This is place is such a disappointment. Most of the plants look crispy af and haven't been fertilized in years. There's no prices on a lot of the plants and couldn't determine what's for sale and what's not for sale. I don't know how anyone could have a wedding at this place with shitty looking plants all around. Nice views though.. read more

This place is just great if you are in the area and want a roadside attraction. Whether you want to meditate (there is a separate room), peruse some amazing plants or buy orchids, Shelldance is the place. I fell in love at the first site with the place. What makes the place is the owner. Nancy is absolutely amazing! She always find treats for you plants and your soul with kind words. Love Nancy! read more

Fantastic place. In addition to what's here, be sure to check its other Yelp page (search "shelldance") for additional glowing reviews (including my own). read more

Two months ago my husband and I had the amazing opportunity to get married in the North Wing of Shelldance Gardens. It was such a beautiful experience and Nancy the owner is so easy going and fabulous! She was attentive to our needs and always responded to my emails in a timely manner. Nancy was open to a variety of questions and gave us tips on how to efficiently utilize the space....She even gave me great tips on how to wire succulents for my bouquet and went through my list of flowers I planned to buy in order to make sure they did well with the greenhouse climate (e.g. Don't plan on hydrangeas). Nancy is also flexible about the event hours and rental drop off and pick up times. I agree with other reviewers that it takes a little bit of set-up creativity but it is very well worth it because it is just such a beautiful space!! The venue requires very little decorative effort because of its natural beauty. In regards to the bathrooms, I was nervous that the single bathroom stall would be an issue for our guest list of about 90, but it wasn't at all. There were a few girls in line here and there but nothing out of hand. Heads up, Nancy does keep the shop open until five, wedding or no wedding. So, at times it is a little strange having orchid customers walking around as you are getting ready for the ceremony, but overall it was not a problem and we were extremely happy with the success of our wedding ceremony and reception at Shelldance. read more

I absolutely recommend this place. They have beautiful orchids, succulents and flowering plants. Nancy the owner is charming, friendly and helpful. The first time I went there, we purchased 2 Clivias, succulents and a bromeliad plant. While I was there, I mentioned to her that although I LOVE orchids, I have a terrible time caring for them and that they tend to die quickly. She told me to bring them in and she'd show me how to care for them. The following week, I brought in my three sickly orchids. She spent 30 minutes helping me to replanting the orchids and showing me how to take care of them and water them. Nancy was an absolute doll. I would so recommend this place to anyone looking for beautiful orchids and Bromelaids or chatting with someone who really knows her plants! read more

Magical experience ! Stumbled across this greenhouse garden on the way back from a hike in Pacifica read more

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We held our wedding at Shelldance last month and it was fantastic. The owner, Nancy, was the most flexible and laid back person to work with and made the entire process as painless as possible. The plants are truly amazing and the entire event felt sort of magical (I could be biased since it was my wedding, but I don't think so :). We had about 70 people and I think, if you want to hold dinner inside, too many more would be a tight fit, but it worked out perfectly for us. There is no kitchen on-site and some amount of creative organization of the space will be required, but if you don't mind these things, then this is truly a wonderful place to hold an event. We also bought a gorgeous orchid afterwards to take home with us whose flowers smell like vanilla. Awesome! Shelldance will always hold a very special place in my heart. read more

Thank you so much Cathy for re-potting my orchid and giving me a mini crash course on re potting and how-to take care of my orchid. I have this orchid that I just water and for the past three years. I thought it was a goner, because there were just leaves and greens things shooting out. It looked monstrous. But yesterday, I noticed a bud. The plant will flower! I feel like a proud mother-to-be. In order to give it a better beginning, I took it to Shelldance. Cathy helped me throw out the old bark, soak it in some nice water (reminds me of an orchid spa), trimmed the dead roots or ugly tentacles, nicely put the roots where they belong under the bark, not over the bark. Cathy really knows her plants and you can see the sparkle in her eyes talking about orchids. I got some plant food and I was happy to bring home a healthy orchid. I see it growing another bud already. Cathy explained that the plant really is like us. It doesn't like too much sun, not too hot, not too cold. It likes to be fed once a week, but skip the week of the full moon. (Who Knew?). Thank you so much. I hope I got your name right. If everyone is calling you Nancy and I'm the only one calling you Cathy, then I apologize. Thanks for taking so much time with one little old customer! This is the best place for orchid buying or learning! Only weekends: 10 to 5 p.m. I came on Friday and am so glad I returned. They have the best orchid food around. read more

Our wedding took place on 2 August and quite frankly, we couldn't have been happier with everything about Shelldance. Nancy was amazingly easy to work with even going as far as helping us set up chairs the day of. On the whole, I'm unsure that our wedding would have been what we imagined without this location- it was that good. If you're looking for a relaxed atmosphere among beautiful plants and scenery, I highly recommend going here! read more

Love this place!! I have driven by it so many times enroute to take my pup to the vet from the city and always wondered what it was all about. You follow this windy street up the hill to a fabulous piece of property that overlooks the splendor of Pacifica: big waves, hills, green, awesomeness. Then you walk into a slightly random greenhouse of Orchids and many other plants/flowers. I am not sure if the lady that helped me was the owner but she was a cool chick that was very friendly and you could tell she loved being around all the beauty. So needless to say, highly reccommend for a lazy Sunday morning stroll down Hwy 1. read more

If you love orchids then you'll love this place. This orchid nursery is awesome! It's situated at the top of a hill so the views inside and outside are spectacular. They have all kind of orchids here, from nice bright colored ones, to ones with nice subtle tones. I'm not an orchid connoisseur or have a green thumb but I know beauty when I see it, and this place is a nice, rustic place to visit. read more

Such a cool place! I accidentally spent 1 1/2 hours here looking around and talking w/ the owner and learning all about my new plant children. I look forward to visiting again! read more

This place is amazing. We bought several plants from them over the last few months, and they're all doing great. The owners are very knowledgeable, down to earth, all-around great people. The gardens are gorgeous and very photogenic. A must-see. read more

Great visit to this wonderful orchid and succulent grower in Pacifica. I love seeing their unique collection plants, and have picked up a few new additions to my house. I will continue to return in the future! read more

I've been going here for orchids and bromeliads for 20 years. For just as long I've come to wander in their display houses with exotics they raise but not for sale. They have a meditation room to reflect in and have an open area that will comfortably hold a wedding for 80. read more

I LOVE this place. I just did a wedding photoshoot at Shelldance and it is absolutely gorgeous. What's great about Shelldance is that you don't need to add a lot of decor to make it stunning. It's already gorgeous on its own. Nancy has a great eye for landscaping the arboretum and she has an incredible wealth of knowledge about what she does. I wish I could take Shelldance and put it in my backyard. Nancy was really easy to work with, friendly, and flexible with us. She always responded to my emails within 2 days. I would definitely recommend this place for my clients who want that garden like feel to their event. read more

Exotic botanical adventure time. Have a Mom or Mother in Law that loves flowers/orchids? This is your opportunity to score big points at a reasonable price. Get a zipcar convertible for a scenic ride down the coast. Go early on a warm (good luck) Saturday or Sunday. Meander thru the greenhouses. Try and decide between the orchid from Venus or Mars. Then head for a Ritz-Carlton brunch in Half-Moon Bay before the traffic gets insane for a perfect bourgeois trifecta. read more

Some areas of the nursery were really beautiful and there were some really unique plants. However, most of the plants were bone dry and looked like they haven't been watered in weeks, especially the air plants. The majority of the plants had dead leaves, a lot of them weren't priced, and it was very disorganized. It was a good place to stop by and windowshop. But, not really a good place to find a healthy plant at a reasonable price. Maybe I just went at the wrong time of the season? read more

this place is the real deal. led by a visionary and caretaker, Nancy knows her stuff and is a great person on top of it all. when i'm here as a customer, i don't feel like the exchange of money is the top order of business. people help you find what you need and take their time with you. i've had yoga workshops here, too. such a beautiful space. thank you, Nancy! read more

This is the coolest orchid greenhouse I have ever been to the people there are very helpful and kind very very kind I picked out the orchids I wanted and she sent them to my mother in Michigan for Mother's Day nice nice place. Plus they have a lot of neet Bromelaid's and other tropical plants read more

Every visit is a treat to the soul and senses. I feel better walking through the greenhouses surrounded by the gorgeous greens and orchids. Having our wedding here was a dream. Nancy and her team couldn't have been lovelier to work with. Really appreciate all the positivity and love, thank you! read more

absolutly amazing place, could not find a more exotic and interesting shop to purchase all of your horticultural needs. a must go if your in the bay area read more

Beautiful and magical! Getting married there in July, and couldnt have picked a better (and affordable) location! Nancy is great, and has offered us loads of help. I like to go there to imagine my upcoming wedding, and to just browse through the orchids. It's like visiting another world! read more

Shelldance is one of the most incredible places I've ever been. Someone else called it a 'magical fairy garden' and that is the truth. Trying to describe it almost seems too big a task. The plants are extraordinary and you will see things blooming in ways that you didn't know possible. Nancy is a plant whisperer. I bought a few plants, which Nancy wrapped up for me to fly back to New York. The care she took ensured that both plants made it home happy and safe was like nothing I've ever seen. She went so far as to put batting (quilting material) around each one. Go on a day you've got a few hours to spare, because once you start walking around you won't want to leave. read more

Way cool spot! A long-time Pacifica resident took me here today. Lovely selection of plants. Hard to find prices. Totally OK to just look around; no pressure. The music in the cashiering/gallery area made me relax, and chuckle: About as New Age-Woo-Woo as it gets! Fitting for a business started in the late 1970s! :-) read more

The workers here are passionate about their work and very helpful. I got a kick out of the cats in the background, very friendly and accommodating as well LOL. Coming here was a interesting and educational experience. Some very unique and amazing orchids here to say the least. I'll probably be back to check out the orchids again. read more

I LOVE this place! Nancy is totally awesome and incredibly knowledgeable about orchids. I brought 5 plants to her that I couldn't get to re-bloom and she spent a great deal of time with me, showing me the proper medium to put them in, instructed me how they should be watered, and even how much light they needed. Long story short, 3 of the 5 plants (including a beautiful vanda orchid) have already re-bloomed! read more

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I've been here for orchids, bromeliads and succulents many a time - but today they have wonderful new jewelry and holiday ornaments - stunning beadwork from Guatemala, designed well and beautifully crafted. I bought a few - especially love the little hippopotamus tree ornament. The staff was great, and the giftwrapping was lovely. Am just waiting for one more "reason" to get one more bracelet! read more

Wonderful selection of plants. Excellent source of information for orchid care. My two sickly orchids are now repotted and happy.

Just went and bought whole bunch of their pretty orchids yesterday 02/28/2015. Not only beautiful orchids, also the location has stunning views to the ocean. They do have different types of exotic orchids and plants. Totally recommend this place to everyone, try and visit and you won't regret..... read more

I've been there two times now. Today was the second. The first time was packed and Nancy looked to me like she really had hands full. Yet she was courteous. The second time, earlier in the day today, it was not packed, and so she helped me repot one of my orchids, was incredibly nice and yep, I bought another orchid. read more

This place is great for orchids! Really not much to say other than the selection and prices are very very good. Nancy is great to work with and will repot your orchids for something like 2 bucks. read more

Such a nice place. Lots of tropical plants to look at. The price is on the higher side, but I think of the difference as part of the admissions the place could have charged. read more

This is the worse place ever. One-star is even too high of a rating for the worse customer service ever. Customer service is close to none. Rude!!! I think he hates kids. Pricey too! read more

I recently hosted a baby shower for my cousin and used Shelldance Orchid Gardens as the venue. We had an amazing experience with both the location as well as the owner, Nancy. Nancy was absolutely amazing. Not only was she easy to work with, but she also was incredibly helpful throughout the event. Our baby shower was beautiful and all of our guests were blown away with the natural beauty of the garden. We had approximately 30 guests and had plenty of room to enjoy ourselves, play games, relax, eat, and socialize. This venue was perfect for our needs. At the end of the day, my mother purchased two orchids from Nancy and she was kind enough to wrap them thoroughly so that they could withstand the plane ride without getting knocked around too much. It was a perfect day and I would highly recommend Shelldance Orchid Garden to anyone planning on hosting an event there. read more

Beautiful Venue. We had a very large group of parents and toddlers there for a Halloween Party. The venue was just perfect! It was a lot of fun and the kids loved exploring. Tons of parking, plenty of party space and beautiful views! Very happy we choose this location. read more

This place is a treat - a wonderful place to visit and explore. They have a great selection of plants for sale - lots of orchids and air plants - often in wonderful arrangements. What really sets this place apart however is the staff - in particular the owner, Nancy. She is patient and very generous with her time - taking time to explain the different techniques and considerations for caring for your plants. I have been coming here for over 10 years. Her displays of airplants and ferns are breathtaking. She has several growing rooms, a place to "holiday" your out of bloom plants and a wedding reception area. It is worth taking the time to look around this area if is is not being used - the plants are spectacular in size and form - obviously in fine health and many specimens are decades old - often more impressive that you would see in a dedicated botanic garden. These specimens are something to aspire to - not for sale but great to see. Go visit - the location is great for a day trip from any where in the bay area - and there is a great hike from the back of the parking lot. Great views, great plans, great advice. Thank you Nancy and team. read more