What an amazing hidden gem! We went on a docent led tour of the gardens. Our docent was Lynn. She was excellent sharing her wealth of knowledge and answering our many questions! There is a nice easy pathway to walk around with many of areas of shade. Lots of chairs amd benches around to sit and enjoy the beauty. There are even some tables to enjoy a picnic with the family or friends. Lots of interesting trees, plants, and flowers. Some endangered ones. Some growing wild like California Poppies. Each one is labeled with a sign that included the latiin and common names(s) and where they are typically found. There is a pond with koi. Lots of birds and butterflies to see as well. I would recommend this as a nice (and free) activity for anyone! They also have special events including a Twighlight Visit. read more

UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Another fun and neat place to visit when you go to the UCLA campus. Bonus is that it is free, and small, so you can see the whole thing in less than an hour. Definitely a hidden gem, and very zen. I saw people sleeping, meditating, and just enjoying the beauty. There are about 13 different zones / areas for different types of plants, flowers, trees. I would have liked to have seen when it was much larger than it currently is. One of the signs shows what it was supposed to be, how much larger. I have been there in September and in May, so definitely different times of year had different things blooming. There is a waterfall, a pond, and other neat features. Great location for photos. Enjoy my attached photos. They are open set hours, and they close the gates promptly at closing time. They warn you about 15 minutes before hand to start getting ready to get out or get locked in. read more

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I was in LA for work and stayed at the W as it was part of our company hotel block. I decided to extend my trip a little bit and a coworker tipped me off about the botanical garden behind the hotel. With the extra day, I hopped over to see the garden. It was very beautiful and lot of different types of plants. You can escape from the California bustle very easily by walking around here. It's not super large, but it's very serene and peaceful. I spent about a half hour, which is more than plenty, but I can imagine people spending hours here if they wanted to. Especially to enjoy your coffee or finish your homework! read more

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This was a pleasant experience today 7/17/26 and I enjoyed our hot walk through the botanical garden every though it's dry and needs watering. I am always happy to explore and review and learn about plants and vegetation. It's a lovely and shady place to have a picnic and enjoy the natural beauty! read more

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This is my go to Zen spot. It's almost hard to believe that it's right next to a busy street. I almost wanna keep this place a secret but I love that UCLA has this free entry beautiful botanical garden for people to walk-through and to sit and relax and just take a little moment from all the craziness in the world. They recently upgraded it too, so it's even more beautiful than it was a few years ago. I live a few steps away safe. I'm extremely lucky that I have this place right next to me. read more

UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Los Angeles, California

A peaceful oasis for all. Used to jog to the botanical gardens before college classes. Well maintained and loved by students and staff alike. Go here to clear your mind and take a rejuvenating break from the grind of work or school. read more

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The UCLA campus is beautiful on its own but its botanical garden is an oasis in an urbanized environment. It's peaceful, tranquil and while small you can still feel like you're the only one there transported to another world. Go, walk the trails, sit and soak up the tranquility, bring a book or educate yourself on some cool flora and fauna. read more

UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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This place is super cute! It's small and a little unkempt in some areas, but a nice little hidden oasis in Westwood. Was pleasantly surprised by the picnic area near the creek. A nice place to read a book, paint, enjoy a meal. read more

UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden - Picnic area near the creek - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Los Angeles, California

A beautiful garden that's nearby the UCLA medical buildings that's easily accessible and tranquil, if you're visiting the area. The garden is full of greenery here, so even on a hot day, the leaves and branches will cover you well. There's some water ponds and a small waterfall at the main seating area by the rocks. There's also a nice bridge to cross over to the other side of the small river. There's a few routes you can walk through here, it's not a huge garden, but more of a nestled place that steps away from the bustling roadside of the campus and roads. Seating area is near the waterfall, so you can also relax or enjoy some lunch there. The Bruin Bus and the Big Blue Bus runs in the area, so you can get here from anywhere. You can also park around Westwood or any of the UCLA-operated parking structures, some hourly while some are only a set parking day rate. But yeah, a pretty garden worth visiting if you're in the area. read more

UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden - Beautiful pond - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Went on a light afternoon hike using the UCLA perimeters and came across the botanical garden. It was really pretty, not too crowded, and had lots of seating to just hangout at. If you're doing the UCLA Perimeter Walk, highly suggest stopping by here! read more

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An extremely well organized and labeled botanical garden right in the north east corner of the campus near the School of Dentistry. Plant are organized by geographical region and thoughtfully planted to allow easy observation for many different parts along the ADA compliant paths, as well as non-ADA, hiking trails and steps through throughout the garden. there are many places to rest and contemplate as sponsor chairs, benches, and a few tables are included throughout the paths. Only one section of the garden is near the road, but otherwise you will feel like you are completely immersed in a very well planned forest Garden. Public parking is available at the end of the school of dentistry building at typical UCLA rates. read more

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I attended a private event with a tour of the garden and it was such a nice experience. The garden is free & open to the public and contains so many unique plants. Learning about the history and hearing about how long some of these plants have been there really adds to the unique stories of UCLA. Some favorite things I loved included the Tongva basket weaving garden where our guide showed us how they're used. I'm glad I didn't discover this garden in undergrad because I'd probably have a cringeworthy moment now looking at the initials on the bamboo tree carvings of college relationships. They built out benches within the garden so I imagine this would be a nice tranquil place to relax/meditate. The garden hosts frequent weekend community events to the public which looks fun. There are different nooks and spaces that are rentable so it's a good option if you're looking to do a private event. Parking is through UCLA so daily rate is around $16 at the moment. Closest parking is in Lot 2. read more

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I finally had a chance to visit the Botanical Garden at UCLA and it did not disappoint. It is completely a different feel of the campus. Very serene and peaceful! I love the scenery. Bamboo sticks to koi fish pond and a little waterfall. I enjoyed my walk here. read more

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Very beautiful botanical garden! It's rather smaller than other botanical gardens I have visited. They have visitor parking available, it was not expensive. The also have tables with umbrellas so you can do your homework quietly, read a book, or have lunch peacefully. The garden is very clean & well maintained. Perfect for a walk. read more

UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Had a lovely little walk post our morning snack! This garden seemed meticulously planned out with winding paths, little signs everywhere noting which plant was which! I really enjoyed all of the water features teeming with lily pads and other aquatic plants. The stones and little bridges made the walk super scenic and enjoyable. I loved taking my son on a stroll here and taking in the shrubbery. Props to the horticulturists and/or arborists that made this place happen, and tend to it. We need more green spaces that are actually, well... green! No astroturf here, no ma'am. read more

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When in Westwood and UCLA, this is a very nice/welcome hidden gem. Beautiful garden at the corner of the massive campus. It's located close to the science buildings. There are limited hours, but it's fun to walk through and there's some nice places to rest. Best of all, it's free! We came on a Saturday afternoon, and they even had a band performing some live acoustic music. Was a nice way to enjoy a walk around the campus! Note: You will likely have to pay for parking in the area, unless you find street parking somewhere in Westwood. We parked in UCLA Parking Structure 2, which we were able to search for on the GPS. read more

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Such a peaceful and beautiful spot tucked away on the UCLA campus! It's free to enter and feels like a secret escape from the city. The garden has a great mix of tropical plants, desert succulents, and shady tree-lined paths. I especially loved the pond with turtles and the little wooden bridges very calming. Perfect place for a relaxing walk, a quiet read, or even a casual date. Parking can be tricky unless you use UCLA Structure 2, but totally worth it. Bonus: dogs are allowed on a leash! Great for all ages and surprisingly spacious. One of LA's underrated gems read more

Beautiful garden. Well maintained. It's a bit small. Breezed through it in 1 hr. Saw lots of people bringing their food in for a picnic. Lots of places to sit and enjoy. Pretty peaceful. Koi fish pond in the middle. Definitely bringing a whole pizza next time to sit and chill. read more

UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Even though I am a current USC student , they were still very polite to me. A small but free botanical garden located inside UCLA on the southeast part of campus near the school of dentistry. It's fairly small on the inside and you could easily walk the entire thing in 30 minutes, but there are many paths winding around the entire garden and at the very bottom there is a small waterfall and stream with tables, chairs, and many students, artists, and readers sitting and enjoying the beautiful California weather. I also saw a couple of runners inside running the trails. They have hummingbirds, beautiful flora, and it's a nice quiet and shaded area of refuge in a very busy city. Although not nearly the same size or variety of larger botanical gardens like Descanso, it is still really beautiful and a great quiet place for students to study or relax. I would definitely recommend to anyone in the area, especially for students. I plan to be back in the near future because I live very close by. read more

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When you're a female who works in Football sometimes you have to get out to find some pillow soft type of stuff to get into. Enter me stumbling upon a botanical garden last week and making a mental note to check this spot out. My love for plants, flowers, nature, birds, flowing water, and peaceful places runs as deep as my love for sports and things far less fragile. I decided to walk over today to peep this spot. I didn't spend a ton of time, but did a fairly thorough walk through to get an initial idea. I absolutely loved this space. It's very serene with several special places to sit to read, take a call, enjoy lunch, or just be present. I immediately thought this is a spot I could share with Moms and families during recruiting if they needed a small break from meetings or an area to decompress after travel. The garden is gorgeous and I can definitely see myself adding frequent walk thrus to my days for a sense of calm. In fact I'm fairly certain this will be one of my meditation spots. There are several different entrances/exits. Free admission and really just a lovely area. I walked from my office and have no clue what the parking situation is. read more

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Beautiful garden! Very well laid out, nice placards of plant's names, a huge staghorn fern on one of the trees when you first walk thru. Also a resident owl atop one of the big trees that was beautiful to watch! Loved the succulent garden, too, and it was a peaceful walk thru with an awesome pond teeming with lily pads and koi! Highly recommend! read more

My older kiddos were helping out with a research study for my 8 year old and I wandered around the botanical gardens and had a relaxing and lovely time. Quiet, shaded, peaceful, and beautiful, we enjoyed admiring the trees and flowers, I love that there's a water feature with seating - felt like a quiet and safe escape from urban life read more

A hidden gem in Westwood. This is free to visit. A beautiful botanical garden. What I like most is the plants and trees were labeled. It's well-organized and the path is easy to follow. We spent about 40 minutes there walking around after we ate, but many people had brought their lunch to the garden to enjoy on one of the many benches. read more

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needed a safe and quiet, yet beautiful area to take a few photos for my pups 5th birthday (my pups is crazy lol) i heard UCLA's botanical garden was def somewhere to visit the garden is dog friendly so check and check arrived on a sunday morning there were already a good amount of people walking the trail i saw about a handful of dogs the garden is well kept but under construction, i know once it is completed, i will definitely be going back to visit restrooms are available the garden was very easy to navigate through parking: parked in structure 2, in the visitor section. there were also some spaces on the street. Rates are $3/hour, $5 for 2 hours we entered on the Tiverton Ave. side *check the website prior to your visit for updated hours read more

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We took an impromptu trip here a few weeks ago. Currently there are not many flowers in bloom however there are many plants to see. We took about half an hour to go through the garden. There are a few benches to stop and rest at and a pond with koi fishes and turtles. Admission to the garden is free. We parked at the visitor parking at the UCLA Parking Structure 2 nearby and walked over here. We paid $4 for 2 hours. There are metered parking at Westwood Village as well. read more

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While I hope all my fellow Yelpers will read this with the right facetious lens, I have to start by saying I'm a lifelong USC Trojan... thus and thus, anything ucla- branded must be terrible. Rivalries have a way of fading as one ages, it seems, and fate aligns opportunities for one to grow as a human being. In my mid-40s, I found myself being referred to a UCLA specialist for an eye issue, and had to make the long drive to Westwood three different times for appointments at Jules Stein. After being dilated and completing my appointments, I was pretty much unable to drive for a few hours-- light sensitivity and blurred vision don't mix well with the 405 freeway. So instead of hitting the road, I sort of wandered around the area. Just a couple blocks east of the UCLAmed proper is this little botanical garden. Once you pass the chain link fence through a couple of different gates, you'll find asphalt-covered walking paths through various plants, flowering shrubs, and trees. Seeming built prior to current ADA regulations, there are some steeper slopes and non-ballistic turns on these paths-- you wouldn't want to let your baby stroller go in a couple of spots. But for the most part, this is a tranquil and shaded spot in the midst of bustling Westwood, where one can sit on a nice little bench and enjoy the breeze. For the casual plant geek (guilty as charged), there are actually a couple of cool specimens here not easily found around town. A few seasonal plantings of annuals kept things colorful, and during my visit some of the vining perennials were also in bloom. Seeing the giant bamboo all tagged-up by assorted dumbassery and miscreant foolishness snapped me back to the reality of my location in an urban setting, but that's life in the big city, I suppose. I wouldn't call this a destination, but I was glad to find it as an alternative to sitting in my truck in a parking structure waiting for my eyes to readjust. Grab some food or coffee at the nearby Ralph's food court, and walk down the hill just a bit to this garden. Worth a "sit and chill." read more

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I been traveling around southern CA since pandemic, looking for outdoor places and I found this place accident since I want to look place to go near by Getty Museum. Easy nice walk and enjoy lunch under the shade. Feel like walking in jungle in some of the area. Small water steam w/ turtles and fishes. Noted do not feed them. Free Admission Feb to Oct: Weekday 8-5 --- Weekend 9-5 Nov to Jan: Weekday 8-4 --- Weekend 9-4 Parking: there is meter parking with pay station across street from UCLA parking structure 2 and you could also enter the structure on Charles E. Young or Manning and park in green visitor parking on the lower level. Write down your license plate number and use it at pay machines located near stairs/elevators.$3 an hour -- $13 whole day. https://goo.gl/maps/BiNhX8cy2oJeQCq69 METERED PARKING Metered spots are available in Westwood Village and on Manning Dr .. I saw many spots open around noon. We spend 1 1/2 hrs there Wheelchair / stroller / dog friendly Restroom by LA Kretz Botany Building: Air condition and clean. What else surprised me is faucet is water and air dryer together. A lot of benches under the tree w/ shades 3 big around tables with shade by the water steam 2 big picnic tables by LA Kretz Botany building read more

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Small botanical garden the Westwood neighborhood at UCLA. A great place to find peace, connect with nature and meditate when it's not too busy. They have walk-in paths with benches, chairs and tables throughout so I often sit for a while to relax. Great place for reading and thinking. read more

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Very nice place with lots of trees, resting benches all over the place. A hidden gem in UCLA read more

I love the botanical gardens. So much of UCLA a is stunning, and the gardens are no exception. The trees here are research grade (they aren't bred, they're shipped from their native habitat) and it's a great place to bird watch or escape the city or campus. It's volunteer run, so be patient with repairs or hours. Many of these reviews complain about covid hours but don't acknowledge this is a free garden on a public university campus that is run by volunteers!!! Go bird watching!!!! read more

UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden - Plants - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I was here on Saturday, looking forward to a nice stroll in the shade while I was in the area! I looked into it before my visit, everywhere it said it was opened! When I walked to it, the gates were locked, with a sign on the it, kinda confusing. I talked to a gardener who was exciting, found out that it's closed to the public! Since this weekend! Too bad, we all need gardens and nature nowadays, since indoors spaces are closed. I just noticed the Temp. Closed on Yelp this morning. It is closed! Looking forward to its re-opening. Till then, one less activity for Westwood area! read more

UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden - Sign! Closed for now! - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Nice peaceful spot on the ucla campus, parking is limited, large enough for a nice walk

Absolute gem of a spot right in the hustle of UCLA and LA in general. You can quickly stroll through or meander and wander in this urban retreat for a couple hours. Shaded spots for seating and even some areas to read or picnic. Parking is kinda of an issue. There are problems and online information about events and activities. Thank you for the staff who provide this awesome garden. You can find koi fish and turtles in the water too. read more

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My daughters and I were really bummed when we got here on a Saturday morning and the gates were locked a few weeks ago. I thought it would be a quiet outdoor place that I could take my little ones to explore nature and admire the spring blooms but due to Covid, the botanical garden is closed on weekends. Also, I think the sign says that it is not open to the public either when it is open during the weekdays, and only open to students and faculty. Hopefully we can come back to enjoy this garden soon! read more

UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The botanical garden is an oasis for all members of the UCLA community. Staff, students, faculty and visitors who know about this hidden jewel retreat to the garden for its peace and zen-like quiet. There are plenty of shaded benches to sit on while you enjoy the views. There's also a ton of wildlife in the garden. Of course there's your run-of-the-mill city squirrel. But there are also turtles, massive koi fish, and birds. If you're extra careful you may even spot a hummingbird. My favorite part about the garden are all the plant life, this is a review of a garden after all. There are trees, plants and flowers from all over the world, but also ones that are native to California. I'd definitely recommend walking down to the garden to take a break from the daily grind. read more

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so beautiful and so much to see! It's pretty big and has a cute waterfall and stream, the seating area is a cute place to study and hangout with a small cafe next to it as well! read more

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Pretty, but very cold on a non-sunny day because it's shaded almost completely. Imagine it would be quite cooling and comfortable on a hot summer day. Hard to find parking since it's on the UCLA campus. read more

Carve out plenty of time to visit the gardens. There's so much to explore and I found one visit is not enough to take everything in. read more

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Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Gardens, seven acres, named in honor of UCLA's Mildred E. Mathias renowned taxonomist, although dormant now, this winter time of year, is still a place of beauty, peace and learning to be experienced, enjoyed at no cost except time spent and perhaps a few quarters in one of Hilgard's parking meters or a fee at a nearby UCLA lot. Free docent tours for groups of eight or more are available If solitude or meditation is your goal, skip downloading the primary garden's map or the plant location guide and simply wander, grab a bench and just be like I did after a short stroll from my 90024 home. Looking forward to returning in spring to explore more... read more

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Beautiful grounds! Our visit was during the winter month and many of the flowering plants and trees were in hibernation. We had an hour to spare and we came at the last hour before they closed the gates. This 7.5-acre garden is an oasis in the middle of busy Los Angeles and located on the UCLA campus. It is free to the public daily. It's quite a walk from the main campus but heading back we found a short cut cutting through the Life Sciences buildings. The Garden's sections are organized into groupings of plants that are geographic. It was hard to distinguish the plants without the flowers (eg. I would easily recognize a hibiscus plant by the flower). But the palms and bromeliads were easy to tell. I managed to take a few photos of flowering trees where the flowers were growing upside down. It was the first time I've seen such a plant. Interesting and beautiful! We found our way to The Stream somewhere in the center of the Garden and found some koi fish, turtles and crayfish. This part has a jungle-like appearance. After exiting that section we made our way to the arching bamboo groves. I did not appreciate the vandals that sadly carved names and graffiti and defaced the bamboo trunks. I love bamboos even though they are invasive plants. The Garden Is full of small trails and lots of seating scattered throughout. One can find a quiet, serene place to meditate, study or just relax, it's so peaceful here. Wish the plants were flowering when we went. I love flowers! Hope to return soon at another time when the flowers are in bloom... Review #1251 read more

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