Our family loves to visit botanical gardens when we travel. It allows us to spend time outdoors and we get a feel for the personality and natural beauty of our destination. Plus it gives the kids a chance to run around and get some of their wiggles out!

A plant sculpture at the San Diego Botanic Garden

In our hometown, we are members of the San Diego Botanic Garden (formerly named Quail Botanical Gardens). This is one of San Diego’s best hidden gems. It contains not one but TWO children’s gardens full of hands-on activities. Plus there are plenty of walking paths lined with beautiful plants and flowers from around the world. In total, there are 27 themed gardens to choose from.

The  Seeds of Wonder Children’s Garden miniature train
is always a hit with kids

Seeds of Wonder Children’s Garden
This garden is all about simple pleasures for toddlers and preschoolers. There are buckets of soapy water with tons of wands for blowing bubbles. A sand pit hides small plastic dinosaurs perfect for little hands to dig up. Kids can pretend to be mommy or daddy in a child-sized wooden house outfitted with a kitchen and utensils. Children can get their hands dirty doing a bit of gardening by transplanting tiny succulents from one container to a take-home plastic pot, filling it up with a wee bit of soil and then spraying their new treasure with a spritz of water. My train-loving toddler’s favorite part of the Seeds of Wonder Children’s Garden is the miniature train that chugs through the garden.

My son, Leo, digging for dinosaurs last year

Hamilton Children’s Garden
This newer children’s garden is much bigger than the cozy original and is geared for a slightly older audience of school-aged children. The Hamilton Children’s Garden has less greenery and shade, but it is ever-so-fun nonetheless. The centerpiece is Toni’s Tree House, complete with rope bridges, tunnels, and a spiral staircase for exploring.

Leo climbing Toni’s Tree House

The Incredible Edibles teaches children about the plants and herbs we eat. The Pencil Arbor and Bonsai Sketching Area is equipped with coloring sheets and a trellis on which children can hang their creations. Garden Rhythms encourages children to make music with instruments made from items found in nature, like rocks, sticks and water. There’s a labyrinth, a sundial, a giant tic-tac-toe board, and more to discover in this sprawling garden.

The Spell & Smell Garden is filled with labeled potted plants, each of which starts with a different letter of the alphabet.

Tropical Rain Forest
After visiting one or both of the children’s gardens, you can meander through the rest of the gardens. All are beautiful, but one of my personal favorites is the Tropical Rain Forest. I love Hawaii and this feels like a wee slice of Polynesia in San Diego. This is a great place to sit on a bench to listen to the sound of waterfalls and breathe in the sweet scent of over-sized flowers in a lush landscape…for as long as your children will let you.

A waterfall in the Tropical Rain Forest Garden

Subtropical Fruit Garden
A visit to the Subtropical Fruit Garden is fun and educational because children can see with their own eyes how some of their favorite fruits, like bananas and oranges, actually grow on trees; they are not manufactured in a factory and delivered to grocery stores just so people can eat them!

A bunch of bananas growing in the Subtropical Fruit Garden

Mexican Garden
The Mexican Garden is a darling spot filled with plants in a fiesta of colors. There is also a fountain decorated with painted Mexican tiles and sculptures of a mariachi band and a flamenco dancer formed from greenery.

The fountain in the Mexican Garden

Bamboo Garden & Bamboo Pond
A walk through the giant stalks of bamboo feels otherworldly. Read the signs aloud to the kids so they can learn that Bamboo is actually a grass that can grow up to 30 feet in one season! The Bamboo Pond is filled with lilly pads and a hoppy frog or two.

My daughter, Karissa, in front of some of the smaller stalks of bamboo

Old World Desert Garden
Those unfamiliar with the desert landscape should walk through the Old World Desert Garden to get a peek at cacti, succulents and bright desert flowers. Just be sure to keep toddlers in their strollers in case they want to pet the prickly plants!

A splash of vibrant desert flowers amongst succulents and cacti

What Else You Should Know
The San Diego Botanic Garden is located in Encinitas, a little over a half-hour drive north from downtown. If you are on a tight budget, visit on the first Tuesday of the month when entrance is free. Plan to do a lot of walking up and down hills here – your glutes will definitely get a good workout, especially if you’re pushing a stroller!

The San Diego Botanic Garden holds special events throughout the year, like a children’s Fairy Festival in the summer and a Garden of Lights holiday celebration in December. 

The Gift Shop and Nursery sells gardening tools, plants, wind chimes, and gardening books. The bad news (or the good news?!) is that there are very few toys or souvenirs for the kiddies here.

The Kona Koffee Hut sells coffee drinks, sodas and juices as well as simple snacks like string cheese, Goldfish crackers, and ice cream treats. On the counter, a tongue-in-cheek sign states, “Unattended children will be given an espresso and a free puppy.” Go here if you’ve got a bit of the munchies, but if you want to have a picnic in the gardens, you should pack own lunch.

San Diego is so stuffed with fun things to do that this family-friendly attraction often gets overlooked. If you are tired of the hustle and bustle of a theme-park-packed vacation, a visit here gives the whole family a chance to slow down and connect with nature.

Do you have a favorite botanical garden? Please tell us about it in the comments below!

You might also like:

• Orange County with Kids – Beyond Disneyland

• Roar & Snore Campout at the San Diego Wild Animal Park

• San Diego’s Birch Aquarium: A Worthwhile Alternative to SeaWorld

• San Diego Zoo’s Best Beasts, Eats, and Treats

I was so impressed after reading Fodor’s Family: New York City with Kids that I set up an interview with the book’s author, Meryl Pearlstein. This mom, food critic, traveler, and New York aficionado gave me her picks for her all-time favorite child-friendly sites, activities, and restaurants in the Big Apple. Read on to learn how to win one of nine copies of the Fodor’s guidebooks!

The Brooklyn Bridge with a view of the Manhattan Skyline

Best Museum for Children of All Ages
About the American Museum of Natural History, Meryl said, “What kid doesn’t love dinosaurs? The girls go crazy for the Hall of Gems and all of the diamonds. And there are the kitschy dioramas of animals from when the museum first opened. It’s a museum that every single kid loves!”

Most Child-Friendly Live Entertainment
The New Victory Theatre specializes in performances for families with children such as plays, puppet shows, dance performances, musicals, and juggling acts.

The Conservatory Garden, located in Central Park

Hidden Gem for Families
Central Park’s Conservatory Garden is a free botanical garden that provides an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. There are three formal gardens with flora, fauna, and fountains that Meryl promises all ages will find interesting.

New York’s Most Interesting Public Space
The Highline was an old rusted-out railroad track that has been transformed into what Meryl called, “an experience unto itself.” While it is not appropriate for the stroller set, teens and tweens love exploring this long, narrow elevated park from Gansevoort Street to 20th Street in the Meat Packing District. You can people watch, grab some tasty food, and watch boats on the river.

New York City’s Central Park

Favorite Free Activities in New York
A visit to Central Park costs nothing and gives visitors a real feel for the city. Plus, it’s a great place for kids to run off steam. There are street performers to watch, rocks to climb, and ball games to join. It’s also free to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to take in double breathtaking views: one of the New York skyline and one of Brooklyn. Meryl said, “There’s nothing like the Brooklyn Bridge experience!”

Best Attraction for Babies and Toddlers
Children’s Museum of Manhattan has areas specifically created for little ones to explore. An area called Play Works is an educational play area designed as a mini-city especially for toddlers. Kids also enjoy the museum’s art projects, sing-alongs, storytelling sessions, and a do-it-yourself puppet theatre.

Preferred Places for Preschoolers
Brooklyn’s Prospect Park Zoo is perfect for preschoolers because its exhibits and educational programs encourage hands-on learning about animals. Its smaller size makes it a manageable activity to tackle with young children. Coney Island’s New York Aquarium entertains children with fish and sea creatures galore as well as popular sea lion shows.

Coolest Site for Grade School Kids
Hayden Planetarium, located in the American Natural History Museum, is a favorite destination for grade school field trips, and for good reason. Kids love to come here to learn about planets, stars, and the moon. Plus, according to Fodor’s Family: New York City with Kids, “Movies projected on the IMAX screen offer a perfect way to rest tired feet.”

A tree-lined street in Greenwich Village

Best Activity for Tweens & Teens
As the mom of two teenage boys, Meryl knows this age group is happiest when exploring New York’s neighborhoods. She suggests checking out St. Mark’s Place in the East Village or Bleecker Street in the West Village. Visiting a few hip stores is always a hit – like Hollister, the NBA Store, and H&M. An afternoon stop for a scrumptious dessert is a must. Meryl recommends Max Brenner’s world-renowned chocolate shop or Serendipity3, which is famous for its frozen hot chocolate.

Fantastic Family-Friendly Restaurants
As a foodie, it was difficult for Meryl to narrow down all of New York’s restaurants to name her three favorites for families. She recommends Tony’s diNapoli for Italian food served family-style on big platters for everyone to share; Virgil’s Real Barbecue for succulent barbecued chicken wings, hot links, pulled pork, hot dogs and more; and Ruby Foo’s for Asian fusion cuisine served on Lazy Susans in the center of the tables.

Meryl (a Red Sox fan) is pictured above
with her husband, Jim (a Yankees fan)

For more tips on what to see, what to do, and where to eat, buy a Fodor’s Family: New York City with Kids or enter to win one below. From reading the book and talking with Meryl, it is clear that she is passionate about New York and that she loves helping others enjoy her adopted hometown. Meryl has been writing Fodor’s New York City guides since 2005. She writes restaurant reviews for Gayot.com and has written for New York Magazine and the Boston Herald. She is the mother of two boys, ages 15 and 19. Read her blog Meryl Pearlstein’s Travel and Food Notes for travel and food observations from around the world and everything New York City.

Enter to win one of nine copies of Fodor’s Family: New York City with Kids. Fodor’s provided the giveaway copies as well as one copy that was sent to me to review. Travel Mamas is picking up the tab for shipping the prizes. Winners will be selected at random using RANDOM.org. Five guides will be awarded this week and another four will be awarded next week. Check back on November 23 to find out who won, how to re-enter, and to learn about traveling during the holidays in New York City with kids. You may enter up to three times, using each method of entry listed below once, by November 21, 2009. THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

1) Add a comment about which New York attraction or restaurant recommended above you would most like to visit and why.

2) Sign up to Become a Travel Mama to receive the Travel Mamas bimonthly e-newsletter. Be sure to mention the Fodor’s Family:New York City with Kids giveaway in the questions or comments field on the electronic form. If you have already subscribed to our newsletter, instead post a second comment below about what you like best about TravelMamas.com.

3) Tweet about this contest on Twitter by copying and pasting the entire phrase below. After tweeting, you must post another comment with a link to your tweet!
I love NY! Visit @TravelMamas to win 1 of 9 Fodor’s Family: New York City with Kids http://bit.ly/1p1XGt

For more information on this topic see:

• New York City Holiday Travel Tips for Families

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