Ventura Botanical Gardens

Gorgeous gardens and Pacific views. We didn't realize it would be a great hike so we didn't dress for it or bring water. Hats are necessary on really sunny days and hiking shoes. The gift shop is eclectic and cute and so many plants for sale. We loved it so much we became members.

Beautiful hillside garden with spectacular views of Ventura Harbor. Dogs on leash are allowed Wednesdays, Fridays, and on the monthly free days. It’s a bit of a climb to the top, but totally worth it for the spectacular views, especially at sunset.

A gorgeous find in the heart of Ventura offering not only an amazing variety of plants and great walking trails, but also the best views of the ocean and Channel Islands. The volunteers here are so helpful and the gift shop is a must-stop.

I absolutely LOVE the botanical gardens, it is such a gorgeous walk with increasingly beautiful views of the ocean as you ascend the trail. The plants are magnificent, with different regions showcasing Chilean, Californian, Mediterranean, and South African plant varieties. Fridays are free entry and Wednesday and Friday dogs are allowed. I visit every time I have friends visiting and it’s wonderful to see how the plants look in all the different seasons! Could not recommend more.

Gardens were beautiful. My only complaint was that we got locked out and had to walk all the way around. I think it would be common courtesy to let us know when we bought tickets at 3:30, they would have warned us that we would be locked out if not back by 5:00.

We visited Ventura Botanical Gardens on a March afternoon and spent about 3 hours hiking the trail up the mountain and back. It's sectioned by plant type, so you can walk through areas of plants native to a particular area of the world. Allow enough time to enjoy the views and gardens and not be too rushed. I would say 2 hours, at least. Admission is $7 per adult non-member. Members, children 18 and under and EBT cardholders enter free of charge. Fridays are free as well. I advise sunscreen and a hat if it'll be sunny. There is very little shade along the trail.

Great place for the Ventura ocean view. Not interested in the plants there to be hornest, as some were bone dry. Also great to get your steps in and hick up a hill.

Started the morning at Ventura Botanical Gardens, which has 160+ plant species and spectacular views of the California coastline. It has nearly 3.5 miles of walkways and over 100,000 plants from Five Mediterranean climates throughout the world."

My husband planned a day for us in Ventura to get some relief from the hot SCV weather. We happily watched the temperature drop down to 77 degrees as we drove to the Ventura Botanical Gardens. Parking was easy and free. Admission today (Labor Day) was also free. The staff in front explained the layout and warned us that it gets very warm without any shade or water on the pathways. The only restroom is by the entrance. We took our time walking through the garden zones, but to be honest, it was all pretty dry -- everything looked the same. The amazing views however are what made it all worth the effort. Because it was our first time, we didn't take any stairs/shortcuts. We stopped to read the dedication stones, admire landmarks and take in the beautiful ocean views. According to my husband's step counter app we walked 3 miles. The gift shop has some really cute souvenirs and garden decor. It was a nice time overall. We plan to come back when the weather is cooler. Hopefully the gardens will be lush and colorful with blooms.

As a person who enjoys hikes and pretty views, I adored this place! I spontaneously came on a Thursday in July. Things weren't blooming/green as much as I saw in the pictures, but that's understandable bcz of the season. The workers are so nice and they kindly explained everything. The only restroom is at the entrance and you have to get a key for it. There is a QR code where you can access the map. You can hike the full switchbacks or there are stairs if you want to take a shortcut. The views tho! It kept getting more and more beautiful with every lookout point! You can see the city, beach, and the Channel Islands. Every so often, there were rocks with life quotes. That just enhanced the whole experience, it felt like a spiritual journey. Admission is $7 but they are free on Fridays. Amazing place to go to. Would recommend if you are in the area. I wanna go back during spring time!

Visited in July, expecting lush greenery and blooming flowers. What I got instead was a full-blown desert experience. I kept waiting for a cactus to hand me a water bottle and apologize. I wish the people at the entrance would have warned us that there were no flowers at this time of the year. There were no gardens. Just dirt, dust, and the crushing realization that summer is not the time to visit a place with the word botanical in the name. Bring a hat, a gallon of water, and a strong sense of humor. Save yourself the sweat and go when things are actually alive. Preferably not during the season when even the succulents look like they gave up. The views are gorgeous though. Maybe sunset time may not be as bad from here. Idk if they are open that late though.

Great exercise, wonderful views of Ventura out to the ocean. Very few of the plants in the gardens are blooming (September), but I understand the spring is amazing. There is a cute gift shop with fun items.

Gorgeous views and beautiful gardens containing Chilean, South African, and other plants. The most amazing section the two times I've visited contains pin cushion plants and cone flowers, they are gorgeous, with many varieties planted together. Definitely worth a stop. Keep in mind that it's all uphill so be prepared with good walking shoes, water, and a hat! They have a small nursery and a few gifts, there's a restroom at the entrance.

Steep, take sunscreen and water, wear hiking shoes. The Gardens face southwest on a slope and get hot in the afternoon even in March. Liked the Chile and South Africa sections, also the Summit Plateau. Lovely views of the ocean. Heard some gunfire from the higher parts of the garden, apparently from a shooting range. The switchback trails need hiking shoes due to the slope. The steepest garden that I have visited! If you are a member of another botanic garden, take your membership card and ask for free admission to these Gardens. If you are a member of the American Horticultural Society, this garden offers free reciprocal admission via the AHS Garden Network. These offers only apply if you live more than ninety miles away

First time in Ventura and so happy we made this stop! The gardens are so beautiful. Our favorite was the African gardens. The grounds are steep, so take some good walking shoes and water! The staff were very friendly.

What a joyful peaceful place! I have lived in Ventura for over 25 years, and this was my 1st time going. Every Friday is free. Fridays are also bring your dog on a leash day. There are steeper staircases and leveled meandering pathways that lead to amazing views of Ventura's coastline. The steeper staircase felt like a workout. I am out of shape, so please take this from the POV as a human looking forward to more adventures and getting in better shape. I loved the Chilean plants that were prominent on today's journey. I also loved the inspirational quotes on rocks. Please don't miss the gift shop. I bought seeds.

This garden has to be the hilliest I have been too. Good place to get some exercise while taking in the views and looking at native plants. I enjoyed my visit. It was peaceful.

I had no idea this existed until a week ago, and then immediately had to visit! It's located directly behind City Hall (only one little sign in the parking lot). Such a beautiful trail that has gentle incline switchbacks as well as rock stairways with railings. Several built in seating along the path. Great views! Beautiful choices of flowers and we took so many photos! Many bees, butterflies, and even hummingbirds were spotted. Cute shop at the entrance. Bonus: Fridays are Free!

Ventura botanical gardens were simply amazing. We went on a Friday and unexpectedly found out that was free entrance. We were taking my three-year-old and one-year-old along with us. The hills were very steep, so pushing the stroller was quite the workout for us, but the views at the top were simply amazing. I wish we had additional time to spend and take more trips around the gardens. While it was the winter, there weren't really a lot of blooming flowers, but it was still a beautiful site. The view of the ocean from the top of the hill was just breathtaking. The cliffs are a little high, so hang onto your little tights but other than that it was just a wonderful day to spend a Friday afternoon.

Love!!!! So green and lush and really pretty this time of year (March). If it's clear out, you can see the islands. I love this hike as it's accessible for most ages and you get your steps in without too intense of a hike. Pro tip: Fridays are free and you can bring your dog! Parking is easy and free. Cute little plant shop at the bottom.

My hubby and I had a road trip with destination Ventura Botanical Gardens in mind. It did not disappoint, twas beautiful. Not really much I can add to the many positive reviews already posted. I personally am afraid of heights. This walk is going up several levels to reach the peak. I could only go up four levels before I turned around to go back down due to the height. It's an easy walk on a dirt path but there are no gaurd rails. The view of the Pacific is beautiful. Take good walking shoes that will def get dirty. There are no trash cans during the walk so throw your trash out at the entrance.

I enjoyed my visit to the Ventura Botanical Gardens. A nice peaceful place to walk trails, enjoy nature, and take in the views. Wednesday and Friday are dog friendly days (make sure they are leashed) and there is a little gift shop/mini nursery at the front. Entrance is $7 per person, although you can get a membership which makes more sense if you are local. I would recommend going in the spring when more of the flowers are in bloom. Due to the summer dormancy there's less greenery to see in the mid summer, but it's still lovely with lots of nice areas to sit.

Admission is free on Fridays and some holidays (check website or Facebook). My review is based solely on the fact that I get in free. As for the plant life, I will leave that to the website and other reviewers. The bottom line is that this is just a "botanical garden". There are no dining facilities, drinking fountains, picnic benches, public restrooms, or shade. The only accommodation to those trekking up and down the paths (or a few stairways for faster trips) is that a few benches have been set up. A bonus is that at one little plateau looking out toward the beach, there are free mounted binoculars. You must therefore bring anything you might need, such as water, snacks, sun protection, etc. The nearest public restrooms are at Ventura City Hall. If you go on a Friday, check the online schedule to ensure that it is open that day. If you don't like dogs, don't come on Wednesdays or Fridays. If you go past the gate at the top of the park, you can hike to the left on a road that will take you to the Serra Cross. Overall, quite a pleasant walk with some great views.

I need to update this review because in the year since I wrote it I've been proven wrong about Flying Cars. I said they were a stupid idea. I thought that they'd never happen. But within a week of writing the original review I read a report talking about a company that was bringing a flying car to market. Over the course of the last year I saw several more reports heralding the arrival of flying cars. And in July I read this: "Alef Aeronautics, a startup in San Mateo, California, just received the FAA's Special Airworthiness Certification for its Model A flying car. The company, which has yet to announce a delivery date, is asking for a $150 deposit on the $300,000 Model A. The vehicle features a drone-like internal propellers and a promised range of 200 miles over land and 110 in the air." And this Model A isn't the only Flying Car out there. There are a bunch more. Ok, so I was wrong about Flying Cars. They're coming. But I'm not wrong about the need for the State of California to embrace my position on Escalators. We have far too many unnecessarily elevated places in this state. Like, for example, the Ventura Botanical Gardens. It's been a year since I offered my suggestion to install some damn escalators. I would have thought by now they would have made at least some progress implementing my plan to mitigate their egregious verticality. But, alas, no. My original review: People think they are being clever when they say Hey, it's the Future, where is my Flying Car? It is true, of course, that 80 years ago some futurists and science fiction writers suggested that someday Flying Cars would be a reality. However, Flying Cars was always an obviously stupid idea. Most people can't drive normal cars very well operating on flat ground. People even manage to crash those cars with computerized autopilots. Can you imagine these same fools operating Flying Cars? Let's just forget the whole Flying Car nonsense. What we need to start spending money on is replacing all existing sidewalks with Moving Sidewalks, like they have at Airports. And we need to install escalators to every elevated area. We have already pretty much perfected this technology. This is something we can actually do. We just need to get busy. Because I'm telling you, I'm sick and tired of walking. Walking is stupid. It might be just about the stupidest human activity. Walking is so 20th Century. I mean, I feel like a damn Cave Man when I'm forced to walk somewhere. Walking is just futile. No one ever got anywhere by walking. And like walking wasn't enough misery, sometimes you are forced to walk up hill. That's a fate almost worse than death. Nothing pisses me off more than having to walk uphill. As soon as I detect the slightest incline I start to get mad. If it continues for more than five or ten steps I am about ready to go off. All this frustration could be avoided if we could just install escalators everywhere. Here at the Ventura Botanical Gardens is a good place to start. Because if you are like me and hate walking uphill, this place is a got damn nightmare. It's all uphill. The place is built on the side of the steepest hill in Southern California. From the Visitor's Center it's up all the way. It feels like you are climbing one of those crazy hills in San Francisco. It feels like you are climbing got damn Mt Everest. The trail up the hill is a seemingly unending series of switchbacks. Those switchbacks don't really help you with the climb much, they just make the climb twice as long. It's a botanical garden so, naturally, there are lots of plants. Well, I can't tell you much about the plants because I was so pissed off about having to walk up this gigantic mountain of a hill. I kinda remember seeing signs that said some of the plants were from Chile. Or that Ventura's climate was like the climate in Chile. I don't know. Something about Chile. Anyway, I was not loving Chile that day. We cool now though. Maybe this botanical garden is all right for normal people, I wouldn't know about that. But for fat guys like me, I wouldn't recommend it. Unless you are tired of being a fat guy, that is. Mikey C says: if there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now...

I don't normally hike but decided to do it since I've never been here before. It's $7 to get in and definitely worth the price. It is a short hike and trails were fairly easy to follow. I was going to do a guided tour but arrived before my tour guide arrived so I explored on my own instead. Very beautiful hike and definitely doable as a newbie. Bring water, take in all the views and take a seat on some of the benches to enjoy the scenery. Come early so the trail isn't too crowded!

Went here with my family. The views were spectacular. It was a very peaceful hike up with all the different types of plants and trees. Better watch out for a few with really pointy spikes. We loved the African garden the best, as the plants, flowers and trees were so unique. The folks working there were also very nice and friendly. Definitely would recommend this place.

What a beautiful place to hike and see a variety of plants! It was open Christmas Day, so we brought Max (golden doodle) & Niece. When we first arrived, we thought we'd have to leave. A sign said dogs were allowed only Wednesdays and Fridays. But it was Christmas 2022, and Max as well as other dogs were allowed in! Since it was Christmas, we got to enter for free. We did make a donation, and bought a plant & a few souvenirs. We also thanked the two ladies for working on Christmas. We walked the trail, and after a half mile, we turned around. Max was getting thirsty & so were we. It was hot! We didn't take the stairs as we would have missed most of the inspirational signs. Also Max would not have been comfortable on the stairs. We are looking forward to returning on our next visit to Ventura.

Such a beautiful time of year to visit (spring). With all the rain the flowers and green rolling hills are breathtaking. Views for days. Easy hike and leads up to Grant Park. The cost is $7 for adults and free on Friday. It's rare to find a stroller friendly hike with views, and this is one of my favorites to bring my toddlers. The gift shop sells a variety of pots, plants and artisan gifts.

Not a garden, it's a hike with local vegetation and a few sponsorship rocks. First time going and wasn't expecting it to not be free (it was today due to the New Year) since it's a hiking trail but I guess you pay to help the preserve the succulents and stuff. It's an easy paved path that is stroller, kid, and pet friendly with only one steep part which is when you get to the top. They also have steps if you want to skip some parts. The views were nice, there's plenty of places to sit and enjoy the fresh air, but overall - I wouldn't go on a pay day . Wasn't really anything special ... to include the mini shop they had.

Didn't come on the best day, as it was partly cloudy but the hike and gorgeous view of the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands made the $7 admission worth the visit. Go up the steps or incline. The gardens trails takes you up levels each higher one smaller than the previous. Makes for great views with the ocean in the distance. Saw a lot of plants from Chile. You encounter stones etched with inspiring messages along the hike. Lots of benches made of natural materials blend in with the environment. Small but cute souvenir shop. Free parking. It's an easy hike once you get past the initial incline past the entrance to the start of the hike. As a bonus the garden is right up the hill from City Hall, another beautiful point of interest. Definitely want to visit again on a clear day and when more flowers are in bloom.

If you like short hikes these botanical gardens are a good experience. There are many nice view points along the hike. And, you will encounter different smells from the different vegetation. Worth doing at least once.

Very nice area, good hike with lots of different plants. Went on a Friday so free entry and cute doggies.

At first glance, one would not have any idea what lies beyond the entrance of these serene, magical gardens although once inside, the vibe will capture you and instantly transform you to a peaceful place. Leave behind all the craziness in the world right now , breathe deeply as you stroll down the winding paths. Go one way and the path will gradually incline taking you to a gorgeous view of the ocean. Go another way to find stone benches and sit a while, listening to the birdsongs or watching the birds soar in the air currents. Paths are wide enough for a stroller, incase you're bringing littles to the gardens. There are beautiful stone staircases also, if you'd like to get more steps in your day. Plenty of effort has gone into creating these gardens and it's quite evident the staff working takes pride in their work. There are drought tolerant plants available for purchase as well as other items in the cute little gift shop. Dogs are welcome on Wednesday and Friday on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Entry fee is $7.00 which includes parking, Allow time, you don't want to rush through, there's so much to see and enjoy.

$7 for fantastic views and a beautiful contemplative walk. Walking the botanical garden makes you feel like part of the community building it. I love it's unfinished state and meandering paths. No better way to get gorgeous panoramic views in Ventura for $7.

I went here yesterday with our senior group for a day trip. I'm glad I checked the weather and what was written about this place before heading there. The weather was beautiful! A perfect 75 degrees with a cool ocean breeze coming in! Wear good walking or hiking shoes, a hat, and bring sunscreen and water. They have trails to take with steps or slopes. The day we went, the restrooms were not working so we had to use the restrooms at City Hall, which is down the road a little bit. That was kind of annoying since some of the seniors are using canes and walkers, but it's FREE on Fridays. They have a little shop where you can buy plants, jewelry, and other souvenirs. Bring your own food or snacks unless you want to go down several blocks (not that far) to Main Street in Ventura and have something to eat there. Had I known it wasn't too far to get there, I would have eaten something on Main Street. They have a lot of variety to choose from. The gardens were in bloom with plenty of beautiful flowers. It was an enjoyable walk and the view of the ocean was clear and serene.

BETTER VIEWS THAN FLOWERS Venturing to the Ventura Botanical Gardens, I was expecting to see lots of flowers. This 109-acre patch reminded me that we're in desert. Cacti reign here. A few were blooming in November, but I had hoped for more. Fortunately, the views were magnificent! Well-maintained paths with plenty of room to social distance lead to a variety of vistas. There were all kinds of places to sit and relish the spectacular scenery. Leashed dogs are allowed on Wednesdays and Fridays, so we brought ours. Admission was $7 a piece, but it's free on Fridays. Or, become a member. Pop into the little store for ideas and gifts. If you're into nature and craving a beautiful place to stroll around Ventura, glide over to this garden.

WARNING: The botanical garden is local vegetation ONLY. It's also worth noting that it is a hike; switchbacks that go up the hill. The views of the hike once up the hill are stunning. When it's clear you can see all the way out to the islands. The ocean and all of downtown Ventura is visible. That is by far the best part. I hear they also have days in which you can bring your dog. That would make it much more worth it in my opinion. I found the gardens to be lackluster. The idea of local only is cool but it's really just a preserved area of land. It's also a full on hike which I did not expect when I went. A super brief hike, but a hike nonetheless. Worth checking out but not a place I would frequent.

So this isn't what you would call your traditional garden, i've read that there was a huge fire which decimated this area along with others surrounding. This is very prevalent once you hike your way to the top of the mountain. I wouldn't say this is the best garden to come with children to as there aren't any guardrails on the way up. If you dont have a good quality stroller i would also recommend skipping it as the floor is like a sand mixture that eats bad quality stroller wheels alive.. Trust me it was nearly impossible to push up the hill. The views are great from the top, however the only way down is back the way you went up so keep that in mind. Parking: Plenty of free parking available up on the hill Bathrooms: bathrooms require a key from the front cashier and are kept clean considering where its located. Pricing: $7.00 for Adults and Children are Free Overall: A nice hike for individuals or couples without kids and a good way to kill an hour or two if you happen to be in Ventura.

We arrived to Ventura Botanical Gardens expecting to see something similar to the Huntington Gardens in Pasadena. To our surprise, we discovered that Ventura Botanical Gardens is more of a picturesque hiking spot rather than a botanical garden. The experience at the Ventura Botanical Gardens is nothing like one would expect from a botanical garden. The visitors climb steep steps up the hill to walk a network passageways looping around a beautiful ocean vista. There are numerous rock benches along the way. Most of the path's length lacks shade. The paths might be dangerous for little kids as it lacks railing. In terms of entertainment: Our LO found rocks that resembled dinosaur eggs. There is also a Dino paw print mosaic on one of the passageways. As for the garden aspect of the hike, most of the plans are of Chilean heritage. We didn't see much plant diversity, artistic showcase of plant beauty, cultural exhibits, botanical excellence or any restaurants. This is most definitely not a botanical garden in the basic definition of this term. We drove here from a major metropolis in hopes to see a botanical garden. While the views were pretty enough, the lack of botanical garden aspect didn't justify the trip from for our group.

I don't understand the negative reviews of the gardens. It honestly sounds like people go in here and take a quick glance and call it good? There are several sections to the botanical gardens which feature plants that are not only local to California. There is also so much more than the initial hike up, that's just the first garden which features Chilean plants. A $7 fee to get in is not bad at all for the amount of area you are able to roam plus the views are well worth it. It is also safe to say the gardens have really taken off and is slowly becoming well established after the Thomas fire ripped through the area. Overall I would highly recommend a visit to the gardens whether you are local or visiting.

I don't understand the folks saying this is local vegetation only and complaining about paying to hike through a curated and maintained garden... what other botanical garden is free? Anyway, I came here with my husband and his parents. We're in our 40s, they in their 60s or 70s. The first part of the hike is a meandering switchback, with Chilean vegetation. When we first saw how steep the mountain was we were a bit worried, as some of our group is pretty out of shape (raises hand, it's me). But the way the trail wandered, all of us found it very easy to go at a comfortable pace while enjoying some of the early spring blooms. We then crossed a road and visited a small but extremely vibrant garden of South African flowers. Just gorgeous. At this point we decided we were a bit tired and we walked back down. Additional highlights included a thrasher who serenaded us, and getting to watch a red tailed hawk hunting at about eye-level and below us in the valley. I would definitely like to come back here. If you want a free hike you can go to the nearby serra cross park instead.

Beautiful day and such an interesting group of gardens. We had planned ahead and asked for a guided tour. Lori and Beth did not disappoint. They customized the tour for us and took their time answering every single question we had. They had a large heart right in the middle of one of the peaks that we were able to stand under for Valentine's Day. The African garden (I can't remember the actual name) was stunning. Everything was in bloom. The tour guides said the best time is around late March early May most years. They have beautiful terra cotta pots at ridiculously reasonable prices in their store. Also one nice restroom which we appreciated.

Absolutely loved this trail in the spring! There are so many beautiful flowers and plants and gives a great view of the ocean! The trail is very long and can get a bit steep at times, but they have a mix of sloped trails or stairs. The view gets more and more stunning as you get higher and is definitely well worth it!!

Really nice hike. Easy, not too much shade so have water and use your sunblock. I would love to go back in the spring to see all the blooms but is pretty nice as it is. Amazing ocean views and cool plants to see and learn about. Staff is super nice and friendly, they have a cute gift shop as well. Super recommended it.

They just added a cute store to the entrance. It complements the gardens by selling succulents, multi hued pots, handmade tchotchkes and books that are all Ventura or plant/flower themed. A great place to start or end your hike and pick up a gift while you are at it!

Great trails! Beautiful flowers! Great views of the Channel Islands! Friendly host! Only $7 to get in and children are free! Free every Friday! Dogs allowed on Wednesdays and Fridays!

The place isn't perfectly kept but it is beautiful non the less with a gorgeous view of the city and pier.

A local gem. Such a great variety of plants and flowed. The views are incredible. Free on Friday and you can bring your dog.

What a lovely place and experience!! Nestled in the mountains behind Main Street, these botanical gardens are carved into the cliff side, leading to lovely views of downtown Ventura and the Channel Islands. There were multiple sections with different flora and fauna per region and tons of thoughtful plaques to explain what you're looking at and the difference uses of each plant. We went in the middle of February so everything was beautifully in bloom and so lush and green after all the rain this year. The incline up through the gardens isn't too strenuous as they have carved a lovely walking path to guide you. Lovely. Beautiful. Look forward to coming back.

We were actually expecting more flora along the pathways here, but we didn't see much of it. They have some great views of the ocean past the cityscapes. Worth a visit, adults are $7.00 and anyone under 18 is free, plus plenty of parking. There a a lot of benches along the pathways so if you get tired or just want to sit and enjoy the views you can do that too. Worth it, but I wish there were more flowers.

We found free parking a short distance down California St., right below Poli St. The park entrance was located right next the stately City Hall. A short walk up we reached the visitor welcome center and the start of the looping trail. It's evident from the well-maintained grounds that the nominal $7 admission fee was well worth it. Free on Fridays. The meandering switchbacks made the ascent less arduous (we bypassed the steeper stone steps). Along the way, informative signages explained certain hillside plants and esoteric vegetation zones. As the path wound uphill, we welcomed the stone benches to rest our feet. At every turn, we were rewarded with a beautiful view of downtown Ventura, the landmark pier, the distant coastline, yonder Channel Islands, and the hazy line demarcating blue sky and water. We were amused by the sponsored interesting quotes carved on rocks along the trail. Although we didn't reach the Rotary Plaza (a distance of 3/4 mile from start, with no shelter from wind and sun, as planned, the one-mile round-trip nature hike still felt invigorating and rejuvenating. A well-spent two leisurely hours.

Paying for a hike! Firstly, we were dryly met by the person at the window when we first arrived. He was so dismissive and dry towards my family and I, pretty disappointing since it was our first time there and were hoping for a nice family outing. Secondly, you walk in and it's an uphill walk on dirt paths throughout the mountainside. It's literally a hike. This location is not a typical botanical garden with easily walked paths or exotic plants. This is a straight hike through preserved land. Besides the view of the ocean, you aren't in for anything nice to look at. You got mostly California native plants and succulents but it's mostly dried up. I would not go again. This place is charging you to basically hike up to the top and have a nice view but to claim it's a botanical garden is a huge stretch.

They just spruced the area up after the fires and it has become more of a destination. There is now an entrance, a nice patio to sit and picnic or rest, and a store. The upside is they are smart--now they can use the proceeds to upkeep the hills and add more plants. The downside is that now it costs $7; but, Tuesdays the hike is free! And they've added a neat store that feature local vendors and crafts.

Free admission on Christmas got our family out to the "gardens". Wanted to see how much they had improved on since the fire...unfortunately, not much-other than the shipping containers that they've placed at the entrance used as an office to collect $7/person admission. Hours are not friendly to those who work the day shift. The views are the best but unfortunately, on dog days your focus won't always be on the views - someone didn't pick up after their pet on the afternoon we went and because I was enjoying the views, didn't notice the dog droppings right in the middle of the path. Won't be going on dog days if I can help it. Path stops at the road ahead. Does not go all the way through to trails above or to the cross.

I've been here several times this week and am hooked. The ocean view is breathtaking. I didn't know quite what to expect to terms of the gardens, and was very surprised (but happy!) there was hiking too. You park BEHIND Ventura City Hall, grab what you need and start on the trails. I'm not a seasoned hiker or walker by any means, so I preferred to use my hiking boots. I thought it funny as I saw a guy walking in flip flops, though. There's NO WAY I could have done this hike in flip flops, but to each their own. The trails do have rocks and unevenness in it, so be prepared. I saw many people running on the trails, and many who brought their dogs, too. What keeps bringing me back is the amazing ocean view. That alone is worth the price of admission, but, there isn't one. Easy parking, easy access to the trails. Not many flowers, but not a problem for me.

I would like to revise my review when they do something about the extremely rude and unfriendly ticket person. I have been to the beautiful botanical garden twice now, and sadly don't want to go back because of this person. He seems to dislike his job, people, or both. Some undercover board members and donors need to go it to experience it.

Although the garden has made huge improvements since the fire, it remains in a growing phase...which is fine. The plants are beautiful, the art work, signage, and stone seating along the path, and the magnificent views, are so worth a visit, especially the Cape Garden all the way at the top. Staff was very warm and friendly. Support this wonderful effort!