Gardens of the
Pacific Coast Highway

Plant lovers can visit hundreds of gardens along or near the Pacific Coast Highway, ranging from lush gardens in the Pacific North-West to southern California.

One of the gardens on the Pacific Coast Highway

For plant lovers the Pacific Coast Highway is the road to some of the best gardens in the United States. The variety ranges from the lush gardens of the Pacific North-West to the desert blooms of southern California.

Here's a list of gardens along the west coast of the USA, which are on or near the Pacific Coast Highway. The worst driving diversions you'll have to make will be to navigate cities like San Diego and Los Angeles, to get to spectacular gardens like Balboa Park in San Diego or the stunning Huntington in San Marino, in north-east Los Angeles. Both are well worth the diversion.

No practical information on opening hours and prices is given here, because hours can change with the seasons and all the gardens listed have websites. Click on the link to visit the website and get driving directions and learn if there are any special garden events while you're in the area. The Pacific Coast gardens are listed alphabetically within each State: Washington, Oregon and California.

Washington

Bainbridge Island
The Bloedel Reserve

Bellevue
Bellevue Botanical Garden

Federal Way
Pacific Bonsai Museum
Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden

Lakewood
Lakewold Gardens

Seattle
Dunn Gardens
University of Washington Medicinal Herb Garden
Washington Park Arboretum
Washington Park Arboretum Japanese Garden
Woodland Park Rose Garden

Tacoma
Point Defiance Park
W. W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory

Oregon

Coos Bay
Shore Acres Gardens/Shore Acres State Park

California

Arcadia
The Arboretum of Los Angeles County

Berkeley
Berkeley Rose Garden
Regional Parks Botanic Garden
University of California Blake Garden
University of California Botanical Garden

Beverly Hills
Virginia Robinson Gardens

Claremont
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden

Corona Del Mar
Sherman Library and Gardens

El Cerrito
The Harland Hand Memorial Garden

Encinitas
San Diego Botanic Garden

Fort Bragg
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens

Fullerton
The Fullerton Arboretum

La Cañada Flintridge
Descanso Gardens

Laguna Beach
Hortense Miller Garden

Long Beach
Rancho Los Alamitos Historic Ranch and Gardens

Los Angeles
Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden

Oakland
Morcom Rose Garden

Palo Alto
The Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden Center

Palos Verdes Peninsula
South Coast Botanic Garden

Ross
Marin Art and Garden Center

San Diego
Balboa Park

San Francisco
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco Botanical Garden

San Marino
The Huntington

San Simeon
Hearst Castle Gardens

Santa Barbara
Ganna Walska Lotusland
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Santa Cruz
University of California at Santa Cruz Arboretum

Santa Rosa
Luther Burbank Home and Gardens

Saratoga
Hakone Gardens
Villa Montalvo

Sausalito
Green Gulch Farm Zen Center

Walnut Creek
The Ruth Bancroft Garden

Woodside
Filoli Gardens

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Florence Sea Lion Caves
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Northern Elephant Seals
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Humpback Whale
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San Diego Zoo Safari Park
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San Diego Whale Watching
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Whale Watching in California
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Whale Watching from the San Diego Shoreline
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Top Wildlife Spots on the California Coast
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Santa Barbara Whale Watching
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