• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

California Through My Lens

California Travel, Food, Hiking & Road Trips

  • Start Here
  • Explore
    • Beaches
    • Bizarre
    • Caves
    • Food
    • Hikes
    • Historical Structures
    • Natural Wonders
    • Waterfalls
  • Drive
    • El Camino Real
    • Highway 395
    • LA to Las Vegas
    • Pacific Coast Highway
    • Route 66
  • National Parks
    • Channel Islands
    • Death Valley
    • Joshua Tree
    • Lassen Volcanic
    • Pinnacles
    • Redwoods
    • Sequoia & Kings Canyon
    • Yosemite
  • Cities
    • Los Angeles
    • Palm Springs
    • Sacramento
    • San Diego
    • San Francisco
  • Resources
    • Day Trip Ideas
    • Road Trip eBooks
    • Hotels
    • My Favorite Travel Products
    • Travel Videos
  • Browse By …
    • Map Of Locations
    • Cities
    • Counties
    • National Parks
    • State Parks

Mendocino Botanical Gardens Near Fort Bragg

Last Modified: May 16, 2020

0shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens are a fantastic place to explore in the town of Fort Bragg. While it may not look like much from the outside, the gardens are situated on 47 acres and feature many different types of flowers as well as a beautiful walking path that will take you all the way down to the coast. If you have a half day or even a few hours, then the Mendocino Botanical Gardens are well worth your time, here is all the information.

Details

  • Cost: $15
  • Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM most days
  • Location: 18220 North Highway 1, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
  • This information was from my visit in 2018
  • Read about my favorite spots along the Mendocino Coast here

Getting There

From Downtown Fort Bragg, you will head south on Highway 1. About a mile after Noyo Bay, you will see the sign for the gardens on your right. There is a large parking area in front of the gift shop.

The Botanical Gardens

Since the gardens are so massive, it is good to know what you want to see before heading out. If you only have a short time, then I would recommend just walking the inner loop, which is about a half mile.

If you have longer, then take the full loop (1.2 miles), which will let you walk all the way out to the coastal bluffs. I didn’t get to go to the coast as I was on a time constraint, but I did get to explore a few fantastic parts of the garden, here are my favorite spots.

Perennial Garden

This is the first garden you will see when you leave the gift shop, and it is an excellent introduction to what you can expect on the walk.

Succulent Garden

This is my wife’s favorite type of plant, so we spent a reasonable amount of time walking around this small patch.

It had lots of succulents and cacti and was arranged beautifully. Continuing on from here, head to the deer gates, which house one of the most magical parts of the garden, Fern Canyon Creek.

Fern Canyon Creek

This area has a few small trails that go along Fern Canyon Creek and provide beautiful views of the dense foliage around you.

This type of trail makes it seem like you have left the garden altogether and have accessed a magical forested trail right in the middle of Fort Bragg.

Plan to spend some time here as it is a lot of fun to explore.

Dahlia Garden

The Dahlia Garden was the most impressive bloom when I went (mid-August). I was told by the people working there that if I can only see one thing, it should be the Dahlia Garden.

I appreciated that recommendation as the garden was covered in all sorts of different colored flowers, and it was an excellent spot for photography.

The Mendocino Botanical Gardens are popular, and many people were walking around and exploring them when I was there. It is a large area though, so it is pretty easy to find a secluded spot just to relax.

From here, you can continue along the trail down to the coast, but unfortunately, I did not have time to do that on this trip. Let me know how the coastal views are if you get a chance to go and read more about the Mendocino Coast here.

Filed Under: Gardens, Northern California Tagged With: Fort Bragg, Mendocino County

Interested in supporting this blog?

This blog is simply a hobby and labor of love for me. If you have enjoyed the posts consider sharing it with your friends. I want as many people as possible to explore this state and you can help by letting them know about all of the great spots!

Join the Newsletter

Subscribe for the four day welcome series and to get the latest content every month.

    We won’t send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

    About JoshMc

    Thanks for checking out the blog, I am happy to be sharing my adventures with you! You can get to know me by reading my about me, which includes a video and additional information on the site, myself and my full disclosure. Also, follow along on Twitter here or read all of my posts on this blog here.

    Primary Sidebar

    About

    Josh from California Through My Lens I'm a travel junkie strapped down to one state, focused on seeing as much of it as I can and encouraging others to do the same. More about me.

    Popular Posts

    The Big List of Strange, Fun & Unique Attractions in Southern California
    Pacific Coast Highway: Where to Stop on Your Road Trip
    Top Hiking Trails in Southern California
    Fun Stops on the Drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas
    24 Things to do in Downtown LA
    17 Things to do in Lake Tahoe
    Donner Pass, Summit Tunnel Hike: Old Abandoned Railroad

    Categories

    Other Resources


    Footer

    Search the site

    Additional Information

    Privacy Policy

    About Us

    Copyright © 2021 · Metro Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

    Coronavirus January 2021 Update: Please note that some information in the posts may have changed and some places may be closed.