San Diego Botanic Garden
Encinitas, CA
~$18 adult / ~$10 child
By Simir Shah
★★★★★4.7(4,341 Google reviews)
What parents say
AI summary of 5 Google reviews — not a first-hand visit. How we write these
Mostly open ground with limited shade, so bring hats and sunblock. Reviewers warn of more climbing than expected: one visitor's elderly relative had to stop and wait. Free parking in a small lot, and a couple of hours covers it. Some sections looked run down and one greenhouse was closed.
Thirty-seven acres and 4 miles of trails wind through 29 themed gardens with more than 5,000 plant species, including the nation's largest public bamboo collection. The West Coast's largest children's garden anchors the family experience, centered on Toni's Tree House — a multi-level structure with rope bridges, tunnels, and a spiral staircase.
Good for
- Ages 0–2
- Stroller-friendly
- Free parking
- Nap-schedule friendly
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300 Quail Gardens Drive at, Ecke Ranch Rd, Encinitas, CA 92024, USA
Hours via Google — confirm before a special trip.
Map
What visitors say
- Tyler Burns★★★★★
Really nice botanical garden. Cant beat it for the price. The bamboo section and tropical forest waterfall were my favorite. I expected just a little bit more variety. Places like the native plants and people section were a bit run down. But overall a lovely afternoon stroll.
3 months ago
- german bejarano★★★★★
I enjoyed my visit to the San Diego Botanic Garden and spent about 2–2.5 hours wandering around. It wasn't crowded when I went on a Wednesday, so it made for a nice relaxing morning. One of my favorite parts was seeing the wildlife. I spotted several birds, squirrels, and even a turtle hanging out in one of the lily ponds. The gardens themselves have a nice variety of landscapes, with sections featuring desert succulents, Australian and New Zealand plants, South African plants, native species, and more. It felt like there was always something different around the next corner. The greenhouse was probably a little underwhelming. It seemed a bit sparse, with several duplicate plants. I also noticed a handful of areas that looked like they could use some maintenance, along with a fair number of dead or struggling plants. If you're driving, parking looked plentiful. I took the Coaster to Encinitas and then the bus; I then walked to the garden, which was doable but ended up being around a 2-mile round trip just to reach the garden and get back. Unless you really enjoy walking, I'd probably recommend another way of getting there. One thing I agree with other reviewers on is that it's really more of an Encinitas attraction than a San Diego one, since it's a fair distance from downtown. That said, I still think it's worth the trip if you're looking for a peaceful place to spend a couple of hours. The gazebo lawn and nearby waterfall were especially nice spots to sit and relax.
3 months ago
Showing 2 of 5 Google reviews · Read them all on Google Maps
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