The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens are a place so unique for a city like Los Angeles. The location s tucked away as a natural haven in San Marino. This historic property was the former home of Henry Huntington and his wife Arabella and today operates as a nonprofit museum and research institution. The Huntington Gardens recently underwent renovation and expansion. Although the entire place was not open due to phased reopening, just the outdoor gardens in themselves were a magical experience. You can easily spend a full day exploring here and I’d say this is my new favorite place in LA!

If you’re visiting Los Angeles or being a tourist in your own city, this place is definitely worth spending a day at. Timed entry tickets are currently required and can be purchased online here due to Covid. I would recommend reserving early tickets because it’s a HUGE property with a lot of ground to cover. Operational hours are Wednesday-Monday 10 AM-5 PM (closed Tuesdays). The Huntington also offers a free day once a month, and you can sign up for those free tickets here. Indoor areas closed due to Covid include the Huntington Art Galleries, the Art Museum, the Library, the Rose Garden Tea Room, the Greenhouses, and the Dumpling and Noodle House. I will definitely be back to see these areas as soon as they open!

The Huntington Gardens have it all with gorgeous architecture, vibrant botanical gardens, and so much more. There are a total of 207 acres, of which, 120 acres are gardens! The gardens include the Garden of Flowering Fragrance aka Chinese Garden, Desert Garden, Japanese Garden, Rose Garden, Shakespeare Garden, Herb Garden, Australian Garden, Palm Garden, Subtropical Garden, and Jungle Garden. Each garden is masterfully landscaped, dedicated to particular plant life/terrain, and labeled with its name and country of origin. The most memorable gardens I visited are below!

This was my favorite garden! There were more than 2,000 different species of cacti and succulents with a breathtaking landscape. Nearly 100 years old, the Huntington Desert Garden is one of the largest and oldest assemblages of cacti and succulents in the world! Unfortunately, the Desert Garden Conservatory was closed for renovation.

The lush green Palm Garden has more than 200 species of palms. This is one of the broadest representations of palms on display in California! There is a wide variation in sizes of palms with lots of seating and grass area to lounge under the palms. The palm collection is located both in the palm garden and spills into the jungle garden.

The jungle garden features a high forest canopy, an understory of trees and shrubs, climbing vines, and leaves of giant proportions. Walking through the long pathways with shaded forest canopies, you feel as though you are walking through a jungle. The jungle garden also connects paths with the subtropical garden. This garden feels like you are in a different part of the world!

Arguably the most popular spot on the estate, it feels as if you’ve stepped out of California for a moment and right into Japan in this garden. Henry Huntington commissioned Toichiro Kawai to build the magical moon bridge. This garden is a perfect presentation of the diverse Japanese architecture. The Japanese Gardens include a glistening Koi pond, traditional horticulture, a Japanese House, a Ceremonial Tea House, Zen Court, and a Bonsai Collection.

Continuing along through the Zen Court, you wander through bamboo-lined walkways to get to the Chinese Garden. Inspiration for the Chinese Garden are from the gardens of Suzhou, a city located near Shanghai in Southeastern China. Moreover, this 15-acre garden, considered among the largest Chinese Gardens outside of China, is a must visit. It includes a stunning array of traditional architecture, plants, and water features, and many smaller pavilions. The Freshwater Dumpling and Noodle House was not open.

I hope one day you get to visit these beautiful Huntington Gardens! Here is a map of the entire property to get an idea of its massive scale. For more information, you can visit their website here.