Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden — Attraction in Santa Barbara

This is one of my very favorite spaces in Santa Barbara, and I didn't find it for years - a true hidden gem right in the middle of the city. For any gardener of any caliber, this park will inspire you with thoughtful design elements and a beautiful layout that leads you to a beautiful stone circle overlooking the pond where, every Wednesday, SB's finest musicians gather to play traditional acoustic English and Irish folk music - it floats through the garden and is mesmerizing! There is always something in bloom here, always turtles and ducks to watch, places to lay in the sun or in the shade, countless spots to tuck in and practice landscape drawing, read a book or do some yoga. Lots of families bring a picnic. If you're a plant lover, don't miss. And if you're interested, Alice Keck Park was passionate about plants and animals, and purchased the entire city block to donate it as a public garden. There is a book all about her life and the building of the garden at our library, which is a great read - check it out and bring it...

My son and daughter-in-law got married at Alice Keck Park 10 years ago. I was there in late February with my 5-year old granddaughter while we waited for my daughter in law, who had an appt nearby. It's a nice park in old Santa Barbara, but I was a little surprised that it wasn't in better condition. The pond was nice and there were lots of ducks swimming around and turtles sunning themselves on rocks near the edge of the pond. There are lots of dirt paths that meander through the park and some of them were so rutted that I couldn't get through with the stroller. You have to watch out for tree roots, too. There are both sunny and shady areas and several benches. We were there on a Monday from 1-2pm and I didn't see any homeless folks hanging around as they are prone to do in other Santa Barbara parks. I don't mean that to be an ugly comment. It was just an...

This is my favorite park in Santa Barbara for a few reasons. 1. Sea turtles. There are many little sea turtles in the pond you can see sun bathing and swimming on rocks throughout the day. 2. Gazebos and grassy knolls. There are a few interesting gazebo structures to stay shaded and cool while watching the animals here. 3. Plant variety. There's a huge variety of old massive trees and unusual florals. Many of the plants have labels on a plant map here because the plant variety was a big intentional draw for the park. 4. Quiet. Despite being so large and interesting, the park is generally pretty quiet and not busy making it a great option...