Article written by: Cindy Bokma
A fantastic day trip in California is to visit the South Coast Botanical Garden and Wayfarers Chapel. One you cannot miss experiencing both especially if you love photography and architecture in a beautiful natural landscape and gardens. Both are located in the spectacular Palos Verdes Peninsula, California.
The South Coast Botanical Garden
“One of the world’s first botanical gardens to be developed over a sanitary landfill. The Garden is a masterpiece of creative land reclamation and environment improvement for all to share. It is a living testimonial to the fact that land reclamation not only offers a practical solution to refuse disposal problems but also beautifies and improves land values at the same time. The Garden has become a beautiful and restorative urban oasis among the hustle and bustle of a major mega-metropolitan area.”
– South Coast Botanical Garden
You will enjoy 87 acres of plants, shrubs, bushes, flowers and maybe you will be lucky enough to spot some wildlife. The garden offers various areas showing off California Native Plants, Banyan Grove, Desert Garden, and more. My favorite was the Garden for the Senses where you can touch, see, and smell various plants.
I can spend hours and hours at a garden like this as I tend to wander around and take pictures of whatever catches my eye. Plan your day so that you can spend plenty of time here. Also, fantastic for getting exercise in as well because you will probably walk about two miles, if not more. Your Fitbit exercise app will be so proud of you!
This garden is open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (last ticket sale at 4:30 PM)
Tickets are $9 for adults.
26300 Crenshaw Boulevard Palos Verdes Peninsula, California 90274.
Location:
Wayfarers Chapel
The natural sanctuary of Palos Verdes sits nestled in a grove of towering redwoods on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Designed by renowned organic architect Lloyd Wright, the stone and glass structure gives unique expression to the sacred space that welcomes all Wayfarers along life’s path.
~ Wayfarers Chapel
Located as well on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, the chapel sits high above the Pacific Ocean with stunning views. It was designed by Lloyd Wright, son of Frank Lloyd Wright, in 1947 and is almost all glass, surrounded by trees.
You can stroll around the grounds and visit the gift shop/visitors center which is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM. There are weddings and church services throughout the week so you may not be able to get inside the chapel.
The area surrounding the chapel is very pretty and there is no cost to roam around and soak up the natural beauty.
Location:
5755 Palos Verdes Drive South Rancho Palos Verdes, California 90275, USA
1 (310) 377-1650
5StarTips🌟:
The following are five tips that are important to know when visiting both of these locations:
🌟 As always with day trips, I recommend wearing comfortable shoes, bring a camera!
🌟 Plan ahead and bring a small backpack for water, sunscreen, and snacks. There are no cafes at the Botanical Garden.
🌟 There are several restaurants in the immediate area. I recommend a casual restaurant called Stacked which offers a variety of hamburgers that can be made gluten-free. It is located at 3525 W Carson St Ste 172, Del Amo Fashion Ctr, Torrance, CA 90503 It was the perfect place to relax after a busy morning of walking and being outside.
🌟 Plan your day ahead of time knowing that the traffic can be a challenge. Remember morning and evening commute times on the freeway. Best to leave early or late to avoid traffic. Utilize the navigation google app which alerts you to heavy traffic, accidents and alternate routes.
🌟 Check the weather before you head out for correct clothing to wear, the temperatures can vary in California from cool to quite warm.
Final Thoughts:
If you are in Southern California for a vacation or if you live here, take advantage of the both of the Wayfarers Chapel and the South Coast Botanical Gardens, especially because that can be enjoyed all year long no matter what season.
Be sure to take time to leisurely stroll amongst the trees and plants native to California. Wonderfully peaceful to take in the beauty of the ocean that is the perfect backdrop to the Wayfarers Chapel. Since the Botanical Garden is only a few miles away, it makes sense to visit both in one day. Then end your day by the beach!
Cheers to your Always5Star day enjoying nature in Southern California!
For other great articles from Cindy Bokma:
A bit about the author: Cindy Bokma
Cindy Bokma grew up in New Jersey but now lives in California. Cindy is the author of
The Blondes of Bel Air, A Thousand Dollars for a Kiss and Here If You Need Me. She has also written a children’s book, Victorious Girls and has pitched television shows to networks such as Disney and Nickelodeon. She is an accomplished screenplay analyst, having worked for a popular Hollywood production company.
Order her book: Low Oxalate Cookbook – The Low-Oxalate Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook: 75 Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Yeast-Free, Low-Sugar Recipes to Help You Stress Less and Feel Better on Amazon.
Visit her also at Wild Flower and Woods And Visit her also at Cindy Bokma Books
About Pamela Rossi
I am passionate about travel and taking each moment and making it a five star experience. My goal is to create those experiences for YOU!
What gorgeous flower photos! I love photographing flowers as well, I’d enjoy a day here!
I know you would! Let me know if you are able to do this! Thank you for the kind comment!