The Vallarta Botanical Garden is a 64-acre botanical garden at 1,300 ft. The garden was founded in 2004 and has been open to the public since 2005. The collections showcase plants of the Tropical Dry Forest Biome, native to the region around Puerto Vallarta and in which the Gardens are located, as well as exotics from around the world. Orchid conservation and propagation is a focus of the garden's mission. These can be found on trees throughout the grounds and in the Holstein Orchid and Vanilla House. Other notable collections include oaks, bromeliads, agaves, cactus and wild palms. The Vallarta Botanical Gardens actively participates in publicenvironmental education through tours and classes. The Vallarta Botanical Gardens were selected in 2013 as one of the "Top 10 North American Gardens Worth Travelling For" by the North American Garden Tourism Conference's International Tourism Award Jury The gardens feature hiking trails both through the native forest and the manicured garden grounds. Visitors are also welcome to swim in the Rio Horcones, the tropical river that borders the property. Bird watchers will find the most birding activity early in the morning or later in the day. The Vallarta Botanical Gardens are members of the Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Asociación Mexicana de Orquideología, and the American Public Gardens Association, Associación Mexicana de Jardines Botanicos, The gardens are registered in Mexico as an Asociación Civil and in the United States as a 5013 non-profit through "Friends of Vallarta Botanical Gardens, A.C." Tour departs from Puerto Vallarta or take public transportation on your own leaving Puerto Vallarta every 30 min using El Tuito Bus, from the corner of Venustiano Carranza & Aguacate street in the Zona Romantica en Puerto Vallarta. The Vallarta Botanical Garden receives no government funding and there is a small admission charge. Vallarta Botanical Garden is membership organization.
Garden events
Flower and Garden Festival – A week of tours, classes, and workshops at the Gardens. Dozens of plant, garden, flower, and local craft vendors feature their products and knowledge.
Día de Muertos – Day of the Dead – A day of honoring the dead in full Mexican Tradition. Marigold--Cempasúchilflower arrangements are found adorning alters for the departed.
