Botanic Gardens

Some of my favorite memories of outdoor exploration are from the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens, the redwood area with the huge tree cross section and the creek. The gardens are organized into sections: Meadow, Redwoods, Desert, and Canyon as well as others. The simple meadow and woodland loop is less than a mile and perfect for beginning hikers. We began in the meadow, circled through the redwood area, crossed over the bridge into the cayon area, stopped to run around the maze, played in the creek and hiked up through the tea gardens and Arroyo areas. That loop was about 1.5 miles. The gardens have snacks and drinks available in the store but no cafe. The cost is $12 for adults and $6 for kids.

Directions: Written directions

Trail Rating: Easy (stairs in the path we took)
Distance: 1 mile (or more)
Time: 45 minutes
Nearby places: Rocky Nook Park and the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum

Meadow area

Canyon Path

Creek area

Desert area

Children's Maze

Children's Maze

Children's Maze

Tea Garden