The Mountain Mermaid Historic Site and Gardens is a declared California Point of Historic Interest and has been a horticultural gardens since 1990. It has a working butterfly farm, California native plant nursery, and seasonal live-butterfly habitat. The Mermaid is the magnificently restored center-piece of a 1930s-era country club sitting high on a hillside in Topanga Canyon, the celebrated bohemian citadel of love, art, and eccentricity. The Spanish-Mediterranean villa resonates with a warm and calming energy and is surrounded by five acres of lush gardens and a plethora of meandering pathways and private niches. There is a big pool, fountains everywhere, butterflies, and birdsong. It is further encircled by the largest urban park in America, the stunning Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Ambiance, history, beauty, and nature are prime amenities at this bucolic retreat.

The Mermaid is the home of Butterfly Day, an annual non-profit public celebration of nature.