This weekend I set out to explore the outdoors and to get out of Los Angeles. Nature was calling and I found the perfect place to answer her call at the Los Angeles Arboretum & Botanic Garden in the town of Arcadia. The garden is set on 127 acres of lush vegetation featuring local wildlife and historic buildings. Located only 30 minutes from downtown but miles away from the hustle and bustle of city life, the Arboretum is your local garden of Eden.
Upon entering the garden make sure to pick up a visitor map and get acquainted with the grounds. The garden is large and offers much to see. A beautiful highlight of the garden is the Queen Anne Cottage where you can learn about the history and architecture of the time. This is a great place to start your tour and take pictures.
View of the cottage from the lake next to the Prehistoric Forest.
The cottage is surrounded by towering palm trees. A great place to take some shade and relax on a bench.
Behind the cottage is the Baldwin Coach Barn. The interior of the barn is stunning, with alternating slats of cedar and redwood paneling and original iron grillwork. Baldwin housed his private carriages plus those of his guests in this Barn. Generous stall space was provided for carriage horses, and convenient hay and grain chutes were fed directly from the loft above. Coachman’s quarters, originally provided in the upper tower room above the hay loft, have been re-created in the downstairs tack room.
Next, we ventured into the tropical greenhouse. Here you can see an amazing collection of tropical plants on display such as orchids in many delightful colors and forms. The Arboretum’s orchids comprise one of the largest public collections in the nation and are housed and cared for in five greenhouses. The space is humid and has a sweet smell in the air.
Just outside, we found a very unusual but awesome plant hanging from some vines.
The Arboretum hosts many events year round. On this day, there was a cactus contest and sale. We bought a dozen cacti ourselves. Click here for upcoming events.
WHAT: The Los Angeles Arboretum & Botanical Garden
WHERE: 301 North Baldwin Avenue | Arcadia, California 91007
WHEN: Open daily 9 am – 5 pm
CONTACT INFO: (626) 821-3222
DETAILS:
- Tickets: Adults $8, Students and Seniors $6, Children Ages 5 – 12 $3, and Children under four free
- Visitors under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
- Admission free on the third Tuesday of the month (No tram on these days)
- Cashiers can accept payments of cash, and personal checks from California
- There are NO CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS at this time
- The tram costs $4.00 per person and operates Saturday and Sunday at noon; 1, 2 and 3 p.m. The schedule is subject to change so please call in advance of your visit
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