Plan Your Visit
Open to the Public
9am – 4pm Daily. Closed Tuesdays
Closed New Year’s Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day
Early Close at 2pm the day before Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s
Garden Admission
Please check-in at the Garden’s Welcome Center before enjoying the Garden.
Become a member today!
Become a member of the Sonoma Botanical Garden for free admission to the Garden, access to hundreds of gardens nationwide, discounts at local nurseries, and more.
Driving Directions
About 8 miles north of Sonoma, the Garden is located on California Highway 12 (Sonoma Highway), just north of Arnold Drive intersection.
Do NOT turn on Miller Road. Enter directly through the gate off HWY 12. View the entrance to the Garden on Google Maps.
Parking
Follow signs from the entry gate on HWY 12 to Visitor Parking. Parking is free. Please check-in at the Garden’s Welcome Center after parking.
We do not currently have the capacity to host buses.
Things to Know
The Garden closes at 4pm. We recommend allowing at least an hour (most people prefer 1.5 to 2 hrs) to enjoy the Garden before close and discourage ticket sales after 3:30pm.
Wheelchair accessibility is limited. There are steep hills and uneven, loose trails. Unfortunately, the width, grade, and surfacing of our pathways does not allow for safe transportation or shuttling for members of the public on golf carts. Please contact us if you have questions.
Please leave pets at home (service animals welcome). Cracking your car windows does not keep your pet safe. When outside temperatures are only 70oF, it can reach 100oF in your car in just 20 minutes.
Picnic areas are scattered throughout the Garden and near the parking lot. We encourage picnicking and ask that you pack in and out your trash – even food waste – to help keep our Garden beautiful and local wildlife healthy.
We encourage guests to bring water in refillable water bottles. Water is available in the Garden’s Welcome Center for purchase, but there is no access to drinking water on the trails.
Restrooms are located near the parking area and in the Garden northwest of the Arbor. Note: the Arbor restrooms are Port-a-Potties.
Biking and smoking are prohibited in the Garden to ensure the tranquility for all.
For your safety, stay on the paths. We share the Garden with rattlesnakes and mountain lions.
The Garden is a living museum with a scientifically documented collection. Many plants are rare or endangered and therefore significant to conservation efforts. Please do not remove seeds or cuttings from the garden.
Photography for personal use is welcomed. Please contact us for commercial photography or videography. Personal drones are not permitted.
Tours, Groups, and Programs
Reservations
Groups of 8 or more guests are asked to make reservations in advance.
You may choose a self-guided visit (8-22 guests) to explore the Garden on your own OR a guided tour (4-22 guests).
Tour Maps & Brochures
Download one of our self-guided tour maps to print at home or view on your phone.
- General Self-Guided Tour Booklet: digital | print*
- Sexually Diverse Maples Brochure: print*
- The Evolution of Food Brochure: print*
- Birds in the Garden Brochure: print*
* Layout designed for letter sized paper, printed double-sided, flipped on short end. Fold in half for booklets or trifold for brochures.
School Programs
School groups are welcome to enjoy the Garden for a self-guided visit. Guests under 12 are always free.
If you have any questions, please contact us.
Special Study
The garden is open year-round for horticultural students and professionals, for the purpose of botanical research and private horticultural study. Please contact us for more information.
Contact Us
707-996-3166
info@sonomabg.org
PO Box 232, Glen Ellen, CA 95442
Offices are open 9am – 4pm, Monday – Friday (closed all major holidays)