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Bay Area & Sonoma Gardens Tour

Three very different gardens in one easy day: a hillside collection of rare Asian and California native plants, a marketplace of designer garden installations with a lunch stop, and a university garden with plants from around the world. Start in Sonoma Valley and finish in the Berkeley hills. Check current hours and admission before you go.

  1. 1. Sonoma Botanical Garden

    12841 Highway 12, Glen Ellen, CA 95442
    Hours: Open Thursday to Sunday in most seasons; admission fee
    Suggested visit: About 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours
    Highlights: 67 hillside acres with about 20,000 plants and nearly 1,500 species, focused on Asian and California natives, plus the Spirit Guides sculptures along more than three miles of paths.
    The garden feels like a woodland walk rather than a formal garden; some trails are steep or uneven.
    Bring a water bottle, as drinking water is not available along the trails.
    Drive south to Cornerstone Sonoma: about 20 minutes

  2. 2. Cornerstone Sonoma and lunch at the Cornerstone Cafe

    23570 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, CA 95476
    Hours: Daily; gardens are free to visit, shop and cafe hours vary
    Suggested visit: About 1 hour 30 minutes, including lunch
    Highlights: Walk-through garden installations by local and international designers, inspired by the festival at Chaumont-sur-Loire, with sculpture, water features, open lawns, and the Lily Pond.
    Lunch: the on-site Cornerstone Cafe serves sandwiches, salads, pastries, and coffee.
    Outside food and drink are not allowed in the gardens.
    Marketplace tenants change over time, so check current listings before you go.
    Drive to Berkeley: about 1 hour

  3. 3. UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley

    200 Centennial Drive, Berkeley, CA 94720
    Hours: Daily, generally 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, closed some holidays; admission fee
    Suggested visit: At least 2 hours
    Highlights: 34 acres in Strawberry Canyon with more than 10,000 kinds of plants arranged by region, including California, Asia, Australasia, the Mediterranean, and the Americas, plus glasshouses and the Mather Redwood Grove.
    The hillside setting has some steep, uneven paths; comfortable shoes help.
    Arrive with time to spare if you want to see the glasshouses and specialty collections without rushing.

Total driving is about 1 hour 20 minutes across the day. If you would rather stay in wine country, save Berkeley for a separate trip and spend longer at Sonoma Botanical Garden. · northwestblooms.com