers and drought friendly plants available in the souvenir shop to purchase. Definitely Santa Barbara Botanical Garden is worth the visit at least once, if you've never been. Stay safe and healthy (mind, body and soul) Yelping out there :)

Santa Barbara is beautiful and the botanical gardens are no exception. They do not have a bunch of exotic flowers or indoor exhibits but what they do have is long paths with gorgeous views. AND they're dog friendly!! The drive up to the gardens is stunning: residential, up a mountain, quiet, and just plain enjoyable. Once you get there, everyone is friendly and helpful. The layout of the gardens allows you to go around and see everything or take a different path to go where you want. I included pictures of stairs because they're beautiful but a lot of times there are paths that go around so you can avoid stairs if needed. It is not the easiest walk as you go up and down some but it certainly isn't a hike or anything anyone young and able would have to think twice about. If you're physically disabled or elderly, perhaps take a look at the website for information on accessibility. Take your dog and enjoy a beautiful walk through the gardens!

Visited in August. It was not a typical botanical garden at all. No flower displays, greenhouses, etc. It was just a hike through a very limited variety of plants that were all dry and dusty. Definitely a disappointing experience and overpriced at 20$ for an adult.

I went years ago at a young age and just blew through the place and didn't get it. Now considerably older and more in tune to all things of Mother Earth this was an absolutely joyous way to spend a few hours. So many flora native to California in an amazing walk around the gardens. The walk was a complete sensory experience in every way. The plants were so well cared for and staff was completely kind, knowledgeable and patient. I was in awe that there was a nursery to purchase native plants for home use. I found an amazing succulent native only to the Channel Islands at a price that was a steal. Unfortunately it didn't seem like it would to well on a return plane flight. We will be back in the area in a few months and I fully intend to grab more than. Few offering for my succulent garden. The location is nestled on the hillside which makes it very conducive to so many plants. The price was about $15 per person and well worth the price of admission. If you find yourself in the area I certainly recommend you take the time to stop to see and smell the many wonders of nature in these gardens.

This is a great stop for a easy hike with family and gives everyone an opportunity to self explore CA native plants. They have signs next to plants so you know what you are looking at and a wonderful pamphlet upon buying tickets to describe their separate areas in greater detail. I really enjoyed the walk around the area and seeing new things. I even found a plant with my name on it!

Great place to spend an hour or two exploring the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens on a crystal, clear day. Loved the Giant Redwood pathways. Always enchanting to see towering groves of these majestic trees that provide shade and serenity. Nice to walk across the stone pathways in the Canyon Section. The sounds of the slowly flowing steam across the boulders was so soothing. Interesting to see the preserved historic aqueducts that had supplied water to the Santa Barbara Mission since 1807. The Woodland Trail was so beautiful as the golden California poppies welcome spring as they start to bloom. Nice to see some blooming cactus in the Desert Section. Definitely cross the road to enjoy sweeping panoramic views of the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Channel Islands. The stone map of the Channel Islands is such a unique garden feature. Although the Pritzlaff Conservation Center was closed, it was such a beautiful walk along the hillside trails. So glad the guide told us to visit that part of the garden as well as the main gardens. Admission is $16 with discounts for students, seniors and children. Face masks required. We used our Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Garden Membership for reciprocity admission.

We were in Santa Barbara for the weekend of my birthday. We went here on a Friday around 2pm. There wasn't very many people here which was great! It was a very pretty and scenic garden. I thought it was more of a small park with many little hiking trails. We saw and took photos of lots of pretty plants and trees. My favorite was the redwoods garden, very beautiful. I liked walking around and looking at all the colorful blooms. We saw a few chipmunks too, sooo cute! The garden around the Japanese tea house was was beautiful! There was a calmness to this area that I loved. It was too bad the tea house was closed the day we were there. The gardeners and workers who worked on the grounds were very friendly and informative. One of the gardeners saw the that I really liked this type of white poppy flower and didn't know what it was called so he came out of the bushes and told us what it was called. He was adorable lol It took us about 1.5 hours to walk and explore the entire garden. I think in all it was about a 2.5-3 miles walk to get through the whole garden. If you're in Santa Barbara and looking for something outdoors to do, I would recommend this garden. Wear comfortable shoes!

We love this small-moderate botanic garden as a beautiful place to spend a couple of relaxing outdoor hours. Their new kids focused play areas (lots of stumps to hop between, a funny little 'tree house', and even an incredible steep side of the hill 'ropes course') is fantastic and were a big hit with our little ones. The kids scavenger hunt was appreciated as an easy way to give our 4 year old focus and goald as we wandered through the gardens. Of course, we also love that it's part of the reciprocal horticultural society program which means it makes visiting for us any time we're in Santa Barbara a no brainer!

LOVED my visit to the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. It was the highlight of my weekend trip. The garden opens up at 10:00am for non-members and I advise getting there at opening on the weekend. At least for us, when we arrived at 10:30 the lot was filled and there were eabotu 10-15 cars circling through the lot. We eventually parked close to the mission and ubered up to the botanical garden because we did not expect to get a spot anytime soon. The cost of entrance is very affordable given how big the garden is. I am a graduate student so I also was able to get a student discount. When we got in we were provided with a map Over 3 hours we walked the majority of the botanical garden. The poppies were already blooming in the meadow, adding color to the greenscape I aprpeciated that the map and pamphlet that the garden provided included information on the different seasons that flowers are in bloom, making it easy to know when to come back to see the different variety of plants. Though we didn't attend any educational events, they do host them throughout the day (to learn about pollenators and more). Can't wait to come back :)

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is a 78 acre garden filled with over 1,000 of California's native plants. Spent almost 4 hours walking through the garden trails terrain changes from Meadow to Redwood, and even a Desert. Taking in the sights, the smell, and the sounds of nature were amazing, my favorite was the Redwood. Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is a great place to explore for kids and adults.

Amazing to see all the beautiful landscaping with California Native plants! A must visit when in Santa Barbara. Plan to spend an hour or two here at a leisurely stroll! My husband and I loved walking among the redwood trees!

I can't believe we've lived in Ventura County 15+ years and only recently been to the SB botanical gardens! My husband and I visited with his parents and we had a really great time. Just amazingly beautiful landscape all around you. Interesting historical notes, and beautiful plants. We visited in... I think it was December or January. So not all that many flowers, but it was still just lovely to see the trees, fields, shrubs and occasional curated areas. I should find out the best time to come for flower viewing. Either way, if you haven't been, I recommend it. I'm totally out of shape and the walk through the gardens was very doable for me. Also the parking lot is one of those one-way deals, which I find a little awkward, but we were able to find a spot on a weekend so I was pretty happy about that too.