This past summer we discovered the Quail Botanical Gardens in Encinitas, CA (near San Diego). It just opened a new children's exhibit that I had heard about it and we wanted to check it out...so I dragged my sister, Jules, along with her 2 kids + my 3 kids and we had a carpool! We actually received FREE parking because we carpooled - yippeeee!!
The admission fee was very reasonable. Thankfully we were able to park on the main level because the overflow parking is quite a distance and a hike away! The park is quite hilly. Pushing our stroller was doable, but quite the workout.
It was warm that day, but be careful in the extreme heat because there is not a tremendous amount of shade.
The map they provided was a little tricky to navigate, and we ended up back in the parking lot. Start at the Guest Center towards the top and head LEFT and past the gazebo for the new children's exhibit.
As a self-proclaimed, "wannabee", gardener I was gaga over the wide variety of unique plants that were displayed. Their beauty and uniqueness was incredible! I've visited the Huntington Library several times and the Getty and have not seen such breadth in variety displayed. All I can say is "Wow!"
The kids moved fast towards the children's exhibit (once we got started on the correct path). We could barely catch up with them. The new children's exhibit included a HUGE treehouse (made out of concrete) which the kids could climb all over. Intertwined among the tree and tree house were plants and flowers...it was gorgeous!
The new exhibit also included a section with rocks which kids could drum on and they made unique sounds. A male guest was playing these drums like an expert and we thought he was a hired performer! There was a small hut with paper and pens for sketching plants, and LARGE Adirondack chairs for sitting in, along with a chalk board "wall" for sketching. I adored the large chairs and asked SweetP to pose in one for me, because they reminded me of Lily Tomlin's sketch as a little girl in the old SNL episodes!
Up, above the treehouse, was a running, fresh water rock stream. The kids could've played for HOURS in this stream. They moved the rocks around and piled them high creating a dam. They splashed and ran and laughed! We had a difficult time pulling them away, but it was getting late and our stomach were rumbling.
Bring plenty of sunscreen and water! The snack shop was closed and the sun tends to be intense!
We left the new children's exhibit and trudged up the hill (it feels like a killer w/kids & a stroller), past the gazebo and past the lily pond, which was beautiful and a great spot for photos! We then moved past the Guest Center and down another hill which led to the bamboo forest. It was so amazing! Large bamboo and small covered this forest, along with many other species of flora and fauna. The kids moved quickly through this exhibit and we struggled to keep up pushing the stroller down the paths which weren't paved as well.
I was exhausted at this point, but my sister insisted on visiting the older children's exhibit, and I'm so glad that she did, because it was so much fun! It wasn't as uique and updated, but had some fun quirky features, like a grassy knoll with green topiary sculptures, and a shed with grass and plants of all varieties on the roof! It also contained a little playhouse with an enclosed backyard which reminded us of the garden in the book "The Secret Garden." There was a miniature train set which ran and a woman posing as the "Conductor," and it was fun. The kids looked at it for about 5 seconds and ran on! The topiary's shaped like animals were a fun attraction and hidden all over.
Next we traveled up a small hill, opposite the street, from the older children's exhibit, which was supposed to be a mock underwater garden, like something you'd see under the ocean.
The "Underwater Ocean Garden" was highly overrated in the brochure and by this time, since we had visited the main attractions first, the kids (& the adults) were ready to go and hungry! If you have to skip any of the attractions; I'd recommend this one. It needs to be re-vamped!
However, overall we had a great day! The new children's exhibit was worth the drive, and the children had a fun time playing and splashing. I was glad that they were able to enjoy a "botanical garden." They were skeptical, at first, and thought their summertime could be enjoyed and spent better at the beach. It was a unique experience. We saw many mothers with small children there on "playdates."
Immediately after I posted our experience on my FaceBook, a friend mentioned that she attended a wedding there. It seemed like a beautiful place to get married, because they have a gorgeous gazebo, but I'm not sure about facilities to host the reception? I guess you'll have to call...
Enjoy!
http://www.qbgardens.org/
Garden Hours 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily, except Christmas and New Years Day.
Admission: Adults - $12.00; Seniors, Students and Active Military - $8.00; Children (3-12)
- $6.00; 2yrs old and under - Free!
Members
Free*
Parking = $2.00 (unless - you GO GREEN & Carpool - GreenCarpool to QBG and Go Green. If you have 4 people or more in your car when you come to QBG we will waive the parking fee.
Free admission on the first Tuesday of every month!
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