Day Trip Alta Vista Botanical Gardens Explore Hidden Artworks

Alta Vista Botanical Gardens span 13 acres in Brengle Terrace Park and offer an enjoyable and affordable day trip option from San Diego or Orange County. The garden boasts a collection of hundreds of unique and fascinating plants and features a variety of sculptures and artworks throughout the grounds.

The hilltop garden features miles of walkways that wind through various themed gardens. Visitors can enjoy many unique sculptures at every turn of the trail, along with benches offering stunning views of North San Diego County.

If you visit Alta Vista Botanical Gardens with young children, they may tire quickly while exploring the gardens. However, there’s no need to worry because the Children’s Garden at Alta Vista is designed to keep them entertained, refreshed, and eager to discover more than 40 hidden artworks within the garden.

In addition to the Children’s Garden, Alta Vista Botanical Gardens offers a variety of year-round classes for all ages. These include Kids in the Garden, Yoga in the Garden, and basic gardening classes.

Alta Vista Botanical Garden consists of several zones that feature a variety of plants and landscapes. The Medicine Wheel Desert Garden is a sacred place for meditation, while the Butterflies Garden is filled with milkweed to attract Monarch Butterflies. The Cycad Garden showcases prehistoric plants with dinosaur sculptures, and the Jeffrey Stein Children’s Music Garden is a dedicated area for children to enjoy.

Explore over eight acres of native plants at the California Natives Garden, the Sharon Kern Culinary Herb Garden featuring chives to ginger, and the Antique Rose Collection, boasting a heritage rose collection.

The garden features an array of plants from various continents. The Australasian Garden showcases plants that are indigenous to Australia and New Zealand. The Jungle Garden boasts tropical trees, palms, and a stunning waterfall. Lastly, the African Garden exhibits exotic plants native to the South African continent.

Artworks Alta Vista Botanical Gardens

The gardens exhibit over forty artworks, including sculptures available on consignment. Notable sculptures on display are Sea Breeze by Charles Bronson, Calla Lily by Steve Bundy, Broken Link by Anthony Amato, Miro Kite by Mindy Rodman & Paul White, The Constellation Tree by Fritzie Urquhart, Piano Pebble Chime by Robert Rochin, Human Sundial by Anne Little, and A Creative Bloom by Lia Strell.

Getting to Alta Vista Gardens

If you’re interested in attending special events at Alta Vista Botanical Gardens, weekends are the best time to visit. However, weekdays are better if you prefer a peaceful walk around the grounds. The gardens are found at 1270 Vale Terrace Dr, Vista, CA 92084. The gardens are open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 pm on weekends and from 7 am to 4:30 pm on weekdays. Donations are welcome, and dogs are allowed on a leash. website

While in Vista, we recommend the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum. The Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum is operated year-round and differs from its traditional counterparts. Its nearly 1,000 volunteers help maintain and repair the museum’s diverse collection of tools and equipment, dating from the mid-1800s to the early 1960s.

More Southern California Gardens

Santa Barbara Botanical Garden

San Diego Botanic Garden