If you expect to find mini gardens with meticulously planted flowers in the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, then look somewhere else. The century-old Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is nothing short of a pristine forest or a tiny California state park.
Visit Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Several years ago while spending a day in Santa Barbara, we stumbled upon the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Our goal was to find a beautiful, manicured “isle” of nature in a big city. The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, however, was far more than what we’d expected. Large, with a hard-packed walking trail that ran among towering redwood trees, the place was nothing short of a forest or a small California state park.
Location: The location of the garden also plays a huge role in this unlikely perception. Like many national parks, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is located up in the mountains. A narrow road takes you about a mile north of Santa Barbara Mission.
Visitor Center: Once you park, head straight to a small booth to your right. This is Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s visitor center. It looks very simple, a little bit bigger than a hut. Nevertheless, this is a place you don’t want to miss. On top of getting your tickets here (if you didn’t purchase them online), helpful staff provides you with a map and tons of information on what to do and where to start your garden adventure…