Conejo Valley Botanic Garden - Thousand Oaks (CA)

5 /5 Makar Egle (eglectic): One of my new favorite places! Free to enter and lots to see and do. It seems like there are several hiking trails. This place also has specialty gardens as well as a bird habitat and butterfly garden. The children’s garden is only open Sunday mornings, but the rest of the grounds is always there for you to explore. Keep in mind, the hills are relatively steep, so the hikes could be moderately challenging for some. Another cool things is that a lot of the plants are labeled, plus there are plaques with literacy and activity suggestions for kids.

5 /5 Xu Chen (许辰): The Conejo Valley Botanic Garden is a hidden gem, especially during late February through April when the flowers are in full bloom. The vibrant array of blossoms creates a truly stunning and serene atmosphere, perfect for a peaceful stroll or a family outing. The garden is incredibly kid-friendly, with a dedicated kids’ park open on Sundays, making it an ideal spot for little ones to explore and play while parents enjoy the beautiful scenery. Additionally, the garden hosts plant sales on Sundays, offering a great opportunity to take home a piece of its charm. The friendly staff and volunteers make the experience even better. Whether you’re looking for a quiet escape or a fun family day, the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden is a wonderful place to visit!

5 /5 Justin Bond: I’m embarrassed to say I almost let the aerial turn me away. “There’s too much city around it - that won’t be the hike we are looking for.” Happily proved wrong! Not only was the nature trail perfect for us (about one mile) but we were so impressed with the views and with the great variety of plantings to admire. This isn’t a fancy botanic gardens (also free to enter) but you can see the love that went into the preparation of each area. Help these guys out and go visit. (Pro tip: restrooms are at the community center)

5 /5 Sophia Chiu: I don’t know how we missed this place in all the years we have been finding something to do on weekends. Really cool garden with lots of hiking trails and super neat flowers, plants and trees to see! It’s free too! The only con is parking is limited in the parking lot so you want to get there early. There is also a large restroom with flushing toilets/sinks outside of the garden. On Sundays they have the children’s garden open along with a small plant sale from 11am-3pm. You can take the trail from the children’s garden and it loops into the main garden. We enjoyed this much more than hiking in Malibu Creek.

5 /5 Edith Anduray: This place is beautiful. I experienced a peacefully moment contemplating a variety of flowers. This part of the season is gorgeous, full of colors.