Lotusland

Closed for the season after October 31, 2026. The 2026 season is sold out. Lotusland reopens on February 17, 2027, and 2027 tickets go on sale in batches starting January 5, 2027.

Why visit

Lotusland is a 37-acre garden estate famous for its rare plants, bold designs and a little bit of mystique. It's the life's work of Madame Ganna Walska, a Polish-born concert singer who bought the estate in 1941 and spent the last 43 years of her life creating its gardens with a series of talented designers. Today it's open to the public by reservation, and every visit feels a bit like stepping into someone's wildly imaginative dream.

What you'll see

The estate is made up of themed gardens, each one a different world. Highlights include dramatic cactus and succulent gardens, lush gardens full of bromeliads, and the Lotus Pond that gives the garden its name. Something is always in bloom, whatever the month.

Note that the Tropical Garden is currently closed while Lotusland completes fire safety and water projects.

How reservations work

• Advance reservations only. There are no walk-ins, same-day tickets or waitlists, because county rules limit how many visitors and cars can come each day.
• Book early. Lotusland recommends booking about three weeks ahead, and popular dates sell out.
• Two time slots. Visits run Wednesday to Saturday at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and last two hours. Everyone exits at 11:30 a.m. or 3:30 p.m.
• Tickets open in batches. A few months of dates go on sale at a time, at 9 a.m. Pacific on each release date. The first 2027 release is January 5, 2027. Lotusland's own example says February tickets open to the general public on January 19, and the schedule lists two release rounds, so check the ticket release schedule for your month.

Prices

These were the 2026 prices. Check for 2027 rates when tickets open.

• Adults: $70
• Youth (3 to 12): $35
• Kids 2 and under: free
• Museums for All (with SNAP/EBT card): $5
• Docent-led tour: add $15 per person

Self-guided or docent tour?

With your reservation, you choose to explore on your own or join a docent-led tour (docents are trained volunteer guides). Self-guided visitors can go at their own pace, with QR codes and signs explaining the plants. The docent tour fills your whole two hours, covers about 2 miles on foot, and is the one Lotusland recommends for first-time visitors and plant lovers. Wheelchair-accessible tours are available.

Getting there and parking

Lotusland is in a quiet residential part of Montecito, just east of Santa Barbara. The visitor entrance has no street address of its own, so search "Lotusland" in Google Maps or Waze, or follow the directions in your confirmation email. Don't use the office address you may find online, which is for staff and deliveries only.

• Each reservation includes one free vehicle pass, which you pick when you book. Extra vehicles are $25, if space allows.
• Parking on neighborhood streets is strictly prohibited.
• Coming by rideshare? Ask to be dropped at the Visitor Entrance on Cold Spring Road 15 minutes before your time.

More to see

Make it a garden-and-history day with Old Mission Santa Barbara and its rose garden across the street, or head downtown to the Santa Barbara County Courthouse. In Lotusland's off-season, the Mission and the Courthouse tower are great alternatives. See our Santa Barbara weekend itinerary for more ideas.

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