The San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden is a 150-acre project still taking shape, designed around the five Mediterranean climate zones found around the world. Right now, you can walk your dog through the 2-acre Preview Garden, where there’s actually something interesting to look at—the plantings show off vegetation from those different climate regions rather than just generic landscaping. The Discovery Trail loops nearby and gives you a decent walk without too much elevation change.

The garden sits within El Chorro Regional Park, which itself spans 700 acres and includes a fenced off-leash dog park. That’s the spot to let your dog run around and socialize if they’re into that. The park has various trails and open areas beyond just the botanical garden section, so you’re not limited to one small spot if you want to explore more.

Eventually this place will have 50 miles of paved trails once construction wraps up—that’s substantial. The planned additions include a Mediterranean-style cafe and restaurant with outdoor seating, which will be handy if you want to grab food and sit outside with your dog on a decent day. They’re also building a 3,000-seat amphitheater and several event gardens, so down the road this will host concerts and community activities, not just be a quiet nature walk.

The location works well if you’re already in San Luis Obispo—it’s close enough for a morning or afternoon trip without driving too far from town. Since the project is still under development, garden hours and specific areas open to dogs can change, so checking their website for current access before you head out will save you a wasted trip.