South Coast Botanic Garden

South Coast Botanic Garden is an absolutely amazing place to visit! The refreshing atmosphere instantly lifts your mood. With a wide variety of flowers and trees, it feels like stepping into a different world. Every corner offers something new and unique, making it a perfect spot to explore and unwind. Whether you’re a nature lover or just looking for a cool place to spend your day, this garden is truly worth visiting. Highly recommend it for anyone seeking a peaceful and beautiful escape!

We went to the Astra Lumina experience that was set up here and it was so much fun! It wasn't very crowded which made it pleasant to stroll through. You could walk at your own pace and stay at any of the areas for as long as you wanted. There were also pleanty of benches if you just wanted to sit and enjoy the lights. It truly felt out of this world! There were different themed stops where you could enjoy ambient noise and music, accompanying the lights. Some made you feel like you were on another planet. Some made you feel like you were in space. Some made you feel like you were in an enchanted forest. There were little qr codes to scan and it would tell you about what the area was themed for as well. Great photos despite being dark! There were also both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and some snacks to partake in. We got hot chocolate to take during the walk, which was pleasant since it was a little cold. If you go at night, it's best to dress warm. Great experience for the family, with friends, or a fun date!

This show was absolutely amazing! The 1 mile path was very subtly lit, but easily followed, and each of the 10 light installations was creative and different and most of the time, jaw dropping. The music was ethereal and lovely and brought something totally new to the experience. I was overwhelmed with gratitude for having been able to see this display. Highly, highly recommend!

I would say that this place would probably be beautiful in the spring or summer. However, we were visiting in December. Many areas were closed, many plants not blooming, and many plants were being trimmed for winter. However, There were lots of varieties of plants. Many I had never seen(like a sausage tree!) if I can visit again, it would be in the summer.

Beautiful lights and music/sounds amidst the paths of the South Coast Botanic Gardens. It was lovely to walk around viewing the displays on a cold winter's night. I will definitely go again. Highly recommend!!

Astra Lumina was surreal and more than enjoyable. Feels like you stumbled on a crashed star and we're transported to another world. Staff was very friendly. There are bathrooms at the beginning, plus drinks/hot chocolate/food and merch when you walk in.

Jane the volunteer and both Andres and Adrian the rangers made our experience so wonderful today. We will be signing up to volunteer at this magical garden. Thank you South Coast Botanical!

Astra Lumina was a wonderful experience! The light shows were visually stunning, and I loved how they wove in storytelling to make it feel magical. It was also just a really nice walk in nature, which added to the whole atmosphere. Perfect way to spend an evening—definitely recommend checking it out!

Attended the Garden's Candle Making Class and it was a true delight. We got a lesson on the origin of candles, information on all things essential oils and their uses. I appreciated the hot cider and my candle to take home with bow! (See photos attached) Megan, Maritza and another lady (can't remember her name) were so friendly, funny and accommodating hosts! I really enjoy coming to SCBG whether it's an event or just to immerse myself in nature.

Pleasant walk during wiener fest. Lots to see if you have an eye for trees. Plenty of old eucalyptus and even an old cork bark oak. More of an arboretum than botanic garden; most of the plant diversity is towards the front, Great if you're older or have kids.

I attended DogtoberFest, and it was a fantastic experience! The event is organized into designated time slots, each lasting a few hours. During that time, you can enjoy obstacle courses, dog training shows, beer stands, and scenic walking areas with your pup. A couple of things to keep in mind: If you want to access the 360 photo booth or the booth area, you'll need to purchase a VIP ticket. I didn't realize this initially, so I had to go back to the front to upgrade my ticket. Once I had the VIP wristband, I got access to the beer garden and the photo booth, and it even included a complimentary drink. I also treated my dog to a barkcuterie board, which was such a cute and fun addition to the event. By the end of the day, my dog was happily exhausted from all the walking and playing with other dogs. Overall, I loved the experience and highly recommend it if you're as obsessed with your dog as I am!

Great, open space for the kids to run around. Try to go when they're hosting free arts & crafts events for kids. They loved celebrating Chinese New Year there!

Our happy place for picnics and walks in nature. I have been a member for a few years and recently upgraded my membership to deluxe so I can take more people.

My family and I came for the butterfly exibxit and left with a membership!!! The grounds are really nice and reminds me of the Huntington Gardens! They have really cool events all year long. You have to see for yourself. Beautiful place!!!

A few months ago, I was researching upcoming butterfly exhibits and came across this botanical garden. Based on SOAR pricing, It only made sense to buy the yearly membership. DOGGY SUNDAYS- last day of the month. Skip the line and make the reservation online. Free for members and $5 per dog. Water and poop bags provided for doggies BLOOM- beautiful flower exhibits, colorful umbrellas, hundreds of flower bulbs planted and now blooming. SOAR- butterfly experience. $6 extra and extra for nectar I'm sure there are more exhibitions to enjoy this upcoming year.

I was excited to read that this Botanic Gardens has a "bring your dog" day and bought tickets. $15/person and $5/dog. Ok, a little pricier than I expected, so we were willing to give it a try. The Good: Lots of dogs Water stations for your dogs to get water Lots of trails to meander amongst the gardens. The Bad: There was filming going on when we were there and that area was closed off. The creek was dried up and some maintenance/construction was ongoing. When you are used to Washington/Oregon trails, this can't compare. But, it's cool to see that they have days that they allow dogs. I just don't know if its worth the price.

We visited the south coast botanic garden. It was beautiful. We purchased tickets for a non member at $15 and it included the soar exhibit where you can see the butterflies. We didn't get to explore the grounds that much because it was very hot for our infants. My friend upgraded her ticket to a membership. There's plenty of parking and it's so beautiful. The volunteers really take of the area. Can't wait to go back when it cools down

I would say this is comparable to la arboretum in terms of offerings and usage of space. We were able to go see the troll display and it was quite fun to take pictures with. I'm sure the butterfly pavilion would be awesome, but I didn't get tickets in time, so another visit is warranted. The succulent wall and rose garden are my favorite. But the best part is just being able to take the free tram, which you can get on by the greenhouse and succulent wall for free and see the whole of the garden while resting comfortably! They do have june bloom and other light shows like descanco garden or la arboretum but I enjoy the gardens in the day!

Had a delightful time at the South Coast Botanic Garden exploring the magic of Thomas Dambo's Trolls exhibit. I felt lucky to have gotten to visit the garden while this marvelous exhibit was in place! The trolls are all built from recycled materials & each have their own quirky & unique personalities - it was so much fun to find each of them within the garden & learn about the trolls. Overall, I will absolutely be going back to the SCBG with or without the trolls! It was a beautiful garden with a lot of space to explore, so many various plant species & trees from all over the world. Also, I was very surprised to find out that it was actually built on top of a landfill! The staff are so kind & will absolutely be coming back for another exhibit or just to explore the gardens again.

Came here on Saturday around 1pm no line to get in bought the tickets ahead of time on their website. Free parking in lot. They had a bloom exhibit theme occurring and it was beautiful! Plenty of space for picnics and everything was well taken care of no overgrown plants. Grass was soft and very peaceful. Stayed 1.5 hours walking around resting and taking pictures. Looked at their membership deals it's worth it. Overall would recommend.

The history behind this botanic garden is pretty fascinating. It was a literal dump. They were able to bury the garbage and plant over it to create a lovely garden with different areas like the rose garden, koi pod, and a desert-scape. This can't be compared to Huntington, but it isn't trying to be that. They do a regular rotation of art installations so if you join as a member, you'll be back pretty regularly to enjoy a new one. They also have dog walking days and are currently promoting Dogtober complete with brewery pop ups. There is a small, very small cafe, called Rosie's, but I'm never sure of its hours so call to check if you aren't bringing a picnic. Lots of shaded pathways and places to sit and just be mellow. If you're quiet enough, the bunnies will emerge.

I have not been here in at least over a decade so it was a great surprise to see how much it has changed since I was a kid then teenager then young adult and now official adult. Maybe it's midlife ha ha! The parking lot is massive and nicely spaced out. Checking in with my friend kind of took a while as each person had some issues or something extra to do. There is a lot of Fake plant/flower sculptures/settings for posing for a Instagram moment every where which threw me but HEY a great idea to lure in people who just want a great photo and can't wait for the moment of BLOOMING BEAUTY. If you walk around the perimeter of the grounds following the paved road inside the gate you'll see all these new projects coming up like this Banyan tree project, which looks amazing for future families and kids to enjoy almost like Swiss family Robinson that they had at Disneyland. There's a couple other things the lake was dry and walk-able, which I've never done, but I feel like the last time I was there was winter so everything was pretty dormant~ i.e. the super dormant new Rose Garden and it was foggy. This was a beautiful sunny day in spring, and everything was in full bloom, the cactus garden was amazing. The roses were amazing. There is just much more spread out space than I recall from all my past memories of going there. And it is amazing and well worth coming more frequently. In the end, I ended up getting a small orchid that a friend of mine has that is uniquely scented they had a small version as well as it large one I haven't seen it anywhere so that was nice to be able to purchase. The checkout person was so helpful and that she was able to correct my friend who has an annual membership, but his name is wrong (didn't want to bother at check in to delay others after what we endured-so that was convenient and her being young and understanding of the software I suppose was able to finally correct his name which made him feel a lot better. This is great place young or old. Although my mom cannot make her way here anymore it was so nice to take all these pictures and show her on my phone because, it really has improved over the years continues to improve from the "literal" dump it used to be.

Took my daughters and mom for a girls day walking the botanical gardens. It's such a beautiful and peaceful place to get some steps in and admire the views. We all had a beautiful day exploring the grounds. The butterfly exhibit was awesome we went later in the season but there were still plenty of butterflies to view. Overall a wonderful day.

While the Astra Lumina event we went to didn't have the highest reviews, we certainly enjoyed the experience and its location. It's important to appreciate the botanic garden for what it is: a natural and serene scenic gem to this coastal neighborhood. Thankful for 'Fridate' #47 here. We will definitely return for a stroll in its daytime ambiance.

South Coast Botanic Garden is a success story of nature healing. What used to be a trash dumpster site is now a botanic garden as we know it. Sure it's not massive and iconic like Pasadena's Huntington Gardens, but it's still large enough that you're clocking in 5-6 miles of walking without realizing it. The front part of the garden is more segmented with dedicated thematic gardens and the like while the back half of the gardens are interspersed with all sorts of flora and wildlife as they please. So in other words, bring some nice walking shoes cause you may walk off path at some point. There's plenty of nature to be enjoyed and prices are fair, even with membership. So come with family, loved ones, or alone, either way, you're here for a good, relaxing time. Check back here frequently for seasonal events like Astra Lumina, butterflies, or what not!

We went as a group for a friend's birthday and to see the Trolls exhibit. Our pack of kids had a great time and so did we! Truly a great outing for the whole family. We arrived relatively early in the morning so parking was easy. When we left it looked like it might be a bit tougher to find a spot. We loved the exhibit and hope to go back again in the summer to see more of the garden paths we haven't walked yet!

I'll preface this by saying I LOVE gardens, especially when there are exhibitions going on within them. I make it a point to visit them wherever I may be. The Thomas Dambo Trolls appeared on my feed and of course piqued my curiosity so I HAD to pay this specific botanical garden a visit. There are maps available at entry, which as much as I love to wander personally I HIGHLY recommend you grabbing one. The trolls themselves are quite large and oddly hard to miss despite the cute little birdhouses that direct you to them. It's probably one of the biggest issues that I had. =/ The birdhouses would appear signifying that a troll was nearby, but it wouldn't be necessarily close to the birdhouse (or perhaps it was moved?). Once you do find the trolls though, WOW. The significance of them and their cute lil bios. I'm a fan. One of the trolls essentially signified bringing life where there was loss, and there was a car that looked like perhaps death may have occurred, but plants emerged. Maybe I looked too far into it, but it was beautifully poetic. There seems to be a LOT going on at this garden right now, in regards to Astra Lumina and the trolls exhibition, but there's also this major space that leaves you confused and wandering areas wondering if there's something further or if you should go back (think wandering a map aimlessly in an rpg wondering if you missed a quest). I'm not sure if the gardens are being built further or if there's always been just vast space of nothingness, but as a guest it's quite confusing. There also seems to be a lot of upkeep needed in regards to plans dying unfortunately (I just saw what essentially is now tinder), and signage (WHAT is THAT cool plant?!). Otherwise it's gorgeous and we're fortunate to still have roses in the fall, and so many things blooming as they are.

We came here after breakfast at King's Hawaiian in Torrance. It is about 9 mins away. The grounds are plentiful and the had the trolls exhibit going on. They are made from recycled material. Exploring the grounds and hunting for trolls was a nice adventure for the 5 kids we had in tow. If I lived closer I would probably get a membership and explore the botanical garden on the weekends. The trolls exhibit is there until Jan 2024. So catch them while you can.

The South Coast Botanic Garden, "The Jewel of the Peninsula", is located 10 miles south of the Los Angeles Airport in California on the beautiful Palos Verdes Peninsula. Conveniently accessible to many South Bay communities, this 87-acre Botanic Garden has more than 2,500 different species of plants from as far away as Australia, the Mediterranean, and southern Africa. ADMISSION: Garden Members: FREE Adults: $15 Seniors (62 and over): $11 Students (with ID): $11 Children (5 - 12): $5 Children (4 and under): FREE Third Tuesday of each month: FREE Visitors under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

I came here today with relatives on a beautiful morning. We arrived for the 10:00 Tram Tour. Such a beautiful garden. They have a special Troll themed exhibit of six Trolls around the garden. It was fun to see them in different places. It runs until January 2024. I was told there is also a light show nightly at 5:00 pm. A very nice place to view different flowers and other plants. A nice way to spend a few hours. Parking: Plenty of free parking on their lot. Rating: 5 Stars

My girlfriend took me here for our anniversary, I had the best time!!! We went to the butterfly garden and got to feed/hold butterflies. The worker recommended coming here when it's sunny and not too early so the butterflies will be out. We walked around to all the gardens as well and it is very beautiful. Definitely recommend checking it out!

My bestie and I have been having so much fun at the garden that we decided to get a membership! If you go twice in a year it pays for itself. This year we did SOAR (the butterfly experience, which was amazing!), attended one of the Thursday night summer concerts, and plan to take my pup for the dog walking Sunday at the end of the month! We plan to come again for the Halloween and Christmas Holiday exhibits, which we usually do every year. Members get discounted tickets to special events, free daily admission, and a discount on food and beverage purchases! Plus parking is free and it's never crazy crowded like Descanso Gardens can get. They are doing some awesome expansion and improvements over the next year also, so now is a good time to join! If you live in the area, I highly recommend it!

I never heard of this place before but saw an advertisement for Dogtoberfest! What? A Oktoberfest for dogs??? Sign me up! So we made the drive and this garden is lovely! Of course on this day, it was set up for the event with beer booths, dog obstacle course, dog vendors....but the event allowed you to walk the grounds and it's beautiful and peaceful here! The Dogtoberfest event was amazing!! So many pups!! It was such a nice afternoon!

''Twas a beautiful day for the south coast botanic garden. Recommend coming here on the 3rd Tuesday of the month, free tickets. Parking is free, they are always holding events for extra fees. I recommend wearing sneakers or comfortable shoes. Lots of walking, mostly paved. Great place to come read, have a picnic or afternoon stroll! Lot of green areas with lush grass. Perfect for the kids and dog friendly. I loved the rose and cactus garden two of my favorites.

I finally got around to check out this botanical garden. They have lunar new year celebrations throughout the weekend of the month of February. In terms of things to do, it's pretty similar to many of the other botanical gardens around the area. Plants were a bit wilted and definitely was not peak time to come visit. It's a reasonable sized garden and spent maybe two hours walking about 3 miles. It's not bad for $15 adult/ $11 for students. Overall not bad, but not the best garden I've been to. They also have astra lumina here which has props all over even during the day.

It's a beautiful day for a nature walk, the roses I don't know what kind they are but they smell better than any I've ever smelled before. They got quite a fish, it's a relaxing day I guess they're getting ready for the butterfly celebration. The trails are nice and clean the park is beautiful. I'm just a little bit bored so four stars.

Came here for an engagement photo shoot, the place was nice and you get a variety of landscapes. It looks like they have always something going on and this time it is their troll sculptures. It was fun to explore and look for them after our photos. Downside was they we're doing construction and part of the garden was closed off due to a wedding; would have been nice to have some announcement on their website. Looking forward once they finish their renovations to visit again. Not to mention they have dog walk days.

We have never been here before. WOW! This place is massive and the views breathtaking. We went there for Chinese New Year Celebrations. It's not exactly the kind of Lion Dance I'm used to but it was a good effort. The dragon dance was better. Will have to go back in Spring to explore more. With all the rains we had I bet it's going to be spectacular.

Such a great garden to visit. Come early before it gets too hot though, because the garden is HUGE. It was a very nice walk with beautiful flowers. I recommend getting a copy of a map because the paths can get confusing. Currently, there is a butterfly feeding experience, SOAR, which ends on August 31. You get to use the ring with nectar on it to attract butterflies. It was easier to get the green butterflies to land on the ring. The ladies in charge on the experience were very nice and knowledgeable.

It's such a nice botanical garden located in Rolling Hills area. It's a mini version of Getty Center and Huntington Library. There're not only so many things to explore but also a good place to zen. We will definitely come back to explore the butterflies and flowers exhibits.

The good: I came on a free Tuesday (every third Tuesday of the month) and enjoyed my day with my toddler and nanny. We brought a picnic blanket and had lunch here too. The garden is massive and we didn't complete all of it because my toddler can only walk so much. We wanted to see the lake but couldn't make it that far. I'd recommend getting a map ahead of time because we almost got lost. Wagons are welcome here. The rose garden was gorgeous and fully blooming. The grassy areas for weddings was gorgeous and made me want to get married again. I liked the art sculptures made from recycled materials (shoes, tires, umbrellas, bottles, buoys etc). The bad: The parking lot was full by noon so people had to park along the sides in areas that weren't designated parking. I didn't see food sold in here other than popsicles any the gift stand. The road into the parking lot is rocky, windy and bumpy. The interesting: The butterfly pavilion costs extra to see. The tram (or golf cart) costs extra to ride. There are hilly areas here. Some paths are paved but others are dirt.

Come for the trolls and loved every minute!! The garden itself is wonderful. We walked about 4 miles around the whole thing. The trolls were so cute and made the walk even better. I'm sure the rose garden is amazing in the spring time. Lots of ports potty's through out. Plenty of spaces to sit or even have a picnic. Excited to see what they have for upcoming events!

Googled Butterfly Sanctuaries and was originally going to go to the National History Museum BUT seen that this also had a botanical garden, so we decided we'd be more interested in exploring the garden than the museum. There was an entry fee for the botanical garden, a then an extra fee for the butterfly sanctuary BUT it was definitely worth it. We only planned to spend about an hour here BUT it turned into a whole day trip, we sent the whole day here. The Butterfly Sanctuary was so cool. Tons of different kinds of butterflies, so beautiful. Occasionally a few would even land on you. There was a bunch of signage about the different butterflies and what they ate. They also had a feeding station (additional charge). After the Sanctuary we explored the botanical garden. THERE WAS SO MUCH TO SEE. Beautiful landscaping, a lot of shady areas and seating, and even hiking trails. We met Adrian the Park Ranger he was super cool, and super informative. He seemed like he loved his job and he also told us about the little tour we could have taken around the garden. We actually ended up leaving, going to get lunch and coming back to eat it at the garden in the grass under a shady tree! There was definitely a lot of picture prop areas. My favorite was the giant floral letters. We took a family picture in front of the letters. Definitely considering getting a year membership to the garden. It was such a relaxing experience and they have alot of events coming up for the summer. My one and only complaint they didn't have a place to get real food (like sandwiches or something). They have a gift shop that had slight snacks and popsicles BUT that was definitely not enough. I advise you pack a lunch. Definitely recommend though.

A Botanical Garden is a happy place to be. South Coast. Botanical Garden is no exception and is becoming my newest happy place. There are multiple paths to take through and around the gardens. The main path is paved taking a circular route along the perimeter. There are gentle hills. Wonderful tall trees, meadows and flowers. Unusual and notable plants include the Sausage Tree. The rosé garden is delightful with architectural interests, the wall of succulents is one of the most successful I've seen. There is a great deal I have yet to appreciate and bears exploring. Like the seasons changing. Many of the plants are labeled. All are well tended. Lots of birds, bugs, spiders, butterflies and lizards; a sign of a healthy ecosystem. There always seems to be projects going on with work crew building and carving. A sign of growth and maintenance. All good. They have carts for those who cannot walk the garden with knowledgeable drivers pointing out interesting facts. Studies show that being in nature heightens happiness and well being. Walking is Dr recommended for just about every ailment in the DSM-5 as well as countless medical conditions.

I was invited by my friends to join them in a "troll stroll" - I had no idea what I was up for and jumped at the adventure. So glad I did!! What a beautiful day and what a beautiful stroll. I had never been to these gardens before and loved how they embraced the plants that thrive in SoCal while adding other plants from NorCal. The trolls were extremely impressive and recommend it as a great outing for young and old alike. I liked that they had an option for a tram tour as this would be a perfect option for my parents.

I always enjoy visiting these gardens. We specifically came to see the Trolls, everything was well-marked and the ran into a few volunteers if we needed help. Birdhouses line the path so you know you are going the right way. We walked about 2 miles from parking lot through Gardens, just seeing Trolls. If we'd done all the paths, we could have done more. It was a lovely walk on NY day.

Beautiful place! Great way to renew the land. Lots of trails, little hidden areas to sit and rest and enjoy nature. Crazy how this is in the middle of the city and it is so quiet in the middle of the park. , but we will definTely be back! Bring water, snacks or a lunch. Wear walking shoes and bring a hat. They do have a little snack bar but it really isn't much and pricey. We didn't stay long because it was getting too warm

South Coast Botanic Garden is an amazing place! I don't know how you'd not like it... I suppose if you didn't like nature, being outdoors, plants & flowers or being connected to the planet we live on, it might suck. I loved it! Why? AWESOME plants, trees, grasses, succulents, etc. Friendly, knowledgeable and helpful staff & volunteers Trails & walking paths everywhere Incredible butterfly experience (it's a rotating exhibit) Amazing sea trash art - it's a thing! This fall, butterflies leave and trolls take their place. What a great place to visit, SC Botanic Garden is a winner! 5 stars

My wife and I visited here last Sunday 5/28/23 with our dog since the last Sunday of every month you can bring your dog. We spent a couple of hours here wandering around the different paths and enjoying being outdoors. They have nicely marked trails, both paved and hard packed dirt, so you can spend a lot of time looking around the entire site. There is a lot of parking burmt based on what I saw the lot can get crowded on the weekends. Admission was $15/adults, and $5/dog. They also have passes if you think it's a place you'll want to visit again. The staff gave us ideas about what to see and were all very friendly. They have benches spread around the site and tables toward the entrance if you want to pack a picnic. Check their site for prohibited items. My wife and I did get a pass, so we'll be back both with and without our dog. They currently have a live butterfly exhibit going on that drew a lot of visitors, especially the ones with kids.

Visited on Mother's Day 5/14/2023. Preordered the picnic box for 4 and also added on the SOAR butterfly and feeding exhibit to the GA ticket. Parking was a breeze (and free!). The roses were in bloom. So many gorgeous spots to bunker down and picnic. We especially enjoyed the casual way people just sat down anywhere to relax, nap, and enjoy the perfect weather. My party was more than happy to sit, relax, okay some board games and chit chat. Will have to come again to walk the entire grounds!

Love visiting this garden. It's beautiful, well kept, exhibits happening every month, perfect place for a walk and kids can explore. We visited for the butterfly exhibit. If you purchase exhibit tickets it'll include admission. They have the Trolls and Wash Ashore exhibit currently running. It's free admission every 3rd Tuesday of the month. Ticket info available in their site. It's a perfect visit for at least 2hrs or longer if you decide to walk the entire garden. It a huge garden with different plants & flower collections! Refreshments available for purchase. Free parking. Always a fun time visiting this garden! The staff here is always helpful and friendly. What a gem of an attraction here in the Southbay!

I've never heard of this place and assumed it was in Orange County by South Coast Plaza, but it's actually in Palos Verdes. We were here January 7th at 9:30 a.m. and the parking lot was a quarter full and there was still plenty of parking. You can't see the water from here, and they're close to Green Hills Cemetery. The grounds itself are beautiful and a little bit hilly so there will be some slight inclines to walk up but it's manageable. Yesterday it was a very clear, sunny day but the wind chill made it much colder. You could see the mountains in the distance very clearly and that with all the beautiful plant and trees surrounding you here make it feel like you're far away from the city. Came here to check out the Thomas Dambo TROLLS: Save the Humans exhibit with my friend who told me about this and said this was the first time they brought it to California. We went through the first stop which was by Ibbipop the Troll and it had a greenhouse full of birdhouses hanging everywhere. When the wind would blow through everything would spin which made the greenhouse magical. We then ventured off using our map to see the other larger than life Trolls on site. I was glad we made the long drive to see these awesome sculptures as there's nothing like seeing it up close and getting out of the house and being around nature. They are here until January 14th, so I highly recommend stopping by before then.

Back in March we visited when the cherry blossoms and some flowering peach trees, Hong Kong orchid trees and other things were in full display. It was absolutely tranquil and gorgeous. We'll be back for their bloom exhibit April/May which features thousands of bulbs in bloom! Wheelchair accessibility: We stayed mostly to the perimeter of the park where it's paved. There's quite a bit to see in the paved area which took us about an hour/hour and a half, it was hilly. Going further into the park would be much more difficult to navigate especially in the unpaved areas if you have weaker arm strength or need someone in your party to push you. They do have a tram that also goes around the outside of the park.

The South Coast Botanic Garden is a hidden gem in the RPV area. This area actually has a lot of scenic views and lookout points, but I had never been aware of their botanical gardens. My girlfriend and I came here today on the third Tuesday of October, as when I looked into this place, it said on the website that admission is free on the third tuesday of the month. The parking situation here is plentiful, you can park just about anywhere and the parking is all fairly close to the entrance of the gardens. Once inside, there are a lot of places to walk to and see. There is a koi pond, multiple tree groves, a rose garden, hidden meadows and open meadows, a desert garden and many more, just to name a few. This is the kind of place you can spend hours at exploring and checking everything out. You do a lot of walking but luckily, there are a great deal of benches situated around the gardens for you to sit on. We loved every bit of it and are already coming back and maybe having a picnic here. This was a really cool and interesting place in RPV and there doesn't seem to be many botanical gardens left in the LA/OC area, so if you are into exploring nature and parks such as this one, you should definitely give it a try!

We came to visit the garden and visit the butterfly pavilion (here until Aug 31st) and it was such a beautiful experience. We paid for nectar to feed the butterflies and it was worth it! We were in awe the entire time in the pavilion. They allotted about 20 ppl in the pavilion at a time. It's a timed entry (purchase tickets in advance online) and was worth every minute. Employees were so sweet and eager to answer any of our questions. The property was gorgeous and afterwards we visited the nice grassy area to picnic, we brought some snacks with us. Enjoyed the flowers and the squirrels. Amazing day date!

We had the chance to catch the Astra Lumina immersive light show here on NYE, 12/31/23. The grounds are beautiful and the staff was organized upon arrival. I can't wait to go back here during the daytime. Will be back soon!

Smaller arboretum that is closer to home and equally lovely. Came with family on Saturday of Mother's Day weekend, on a warm spring day! Specifically needed extra tickets for the SOAR butterfly exhibition (in addition to the general admission cost). Due to the small scale and crowd control, about 20 minutes allowed for viewing and experiencing the beautiful butterflies, today so many blue morphos! Mostly paved walkways, but with a few slight uphills so wear comfortable shoes. It was a sunny day so I wore a lot of sunscreen and a sun blocking hat. Fun topiary displays, fragrant rose garden was closed for a private event but we got a few minutes in it beforehand. Crazy desert and succulents display! Fun for all.