The World's Largest Garden Devoted To California's Native Plants Is A Breathtaking Living Museum

The California Botanic Garden is a place where education, beauty, and conservation seamlessly come together. Located in Claremont, this living museum showcases the extraordinary diversity of California's unique flora. From Joshua trees to wildflowers and many other rare species on the brink of extinction, you'll find it all here in the world's largest garden devoted to native Californian plants, spanning 86 acres.

The California Botanic Garden was founded in 1927 by researcher Susanna Bixby Bryant and can be found just 30 miles from Los Angeles. Organized events and activities offer an immersive experience through the garden's carefully curated exhibits and habitats. There's also a botanical library and several educational and conservation programs in place, inviting visitors to explore the stunning beauty of California's incredible flora and landscapes.

The garden is open for visitors from Tuesday to Sunday from 8 a.m. (closing times vary by season). Admission fees start at $15 per person, with discounts available, and tickets need to be purchased online beforehand. The garden can be found on Claremont's College Avenue, a 20-minute walk away from the Claremont Metrolink Station, with free parking available for visitors. The closest airport to Claremont is the Ontario International Airport (ONT), just 15 minutes away by car.

The exhibits within the California Botanic Garden are all modeled after the state's unique ecosystems, which provide a home for thousands of different plant species. For example, some of the habitats within the garden mimic the conditions of the Mojave Desert, home to the Joshua trees. Others host a variety of species like the redwoods found in this otherworldly national park as well as oak forests. You'll also find beautiful wildflower meadows (resembling the wildflower fields hidden in northern California), a pond, and other breathtaking habitats.

There is also a family-friendly trail (almost 2 miles long) at the garden that is a must-visit during your trip. The trail, of course, is filled with many of the plants native to California. Plus, a butterfly pavilion is available for visiting during the spring and summer months. All of the garden's exhibits are included and accessible to visitors when paying the admittance fee. However, the garden also offers guided tours for an extra cost as well as a wide variety of events, workshops, and programs year-round.

As stated on its website, the California Botanic Garden offers many events and tours to "celebrate, enrich and explore our connections to California native plants and the larger natural world." Some of these events and activities — aimed at fostering a growing relationship between visitors and California's nature conservation — include walking tours, photography contests, birdwatching activities, and even yoga classes. The walking tours start at around $20 per adult, as of this writing. Visitors can choose between one-hour guided tours or youth group tours for children ages 3 to 12. Costs for the youth group tours start at $6 per child and $7 per accompanying adult. Both kinds of tours require reservation in advance. Tours catering to college students are also available for booking, starting at $15 per person at the time of writing. Lastly, schools can request large tours for students through the garden's website.

Another popular event is the yearly nocturnal "Things That Go Bump in the Night" tour, open for visitors of all ages. A nursery for purchasing native plants is available as well. And finally, many of the garden's spaces can be rented out as private event venues, so if you're looking for the best wedding venues in California, this is one spot to consider.