What a great experience!! My daughter and I spent the morning here, hiked all over the gardens. Its very hilly and natural so you fell like you are not in the city. Even though not much was in bloom it was still beautiful and informative. Definitely not for anyone that is ambulatory challenged due to the hilly landscape. Definitely recommend, beautiful layout and worth a few hours of your time! Hope to return during bloom time!!!

Grat place aswome memories peacefullyU can buy ticket online for $18 for adultNo charge for kids under 2 years age .This a big garden(27 small gardens )as world wide plant like California, Australia, Africa, i realy like waterfall and fruit garden and overview point location, great memories. Must have time for get around this place almost 4 or 5 miles to walk including trail so u can kind of hiking

Such a beautiful place to get out and experience nature! As you are walking around the different sections of the garden (divided by regions from around the world) you almost forget that youre in San Diego. There are lush tropics, desert landscapes, a bamboo forest, a new greenhouse, fountains, lotus ponds, and sculptures throughout. A wonderfully peaceful place to explore when you need to reconnect with nature.

Wow! We are a bit partial to the Huntington Library and Gardens but this place wowed us. Staff is so friendly. Lots of acreage, variety of terrain and plants. Definitely will return. Well worth the membership and reciprocal gardens deal.

I havent been to the garden for many years, and I was pleasantly surprised how beautiful it was and how much bigger it is than I remember. It is a great Covid outdoor activity for the entire family! We spend 4 hours here, but honestly could have stayed longer.

Breathtaking views, quiet beautiful and serene. Tranquility at its finest! I could spend hours here and the staff are super friendly and treat you like family! This is a must see whether youre from the area or visiting, you wont want to leave its so impeccably beautiful!!! Definitely get a membership!!!!

Have visited the gardens for several years. Just recently purchased an annual membership so I am now enjoying weekly visits. The gardens are spectacular, beautifully maintained and such interesting plants to view. Great areas to walk through, and I love the location of very private benches scattered through the gardens, where a relaxing rest and read can be enjoyed. Staff and Volunteers are always welcoming and helpful to guests. Especially now, during the pandemic, how fortunate are we to have this beautiful garden to relax and escape to. One small comment, majority of guests are very courteous with social distancing and wearing masks, but some are not wearing masks. Hope that guests can be reminded at the entrance that masks are mandatory.

A very enjoyable outdoor activity for the whole family! Stroll down the trails to view many unique and amazing trees and plants from all over the world. We saw cherries, figs and pomegranates growing on their trees to name just a few.

Happy to have found this place. Great way to spend a few hours walking with your family and seeing lots of diverse plant life. If you like to garden this is a place to see.

Such a fun experience. Came here in October 2020 during COVID for my Moms birthday. It was a great time. Lovely outdoor walks to all the different theme gardens. You could get lost just trying to explore every inch. Great way to learn about plants as well.

I photograph weddings all over San Diego County, and San Diego Botanic Garden is easily my favorite wedding venue. It is the most beautiful location for photos. Its also easily accessible for all your guests, yet it feels like you are tucked away out in nature.

We spent about 3 hours at the Garden, and left because it was just too warm. (Nearly 90 at the coast) It was so beautiful. I can’t wait to return.

Very extensive botanical garden, easy to generate a one mile plus walk and see many different plants, well labeled.

My first time going here. It was beautiful. I really loved it and enjoyed the time spent with my mom.

Beautiful place to visit so much too see

Well worth the time and money. So much for the eyes to look at and allot of trails to wander along. Its a little pricey but they allow picnic lunches and theres lots of shaded benches to relax on. Its very clean and the restrooms are plentiful. The kids play area is jam packed with fun stuff and the 3 story treehouse is amazing. Ill definitely be back in the future.

It is the nicest botanic garden Ive ever seen! There are a diversity of plants from different world regions. No snakes, rats, foxes, coyotes, etc. are around. The garden configurations are delicate, where you get a top view of the surrounding farms, ocean, and city, a fall with a pond covered by water lily and hovered by red dragonflies, banana and fig tree fields, bamboo area, and so on. The garden is a great place for a nice view, hike, relaxation, etc. every now and then.

Im sure hidden gem is overused in reviews of this place, but I really like the way you feel like youve entered another realm when you venture into the gardens. By the time you get to the waterfall, it doesnt feel like Encinitas anymore. Its wonderful to be able to have a place in our area that stepping over the threshold lets you leave the rest of your life on the other side, for a few hours.

Lots of beautiful well maintained trails. Fun for kids and adults.

Must book online. Beautiful. Peaceful. Come by yourself and relax and unwind a while from covid crazy....

Gorgeous, social distancing conscious, excellent for the family...bring your snacks and drinks!

This place is a hidden gem. It is very beautiful and very green. When you come make sure to bring comfortable shoes as it does involve walking and sunscreen! They have plants from all over and include a fruit garden as well. They also have a pond with turtles in the bamboo section and a cute little waterfall. Overall we had a great family outing.

This is such a fabulous way too spend a day in the beautiful garden! I cant washing to come back again! Wonderful place!

Huge garden with all kinds of trees, plants and flowers from all over the world. I would really suggest getting the household membership because there are other gardens you can enter into with the same pass. All and all the garden is beautiful and lush. Plenty to see over and over again!!

If you like plants, trees and bushes and need a safe place to walk and get a sweat going, this place is for you. The Botanical Garden is not just a garden, its fun for the whole family, with an awesome tree house for the kids and waterfalls and ponds, its a great place to relax and forget your troubles.

This is such a great place to enjoy. It has it all! Hiking paths, waterfall, tree house, overlook, sculptures, wonderful plants, picture-ready spots. You can easily spend 3 hrs (or more) here. You can bring snacks and enjoy them on one of the multiple benches all around the garden. Highly recommend get a membership if you live in the area.

I enjoy every step I took, lots to see, especially if you love plants. Lots of ideas to recreate

What a beautiful and historic botanic garden. The architecture on the property is what in my opinion sets it apart from other botanic gardens. The interweaving of the flora and fauna in amongst the architecture gives context and sophistication to the garden that is very visually appealing.

Beautiful place. Well maintained. Lots of walking. Youll walk on all kids of surfaces like dirt, stairs, inclines, concrete. If you have a wheelchair, you will be challenged to go to certain areas. Plenty of parking and theres even an area to be able to purchase plants at a reasonable price.

Extraordinary place to visit if you love nature. Wonderfully organized and maintained. You will be able to see plants from all around the world. A must see on South California.

Im the owner and photographer of Tayler Ashley Photography and I have had the pleasure of shooting at this beautiful venue! The staff is very helpful and the area is stunning. Brides would be lucky to get married here!

Im so glad they had a student discount fee here. Hahah... money is tight for everyone these days. The ticket price was not bad though. Anyway the garden itself is magnificent and the floral displays are breathtaking! I personally love sitting near a pond or the lake and doing nothing. Its a nice way to relax and appreciate the beauty. The waterfall is really nice too, though the brown color concerns me slightly. I love the themes around the garden too. Id go again. Definitely.

Beautiful place! Bring water, lots of walking and gets hot. Go early, lots to see and take in and takes a while to see everything. Had to make it a two day trip because we went late. Carpool (we are a family of 5) is free parking and Tuesdays is free to San Diego residents.

Great garden in Encinitas area. I used the San Diego Museum Month pass and got in for half price ($9). $18 is a bit pricey if you ask me, but the grounds are very well-kept and maintained. The tropical fruit area smelled delicious and it soon morphed into the tropical jungle area nestled in a large grove of towering trees. There were plenty of places for kids to run around while honing their green thumb skills. Parking wasnt an issue, but I could see it becoming very hectic in peak hours.

The beauty and peaceful in this place is worth the 4 hours we spend in it...!!!

Beautiful gardens. Well maintained. Good variety of plants from many regions of the world. Suitable for all ages. Activities for children. Reasonably priced.

I decided to go here spur of the moment. My son and I arrived at 3:30pm and I was worried if that would be enough time to explore and Id say it was just enough time because we left just 5-10 minutes before closing (5pm).the place is beautiful and my son had so much fun exploring. They had bathrooms but I did not see any place to buy water so bring enough water if you go. Right now they require masks outside if youre within 6 feet of others, and are asked to social distance.I am very pleased except with all the one way routes they created it, we had to walk extra distance to get to where we wanted, that felt a bit restricting. I was surprised we got to check out everything that was open, but when they reopen everything that is closed, 1.5 hours would not be enough to see everything so well definitely go back again with more time to spare.

This is a well appointed - albeit basic - botanic garden. Nice for a stroll. There is not much in the way of educational components, but they do have a nice variety of areas. Be aware this is not a huge place, you can walk the whole thing in an hour. But it is nice.

A wonderful place to wonder in awe of the beauty of nature

Loved it.spent many hours walking throughout the garden.who knew it was so nice ...

A very lovely Garden Oasis that probably not many people know about. 27 Acres of lush Gardens and habitats from around the world. Definitely a must for garden and flower enthusiasts. There are ponds and waterfalls in a really great barrier for children. Theres a lot of overflow parking so it must get really busy on certain occasions

Nice garden to spend a few hours. Not very crowded during the week so more enjoyable experience. Lots of interesting plants!

Great place to see a huge variety of plants and gardens. Some Ive never seen. Definitely take your time as there is lots to see. Expect 2 to 3 hours. Reasonable entry fees ($12 for seniors) and you can bring a picnic lunch. They have specific areas for children that looked like a lot of fun. They are having a fall plant sale on Oct 19-20, 2019.

I am glad that we have such a large botanical garden near our home. It is nice to walk thru on the first Tuesday of each month when they waive the admission fee for locals. This was my first time in the new green house. I enjoyed the displays of chocolate, vanilla and cinnamon plants -- probably because a nice docent told us about the plants, a little about how they arrived at the gardens, and some of the staffs struggles to keep them healthy. I would recommend a docent-lead tour if one is available during your visit, and I might even look into becoming a docent now that I am retired.The main garden is huge and amazing, but only sparsely labeled. I think they could use more volunteers to help remove any invasive weeds, repair fading signs, and create audio walking tours so you can slip in one ear piece and learn about the garden and its plants.

This place is great! If you love nature, walking around, and being outdoors, this is the place for you! There is an enormous area specifically for kids, including a water feature and a treehouse. My 6 year old was entertained for 3+ hours, which is very good for her. Highly recommend for wholesome family fun!

Enjoyed 3 hours walking around the Botanical gardens with a good friend I havent seen since the beginning of the lock down. The gardens are beautiful and our visit was exactly what I needed. Lots of fresh air, good conversation, photo ops all at a safe distance with face masks. I strongly recommend.

I have been coming here my whole life and it is a big part of the reason Im going to school for plant biology. It is a beautiful garden and well worth the trip. It would be a perfect place to take a date or to spend the afternoon with your grandparents (which is what Ive always done).

Wish I have more time to stay and explore here. It cost $18 per person. Kids are a little cheaper. Wish I bought the annual pass. Lots of stuff to see n take pictures too. Some of the place seem like you in the rain forest. Very nice n quite. Visited the tropical garden, you might get lucky n find some fruit

Beautiful gardens with two separate kids areas. A nice shuttle to get you around when you get tired. Loved the tree house, art projects, sand box and water play area. Will definetely come back if we visit the area again.

Amazing place to visit with the kids lots of kids activities it the holidays check the website they have lots of amazing kids areas with a mini river and toys music area art and a big tree house that the kids can go in and climb all the way to the top ( with stairs) and amazing view lookouts on topIf you think you will go more then once it’s worth it to do the membership including parking and lots of social offers

A very nice place for a walk & for kids to explore. Rolling hills, many shady spots. Beautiful ocean views & many good places to sit & rest or relax. Lots of different plants & flowers of course!

I took a tour of this location and absolutely love it. It has so much variety and they even have special events for the holidays. This is a great place to bring the family, go on a walk or just spend some time meditating in the gardens.

Beautiful family or couples place to spend some quality and peaceful time.

We did a day trip to this place from Orange county. It took about an hour and a half to get here. If you are an enthusiast for plants or nature I would definitely recommend going here. Very relaxing activity, and reading about the different types of species and areas they are found is interesting. I think we paid about $15 per person and if you are a senior you get $3 off the original price.

Come put in your steps. Enjoy the garden and view. Go to the part where they have a walkway that leads to a tree house. Best view of nursery and surrounding area.

Beautiful garden with a wide array of plants ranging from ones youve never heard of to ones youve just never seen. Honestly the most interesting were likely the various fruit trees, you can eat a bunch of limes and just never think about how they actually grow! Great experience.

The Botanic Garden is a peaceful, low key place to come to for relaxation & reflection. It has beautiful flora & fauna representatives, some of who are very exotic. It is located in a quiet and uncrowded part of Encinitas. For those who want to be off the grid for a while, this is the place.

Beautiful grounds! So well maintained with detailed signage about each plant variety. Our family loved walking the trails and learning

Amazing experience as always! They are doing construction, but still tons of trails to walk. The fruit walk is my favorite!!

Loved the peaceful areas to sit and reflect. A little confusion with Covid following arrows. But thats OK.

This is a fun spot. I could see kids really loving it. Theres a mini train display and a garden just for kids that has a treehouse, musical instruments, a little stream, and a shaded place to play with blocks. There were also nice paths and a lookout for people of all ages. Being from the desert, it was nice to see trees, bamboo groves, and even a little waterfall and lily pond. I would go back if I lived in the area.

This place is so lovely. Not really a lot to interact with and some of the signage is older. But if you are in the mood for a quiet stroll with beauty all around you and it smells really good, then this is the place. The paths are well maintained but dirt so make sure you wear the appropriate shoes.

Beautiful! Some of the trails might be difficult for wheel chair or elderly.

Wonderful, peaceful gardens with ocean views and a creative spirit throughout. Saw plants from New Zealand, Australia, Mediterranean as well as Mexico and South America. Thinking about becoming a member and volunteer.

Our first visit here and it was AMAZING! So much natural beauty to see, and a great place to go with the family. Lots of areas for the kids to enjoy. Would highly recommend and will definitely be returning on our next visit to San Diego.

Nice place to visit, beautiful garden but a little bit unkempt. I was expecting more. The children play area is great.

Was in town for a business conference. Had an afternoon to myself to walk through the gardens. It is a lovely place with plants from all over the world. Highly recommend this place.

Beautiful garden eith sets of plants/trees from different countries. Good for photo shoots or family trip. There are many tropical fruits tree such as guava, banana, grapefruit, banana, etc..

I went during the week and it felt like I had the park to myself. There is a small cafe with a selection of snacks and beverages. Limited sandwiches and ready-made salads are available. Its quite big, so bring good shoes.

Beautiful! Old, established trees from South Africa (Dragon trees), Madagascar.... and a huge bamboo collection. One of the better botanical gardens Ive seen in CA.

We had a great experience with the beautiful SDBG. We are from out of town and had dreamed of getting married here. It is BEAUTIFUL, and there are endless photo opportunities throughout the garden. Lita was so wonderful to work with. She was flexible and helpful knowing we were not local, worked well with my local mom and our planner, was very professional and followed local safety protocols with COVID 19. When we needed to move our location of the ceremony within the garden to accommodate our party size while maintaining social distancing, they were so understanding and helpful. Such a great value for the service and visuals. We did not realize that the garden was closing at a specific time so we were a little rushed while taking pictures but I feel like that was more because of COVID and a misunderstanding on our part, so I would just recommend you clarify when you need to be out of the garden completely, not just your rented space of the garden! This was a very small hiccup, and had an otherwise perfect day.

Very Nice place. Nice and professional staff. If you are in San Diego, then a MUST see. Lots of edducation for both Kids and adults.

Great place to visit. Lots of different plant life really neat place some great views too. Great place to take a leisurely walk.

Beautiful, peaceful and lots of hidden art. Perfect for a leisurely afternoon stroll.

Great place to learn about native Californian plants as well as plants from across the world! The cacti and succulents are great here! Dont miss the Undersea Cacti and Succulent Garden across their parking lot, near the administration bldg.

I got family passes and wed never been to this one before. My boyfriend loves botanical gardens and we were able to enjoy a really nice evening walking through and exploring. The volunteers were so friendly and even let us peek around an area that closed for a special event while they were setting up. We even stopped by the kids area to see what all was happening over there and the jungle gym was kind of amazing. We of course had to check it out and had fun climbing around.

This is a peaceful, beautiful garden with lots to explore. My kids love the two childrens areas, especially the tree house and the water area. The membership we got is definitely worth it.

Absolutely loved it! Joined and will be back again

Great place to explore different flora from around the world

Lots of exotic plants and trees; easy access from I5...many areas closed

Amazing plants great little hike. Great views

This place is amazing!!! The sapphire tower is in full bloom and has a crazy cobalt blue color. Its a must see doesnt bloom to often.

Fun time walking and exploring. Bamboo forest, fruit garden, so many plants and really amazing things to see.

Nice garden alot to see, nice area to relax and reflect on nature without having to actually far to see it!

Beautiful garden! And lovely tree house for the kids.

Great hidden gem in North County! Really nice variety of plants and very informative. Fun area for kids and also the California fire safe plant section is really well done.

Nice garden/park. Good place to relax. First Tuesdays. As a public service, the Garden offers free admission to San Diego County residents (ID required) on the first Tuesday of every month. Parking is $2 on Free Tuesday.

This place is absolutely beautiful. Id argue its the nicest botanical garden in the country. Thousands of species of plants to see, as well as wildlife native to the area.If youre into Zen gardens, theres an entire section of bamboo. Its incredible to see.Skip the zoo, this place is where its at!

This place is pretty amazing! Make sure you bring your walking shoes. Lots to see!!! Price is kind of high but I think its still worth going once to enjoy and take it all in. So many different types of plants and specimens. Also have a whole section of fruit trees.

What a beautiful adventure we had at the San Diego Botanic Garden! We live on the east coast and were very excited to see the different plants at the garden! There were so many beautiful plants, cacti, trees, flowers and succulents! The garden is huge and we spent over 2 hours walking around seeing it all! There were lots of busy bees keeping the flowers looking pretty and we also saw lots of hummingbirds zipping around! I highly recommend the Botanic Garden to anyone who appreciates nature, you wont be disappointed. Admission was very reasonable, as well!

Beautiful garden with so much to see!

Nice gardens. We made it through the entire place in a little over an hour. The bamboo garden was impressive. The $18:per adult admission fee seems steep.

Ive lived here since 2003 and only just discovered this place. What a hidden gem, we will be members now as long as we stay in SD.

This is a beautiful botanical garden with an overlook that looks onto the ocean.

Lots of fun. Took my wife and son here for the chocolate festival. Then proceeded to enjoy the gardens for a few hours. Very beautiful place with a childrens garden as well. If you dont mind walking a little bit then this place definitely has some pretty sights.

There were many beautiful gardens to walk through. I loved the butterfly and humming bird garden. The prices were fair to get into the park, but they said they are about to raise prices soon. They were re-doing the parking lot, so we had to park in the back, but there were many gardens to walk through on our way to and from the parking lot. Beautiful place to visit!

Beautiful gardens with a broad selection of species arranged by continental regions, families, and biome types. They also curate a sculpture collection and feature works which can be purchased! Worth a long afternoon for sure!

Great time to go. Everything is in bloom

Really good place, beautiful. Botanist delight. Good distancing, most with masks.

Wounderfull place, beautiful flora but pricey