7 of the Bay Area’s best botanical gardens to explore right now
Hiking has always been a popular Bay Area activity, but never more so than now, as we seek to socially distance and stay healthy during these pandemic times. National, state and regional parks offer a plethora of trail options — and so do botanical gardens. Here are seven of the Bay Area’s best.
San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum
This 55-acre garden in Golden Gate Park, which is home to more than 9,000 plants and thematic zones, including a moon viewing garden, Andean cloud forest and ancient garden, is open daily at 1199 Ninth Ave., San Francisco. Admission is $3-$12; www.sfbg.org.
UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley
Established in 1890, this 34-acre botanical garden moved to its current location at the top of Berkeley’s Strawberry Canyon in 1920. The gardens, which boast rare plants, architectural marvels and stunning views, are open daily to visitors with reservations ($7-$15) daily at 200 Centennial Drive in Berkeley; https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/.
UC Santa Cruz Arboretum and Botanic Garden
Santa Cruz’s hillside Arboretum and Botanic Garden offers aroma and succulent gardens, a butterfly garden, a eucalyptus grove, collections of rare and threatened plants, and gardens devoted to California natives and Australia, South Africa and New Zealand flora. Admission is $2-$5, cash or check only. Open daily at 1490 High St., Santa Cruz; https://arboretum.ucsc.edu.
Filoli
The formal gardens and estate trail of this historic Woodside property, built in 1917 and a National Trust Historic Site, are open to visitors by reservation only. Admission is $15-$25. The gardens are open daily at 86 Canada Road, Woodside; www.filoli.org.
Hakone Estate Gardens
This century-old Japanese garden offers 18 acres of koi pond and bamboo gardens, a moon bridge and winding trails. Admission is $8-$10. Open daily at 21000 Big Basin Way in Saratoga; www.hakone.com.
Tilden Botanic Garden
This botanic garden in Berkeley’s Tilden Park is part of the East Bay Regional Parks system, which is welcoming visitors by reservation on Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends. Admission is free; www.ebparks.org/parks/tilden/botanic_garden.htm
Ruth Bancroft Garden
This 3.5-acre Walnut Creek garden, created by drought-tolerant gardening pioneer Ruth Bancroft, is renowned for its collection of succulents and drought-tolerant plants from around the world. Admission is $8-$10. The garden is open Tuesday-Sunday at 1552 Bancroft Road; www.ruthbancroftgarden.org.