Many years ago, my boyfriend Matt B. told me about Lotusland, a beautiful botanical garden in his hometown of Montecito. I assumed he had plans to take me--like why bring it up and not take your relatively new girlfriend?--but if he did, he certainly took a while to implement them. He married me first, then waited until we had two kids before buying tickets, for a Wednesday afternoon last month. I guess it used to be hard to get tickets here, and even now, you have to plan in advance, as it's only open part of the year and the hours are short and limited. Tickets are also expensive, running $70 apiece. If you're local and likely to go more than once a year, you might want to get a membership. Lotusland is a remarkable place, and I greatly enjoyed this long deferred date. The property covers 37 acres in a residential part of Montecito, where it was once just some eccentric rich lady's house (her name, a stage name, was Madame Ganna Walska). The reason the hours are so restricted is that the neighbors are Montecitans, perhaps the nimbiest clan on the planet. The location does add to the magic, I admit, the sense of quiet and seclusion as you walk the grounds. Everything was easy once we arrived. The parking lot was right by the entrance, and there were both maps and docents ready to help get us oriented. The docents were volunteers, I believe, and very friendly and helpful. One of them saw us wandering aimlessly near the entrance, searching for the stairs to the rest of the gardens, and walked with us to show us the way. The gardens were incredible--gorgeous, of course, but also vibrant and strange. A lot of the plants were fully Seussian, wild and whimsical. The water garden in particular was unlike anything else I've ever seen, with these enormous lotuses and lily pads like rimmed dinner trays. I also enjoyed the quirky swimming pool bordered with seashells and the silly topiary garden. But nothing was more impressive than the extraordinary range of plants. Pre-historic cycads and funny-looking bromeliads. Dracena trees, cousins (or maybe ancestors) to the little potted one we have in our house, allowed to grow freely into giants with clustered branches like maitake mushrooms. It took us around an hour and a half to make our way through the gardens, a bit faster than the two hours suggested for self-guided tours. (We are, to be fair, a bit younger than the average visitor, despite my husband's procrastination.) We had a wonderful time, stretching our legs and seeing some spectacular sights. Better late than never, Matt, and now I look forward to going back. read more

Lotus to Proceed Historic (circa 1941) 37-acre nonprofit botanical garden, located in Montecito within a mostly residential neighborhood, was started and is owned by famed Polish opera singer Ganna Walska. It was named one of the top ten botanical gardens in the world by Christopher Bailes, a retired Royal Horticultural Society curator and Chelsea Flower Show judge; it is one of only two in the U.S., with Oregon's Portland Japanese Garden being the other. The Good: * Friendly staff * On-site parking * Nice gift shop * Tour options * Over 3,000 species of plants, many of which are considered rare or endangered. * Trails are well-maintained and easy enough for people of all ages to visit. * If you are lucky enough to see the eponymous lotus in bloom, you are in for a real treat. They truly look surreal. The Meh: * Due to its location and county law, the number of guests allowed per day is limited, so admission is restricted. * It is one of the pricier botanical gardens we have visited, at $70 ($85 with tour) per adult (12+) and $35 per child (3-12). * No pets. The Ugly: * They are only open from March through October, so it can be tough to plan your visit; we have tried several times only to be skunked by the time of year we were visiting the area. Conclusion: It is a really awesome garden and a fun place to visit, but I am not 100% sure it is worth the high price; I guess if you like botany and plants, then it is a must-see. read more

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We had been wanting to visit Lotusland for quite a while but since they are only open a certain a amount of months out of the year and the fact that you have to get tickets that sell out quickly--we were never able to visit. Until this summer. We were very excited to finally explore! Lotusland is lovely--and well maintained. I will give them that. I love all of the different areas and worlds. Not to mention seeing a lotus flower in bloom in person is pretty cool. They don't even look real! However, I will say I think we were a bit disappointed overall with our experience. Maybe it's because of the high expectations, the high ticket price and a bit of the pretentiousness of it all. I mean--you pay how much and you have only two hours to visit this beautiful garden? I don't know. I'm glad I went and it truly is lovely. It was a nice finish to a wonderful trip. read more

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Lush. Beautiful. Eclectic. Elegant. Overwhelming. The minute I finally set foot on the self guided path, I knew that I must commit to many more visits. Yes, it is pricey and acquiring tickets takes planing and patience, but so worth it. Lotus land can be life altering. Transporting Asian Garden, surreal cacti garden, French feeling flower garden, something for everyone. Go. Just go. And see for yourself. Wonderful gift shop. Exuberant helpful staff. Can't wait until the next time..... read more

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2 hours is the perfect amount of time to explore Lotusland. I opted for self guided to go at my own pace and take pictures. I reserved tickets about 6 weeks before and paid $120 for two tickets. They limit the amount of people per reservation time which makes the experience peaceful. Lotusland is a beautiful spot with a variety of different gardens. There are volunteers stationed throughout who are very kind and knowledgeable. If you love nature, come and check it out. read more

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It's a huge beautiful garden with an insane variety of plants, flowers and trees. There are so many unique characteristics of this garden that make it an exciting place to explore. The Japanese garden was favorite as was the abalone pool. The garden is so well maintained and the staff are friendly, while strict with the rules. They have many Koi fish that are named! It was really cute to see especially the new addition. I've heard so many good things about this place, I think one visit is satisfactory because it can be difficult to get tickets. read more

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Very dissatisfied with Lotusland. I booked a visit and tried to change the reservation date through multiple channels (I called them, I emailed them). They even called me on the date of my initial reservation and I explained that I tried to change the reservation through email and a phone call. After that, they never responded when I reached out. They would not reschedule me and would not refund my initial reservation. I was unable to go unfortunately, and they said I should book again (and pay, 'because it is beautiful and worth it to see') but now I am a very unhappy customer. I have heard it is lovely, but because of this experience I do not want to go. read more

There are over 20 different style gardens! My favorites were the Japanese and water garden with its lotus flowers. This place exceeded my expectations. Lotulsand is up there with the Huntington Garden and Filoli in terms of impressiveness and fabulousness. Unlike the other two they are a bit more restrictive with visitors. It's open only 9 months out of the year and there are 2 sessions. Each session is 2 hrs., either 9:30-11:30 or 1:30-3:30. They also are restrictive on parking and cannot accommodate late arrivals. You can go on a tour or wander the garden at your leisure. I think the tour is better if you really want to know the history and information on the plants. I don't think it's as good if you have specific places you want to see and and have to move at someone else's pace. For a tour, 2 hrs isn't enough time to get through everything especially if people in the group have a lot of questions. For a list of other Japanese gardens check out my list: https://bit.ly/3CLXWV9 read more

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Two hour tour is far too short. There is so much to see. This place is a treasure. I can't recommend it enough. read more

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Ganna Walska Lotusland is a fascinating place full of history, rare plants, and a reflection of a remarkable woman who had a vision for her garden. She had quite a life! 6 husbands! Because of the residential neighborhood it is tucked away but just past Cold water Elementary School, the gate is on the right. The city put a lot of restrictions on the property which is the reason for limited hours and reservations needed. There is a formal garden with roses and fountains near the house, a beautiful Japanese garden, Australia garden, cactus, fern and begonia gardens and much more. I highly recommend the docent tour since I would not have learned much or known what to see otherwise. 2 hours doesn't cover everything but we saw a lot. The place is set up as a foundation unlike other gardens so entry fees are higher. Still quite worth the visit. read more

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Beautiful gardens, we were lucky to see some lotus blooming (June-Sept), you can easily see everything in 2hrs. I recommend getting there 20min before your time slot to allow time to check-in, park, etc. I would try to visit the water garden first (lotus) before the crowds so you can take pictures. It was bit pricey $60, but it's a nice place to visit once. We decided to do the self tour so we can pace ourselves & take pictures. They don't allow tripods but I don't see why not, especially if there's no one around you. It didn't feel crowded, they limit the number of tickets per day. Make sure to reserve your tickets at least 3 weeks in advance, it comes with parking for 1 car. read more

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Lotusland is quite the treat!! Hidden among beautiful houses in this gorgeous neighborhood. It was clean, quiet, serene and very beautiful. It's a loop trail of many beautiful landscapes, plants and trees from across the globe. I was there on a Friday morning at 9:30. It seems like they keep the entry numbers down and that helps a lot for the peacefulness of it all. You can do a guided tour or self guided tour. Parking was easy, the restrooms were very clean and there's a small gift shop. $60 may be a bit pricey, but it's worth it to keep this treasure alive. Lots of spider webs, so be aware. The spiders love this place too!! It's truly amazing that this use to be a residential property. Stop by for a visit and bask in the tranquility of it all. read more

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After enjoying the garden, we took advantage of the location and drove around the area where celebrities and the wealthy live.

Ganna Walska Lotusland is often touted as one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in America. Some would even say in the world! I've wanted to visit for some time now so when a friend was visiting town, I decided to get tickets for us. The grounds and gardens are definitely exquisite. It is most certainly worth your time if you enjoy visiting gardens. That said, in my opinion, it's overpriced. I say this relative to other famous botanical gardens in Southern California. For example, Huntington Gardens is bigger, has more to see especially when you include the library and exhibits, and yet not only is it cheaper, they offer free admission on certain days. So if you are trying to decide which garden to visit, I'd say prioritize Huntington over Lotusland. read more

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Lotusland should be on the bucket list of anyone coming to Santa Barbara. It's like nowhere else in the world. Truly magical. Get a guided tour if you can since there's much to learn about the history and plants, but non-guided is fine too if you want to linger on your own. It's worth every penny but reservations are required and sometimes needed weeks in advance. read more

Lotusland - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Lotus land is such a hidden gem. I had heard about it online and could never get a reservation but my mom and I lucked out and were able to book a docent led tour ($75 each) one week ago. It was an amazing experience and our guide Lyn was AMAZING. She was incredibly knowledgeable and patient answering all of our questions and showing us every garden on site. I am now planning on getting a membership so I can go next season because it was so beautiful and peaceful. The tour lasted about 2 hours and it was about 2 miles of walking, though you can do self guided tour reservations and go at your own pace and explore any area you want. Highly recommend for a day date or a girls trip! read more

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The most amazing gardens I've ever toured. The docent tour is well worth the cost. I was glad we had someone knowledgeable to lead us around and tell us the stories about the various rare plants and gardens on the property. Since you are limited on your time there you certainly want to make the most of it and I am not sure we would have been able to on our first visit without a docent. The gift shop is small but has lots of lovely jewelry, fragrances, and other items. Worth stopping in before you leave. I bought our tickets months in advance of our trip and I'm so glad I did because this really was the highlight of our long weekend in Santa Barbara. read more

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My mom is an avid Gardner and has been wanting to tour the gardens. The customer service was great from the moment I booked the tickets and during our visit. They had staff / volunteers all throughout the property who were helpful and knowledgeable. Each garden was unique and the self-guided tour was easy to navigate with a map. When you get arrive, even if you are on a self-guided tour, they give you tips on how to optimize your two hours. All very helpful, amongst our favorites was the man playing the Japanese flute in the tea gardens. He was very kind, and played something for us while we were there and spoke of his training. Fantastic experience! read more

Love Lotusland. We are now members because we like the ability to book a reservation before the general public. The Japanese garden is so tranquil. Sometimes I just sit there for the full two hours. It's so peaceful. read more

Beautiful garden and well kept, not sure it's worth such a high price though. The staff was super nice.

One of the most beautiful botanical gardens that I have ever been to. There are many different eco zones that you can walk through either in a self guided or docent lead tour. This was my first visit so we chose the self guided tour and honestly I didn't see any other people until towards the end, aside from a few staff members that are there to answer any questions that you may have. You're allowed to be in the gardens for 2 1/2 hours which is plenty of time to stroll through the entire property and really take in the beauty of everything. My favorite part was the cactus garden. It is a bit expensive, being $50 per person, but it's definitely somewhere that everyone should go at least once. In fact, I drove up from Los Angeles specifically for this place. Getting reservations ahead of time is necessary because the spaces fill up and they have a limited amount of people that are allowed in each time, which is nice because it never gets too busy. I definitely plan to go again in the future and this would make a amazing date or special occasion location. read more

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I had been wanting to come to Lotusland since our last visit to Santa Barbara 2 years ago. I got a membership so I could make sure to get tickets during their presale. I got up early April 22 and signed on first thing in the morning and went through the steps to order tickets. After inputting our info, I see a green check mark saying "SUCCESS!". I thought we were all set. Fast forward to August and I'm looking for our confirmation code and realize that I must not have finished ordering the tickets back in April. The green check mark did not mean SUCCESS.. I contacted the Lotusland office and a lovely lady named Angie Lee was able to get us rebooked. Thanks to her we got to have a wonderful day in the amazing garden. Thank you Angie! read more

My happy place, just refreshing coming from the desert! Did the docent tour and well worth the two hours, must have done 10,000 steps and enjoyed learning every step of the wa read more

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I won tickets to LotusFest 2023 and took a few friends to enjoy the gardens and try some wine. I didn't realize my day would be so much more! The beauty of this place along with the history and facts about all the plants swept me away. Hidden in Montecito, the minute you step on the the first path you are taken almost literally to a different place. The best surprise was the white lotus still blooming in September when they typically go only into July. All the staff and volunteers guided us through the gardens and answered any question we had. The wine at the event was superb. New favorites include Summerland Winery and Bien Nacido. The ticket prices were reasonable since you spend the afternoon in the garden while allowed to drink and be merry along the way and listen to live music. I can't wait to visit Lotus Land again, perhaps early on a foggy morning for the still and silence! read more

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We enjoyed our docent lead tour with Marcia. She was very knowledgeable and delightful to spend two hours with.

Lotusland is a wonderful place. The ponds with lotus flowers and giant water lilies and the Japanese garden are magical. There's a lot of friendly and knowledgeable docents available to answer any questions you may have. Entry fee is $50/pp. You have to make reservations for the 2 time slots offered - 9:30 or 1:30 and you only get 2.5 hours to tour the property. This is the reason I gave 4 stars because of the short limited time you get to go through the entire expansive property. I felt a bit rushed and could have used another hour to truly appreciate the garden. I know I missed things and at $50/pp it's disappointing. It would have been nice to sit in the Japanese garden and listen to the waterfall and admire the beauty but had to keep moving. Even with this limitation I still recommend visiting Lotusland. read more

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beautiful gardens. some plant types i have never experienced before. because they limit the number of people who can enter, i recommend make a reservation at least 45 days out. only 200 people per time slot can enter and those spots go fast. 2 hours is enough to see almost everything. read more

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Lovely gardens. Lovely events. Reserve to visit with a member. Interesting history of the grand dame who created this treasure. It once has peacocks roaming but now local birds, exotic and native specimens. The docents are lovely, happy and knowledgeable. read more

Lotusland - fabulous docent! - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

What a hidden treasure!! I visited this place with friends from out of town and I'm so glad I did. This docent led tour required a reservation in advance which was easy to do on their website. When we arrived, the main gates were closed so don't be discouraged, just needed to wait patiently for about 5 minutes before they opened. Once we entered, we were directed by the front gate keeper where to park. After we parked, then we were able to walk right up and be greeted by our tour guide. This place is so well preserved and the woman who owned and designed all of these gardens on this property dream continues on for everyone to enjoy. The tour guide did a great job of explaining facts and stories behind this property development over the years to really give me an idea of how lovely this place has continued to flourish through the years. I loved the rose gardens as well as the animal designed bushes. The pools were spectacular and I could imagine this being her home and how her creativity flourished with the beauties of each of the gardens. The cactus, trees and the tropical gardens were also so spectacular as well as the Japanese gardens. I could of stayed longer than an hour. Definitely a must see if you are into botanical gardens! read more

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Perfect for a day trip or a visit if you are staying in the area. Incredibly curated gardens, beautifully maintained. It's a very impressive huge property. You are typically allotted two hours for a visit, we were able to see most of the property in less time than that. Kept a pretty leisurely pace, but it's a fair amount of walking, I loved it. It's a fantastic way to spend a morning or afternoon. So many varieties of plants and flowers. It's a unique experience if you're a fan of gardens, greenery, natural beauty. We did a self guided tour but spoke with several roaming docents that were incredibly kind and knowledgeable about the grounds, plants and history. Viva Madame Ganna Walska! Thank you for the glorious gift you left for us all. read more

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Review is for the 9/9/23 @ 1:30pm visit. Lotusland is a gem of a place! 37 acres of natural beauty and is definitely a feast for the eyes! Be sure to reserve in advance as spots fills up fast. They only limit to 80 guests (general admission) per day. A bit expensive ($50-adults; $25- 17 & under) but well worth it. Free parking for 1 car per reservation. Be sure to request the free 2-hour docent-led tour (if not, you are welcome to walk the grounds on a self-guided tour but are limited to 2 hours). Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes and bring water (it was slightly warm and humid when we went), as the tour will last about 2 hours and span 2 miles. Dogs are not allowed and it states on their website that you will be turned away at the entrance if they see a dog in your car (which you intend to leave in the car while you're walking the grounds). We were part of a group of 7 led by our friendly docent, Jill. She was very knowlegeable on the history of Lotusland, the woman (Ganna Walska) who founded and worked over 40+ years to make Lotusland into what it is today, and the various plants/flowers. Our tour group walked at a leisurely pace stopping at various points. Be sure to take all the pictures you want as you walk to the various areas of the gardens because at the end of the 2-hour tour, you won't have a chance to back track and go back to any specific areas where you missed your photo opportunity. Sometimes, I didn't get a chance to hear everything our docent was talking about because I lagged behind to take pictures. Overall, I highly recommend visiting Lotusland while you're in the Santa Barbara/Montecito area. read more

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Beautiful garden, well keep place. Very friendly volunteers that station at the whole place. One suggestion is the direction to parking place. read more

Amazing doesn't seem like strong enough of an adjective to describe the beauty in this place. A few of gardens on the property consist of ferns, succulents, cacti, a Japanese garden, Lotus flowers, lily pads, roses and even some topiaries. Everything is beautifully manicured and displayed. Since this was my first time here, my friends and I chose a docent guided tour when we purchased out tickets. Compared to other botanical gardens in the area, the ticket price is high at $50.00 a person and advance registration is required. Our docent was Bela Nuss, a very knowledgable and friendly garden volunteer. His depth of knowledge enriched our time here as he explained so much about the property answering all of our questions as we went along. The history of Lotus and is fascinating as is the life of the Madame Ganna Walska who the property once belonged to. The tour of the property took two hours and we covered a lot of ground in that time. What was especially interesting to learn is that these gardens are organically maintained, no harsh fertilizer or chemicals are used here. So very refreshing to learn! Really enjoyed the beautifully manicured grounds and the garden workers we spoke with took such pride in their jobs it's easy to see why this place is so special. read more

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So I discovered this place by accident. I google-mapped something nearby and saw a big block labeled "Lotusland." Curiosity got the best of me, and I planned a trip. I called up to purchase a ticket for the upcoming weekend. No? I can't come this weekend? I can come on a Saturday four weeks from now? Um. Okay. FIFTY dollars. Five Zero? Um. Okay. And I have a window when I can arrive and leave? Gotcha. Four weeks later, I was in my car racing towards the place. Google lied to me about how long it'd take me to get there. I was due to arrive a half hour after my originally scheduled time. I called up to let them know, and when I arrived at the parking lot gate, I was surprised when they welcomed me by name. I parked and rushed up to the entry gate. I was warmly welcomed, and given a sticker to wear. No. Put it on your shirt now. Sticker said I had until 11:45 to meander the grounds. Nearly 2 hours from now. Seemed like a lot of time. A nice guy showed me a large map and suggested my route. I took a photo of the big map (I thought it'd be easier to pull up than open up the brochure and map they also handed me.) 8/28/2021 NOTE - You don't have to wear a mask in the grounds, but you have to wear a mask in the lil entry building/gift shop. Thanks the covids. I set out onto the grounds. I explored. I photographed. I ooohed. I aaaaahed. It was amazing. It was beautiful. It was incredible. The plants were healthy, and amazing. Wonderful. Beautiful. The grounds were well labeled, signs clearly pointed to where things were. Elder Docents were in every different area/biome, answering whatever questions you had, and snapping photographs of you in front of plants if you asked. Around 11:45 however. I noticed that the old docents started appearing out of nowhere like ninjas. They'd politely comment that your sticker time was nearly up and direct you towards the exit. "What's that over there?" "Oh, that's the beautiful garden of amazing beautifulness...but it's getting close to 11:45, and the exit is that-a-way." "Ah, okay." [Scott walks towards the exit] On my way out, I was approached by 3 or 4 more elder docents who gently and politely informed me that my time was nearly up and directed me towards the exit. I made it to the exit, and even spent another $30 on a refrigerator magnet and an air plant. So yes. It's beautiful. Yes. It's amazing. Yes. It's wonderful. Yes. It's incredible. But. It's also pretty darned expensive. I'd think for a fifty dollar entry fee, I'd be allowed to roam as long as I'd like. Maybe they're crowd controlling? I dunno. So. Pro tips. Doublecheck Google's travel times to get there. Get there on time. I'm sure an extra half hour would have let me see a bit more of the 25 acre garden. Be prepared to be politely and nicely shooed away when your sticker says so. read more

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Beautiful gardens for those that really love plants. My family of 4 visited. It was way too much information for my 13 year old son, but the docent did his best to make it interesting for him. I really like plants but not as much as our tour guide. I would have preferred wandering in the gardens myself and reading the signs than having a guided tour. To each their own. The guide was very into the species of plants which no one in our group was interested in. He was very knowledgeable and kind and that is why it gets 5 stars in addition to being a beautiful place. If you do the guided tour, plan to hear all about plants and where they came from around the world and species they belong to. read more

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This place is truly spectacular. Yes, you do have to make a reservation weeks out, and yes, $60 is a bit pricey, BUT the gardens are gorgeous. You are on a pretty strict 2 hour time budget, so you do have to keep moving if you want to see all the areas in the garden, but that said, we were able to see all the areas in our allotted time. We did the self-guided tour, so we did not have a docent with us, but the docent-led groups were very small and the ones we passed seemed very informative and even welcomed us to stop and listen in when they were sharing something interesting. The staff were all super helpful, friendly and accommodating. I have mobility issues so I was there with a scooter. They have a special map that shows you the paths best suited to a mobility device and I had no trouble navigating throughout the gardens. I think this would be challenging if you were in a non-motorized chair, and there were a few places that had some soft gravel or bumpy areas--my scooter had no problem but with thinner tires it might be more difficult. Each area of the garden has a different theme--Japanese garden, fern garden, succulents, etc, and they are so artfully designed that you really feel like you've stepped into a different part of the world for each. Because they only allow a few guests in for each session, it really is peaceful and relaxing. We really felt like we got away from it all for a couple of hours and enjoyed some serene and scenic forest bathing. Many thanks to the amazing staff that keep this place so immaculate and welcoming. read more

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Surpassed my expectations! Enjoyed this garden much more than the Huntington. The grounds are huge and our tour really did take two hours. The plant specimens were not to be believed. There were more than a few rare ones that I had never seen. I also appreciated the way some of the gardens were arranged (euphorbias on one side and cacti on the other), liked the aloe collection, loved the unorthodox Japanese garden and the outdoor/garden theatre. Lovely docent. Someone in our group had a bad back and had difficulty walking. Our docent was very empathetic towards her condition, but somehow made sure everyone in our group got what they wanted out of the tour. She was a great story teller and FULL of information. Lastly, I had some rescheduling issues a couple of times (due to a death in the family and dental surgery) and they were very accommodating. I called well in advance to change the date. They are only allowed a certain number of people and so missed appointments are due to the difficulty in recouping the money lost. Put this garden on your list! read more

Lotusland - Cactus garden. Surpassed my expectations! - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Lotusland has long been on my list of places to explore whenever I visited Santa Barbara. Admission is on the pricier side ($50 per person), which was one of the main reasons I've skipped it so many times. But hey, this is Montecito, one of California's most pricey places where you might just run into Oprah, Katy Perry or Tom Hanks (all of whom own homes here). The 37-acre Montecito estate was once owned by the late Madame Ganna Walska, a well-known opera singer and socialite. She also was married 6 times, which seems pretty wild by today's standards. But just think of how scandalous it must have been in the early 1900s. The madame acquired not just husbands, but a hefty fortune and poured much of this into these gardens. She single-handedly oversaw the creation of the property's famed Water Garden, where lotus plants continue to bloom every June through September. The Water Garden was originally a swimming pool left behind by the property's previous owners. However, when the Madame moved in, the pool was a leaky mess and unclean since there was no filtration system. Her solution? Fill the bottom with soil and gravel and make it a garden. It's stunning even without the lotus in bloom. Normally, the grounds are seen by taking a guided tour only. However, during COVID, it's all done by self-guided tours. Or in our case, a special Valentine's Day picnic, where we were able to enjoy the gardens as well as bring our own picnic spread to enjoy on their lawn. The place is huge, so if you're doing a self-guided tour, we recommend prioritizing the top spots including the Japanese Gardens, the Water Garden, the Theater Garden and the Topiary. We personally loved checking out all of the topiary shaped into chess pieces, horses and even a peacock. When we visited, self-guided tours ran at 9:15, 9:30 and 9:45 for morning visits and 1:15, 1:30 and 1:45 for afternoon visits. Reservation times are available Thursday through Saturday. All visits require a reservation and they are totally old school, meaning no online reservations. The only way to do it is by calling them directly. I didn't have any luck getting a person but leave a message and wait for someone to call you back. I'm not used to actually picking up my phone, but knew it was probably Lotusland when I saw the Montecito number coming in. It takes effort to make a reservation and it's expensive. But we feel like it's well worth it. read more

When we were in Santa Barbara last time, I came across this amazing garden that we wanted to visit. Was quite disappointed to hear advanced reservations were needed as I didn't find out about it until the last minute. Fast forward a few years, back in town and definitely wasn't going to miss it this time. Tickets were on the pricier side - $50 / person (ages 3 to 17 $25 // 2 and under free). But, after seeing the elaborate gardens and the maintenance needed, it was well worth the money. The property is organized with groupings of similar plants and climates - highlights for us were the Japanese Garden, Cactus Garden, Parterre, and Water Stairs. Will have to return for the guided tour when Covid restrictions are lifted - currently it's just self-guided. read more

A must do when visiting Montecito! We spend two hours here on a guided tour. The gardens are just beautiful! Be sure to book a guided tour if you want an in-depth look at the history and care of the gardens. We made it a day and started at Cafe Luxxe for coffee and SYR for lunch! read more

Lotusland - Japanese Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Santa Barbara, California