Los Angeles County Arboretum
- Good for Kids: Yes
29 Reviews for Los Angeles County Arboretum
I have to be honest here, This place and I go way back, back to a time where I was wearing Cinderella light-up shoes with velcro straps because they were 'cool' back then.
Picture this, an innocent little 5 year old with her mom and brother at the Arboretum. Innocent 5 year old sees baby bird. Innocent 5 year old likes baby bird. Mother bird doesn't like innocent 5 year old, and attacks the kid, running at full speed toward her, forcing her up onto a bench where her feet are being pecked at, and shes screaming and crying..
Yep, how's that for childhood trauma? So I mean, I'm sure its a beautiful place, I'm sure it has alot of awesome things to do and to see, but those damn peacocks killed it for me.
THE PEACOCKS ARE RUNNING LOOSE!!!
You can try to catch the peacocks if you can, but they are pretty smart. I tried to sneak up on one, but it took a step every time I got closer. HOW DID IT KNOW?
Anyways, the park is pretty big. There's a bunch of historical buildings (like stables with old carriages and black smith stuff). There's also oldschool cottages you can peer into with creepy looking mannekins and some antique phonographs and edison stuff from before your moms time (yea, THAT old).
Anyways, if you have a student ID, it's $5. If you don't, it's $7. You can hike all the way inside and see the waterfall. They have botanical crap from everywhere in the world. So it's a fairly cheap way to travel the world. Africa, Asia....... peacock and waterfall.
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Peacocks, pretty. Peafowl, not so much.
But I'll feed 'em either way. I love the dispensers of food you put coinage in for pellets to feed the birdies.
I'm on the fence whether or not I like them clipping their wings so they don't run off (though they do escape from time to time). Don't run 'em over on the 210 freeway, please.
The Arboretum is definitely not as big as the Huntington and it cost way less. It also shows signs of being County property as it's not as nicely maintained as the Huntington or even Descanso Gardens. But I love it. I love the little green house. And the time I went and they had giant wooden insect sculptures on display.
I definitely want to come back when they do outdoor summer concerts. It looks like fun with picnic-ing and such.
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If been literally going here my entire life. It's SOOO beautiful! There are beautiful gardens with peacocks that love to be fed. I've taken many a date here because it's just such a great place to walk around.
There's a little lagoon where they have filmed probably hundred of movies, from tarzan back in the old days to meet the fockers. Last time I was there my date and I walked around the set of the fockers' house which was next to the lagoon. Not sure if we were allowed to but nobody was there so we helped ourselves lol.
They also have concerts on their huge lawn during the summertime. My family and I went to one of these and it was so cool! We had connections so we got a table in the very front and brought a little picnic style lunch. Everybody does this apparently. You bring food, eat dinner, then the show starts. The show was excellent! They played some Tchaikovsky and then Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini... one of my FAVORITES!!!
If you're in the area and it's a beautiful day, you MUST come here at least once!
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The LA Arboretum is a little piece of heaven in a big city. We loved it so much, that we got an annual membership. Now we can take a walk around the beautiful grounds as often as we want.
The spring has the gardens brimming with color right now! Everything looks absolutely beautiful. It is so very relaxing, and is a great little get away when you need to remove your head from the hustle and bustle of this chaotic world.
Go the the Arborteum,
take a nice deep breath,
and fill your eyes with wondrous things,
Soak in the sun
Take a stroll
Be a human again.
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I absolutely love this place. I went there on a date with this one guy and I must say it was soo romantic. I think I love it because you can walk (exercise) plus enjoy nature. Many trees and flowers are labeled and so you can read (educational) about them as you stroll along.
If you walk straight ahead from the entrance you'll go through the rose garden into the green house. It's pretty amazing to me that we have some rare flowers right in Arcadia.
Further along there is a nice snack and sandwich store, so people can stop refresh and eat something for lunch.
Also, I also love the pond with the ducks. You can some duck feed for 25 cents and they come flock around you! It's SO relaxing and you actually can learn about your significant someone if you spend a day observing nature and chatting. You should try it! ;)
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LA's Second Best Kept Secret.
I joined the Arboretum around the same time as I joined the Huntington. At first, I thought it was going to be redundant - but in fact, it's very different - perhaps more rustic.
it's a great place to hike and very clean. There are peacocks running around - and if you want to see them displaying their full plumage - then now (SPRING) is the time to go.
One thing I noticed about the Arboretum - is that the plants, trees and flowers are, by far, much better marked! The Arboretum is great for kids - to expose them to a little nature without having to travel too far.
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Oh my god this place is a paradise! I haven't found a place I feel so at peace.
Tropical plant greenhouse, plants of Australia or Prehistoric Forests, you can have dry vegetation or a quiet shaded spot with moist soil.
Peacocks roam around freely and make one of the most awful noises I can imagine, but gosh they sure are purty.
You can gather fruit in the citrus grove, look into an old school Victorian entertaining house, rest near a beautiful fountain with lots of roaming geese.
After spending 2 hours there we still missed areas! Next time we're taking our books, or sketch pads and just sitting and enjoying - we recommend you do the same!!
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The Arboretum is a beautiful place to go after a Din Tai Fung lunch. I went to the Arboretum because my Ikebana sensei was doing a demonstration there. I was impressed by the wildlife-all of the peacocks and geese (who poop a LOT!). It's a lovely and relaxing place to hang out with your family. The waterfall adds a refreshing touch to the gardens. I would go again if it wasn't so far from West LA. I do agree with others who have said that the Huntington Library is a better choice (even at a higher price).
As close to heaven on Earth as imaginable, after In-N-Out Burger, of course.
Oh, and apparently you're allowed to hunt the peacocks.
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What kind of heartless bastard gives the Arboretum three stars? I do! Of course, I remember going to the Arboretum in the 1980's and early 90's when it was much better tended to than it is now. The orchid garden is unique and beautiful but much of the grounds appear as if they are just barely maintained. I noted that the Arboretum is county run, which probably led to cuts in funding during the last several years that the state has had fiscal issues. Maybe the maintenance staff got laid off. If I had a choice, I'd pay twice as much to get into the Huntington Gardens.
One of my favorite places ever. My friend and I used to pick up Subway and eat lunch in the grass out front, thus avoiding the entrance fee. Hey, we were both unemployed, don't judge!
Also it's nice to see where the peacocks are SUPPOSED to be living. As they run amok on the public streets. God, I love this city!
127 acres of fun, where peacocks roam free!
The Arboretum provides a great escape from the madness of L.A. Might even be a cool date activity. I've been a fan of this place for over two decades (ok, like my entire life...). There's lots to see and plenty of walking, so wear comfy shoes. It's a cool place to also learn more about the history of the San Gabriel Valley. Bring a blanket, have a picnic and don't forget to charge your camera.
Free admission on the 3rd Tues of the month! Otherwise the price is still great ($7 gen/ $5 students), and a free parking lot or across the street at the mall.
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Visited for the Concert on the Greens series and thought it was fantastic. For special events, if it gets overly crowded, just park at the mall across the street.
The place really makes you feel like you're outside of the city.............. just ignore the occassional planes flying overhead.
The place is huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge so DO wear walking shoes and if you get really tired, be a lazy ass and take the tram/bus thing they have running. Good set up and layout. WHile its not as WOW! as Huntington Library, it has its own appeal. It seems slightly more natural and homey to me. Maybe that's cuz it reminds me a l'il bit of a bigger and better version of Cypress Gardens from back home.
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Super fun!
Last time I was there was for the concert on the green series (check out Goldstar for tix) I didn't get to check out the actual grounds.
This time I got to head over with a friend and check most of the grounds. Super nice place to walk around, loads of great random fruit to eat off the trees if thats your bag, and tons of green grass to lounge on.
There were even 2 weddings setting up beautifully in the rose garden and by the waterfall.
Side note --- though it's very empty, I found no really great areas for exhibitionist activities.
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"Hey I wanna do something outside" She said.
"Me too" He Said.
"Lets go to the beach, I'll meet you at 1:30 at your house" I said.
15 minutes Pass: "Hey its me, She says: "I'm coming to your house I'm bringing a picnic from Bay Cities Deli and we're going to the arboretum".
"Sounds good" I said.
Cut to hot girl on the back of my motorcycle cruising down the 210 to the Arboretum.
The arboretum has trees... Trees, ducks, geese, peacocks, guinea hen, turtles, monster koi, and more trees.
Yes Trees.
Bushes, Flowers, Shrubs, and trees. Lots of big, little wide short trees. Some quite impressive, I fell in love with a cypress of some sort, and found a great seat in some sort of beech. Or something like that.
Its a pretty big place, we walked around for at least two hours and didn't cover the whole place.
The carriage house blew my mind, and the grass over by the waterfall was a little wet but still good for an impromptu rest.
All in all a worthy Saturday afternoon, quite pleasant, and my company can tell you all about the citrus trees, of which she sampled all of the fruit. Ask her about the tongue numbing oranges over by the rose garden.
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the peacocks are SO cool. but they wouldn't spread their fan for me even when i asked nicely. Next time, need to chk out the waterfall. i was expecting paved walkways but it was actually more nature like with green and dirt trails, which ducks of all kinds and peacocks freely roaming - wear sneaks!
Sucha part of my then and now.
Steer clear of the ivy marshes. So deceiving. Put my 7 yr old white tights and black mary-jane clad foot right into it. I think I cried.
The peacocks are a staple. I like to chase them.
The Fantasy Island Queen Anne....takes me twenty seconds to run around the whole thing at full speed but you have to attempt it only on the porch.
Feeding the ducks at the pond/lake. I spent many an hour doing just that.
Concerts on the Green. I use to work these events. They were more fun than most of the catering events I use to work. Most likely because I know the Arboretum very well. Except for those pesky ivy marshes.
Take your family, go on a date, attend a concert. No matter what you do there you are bound to love it.
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"So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay."
Although Robert Frost will retain credit for these words of wisdom; the emotional nod will forever belong to Ponyboy Curtis and his dying friend Johnny.
Taking advantage of a truly glorious day and not wanting to be an "Outsider" I made a beeline for The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Garden (aka The Arboretum). Oh, rejoice in the splendor of nature! For the purpose of space I will refrain from attempting to recap over 3000 years of history the site has been witness to. Instead, I will implore everyone to make at least one visit to The Arboretum this year and experience the luster of GOLD in its entirety.
The Arboretum is deceptively large. Yeah, you think you can take a leisurely walk around the grounds in an hour or so but take my word for it; you can't cover 127 acres in an hour. With that in mind, wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately. Regardless of the weather, it's easy to find yourself feeling a bit warm so dressing in layers is one way to stay a step ahead.
As I have had a membership for the past few years, I am now at a point where my visits are exclusive to certain 'sections' of the grounds. Often, time of year and recent weather activity will be the final determining factor. This visit took me to the shade and tranquility of the Waterfall/Meadowbrook and the Korean Garden, while the Perennial Garden provided the splash of color necessary to appreciate nature's beauty. A detour by The Queen Anne Cottage through the Coach Barn would remind me that I was indeed on "Fantasy Island." Unfortunately, Mr. Roarke and Tattoo would remain unseen. Regardless, post-card perfect images were abundant. As man can never truly capture in words the essence of nature's beauty, let's just say it's the perfect time of year to bear witness for oneself.
The Arboretum is a bargain at $7 for adults, $2.50 for children 5-12 (under 5 are free). Better yet, become a yearly member. Yearly memberships start at $40 (for individuals) and $60 for families. There is so much to do that it really does take multiple visits to appreciate what a gem the County of Los Angeles has in The Arboretum. Besides, memberships are 100% tax deductible and you'll be amongst the first to hear about special tours, events and exhibits that take place all year long. Make it a point to visit before the end of the month and you can pick up a new membership for 50% off. The third Sunday of every month is picnic day (it's the only time you can bring in outside food and drink) so why not make plans now?
As for me, I spent the afternoon lounging in my own personal Eden, chilling with my number one crime partner (see pics) humming "Ode to Joy" as we soaked up the good life.
In the words of Ice Cube, it was a good day.
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So it's a really hot, hot day and what do I decide to do? That's right, go to the arboretum. If I wasn't already feeling the heat, why not get some more. :p
Well, despite the fact that this was an extremely hot day, this place is like an oasis in the Los Angeles metro area. Thankfully there was plenty of shade. This place is similar to the Huntington Gardens but mainly focuses on the trees instead of the garden atmosphere.
There are five major areas: Australia, Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Baldwin Lake (which contains a prehistoric forest). The Australia and African areas are very deserty with cactus and flora native to their areas. The Asia and the Americas sections are more forested. There's a waterfall between the two areas that makes for a nice place to sit and relax. The Baldwin Lake area is a huge man-made (and very stagnant) body of water with a Queen Anne Cottage nearby, a prehistoric forest with very tall bamboo among other trees, and a village containing an old adobe building and some straw huts.
I enjoyed walking through the arboretum. The one gripe I have is that the sign posts didn't match very well to the map provided by the arboretum. I expected to see signs saying Asia or The Americas, but all they said were Discovery Node and Tule Pond.
The random thing that I didn't expect about this place was that there were wild peacocks walking and strutting around. I even saw a family of birds walking near one of the buildings on the grounds. I guess that's where the name of the cafe comes from (Peacock Cafe). Go figure, huh? :)
The price was reasonable. It cost $7 to get in, but cash or check only. The entire place does not take debit or credit cards. So make sure you have plenty of cash on hand for admission and food/snacks. On the third Tuesday of the month it's free admission. Oh, and food is not allowed except for bottled water. However, today when I went it was a family picnic day so food was allowed. The parking lot looked full, but it felt very sparse of people.
Overall, I'd go back. But I think next time, I'll choose a cooler day to go.
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I was much better as a child...but most things are. Other than the gigantic lawn area, it doesn't seem very well kept. I wish there were more information on the plant and tree species other than the name. It's not worth the drive or the $7 to get it.
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We brought some out of town guests here because it was near where we brought them for lunch. We needed a walk after all the food we'd consumed and since we'd never been before I thought they would like it too.
There were SO many things to see including a waterfall and many lakes. I especially enjoyed the herb garden and rose garden.
Most interesting was the cottage which is the house in the TV series Fantasy Island.
Entrance fee for adults is $7 and they do not take credit cards. Only cash or debit cards.
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I was shocked to find how big the Arboretum is! Definitely bigger than the Huntington, with more variety to the plants. The lake in the middle is really cool (they shot the African Queen here), and it's neat to see the grounds of Mr. Baldwin's estate. His original house has been well preserved, and you can peek in the windows to see how the settlers of the San Gabriel Valley used to live.
I couldn't figure out if they allow picnics or not, so if anybody knows can you let me in on it? Thanks!
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There are some really cool plants here and, in places, you could say that the arboretum is pretty. The plant collections include many very old flowering trees and, when they bloom, they can be quite impressive.
However, this garden is never really beautiful. There are no picturesque views to behold and the maintenance isn't always everything it could be. Worse, the garden's management does not seem to want to use the garden as a tool to explore the history of landscape design or to show visitors anything about landscaping traditions in other places. This is unfortunate. As the region's publicly funded botanical garden, it should make an effort to explain to visitors something about the landscaping traditions of Europe and Asia and the Middle East. Why not some small example of a French garden next to a small English garden? Emphasizing landscape design would add layers to this garden and enrich the experience of visiting it.
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The Arboretum is in the same vein as my review of Descanso Gardens and could be done as a whole day away from the routine of daily life. What I find remarkable is how completely un-urban these two venues can seem. I mean right dead in the middle of Los Angeles are these two jewels that most know nothing about or, tragically, if they do know about them they are not able to shake their inertia and never visit these oasis. I hope you try them!
Another great botanical garden, even for Southern California, which has many public gardens to visit. For me, the highlights here are the many peacocks, the palms and the waterfall. Historical building on premises are real yet charming and add special interest to this site.
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Since 1948, a wide variety of distinctive horticultural species, laid out by region, has been on display in this well-manicured 127-acre park. Over 5,000 different plants are on display, but this little bit of paradise also includes peacocks roaming freely on the grounds, a bird sanctuary, a massive greenhouse, and Lake Baldwin, which is fed by underground springs. History buffs and students of architecture will enjoy structures from different time periods, featuring Native American dwellings, a Mexican adobe, and a Victorian manor. Tram tours are available.
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This place grew on me - at first I couldn't help comparing it to the Huntingdon Gardens, whose grounds have much more of a wow! factor. Something the Arboretum has that Huntingdon doesn't are the buildings, which you can peer into and see staged historic rooms - complete with fake dolls all dressed up. I went on the third Tuesday of the month, which is free and full of toddlers in strollers.
The Arboretum! We used to get dragged there on field trips when we were little. I must say it's not as, "classy", persay, as the Huntington gardens, but it has it's own charm and appeal.
It's an interesting place, did you know they filmed that Destiny's Child video "Survivor" there? Hahaha, the waterfall is famous! It's fun to stroll around, I guess, but it can be kind of boring. The peacocks make it interesting. My cousin says it sounds like they're saying, "My arm! My arm!" They are always chilling on the roofs of houses nearby, but they really are quite cool looking. I've also seen some other bird species there. If you're in to horticulture and nature go check it out! Sometimes they have special events like greenhouse plant sales, etc. so I'm sure if you look on their website you can find a fun event to go to on the weekend. Just watch out for the traffic on Baldwin now that the mall is getting crazy business. So annoying~!
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