Best California Botanical Gardens

California’s beauty goes far beyond sandy beaches, palm trees, and boardwalks. The Golden State is also home to some of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the country.

From San Francisco to the warm shores of Encinitas, the best botanical gardens in California can be found up and down the coast, inland, and even in the desert.

Suppose you’re planning a visit and want to see some of the unique landscapes, coastal terrain, and native plants that cover the northern and southern parts of California. In that case, this post has everything you need to experience the best botanical gardens in the state. 

Best Botanical Gardens in California

1. Huntington Library & Botanical Gardens

Address: 1151 Oxford Rd, San Marino, CA 91108

The Huntington Library is home to sprawling gardens, exotic plants, a vegetable garden, koi ponds, and many more beautiful sights to explore during your visit. It’s the site of a famous library, art museum, and various research institutions.

At 130 acres, its massive size makes the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens the largest botanical garden in California. The gardens feature 16 themed areas and nearly 83,000 living plants.

On site, you will find a mausoleum, sculptures and fountains, lily ponds, a conservatory, a Chinese garden, and many other unique garden locations. The area is home to noteworthy orchids, cycads, and bonsai, among thousands of others.

The Huntington Library is undoubtedly one of the best botanical gardens in California. Its beauty and serenity have to be experienced to be appreciated. It gets our vote as the best California botanical garden, but there are plenty of others that are worth seeing.

For a nearby hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn Arcadia/Pasadena has an outdoor pool and fitness center and is pet-friendly.

See Related: Fun & Best Things to do in Santa Monica, California

2. South Coast Botanic Garden

Address: 26300 Crenshaw Blvd, Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274

Located in Palos Verdes, the South Coast Botanic Garden is 87 acres of garden in the Palos Verdes Hills, ten miles north of Los Angeles.

Developed on a sanitary landfill, the South Coast Botanic Garden is a refreshing urban oasis that is bursting with color and varied plants and wildlife, including incredible tropical butterflies in the SOAR butterfly garden and tarantulas in the Spider Pavilion.

The Garden is home to 12 flower shows a year,…