Tucked inside Polliwog Park about a mile from the beach, the Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden is a small but well-maintained collection of California native plants and drought-tolerant species. At just under two-thirds of an acre, it is one of the smaller civic botanical gardens in the LA region, but the planting is thoughtful and the garden serves as a useful demonstration of what a Southern California garden can look like without lawn and sprinklers.
The surrounding Polliwog Park has a lake, a playground, and a picnic area, making it the kind of place where locals spend weekend mornings. The botanical garden section is a quiet corner within it — worth a look if you have children who need a break from the beach or if you are curious about native California horticulture.