In 2019, the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show and the San Diego County Orchid Society Spring Show occur on consecutive weekends in March. Add the American Orchid Society’s 2019 Spring Members Meeting and it becomes a perfect time for a road trip to sample some of the orchid (and other!) delights in Southern California. Below are just a few of the exciting things to do and see in March, starting in Santa Barbara on March 15, 2019 and ending in San Diego on March 24, 2019. Getting into Santa Barbara early? Susan Orlean, author of The Orchid Thief, is speaking at 7:30 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2019 at UC Santa Barbara’s Campbell Hall.

Friday, March 15, 2019

• The 74th Santa Barbara International Orchid Show opens to the public, 9 pm to 5 pm. Buy tickets online!
• Visit open houses at local orchid nurseries of the California Orchid Trail, heading a few freeway exits north of the Show to see Cal-Orchid and Santa Barbara Orchid Estate.
• Check out the Show after hours at Orchids After Dark, a special ticketed event from 5:30 pm to 7:39 pm.
• Enjoy dinner at one of Santa Barbara’s many fine restaurants, such as The Palace Grill, owned by one of the Show’s Directors.

Saturday, March 16, 2019

• Register online  or download the brochure for the 44th Annual Cymbidium Society of America Congress, which features a day of international lectures, followed by an evening auction and banquet. Held at Earl Warren Showgrounds, so registrants for the Congress are just steps away from the Show and Sales area.
• Visiting the Show with a non-orchid-growing companion? Send them downtown to the Urban Wine Trail!

Sunday, March 17, 2019

• After a last stop at the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show, head south to visit more nurseries of the California Orchid Trail: Gallup & Stribling; Westerlay Orchids; Orchids Royale.

Monday, March 18, 2019

• Visit the Huntington Library, Art Collection, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino.

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

• SBIOS vendor/exhibitor Norman’s Orchids welcomes visitors to the nursery in Montclair. Pre-order online and pickup at the nursery.
• Return of the Swallows Celebration at Mission San Juan Capistrano, on the way to San Diego.
• Spend the night in Oceanside or Carlsbad.

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

• Visit SBIOS vendor/exhibitor Sunset Valley Orchids in Vista between 11 am and 3 pm.
• The 2019 American Orchid Society Spring Members Meeting begins in San Diego, through March 24. Not an AOS member? Sign up today and register to participate in this weekend of lectures and workshops.

Thursday, March 21, 2019

• Take a break from orchids to see the sights in San Diego.
• Interested in craft brews or microbrews? The list of San Diego County microbreweries is astonishingly long.

Friday-Sunday, March 22-24, 2019

• The San Diego County Orchid Society Spring Show begins Friday from 3 pm to 7 pm and continues Saturday, 9 am to 6 pm and Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm.
• Visit the nursery open house of SBIOS vendor/exhibitor Andy’s Orchids Friday-Sunday, March 22-24, 2019 from 9 am to 4 pm.