Ever feel the need to get out and see the birds and the bees, the flowers and the trees with the one you love? Tired of getting your steps in walking around the same concrete block day after day?
Whether you live in north, central or south Orange County, there are local botanical gardens a short drive away offering a natural oasis for escaping the daily grind of the urban jungle.
The Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton, the Sherman Library and Gardens, the Niguel Botanical Preserve and the Shipley Nature Center may offer just what you are looking for in a momentary visit with Mother Nature.
And, with it being springtime, the birds are busy building nests, the bees are buzzing around all the blooming flowers, and the trees are filled with new buds.
The gardens offer trails and pathways among their varied plants and trees, benches or even the edge of a pond for taking a pause to close your eyes and breathe it all in and informational markers for learning more about what you are looking at. Some also hold classes and events helping residents with their own gardens and connecting people with nature.
A house finch sits on the branch of a bush at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A flower glows in the sunlight at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A red-eared slider swims among the lily pads in the pond at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A western bluebird sits on a sign at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A red-eared sliders sit along the edge of a pond at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Bird of paradise flowers bloom near the entrance at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A windmill and palm tree are reflected in a puddle on a trail at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The afternoon sunlight shines on the fronds of a plant at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A honey bee lands on a flower at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Flowers bloom at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A honey bee hangs on a bloom at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The palm fronds of a Canary Islands dragon tree lay on the ground at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A visitor walks a path through the trees at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Red-eared sliders rest at the edge of a pond at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A red-eared slider sits on the edge of a pond at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
An Allen’s hummingbird rests on a plant at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A red-eared slider sits on the edge of a pond at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A honey bee hovers around a bloom at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Small pink blooms on a branch at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
An Allen’s hummingbird hovers over a flower at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A large bloom at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A student walks along a path past a large tree at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A woman sits on a bench next to the pond on a spring afternoon at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A red-eared slider swims along the surface of the pond at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Students walk along a path past a large tree at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Students stop by the pond during a visit to the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Visitors walk along a path near the entrance of the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A visitor walks along a path past one of the many benches at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Students walk along a path at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Visitors to the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton walk past a Brontosaurus topiary on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Visitors walk through a bamboo forest at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Visitors stop by an information board during a visit to the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton
The 26-acre botanical gardens features Mediterranean, desert, woodland and cultivated plant collections. There are ponds and streams, walkways meandering the property and a nature center. There is a rose garden, children’s garden, seasonal garden and more.
Address: 1900 Associated Road, located on the northeastern edge of the Cal State Fullerton campus.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily; closed for the holidays the university observes
Cost: $5 suggested donation per person; parking is $4 an hour or $10 a day
Information: fullertonarboretum.org
Visitors walk their dog along Succulent Row on the top of the hill at the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel on Saturday, March 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Blooms glow in the late afternoon light at the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel on Saturday, March 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Honey bees land on the lavender blooms at the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel on Saturday, March 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A visitor walks along the main entryway to the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel on Saturday afternoon, March 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Visitors hike along a path at the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel on Saturday, March 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The colorful bricks of the Labyrinth at the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel on Saturday, March 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A visitor walks across a small bridge at the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel on Saturday, March 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Visitors walk with their dog along the Meadow Rue path at the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel on Saturday afternoon, March 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The afternoon sun shines through blooms along the Big Oak Bend path at the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel on Saturday, March 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
As Modjeska Peak and Santiago Peak rise up on the horizon, a visitor pauses along Greenhouse Road at the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel on Saturday, March 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Eucalyptus Lane path crosses over a small wooden bridge at the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel on Saturday, March 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A cottontail rabbit sits along path at the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel on Saturday afternoon, March 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Blooms glow in the late afternoon light at the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel on Saturday, March 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A statue in the Formal Garden at the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel on Saturday, March 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Blooms glow in the late afternoon light at the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel on Saturday, March 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A painted butterfly sculpture in the Butterfly Garden at the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel on Saturday, March 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A view of Modjeska Peak and Santiago Peak from the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel on Saturday, March 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The botanical garden has collections representing South/Southwestern Australia, West Cape of South Africa, Coastal Chile, Mediterranean Basin and California/Baja California. There are trails weaving through the property, a labyrinth, butterfly garden, rose garden and more.
Address: 29751 Crown Valley Pkwy, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
Hours: Sunrise to sunset daily
Cost: Free
Information: niguelbotanicalpreserve.org
Visitors stroll the grounds at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar, CA on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. The gardens and a restaurant covers a city block along PCH. It was founded in 1966 by businessman Arnold D. Haskell. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
An Allen’s hummingbird visits a flower at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar, CA on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. The gardens and a restaurant covers a city block along PCH. It was founded in 1966 by businessman Arnold D. Haskell. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Succulents flourish at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar, CA on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. The gardens and a restaurant covers a city block along PCH. It was founded in 1966 by businessman Arnold D. Haskell. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The beginnings of flower buds emerge from a bromeliad at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar, CA on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. The gardens and a restaurant covers a city block along PCH. It was founded in 1966 by businessman Arnold D. Haskell. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Visitors stroll the grounds at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar, CA on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. The gardens and a restaurant covers a city block along PCH. It was founded in 1966 by businessman Arnold D. Haskell. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
At more than 80 years old a Pepper tree dominates at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar, CA on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. The gardens and a restaurant covers a city block along PCH. It was founded in 1966 by businessman Arnold D. Haskell. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Visitors stroll the grounds at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar, CA on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. The gardens and a restaurant covers a city block along PCH. It was founded in 1966 by businessman Arnold D. Haskell. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A bee visits an anemone at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar, CA on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. The gardens and a restaurant covers a city block along PCH. It was founded in 1966 by businessman Arnold D. Haskell. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Visitors eat on the patio at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar, CA on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. The gardens and a restaurant covers a city block along PCH. It was founded in 1966 by businessman Arnold D. Haskell. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Succulents grow under the steps at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar, CA on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. The gardens and a restaurant covers a city block along PCH. It was founded in 1966 by businessman Arnold D. Haskell. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A visitor takes a photo at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar, CA on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. The gardens and a restaurant covers a city block along PCH. It was founded in 1966 by businessman Arnold D. Haskell. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A variegated agave is hit by the sunlight at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar, CA on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. The gardens and a restaurant covers a city block along PCH. It was founded in 1966 by businessman Arnold D. Haskell. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Visitors stroll the grounds at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar, CA on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. The gardens and a restaurant covers a city block along PCH. It was founded in 1966 by businessman Arnold D. Haskell. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Succulents and cacti flourish at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar, CA on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. The gardens and a restaurant covers a city block along PCH. It was founded in 1966 by businessman Arnold D. Haskell. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The gardens attached to the historical research library feature a tropical conservancy, succulent garden, tea garden, formal garden and more tucked between homes and businesses. There are walkways, a fountain, art pieces and more.
Address: 2647 East Pacific Coast Highway, Corona Del Mar
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily
Cost: $5
Information: thesherman.org
A mushroom grows at the Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A bee buzzes around a California Poppy at the Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A bee buzzes around flowers at the Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Pods hang from a tree at The Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A mushroom grows at The Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A portion of the trail is closed due to flooding from the pond at The Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A plant at The Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A bee buzzes around a California Poppy at the Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A mushroom grows at the Shipley Nature Center inside Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The nature center features 18 acres of restored California native habitats with trails that connect them. There are demonstration gardens, a coastal redwood grove, willows living in a wetland habitat, a pond and more. There is an observation deck, an interpretive center, a native plant nursery and more.
Address: 17851 Goldenwest St., located inside Huntington Beach Central Park East
Hours: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesday, Fridays and Saturdays; closed major holidays
Cost: Entrance is free, a $3 donation is suggested
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