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Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara

4.0

#5 of 28 in Parks in Santa Barbara

Garden Nature / Park

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Established in 1926, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden displays California's rare and indigenous plants in their natural setting. Located on 32 hectares (78 acres), this is California's oldest botanic garden, dedicated to research, education, and conservation. You can discover over 1,000 different species by following the garden's network of scenic trails, which stretch for over 9 km (5 mi) and offer sweeping views of the Santa Ynez Mountains. Don’t miss one of the garden's signature features--an old rock dam--constructed in 1806 by Native Americans. Be sure to walk all the way to the garden's redwood grove, a cool resting place even on the hottest of summer days. Plan to visit Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and other customer-reviewed, writer-recommended Santa Barbara attractions using our Santa Barbara trip itinerary builder .

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Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Reviews

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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

632 reviews

Google

4.5

facebook

4.6

10,260 likes

• By Steve S

  This may not be the botanic garden for everyone. If you're into botanic gardens with masses of flowers in a relatively small area, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden will not be for you, because the bes...  more »

• By Fred G

  If you expect a botanic garden to be a flat field of ornamental plants you will be surprised to find hiking trails up and down narrow canyons, following the stream bed past the remains of the SB Missi...  more »

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Google

• By Daisy R

  You have to pay for entry, but it’s well worth it. I went with my family and we took a 2 pm tour led by a volunteer (I have forgotten his name, but he was so sweet and knowledgeable!). He taught us about every single plant and tree that we came across. There are plenty of trails to walk on—some will lead you through Redwoods and Sequoias! I even jumped across a stream at one point :) oh & the poppies this time of the year are gorgeous!

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• By Norman Edwards

  If you are traveling with an octogenarian and a teen, it can be kind of hard to find something to do that interests these two age groups. The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden was a great option for a short excursion, place to walk off lunch, see some nature and not spend a ton of money. The paths are flat and were easy to navigate. It would be nice to come back in the spring when more color is in bloom.

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