The reviews and ratings dont lie! What a beautiful place to be. We came to see the magnificent corpse flower. We had an amazing experience. The garden is tended to by many friendly and knowledgeable employees. Not only its a food for soul, but the garden is also kid friendly. Theres plenty of places to run, discover and even a few play structures. Definitely coming back and recommend!

SD Botanic Garden (formerly Quail Gardens) is divided into sections with plants from different regions (like South Africa, etc). There are a number of small side-paths in addition to the main paths which makes if fun to explore. The bamboo area is particularly good, with more varieties than almost anywhere else. Recently, the famous corpse flower (amorphophallus titanium) bloomed for the first time in 8 years, so if youre curious, heres my photos of the bloom before and during its 48 hr bloom cycle.

This botanical garden is wonderful! They have many shows, the World of Orchids may have been the best orchid show I’ve ever seen. September had a lovely bromeliad show. An enormous Corpse Flower is about to bloom any day now! If you can, take time to walk and visit the … children’s garden … butterfly garden … tropical gardens with waterfalls … the small bamboo forest that leads to a pond filled with turtles and dragonflies everywhere! There’s so much to see, bring a picnic and have a great day outdoors!

A fantastic place to spend much more time. We wandered happily for over four hours and I think we saw maybe half of the various garden areas. We did get distracted by the excellent augmented reality art exhibit that is distributed through much of the garden. Very glad to find that it has almost all of its yearlong run still in front of it. Adding this to our list of regular stops on our visits to the area.

A absolutely beautiful place. Everything is labeled so if you arent good with plants you can learn. They have very helpful staff.

Beautiful garden with exotic plants. I loved the bamboo garden and fruit garden sections. Very clean environment with nice employees. Unfortunately, botanical store was closed when we visited.

I love the San Diego Botanic Garden! Its my favorite botanic garden in California! I cant wait to come back to visit soon.

Accessibility: the parkings lots are on gravel (small rocks) and some of the sidewalks cut off so they lead into the dirt and woodchips instead of crosswalks for streets and intersections. When checking in there was a line but Im not sure if there always is...this week there was a rare event happening. Once you get inside the gardens (all outdoor area), there are paved pathways you can stay on to look at all types of flowers, plants, trees, and even a waterfall (the employees said). I did not see any wheelchairs to borrow or rent (I wish they had this option). There are golf carts that are supposed to come by the benches around the park and pick people up to help them get to locations if they cant walk but I think they are understaffed or just extra but on special event days so you might end up having to go places yourself without help. I dont know if this place is open on rainy days but I dont think it would be a great place to go in the rain because there are really no covered areas.Experience: I was so excited to see the Corpse Flower bloom and it was definitely cool. I was thankful it was right inside the front entrance so I didnt have to go far. After seeing this, it was harder for me because I wanted to go to the rest of the park but didnt get to because I couldnt walk. I sat at one of the bus stop benches inside the park and the first time a golf cart came by it was full so they said they would pick me up when they came around again. I waited maybe 10-15 minutes and they came around again, with ANOTHER full cart and they told me I should walk if I can. Well unfortunately I cannot walk even though Im young. So I had to go all the way back to the exit without seeing anything else in the park. I wanted to see the waterfall but it was all uphill to get there and on uneven dirt paths. I went home feeling glad I saw the Corpse Flower but upset I didnt get to see anything else.

Visiting from the midwest; so many different plants here! At first I thought it was just the greenhouse when you first enter, which is big but would be disappointing if this was all that the park had to offer. Began to walk the trails and 2 hours later were still discovering new plants and ecosystems this garden has created. Loved that it was divided in areas of the world ans had educational pieces to go with all the plants. If I lived here, I would buy a membership and return as often as I could. I cant recommend this garden enough- a must go!

🌸💮🏵️🌹🌺🌻🌼🌷🌱🪴🌲🌳🌴🌵You must see with your own eyes 👀 to experience just how beautiful this botanic garden truly is. May I interject, the various species are WELL marked. If youre present and take your time you will experience many beautiful intricate ecosystems. Exquisitely maintained. No litter 🚮! Bring sunscreen, reusable♻️water bottle, sunglasses 😎 & or a hat🧢, and good walking shoes 👟! Enjoy! #respectitdontneglectit

Wonderful botanical garden in Encinitas. Be prepared for lots of walking including some hilly areas. Be sure to pack water, snacks, sunscreen and wear comfortable shoes. I recommend arriving at 10am to avoid crowds and enjoy cooler weather. Great way to spend time outdoors amongst well maintained trees, plants and flowers + getting in some steps 👟👟.

Place is a gem! What I love about this garden is that it has stations of plants, trees and flowers from different parts of the world. The informational markers were very educational. It has a small area (treehouse) where kids can play and learn.

Quail Botanical Garden is an absolute 5 out of 5. If you live in San Diego, I highly suggest getting a year-long pass. It would take 2 to 3 visits to see everything at this garden, and with a membership you have access to other gardens around the United States.Pros:• Beautiful Garden• Diverse plant and tree life• Peaceful Waterfall• Bamboo Garden• Turtle Pond• Many different Gardens• Carts will take you around• Great for Families• Great for Dates• Interesting for Children

My husband and I always enjoy our walks here. So many beautiful plants/flowers to see. Its our stress reliever, we usually spend an hour or two each time we come. The Bromeliads exhibits are amazing!

One of my top three botanical gardens Ive visited so far! The bromeliads were in full bloom and absolutely stunning ☺

I loved this place and we didnt even have time to explore the whole garden. We will be buying g a yearly pass to enjoy this a lot more.

Pleasant garden and pleasant staff!my son liked the free ice cream, as well as smooth stones 😄

I was so impressed with these gardens I converted my day pass into an annual membership. 🌳🌴🌺The gardens does a great job packing in every imaginable flower and plant into every inch of the gardens grounds. They even had the corpse flower, something I only thought I would see in a documentary.The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Plus I loved how they designed parts of the garden to engage and educate children. I have never seen a botanical gardens do it this well. Bravo!I am only disappointed that I waited over a year to visit them since moving here.

This place is breathtaking! A perfect place to spend some time with family and you get a great workout! I love that you do have to make a reservation to go, its definitely not crowded at all. You feel comfortable to walk without feeling like youre shoulder to shoulder with someone.

Fantastic experience and a fabulous selection of flowers and trees. Definitely put this on your to-do list of places to visit.

A super beautiful garden worth membership! Garden is always the best place to experience 4 seasons changes, esp.in South California with no obvious seasonal difference!The design is artistic! Thanks for offering such a great place to enjoy!

Such a wonderful place to go spend an afternoon. Getting the yearly pass is totally worth it in my opinion. Parking is free. Bathrooms are open however the concession stand is not yet. With your yearly pass you get 2 additional passes for friends or family so we were able to take the in laws. Plus you get access to other parks around the country. Dogs are not allowed unless theyre service animals. Added just a few pics from our last trip but there is so much more to see and experience.

Wonderful! Small enough you get get through it all in a few hours or so linger for 4 or more hours. Enjoyed the whole place. Very sweet.

This is my 2nd time visiting with my daugthers field work. The place is big so many spaces to enjoy and walk. This time we find out that they have a Corse plan that smell funny 🐟🐞🍖💩 It very unique.

Really nice place to see a whole bunch of nature. Well worth the trip and the entrance fee is for adults $18 and for kids $10. lots to see and can be around 2hours or more to walk the whole thing. Great place overall.

A wonderful oasis in San Diego! So many surprises around each corner .Highly suggest a trip off the beaten path.

Very nice! Very kind man that was doing the golf cart around the garden for rides and the layout was very unique! would definitely visit again!

This place is very interesting and had a wide variety of plants and Country Galleries with related plantings . We spent 3 hours here and saw the bulk of it but you could spend more time multiple times. I took a star off of this attraction, which I found doing a search of things to do, currently misrepresents the admission price on their website. They show $12, but when you drive there and go to pay, it is $18/person. 50% more! I have seen alot of this over the last few months and do not care for it. How hard is it to update a website? Not cool, even though thr gardens were.

There are plants and flowers from all over the world, from Oceana (Australia and New Zealand) to Africa, as well as an entire section on the rain forest. There are informational placards all over explaining which plants thrive in the various ecosystems. There is an herb garden as well as a lilypad-filled pond. There is a green house as you enter, and the gift shop is kitty corner. My personal favorite was the fruit garden, where you can see exotic fruits growing on trees with identifiers adjacent.

This place is huge! Expect to spend all day so you can see everything. Bring snacks and drinks. The children area was ant infested so be careful. I loved the fruit trees and the waterfall.

What a great way to spend a sunny day! The botanical gardens are full of beautiful plants and flowers. Each turn takes you to a different destination to explore the local native landscape. The cool coastal breeze makes the garden stroll even more enjoyable. Don’t forget to catch a view from the treehouse.

First time to visit the botanic garden and It was so beautiful and healing to my family.We bought one-day tickets but we changed to buy annual pass tickets after looked around.The annual ticket can see all other botanic gardens in the USA. It’s so great!We love to walk this place and my kids also enjoyed various plants and flowers.The staff was so kind to explain and we were lucky to get poinsettia. Thank you!

If you love Tropical weather and plants this is the place for you to visit.

One of my favorite places. Wear good shoes as you have some nice hikes infront of you to see the entire property. Great and unusual plants all along the way.

Nice botanical garden quote close to the highway exit. They have different areas for plants from certain things eg Africa, Australia. They also have nice children playground with lots of structures to climb etc

Great variety of living green things... Which is like saying look at the drops of water in the sea. The scope and scale of the garden is impressive no matter how large your green thumb may be. Visit, enjoy the fresh coastal air and smell the flowers. You wont be disappointed.

The San Diego Botanic Garden has more species of plants than any other botanical garden I have been to. There is something for everyone, even a large kids garden with plenty of docents to help. The gardens range from a sub tropical rain forest to desert gardens to palm gardens. You name it and they have it. Beautifully maintained and worth several visits.

Gorgeous gardens with lovely exotic plants. Highlights include the lookout tower, waterfall, turtle pond, and fruit gardens. Members of other botanical gardens can be admitted free (restrictions apply)!

A garden of many wonders and secret spots to take in nature at your own pace. The Patel approves!

Amazin, as JLP would say.

Awesome, not just beautiful, but so relaxing & healing of the mind, & soul!

Went to view the currently blooming corpse flower. Afterwards, the seasonal color around the rest of the garden was just beautiful. Highly recommend this place!

Relaxing day. Cool vegetation and a small waterfall.

Nice place to visit if you are in or near San Diego. So much greenery. And lots of different scents. Take in all the clean oxygen the plants give off.

We stayed about 4 hours there goes to show how much we loved it there, it was like paradise.

The greenhouse is a showstopper. Filled with incredibly gorgeous foliage - there’s so much to see inside this building. It’s a plant lover heaven. The rest of the gardens are also awesome to walk through.

This place is a gem!! We enjoyed our first visit so much and would definitely be back again ! The garden was very beautiful and huge! we were really impressed with the landscape and 2 tree houses!

Not only is this one of the most beautiful, and magical spots I’ve ever been to in Southern California, the staff is amazing. Helpful. Kind. Conscientious. And Josh, in membership, is fantastic! He helped my mother get tickets to a special event because she was confused on the computer. He took extra time and care to get everything was all set. Thank you, Josh!This is a very special place with special people.

Went to the orchid show and its definitely one to visit if youre a plant enthusiast. Also encourages local community clubs like the San Diego Orchid Society.There are many other plants to see. Native California plants and drought resistant plants are located outside in a nice well kept garden area.

Great place for a walk.

Beautiful gardens with a variety of plants from all around the world. Definitely a great place to spend an hour or two!

Very pleasant walk and a chance to see the corpse plant up close but before it blooms. Still growing inches per day

Large expanse with a large selection of plants. Plan to spend 2 hours or more to see it all.

Beautiful gardens, amazing prices on plants to take home. An excellent opportunity to see local lizards.

Such a beautiful and relaxing place to be. A hidden gem near Carlsbad. Loved our time here.

My visitor and I went on a cool day (70) in Oct. Great to wander, awsome plants, all labeled. Hills, but not too bad for an out of shape me. Still got to top outlook, and bottom Bamboo forest. Bamboo forest and pond was a favorite. Maybe an hour or two.

Great to do you walk and be in a pleasant surrounding. Allow at least two hours

Special place to take kids to teach them to learn to respect and enjoy a simple life and peace.

Came on a rather warm winter day. This is w great place to escape the mind numbing daily life of Stay At Home orders or Essential Worker. The garden smells great, enough space to minimize spread, and serene. Which that there were weekend deals. Great outdoor experience for children.

Beautiful, nice size place. Love all the themed areas.

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.

Totally awesome garden and the staff are very knowledgeable about everything that we asked about and the weather was perfect.

Beautiful place, especially in late March and the entire months of April and May. You can easily spend 2 days walking through the pathways and viewing all the specimens here.

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.

Beautiful gardens. A lot variety flowers and tree.

Fascinating assortment of plant. Helpful and friendly staff

Great plants. Variety of plants could be improved. Lookout isnt too great of a view. Normally I would say not worth the money but I got a student discount.

Beautiful, friendly staff a must see

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.

Good covid protocols for keeping folks spaced out in this large outdoor garden. Lots in bloom and saw a butterfly as well as lots of birds

I went at night for their Botanic Wonderland. Its beautifully decorated and festive throughout the many different garden areas. Some areas were blocked off but there is still lots to see. The metering of guests ensured that there is plenty of room to safely distance. Check in was quick and simple. Employees were friendly and helpful in finding my way around. A great pandemic-friendly activity during this challenging holiday season.

Absolutely beautiful garden. I would highly recommend spending the money and time. The price of admission is very acceptable for the amount of work that goes into maintaining this garden. It takes about two hours to make it through the whole garden at a steady pace.I love that they have different sections based on where the plants and trees come from in the world, so at one moment you feel like your walking through the Australian outback and the next your waking through a Chinese bamboo forest! Beautiful plants and trees, extremely vibrant flowers and plenty of shade.

Beautiful orchids. Nice day for a walk in the garden.

Very beautiful. Well kept. So much to see. Maps everywhere to keep yourself on track. One small playground for the kids.

Absolutely amazing! Beautiful and pieceful

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.

Beautiful flowers. Orchids were stunning.

Lovely place, a bit steep but a membership also gets you access to 300 other gardens so its definitely worth it if you are a fan of gardens. :-) Great for a quick trip anytime, but they also have special events, exhibits, and vendors -- never the same experience no matter how many times you go!

Bring your walking/hiking shoes and water. So much to see including a waterfall! Take your time and stroll and take in the beauty of this large garden. Also a very large greenhouse, loved all of it.

What an absolutely amazing place. I loved every moment of it, the coffee truck in front was perfect we got a nice hot tea and a hot coffee before we enjoyed the beautiful gorgeous light show at the botanical gardens me and my wife and my son loved all the lights. The way they were fixed was just beautiful their fake snow, the fire places and even the violinist they had playing it was just the most wonderful experience. I can’t wait to go back

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.

Short line on holiday weekend (need to book online reservations currently) and a lot of interesting and beautiful plants.

Definitely a great experience had a fun time definitely recommend

A VERY LOVELY BOTANIC GARDEN!We are sustaining members of our own hometown botanical garden, which allows us to visit all of the gardens in the US which are members of the American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Admissions Program (nearly all in the country) for free or at a reduced price. Consequently, we have visited botanical gardens all over the country for years. So we can say with authority that the San Diego Botanical Garden is top rate, well curated and lovingly cared for - and they have many species which I havent seen elsewhere. There are bigger gardens (hello Dallas, hello Chicago...), but dont miss this one if you have the opportunity. You will be pleased.

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.

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 😉

Ive grown up going here! Its AWESOME!

Coming from Chicago, its so great to see the giant cacti and unique palms. Great place to lose yourself for an hour or so, just watch out for the ants that like to swarm the walkway railings.

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.

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.

Love it! Spend a day with your love ones.

So much more than I expected! This place is large and well designed. A beautiful park and a great way to spend the day outside.

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.

Beautiful, serene, and worth every penny.

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.

Enjoyed walking around [email protected]

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

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!

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.

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