Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle, Washington

The Washington Park Arboretum, jointly managed by the University of Washington Botanic Gardens and the City of Seattle, is home to more than 40,000 specimens, including an assortment of plants found nowhere else in the Northwest. It’s the perfect place for a scenic drive, especially in the spring when the trees are in full bloom. What really makes it stand out is its Japanese garden. It’s the largest Japanese garden outside of Japan, and seeing the cherry blossoms in bloom is an essential Seattle experience. There are also serene wetlands and woodlands. For just $20, you can ride a tram through the park and enjoy a narrated tour.

San Francisco Botanical Garden, San Francisco, California

Fans claim that the San Francisco Botanical Garden is the most biodiverse botanical garden in the world. It has everything from gargantuan redwoods to one of the largest collections of magnolias you’ll find anywhere. Add in a garden just for fragrant flowers, another for moon-gazing, and one for tropical gardens of the equatorial mountains. Don’t forget the succulent garden, the ancient plants, the plants of New Zealand, and the flowers of Chile. The list goes on and on! There’s also a children’s garden and garden camp program.