Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden in Buellton

Botanic Garden quick facts

Where

River View Park, 151 Sycamore Drive, Buellton. 1 mi (2 min) from central Buellton, 4.6 mi (9 min) from Solvang Park

Not this address

The office is at 254 East Highway 246 and mail goes to P.O. Box 1623. Neither is the garden

Hours

Sunrise to sundown, 365 days a year

Cost

Free; donations and memberships keep it going

Dogs

Welcome on leash

What grows here

Plants native to the Santa Ynez River watershed

Holiday Lights Festival

Dec 4 to 6, 11 to 13 and 18 to 20, 2026, 5 to 9pm. $30 for 13 and up, $15 for 12 and under, plus fees; 2 and under free

Contact

805-245-5603 · @syvbotanicgarden

Where is the Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden?

It's in Buellton, not Solvang. The garden sits at the west end of River View Park on Sycamore Drive, a quiet residential street on the south side of town by the Santa Ynez River. From Solvang it's about 9 minutes. The garden foundation's office on Highway 246 is easy to end up at by mistake, so put 151 Sycamore Drive in your map.

What is there to see?

A garden built around one idea: the plants of the Santa Ynez River watershed, the same oaks, sages and wildflowers you see on the drive in, labeled so you know what they are. The foundation describes it as an accessible, interactive garden built to highlight those native plants. It runs tours, workshops and kids' activities through the year (check its event calendar), and the rest of River View Park gives you lawn and room to picnic.

Go if: you have a dog, kids who need to run, or 30 free minutes between a Buellton lunch and a tasting.

SYV Holiday Lights Festival 2026

The garden's fifth Holiday Lights Festival turns it into a lit maze after dark on three weekends: December 4 to 6, 11 to 13 and 18 to 20, 2026, 5 to 9pm. The garden promises photos with Santa, falling snow, carolers on select nights, food and merchant vendors, and beer and wine for adults. Tickets are $30 for ages 13 and up and $15 for 12 and under (plus fees on the ticket site); children 2 and under are free, and a season pass covers every night. The garden says it expects to sell out and won't add tickets, so buy ahead. Pair it with Solvang's nightly Julefest light shows: see Solvang at Christmas.

Good to know

Is the Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden free? Yes. Admission is free, with donations and memberships encouraged. The December Holiday Lights Festival is the one ticketed event.

Where is the Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden located? In Buellton, at the west end of River View Park, 151 Sycamore Drive. Its office on Highway 246 and its P.O. box are not the garden.

Are dogs allowed at the Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden? Yes, on a leash.

What are the Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden hours? Sunrise to sundown, every day of the year.

Nearby: eat, taste, stay

• Things to do in Buellton: The Sideways steakhouse, Barrelworks sours and ziplines
• Buellton restaurants: Lunch before the garden, a few minutes away
• OstrichLand: Feed ostriches and emus from a bowl · On Highway 246 toward Solvang
• Buellton breweries: Firestone Walker's Barrelworks and Figueroa Mountain Brewing
• Dog-friendly Solvang: Pet-friendly hotels and patios, with fees

Quick answers

When is the SYV Holiday Lights Festival 2026?

Three weekends: December 4 to 6, 11 to 13 and 18 to 20, 2026, from 5 to 9pm, at the botanic garden in Buellton.

How much are Holiday Lights Festival tickets?

$30 for ages 13 and up and $15 for 12 and under, plus ticketing fees. Children 2 and under get in free.