Nature's Treasures: Huntington Gardens

It's time to fall in love with Southern California at Huntington Botanical Gardens. Known informally as the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens is a collection-based institution founded by Henry E. Huntington and Arabella Huntington in 1919. Spanning nearly 120 acres, the property's botanical landscape is home to several awe-inspiring gardens. You will not regret heading to San Marina to tour this incredible attraction. Here's what you need to know!

About the Gardens

When you visit Huntington's gardens, you'll find plant and flower species from around the world that thrive in the California climate. When Henry E. Huntington purchased the San Marino property, it was a working ranch filled with citrus groves, orchards, and livestock just 12 miles from the center of Los Angeles. It is now home to nearly 85,000 living plants! The themed gardens here truly transport visitors around the globe. Here's a glance at the collection:

1. Australian Garden
2. Camellia Collection
3. Children's Garden
4. Desert Garden
5. Herb Garden
6. Japanese Garden
7. Lily Ponds
8. North Vista
9. Palm Garden
10. Rose Garden
11. Shakespeare Garden
12. Subtropical and Jungle Garden
13. Chinese Garden
14. California Garden

Highlights of the Huntington Botanical Gardens include the orchid collection, cycad collection, and bonsai collection. Each collection is part of a preservation effort that allows researchers to study and promote various plant species while visitors get to enjoy colorful displays. In addition to plants, the gardens are home to a wide variety of pollinators! These beautiful creatures are seen in abundance during peak bloom season. Visitors will also find some architectural wonders hidden throughout the garden. A mausoleum can be found overlooking the gardens from a knoll beyond the orange groves. Constructed as a Greek temple dedicated to eternal love, the mausoleum is made from exquisite Colorado Yule marble. The property also houses a restored 18th-century Japanese heritage house. The 320-year-old structure was moved from Japan to California through a generous donation from Yohko and Akira Yokoi.

Getting Tickets to the Botanical Gardens in San Marino

The Huntington campus is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Wednesday through Monday. Reservations are required when visiting from Friday through Sunday, on holidays, and during peak seasons. Be warned that walk-in visitors will be denied. While walk-in visitors are permitted on weekdays during non-peak periods, it's still highly recommended that you reserve your spot ahead of time because capacity is limited daily.

Ticket prices are $29 for adults, $24 for seniors (65+), $23 for military with ID, $24 for students ages 12 to 18, $24 with student ID, $13 for ages 4 to 11, and free for children under age 4. The gardens can get hot during the summer months! Be sure to bring some water with you to sip. It's also advised that you wear loose-fitting clothing to stay comfortable as you roam from garden to garden.

Discovering the Terrain of Hollywood: Planning Your Visit

If the idea of roaming whimsical gardens that show off the stunning terrain of Southern California is part of your dream vacation, Los Angeles has so much more to offer! It's highly recommended that you get up into the canyons to see the area's beauty from up high! In fact, a little hike up to Hollywoodland that brings you into the hills to see one of the most iconic landmarks in popular culture is the perfect addition to your itinerary.