San Francisco Botanical Garden Tours
To call the San Francisco Botanical Garden a living museum of plants does not adequately describe this remarkable conservatory. With 55 acres (22 hectares) of landscaped and open spaces, the urban garden is a veritable sanctuary, an escape from the hustle and bustle, in the heart of Golden Gate Park.
The Basics
The San Francisco Botanical Garden comprises an array of landscapes. From a rhododendron garden to a lush tropical cloud forest garden, a wealth of natural, globally inspired greenery awaits. You can spend hours experiencing the garden’s more than 8,500 different kinds of plants. If you have limited time, docent-led tours, held daily at 1:30pm, are a great way to have a comprehensive experience of the vastness.
Many San Francisco tours cruise through Golden Gate Park, and some popular tour packages include entrance to the garden. But most city tours via Segway, surrey, and hop-on hop-off bus take you to the park or garden but do not include the entrance fee.
Things to Know Before You Go
- The San Francisco Botanical Garden is a must for lovers of the outdoors.
- Wear comfortable shoes that can get wet and are designed for walking.
- Admission is free on the second Tuesday of every month as well as on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
- The garden has public restrooms but no food services.
- Most of the garden’s paths are accessible to wheelchair users and strollers.
How to Get There
The San Francisco Botanical Garden is located in Golden Gate Park, walking distance from the DeYoung Museum and the California Academy of Sciences. MUNI’s N-Judah, 7, and 6 lines stop a block from the garden’s main entrance near Ninth Avenue and Lincoln Way. If driving, there is a parking lot at the Music Concourse; from here, it is a 2-block walk to the garden’s second entrance on Martin Luther King Drive.
When to Get There
The garden is open daily from 7:30am; last entry is between 4pm and 6pm, depending on the season. One of the most popular exhibits, the Magnolia Collection, is at its peak bloom from approximately mid-December to mid-March. The California Collection flourishes from April through June. The Southeast Asian Cloud Forest Collection is lovely year-round, as are the Redwood Grove and California Natives. Arrive via the main gate at 7:30am to experience the garden at its quietest.
Laying the Garden’s Seeds
Golden Gate Park Supervisor John McLaren designed the San Francisco Botanical Garden’s master plan in the 1880s. The project did not become a reality until Helene Strybing infused the founding organization with needed funding in the late 1920s. After years of construction, the San Francisco Botanical Garden opened in 1940. New projects, such as the Center for Sustainable Gardening, are ongoing, and events take place throughout the year in the garden’s buildings and on its lawns.
Address: 9th Ave & Lincoln Way, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California, USA 94122, USA
Admission: Varies
3 Tours and Activities to Experience San Francisco Botanical Garden
Select Dates
Sort by:Featured
Bus ToursSan Francisco Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
Go sightseeing in San Francisco and its surroundings by hop-on hop-off bus with a City Sightseeing San Francisco pass. Select a 1-day pass that includes access to the City and Sausalito tours. Or choose a 2-day pass that includes the City and Sausalito tours but adds two walking tour options, so you cover all the main attractions with one ticket. This flexible and family-friendly pass lets you hop on and off the double-decker bus at any of the designated stops and explore San Francisco at your own pace.
... More
- 1 to 2 hours
- Free Cancellation
- Taking safety measures
From
$64.99
Bus ToursSan Francisco Private SUV Tour see all main attraciton in under 3 hours
Experience the best San Francisco attractions. Private tour just for your party. Luxury SUV, knowledgeable and courteous driver. We encourage you to customize this tour to make it as unique as possible, making it unforgettable, one in a lifetime experience.
... More
- 2 to 3 hours
- Free Cancellation
From
$222.88
per group
Mountain Bike ToursGolden Gate Park Surrey Rental
Rent your very own surrey to explore Golden Gate Park for an hour. These high-quality vehicles are the best way explore the park in a relaxing way with your friends and family. Pedal past Kezar Stadium, the Conservatory of Flowers, Shakespeare Gardens, the Japanese Tree Garden, Stow Lake Boathouse, and much more. Every handlebar features a take away map with a curated Surrey Route to make your ride even easier.
... More
- 1 hour
- Free Cancellation
From
$18.67
Price varies by group size
Things to do near San Francisco
- Things to do in California
- Things to do in Sausalito
- Things to do in Oakland
- Things to do in Napa & Sonoma
- Things to do in Santa Rosa
- Things to do in Lake Tahoe
- Things to do in Paso Robles
- Things to do in Reno
- Things to do in San Luis Obispo
- Things to do in Santa Barbara
- Things to do in Los Angeles
- Things to do in Long Beach
- Things to do in Anaheim & Buena Park
- Things to do in Nevada
- Things to do in Oregon