By U-T Letters June 7, 2019

What is San Diego County’s most underappreciated attraction? What is your favorite local spot to share with visitors?

Nancy B Jones, who works as the director of children’s programs at the Alta Vista Botanical Garden at Brengle Terrace Park in Vista, walks past a raptor sculpture by artist Ricardo Breceda that has recently been installed at the garden. Don Boomer

Escape city life at the botanical garden
Nestled atop a hill just outside downtown Vista, Alta Vista Botanical Gardens is a hidden gem that even most locals don’t know about.

A $5 admission fee, based on the honor system, is all it costs and is worth every penny.
Right as you enter, there is the most wonderful children’s garden. The coolest sundial I have ever seen, stunning sculptures, interactive musical instruments and sensory paths, plus the most adorable little hidden cave covered with vine leaves. A perfect place for a picnic. I love it so much I had my kid’s birthday party here.

This self-guided garden has easy-to-follow paths that take you from one garden to the next. There is so much beauty, different varieties of flora and fauna, sculptures and a pond with frogs and turtles. Acre after acre, this place is a must visit for anyone who feels like stepping into serenity and escaping city life for a bit.

Jennifer Neville, Vista