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San Francisco Botanical Garden
1199 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122, United States
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He
Review №1

Beautiful garden that I didnt even know existed! It was quite big to explore and walk around in. Loved the Andean Cloud Garden and Succulent Garden but they are all so different and wonderful. Take a day and just go explore nature in the middle of SF. Lots of places to sit down at or just relax and take it all in. Big bonus free for SF residents.

Ka
Review №2

Lovely oasis in the city. We parked on the street and went on a free day. Kids area was really hard to fine and not well marked but fun once we got there. Clean bathrooms. People were covid respectful with masks and distance. You can still hear the traffic outside but overall it’s a lovely spot with incredible gardens.

pi
Review №3

The best place to bring your out of town friends, if youre lucky enough to live in San Francisco (*Park admission is free to residents of San Francisco, with photo ID proof*).I always pay for up to 2 guests, considering the price of admission, but Im polite that way, and i figure Im helping out by paying for others since Im getting in for free every single time.Besides that caveat, the Park itself is absolutely breathtaking. You cannot see it all in one day, so just try to enjoy what parts you do catch. Honestly, Im biased in favor of this landmark Park, but Im upfront about it, so know that going in.No smoking allowed of any kind, but edibles are encouraged...

Au
Review №4

Love that its free for SF residents. Very spacious and calm. Will come back to check out the different areas.

Ed
Review №5

We had such a great time at the Botanical Gardens we highly recommend that vist when you come to San Francisco. We are from Southern California and are used to seeing such parks but this one is special and unique... a definite 10 !!

jo
Review №6

I was not expecting it to be this awesome. Great place to walk, exercise a bit, and feel nature. Or just relax under the shade of a beautiful tree. Before we knew it we had spend over 2 hours inside looking and exploring, admiring nature, and we didnt even explored the whole place! It was great.

Ca
Review №7

I went around 9 am on a Sunday, and it was lovely. Not crowed, and everyone wearing masks.Is a perfect spot to spend a couple of hours enjoying nature.Also, there is a plant store in one of the exists, and is really affordable.

Je
Review №8

Beautiful and large grounds that you can get lost in. Early morning is nice and quiet. Its so nice to have a beautiful place like this in such a large city. Many beautiful plants to learn about and admire

Jo
Review №9

The Botanical Gardens are one of SFs hidden treasures. Not only are the grounds spectacular, but there is so much space that you can almost always find a bench at some quiet place all to yourself. I had lived in the city for many years before I discovered the Botanical Gardens and Ive heard many others say the same thing.A benefit of the Botanical Gardens that isnt much talked about: no dogs! That means no dog poo and no off-leash dogs running up to you or scaring your kids. It seems silly, but if youre a not a dog owner, you probably dont realize how hard it is to get away from them.The wildlife is also surprisingly diverse. Wild turkeys, Great Blue Herons, Townsends Warblers, Red-Tailed Hawks, Egrets, and now even coyotes are regular visitors to the Botancial Gardens.They recently have redone the benches in the Redwood Grove and so what was once already a magical spot is even better.My only complaint is how much they charge non-residents. Im a resident so my family gets in free, and I think its fair enough to charge some fee to non-residents. But $9 for an adult is about twice as much as what I think is reasonable. Ive personally witnessed non-residents who have turned away at that price, and thats not something we should be doing to any guest. I think $4 per adult and $1-2 per kid wouldnt cause hardly anybody to hesitate yet would still bring in much needed funds.

Sa
Review №10

I love this Garden, one of my favorite outdoor areas in SF. Its well preserved and just walk around this garden makes you feels happy. Worth to visit any time specially when the wheater is nice in SF. Bring a sweater anyways, you never know if you will need it.

Kh
Review №11

Stunning! The place is vast, beautiful, well organized and such a pleasure to visit with kids. There are several well organized sections - California, Americas, Australia, South Africa etc. All with excellent representation of native plants. We caught magnolia blooming season and it was marvelous. It’s very easy to visit with kids - paths are stroller friendly and older kids will have plenty of activists to do - reading plaques, learning about plants, playing by the fountains and looking up fishes in the pond or exploring prehistoric gardens. Everything is nicely labeled with a lot of interesting tidbits and facts. Highly recommend coming several times a year to catch various seasonal exhibitions and blooms.Restrooms are plenty and clean.Parking is on the street (come early or drive around until find a spot).Stag is very helpful and pleasant.There are docent tours several times a day.

HP
Review №12

Botanical garden is one of the great places in heart of golden gate park. It is an awesome, quiet place to travel all around the world to learn about all kind of plant, spend time, enjoy and take photos for any occasions. I mostly like Mesoamerican Cloud Forest and Bamboos.

Sh
Review №13

A wonderful way to get back to nature. Such gorgeous grounds. We loved taking the little dirt paths that wind throughout the gardens.

Ja
Review №14

All these bad reviews are bogus!This is amongst the best, if not the best, botanical gardens I’ve ever been to. Granted, I haven’t been to that many, but I’ve made my way around.Even if the weather isn’t great, it’s still a great place to walk around and enjoy some crazy plants and flowers. They’ve got everything: trees, flowers, succulents, the works!If you’re a resident, it’s free, and if you’re not, it’s barely more than the bridge toll - and I’d rather pay to walk around a gorgeous garden than to drive over a bridge.It really is a great place to come enjoy any type of day, and even with the crowds it’s relatively easy to find a quiet nook to yourself. Unless you simply dislike botanical gardens, you won’t be disappointed.

Sh
Review №15

Such a beautiful garden. Well kept. Bring picnic and enjoy a day.

Qu
Review №16

Great place! Definitely should check it out if youre visiting SF. The place is huge. There was so much to see. If you go early morning, parking shouldnt be bad. You can park on the side of the street. When we left around noon time, it was PACKED. Just to put it into context, this was in the afternoon on a Wednesday. Not even the weekend. So if you want to get a good parking space, go early. Its worth it. All of the flowers and plants were beautiful. Definitely a lot bigger than the Japanese Tea garden right across the street. Non-SF residents have to pay to get in but we thought it was worth it.

Ro
Review №17

Cool spot! If you want fresh spots this is the perfect place. I really enjoyed here! The beautiful plants was so fresh and colorful.

Ch
Review №18

Golden Gate Park is already huge on its own but its amazing to see this large section of the park dedicated to thousands of plants from all over the world.SF residents get free admission too! What a bonus

Cy
Review №19

Beautiful and peaceful place to have a snack on a bench and appreciate being outdoors. On a weekday morning only a few other people around so very easy to distance.

Gr
Review №20

San Francisco theyre have to many different parks to visit so biuriful good places this city is safety theyve to many restaurants to eat you know coming to visit and learn more all the familys coming to visit and enjoy

Er
Review №21

A lovely place to go, especially when so little is open. Even my seven year old loved going through the smaller paths and felt like he was in a jungle trek around the world.

Ng
Review №22

Brilliant colors of flowers and grass.

Ju
Review №23

Beautiful, well maintained, and peaceful part of golden gate park to spend an afternoon in - especially if youre a resident. (If youre not, maybe save yourself like $10 and go check out the rest of the park first.) Definitely worth a look though.

Ap
Review №24

This place is so cool. Lots of room to roam. Lots of kids. Open spaces and little paths. My mother needed her push stroller and was able to go all over. Great inclusive access.

Ki
Review №25

The botanical gardens are so beautiful and well kept. I love the small trails, it is easy to lose yourself in the plants and enjoy the serenity.

We
Review №26

The garden is absolutely gorgeous! It offers many exotic plants and flowers from different countries. You can spend a day strolling around the garden and never get tired of it!

Al
Review №27

Every season has its beauty. This park is always great to visit. Late winter time the most beautiful for the blossoms that you get. Magnolias, camellias and rhododendron are in bloom in late January to February.

Ch
Review №28

Beautiful gardens with exotic plants from around the world organized geographically. However, its very difficult to navigate - there is no clear path to follow, there are dozens of unpaved side paths, and the map is less than accurate. I would prefer if they made recommendations on the best way to experience the entire gardens.

Ti
Review №29

Lovely garden! It is super big and a great place to relax.

El
Review №30

~ Ease of Access ~1: Twenty Mile Hike5: Accessible to anyone and everyone~ Staff ~1: Incredibly Rude5: Nicest people ever~ PRICE ~1: Months of savings gone5: Free~ Local ~1: Nothing good near5: Literally at SixFlags~ FUN ~1: Id rather watch paint dry5: Ride of your life~ Overall Experience ~Great gardens, amazing plants. Staff were good, and lots to do within 5 miles~ Final Review ~Has: ️️Doesnt Have: Close: ️️

Ka
Review №31

Beautiful gardens with extensive open areas for resting, picnic lunch, or playing frisbee. Trees and plants are well marked, map of the gardens is easily readable, easy to follow. I could have easily spent several more hours in the garden if Id had the time.

An
Review №32

Beautiful species of plants. Great spots to just sit and admire the environment. Great pathways to view the plants. Favorite place to regather from the world outside.

St
Review №33

This is the place that all San Francisco should go and your San Francisco ID will get you in for free. Visitors pay a low price. Even during covet times most everyone is wearing a mask and being very respectful of each other and the plants from all over the world are spectacular theres even a redwood tree grove. My favorite is the scented garden.

Di
Review №34

Wonderful. The restrooms are kinda old and funky. With the money they make its a mystery why they dont do a simple easy upgrade. Higher toilets for adults and maybe tile walls.

De
Review №35

Amazing and beautiful place to visit. Its amazing how theyre able to present plants from different parts of the world and have them grow in one park! Great place to be with your loved one or friende, its cheap to get in too!

Si
Review №36

Its HUGE and so beautiful! So be prepare to walk! Theyve an array of flowers, plants community garden and plenty of trails for you and your family to explore; they even a garden for the little ones FABULOUS!

Da
Review №37

Impressive variety of plants. Great place for picnics.

Fr
Review №38

This is a great place to go when the weather is less hot. It’s a sunny day being here and entry only $9. Absolutely worth it. Small and easy walks with mini paths hidden along the ways. Good place to be in SF without crowding w the tourists! :p

Bf
Review №39

Nice to walk around in the open air and view the beautiful grounds

Ra
Review №40

My personal favorite place in SF. It’s magical year-round.

Vi
Review №41

Free to enter before 9am, free for SF resident all day. What a wonderful place in the city to see flowers, plants, to wonder around or sit down for a quiet read. I went with my mom on Mother’s Day, spend whole two hours there to explore various plants and take pictures. Loved it!

Ma
Review №42

A wonderful place to spend an afternoon. Even when most flowers arent in bloom, its lovely. Plenty of benches, open space for picnics, nooks amongst the plants, even an area where a wedding was going on. Highly recommended.

El
Review №43

If you are a botanical enthusiast, this place is a must visit. The fragrance plants section was really good. You can touch the leaves of the plant and smell them to get some really good fragrances.

Am
Review №44

This garden has a little bit of everything. Its a really nice walk. My toddler enjoyed the pond which has turtles and huge catfish. We enjoyed the variety of plants, especially the prehistoric boardwalk.

Th
Review №45

Excellent value since Im a SF resident!Beautifully maintained with lots of open space for family picnic

je
Review №46

If youre interested in plants this is the place to go. Youll find vegetation from every continent in a nice wide environment pleasant to walk in, stroll in and also that is appropriate for people with disabilities.

Ti
Review №47

Lots of plants from many places around the world. This place is good for picnics, Frisbee and just any type of typical hangout at a park. Theres plenty of open space.

Ma
Review №48

Beautiful, well-kept gardens. Plenty of space and plant varieties to explore at every visit. Great place for a picnic.

BR
Review №49

Cant see it all in just one day unless you are rushing through....well-defined.. well-stacked ...well-maintained.... Easy, curving paths...lot of benches and shade.

Ex
Review №50

The park is beautiful. Extremely big. Everything cost money. Botanica gardens are 12$ for adults. Chinese gardens are FREE if before 10 am-only on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. Is nice please to bike around!

Mi
Review №51

This is a terrific set of gardens with thousands of species of plants from around the world We arrived just at the time the 1:30 tour was starting and we had an exceptional visit. We learned fascinating things about the plants and also about the history of the botanical gardens. Truly exceptional.

St
Review №52

My wife is a horticulturist so when we travel, it always solid money that we are going to the local Botanical gardens. Its easy pickings for me and she loves it! We get to see some amazing stuff and San Fran did not disappoint. Great staff, knowledgeable grounds keepers and some fun stories so be sure to ask questions. We will be going again the next time we are in town.

Sa
Review №53

If you like nature, quiet and a peaceful place in the city this is great, you almost see flowers pretty much all year round, it is well kept except for the restroom... I really hope at some point they make it better. I’m pretty sure that they have visitors from around the world and I would not like them to have a bad impression

Ka
Review №54

Absolutely beautiful SF must see. So many surrounding trails and sites

Ar
Review №55

There are many wonderful adventures you can enjoy while spending time at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, one of its greatest treasures is the Botanical Gardens which spans over 55 acres and has as I recall from the brochure, over 9,000 plants from around the world. While the magnolias were blooming, it’s also such a peaceful park to sit and relax with a good book!

Ja
Review №56

Beautiful spot to take in some nature. Well laid out. Educational, relaxing, and scenic.

Lu
Review №57

We love it very much, a very lovely, wonderful peaceful place t spend a couple hours there.

Ka
Review №58

Just joined as an Avid Gardener member because I know Ill be back often throughout the year. The garden is worth the entry cost, but it is also free early mornings, holidays, and for San Francisco residents. The park is full of gorgeous plants from many regions and its super relaxing to stroll through. It would be manageable for all ages as there are benches throughout the garden. Spring in the garden is absolutely amazing! In Feb/March the magnolias put on a great show, which you can tour through with a guide or with garden maps. Butterflies and hummingbirds mingle with blooming, colorful flowers throughout the season. Definitely worth checking out!

jo
Review №59

What a beautiful place to escape. One can spend hours wandering the grounds taking in the beauty and calm of the gardens.The paths are easy to navigate with plenty of areas to sit down and relax. The garden offers a place where one can explore a world of botanical treasures.

Ed
Review №60

I cant believe Ive never been to the garden. Very nice in the early morning. The moon garden was wonderful and the smell of the himilayan honeysuckle was out of this world

yu
Review №61

Located in the Golden gate Park and if you are San Francisco citizen or senior you can enter free. Very big botanical garden but not huge like Batumi/Georgia botanical garden. Its worth to visit there. Varieties of plants and areas were very interesting.

Do
Review №62

Beautiful. Plenty of places to wander, meditate and enjoy keeping a safe distance.

Ro
Review №63

Beautifully maintained garden filled with plants and trees from all over

Sa
Review №64

Its is a good place. And good for a peaceful stroll with not much of crowd. Also has wide variety of plants. Personally I am more of city person and prefer less lonely places. But good for people who love calm and solitude.

ev
Review №65

Beautiful spot in the middle of the city.

Li
Review №66

Simply beautiful! Love the plants from different countries and continents! Also very impressed how clean the garden is. Highly recommended for a Sunday stroll:)

Am
Review №67

So beautiful and a great way to get a walk in. If you arrive before 9 a.m. it is free.

Ma
Review №68

Such an amazingly beautiful place to spend outdoors. If you have time to visit I would check out this garden as well as the Arts/Sciences nearby when you can. Also love the Tea Garden.

Ch
Review №69

Multitudes of flora! One of, if not, the best, botanical gardens I have been to. An awesome experience. The area was clean, staff were friendly, and the setup is excellent.

Da
Review №70

Best place to come during spring when everything is blooming and a great place to enjoy all the flowers.

Ju
Review №71

We go there all the time, last week we saw a family of racoons, and this week a coyote.The place is amazing, and great for walking around

Ni
Review №72

The most coolest place you could every visit there is so much to look at. Beautiful and full of different types of plants, a huge waterfall, some wildlife too. Would be a great spot for the family to talk or picnic at.

Br
Review №73

Easily one of the top botanical gardens I have visited. Great collections on diversed plant families. Well demonstrated natural forms of plants if done correctly. A little oasis and free for the residents for the urban San Franciscans. Plant labels can use some improvement though.

Ch
Review №74

Wide variety of regions represented from native to far side of the globe. Paths are tight in some places but well maintained and allowing you to get close. Excellent value.

ge
Review №75

Classic haven of solace. However, would love to have just one visit where I dont have to watch as adult guardians do nothing while the children they accompany abuse the plants and animals of the garden.

Ke
Review №76

Amazing experience!! Really enjoyed the Magnificent Magnolia exhibit. The array of flowers, plants, trees and other discoveries through hidden paths made for an awesome day!!

Di
Review №77

My advice: Go at 8AM on a weekend. Its free and you have the whole place to yourself. Uploading photos as it was incredible and my words wont do it justice.

Te
Review №78

We had an awesome experience here at the San Francisco Botanical Garden! It is a beautiful place—inside and out! It’s a fantastic experience for people with any level of knowledge and varying interests in all things botanical. The living displays in each area were well-labeled and the visitors were able to go through at their own pace, which made the experience the best it could be. Thank you again to the staff and volunteers who take care of this amazing botanical garden!

Da
Review №79

Beautiful park. It has a ways to go to for the Growing Zones to feel like different parts of the world. It feels rather homogeneous. Residents of SF will pay a lower fee compared to tourists.Caution: car thieves are there looking to break into your car. They are watching you to leave and then check your car out. You may note a public restroom near the west end of the road approaching the Gardens. Homeless hang around in there. No police presence whatsoever.

Be
Review №80

Definitely worth the visit if you like plants.

Ra
Review №81

Wow! Amazing place to see so many wonderful plants. They are all so beautiful and creative segregated in a thoughtful way. I love this place.

Di
Review №82

It’s such a pretty place to visit, but not much going on in the winter. I’m sure it’s amazing in the spring when the flowers bloom. The lady at the booth was super friendly and made an effort to give us recommendations. There were a few blooms, but not enough to take my breath away.

Fr
Review №83

Locals get in free- being your ID!A GORGEOUS place to stroll, picnic, relax, learn and rejuvenate.Parking in park is tight. Buses, walking, taxi easier.Nice gift shop. AWESOME sweatshirt design featuring The mighty California redwood. Be sure to get one. Heavy quality and you help support the gardens.

Ka
Review №84

Really beautiful and I like the Moon Viewing Garden, Camerllia Garden, and Temperate Asia Garden.

ra
Review №85

Its very beautiful place to hang out with friends and family...

Ja
Review №86

This is one of the biggest botanical garden in california ....the vegetation and the architecture is so relaxing and not include the fact they even have a inside little restaurant selling japanese food ..Highest recommend

al
Review №87

Sort of a new tradition since 2017, we visit the garden at Xmas Day. No traffic, easy drive. But get here early if to avoid crowd. Best of all, free parking and admission!And by the way, this is the best garden in the Bay Area.

Le
Review №88

For a minimal fee, you can spend as long as you like touring through world environments and the associated flora. The building itself is one to take in, a lot of SF history here. Innumerable plants of all shapes, sizes, origins--you name it. Ive been to other conservatories and this is in the top ten. Youll feel oxygenated too when you leave. Definitely stop here for a few hours and to break away from the city noise.

Wi
Review №89

Such an amazing place. Very relaxing just walking around all the trails.

Ke
Review №90

I felt so rejuvenated. I appreciate this wonderful place.

Da
Review №91

Wonderfully idyllic scene for viewing the worlds plant life

Ra
Review №92

Beautiful place to visit in golden gate park!

Im
Review №93

Wasnt that great. Pretty sure they were normal plants/trees lol.

ga
Review №94

I went there in November so there were leaves everywhere and some of the plants were kind of in a sleep state. I was surprised to see no gardeners present to clean up the leaves and bad weeds. The garden size is also not that big and there are not that many structures so its kind of boring in compare with other botanical gardens Ive seen in the world.

Va
Review №95

EXCELLENT! While only SF residents get in for free, it was worth it. Went in mid February and the magnolia trees were gorgeous. They have all different zones; my favorite is the redwoods.Theres a beautiful big pond complete with ducks, turtles and geese.It was AMAZING. I highly recommend it.I want to go back in about a month when all the flowers will be blooming.

Dy
Review №96

I moved here in 1994 site unseen. Blessed still here

vi
Review №97

Beautiful escape from reality and amazing to see plants from around the world

Sh
Review №98

We visited this place last weekend ( Spring-Summer)Very well organizer park. It is divided into various continents, so you can see flowers from different continents. If you are a resident of San Francisco, entry is free here, otherwise it is 8$ for adults ( maybe 5$ for children? I am not sure) we thought we would quickly walk through this and finish in half hour or so, but after looking at the map it would have been better if we kept a couple of hours for this. You can also sit and picnic in the park, there were a bed of wildflowers you can sit amongst.

Go
Review №99

The garden is big. Lots of plants and flowers to admire. If you like plants you could end up spending a whole day here. If you dont then you could finish this whole place in an hour.

Br
Review №100

We came here with our Plant ID class. There are so many unique and rare plants that you wont see anywhere else! I love it here and plan to return often

Information
100 Photos
100 Comments
4.8 Rating
  • Address:1199 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122, United States
  • Site:https://www.sfbg.org/
  • Phone:+1 415-661-1316
Categories
  • Museum
  • Arboretum
  • Garden
  • Botanical garden
  • Park
  • Tourist attraction
Working hours
  • Monday:7:30am–4pm
  • Tuesday:7:30am–4pm
  • Wednesday:7:30am–4pm
  • Thursday:7:30am–4pm
  • Friday:7:30am–4pm
  • Saturday:7:30am–4pm
  • Sunday:7:30am–4pm
Accessibility
  • Wheelchair-accessible car park:Yes
  • Wheelchair-accessible entrance:Yes
Amenities
  • Good for kids:Yes
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