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If you're visiting Los Angeles, California, here's a place you've probably never heard of and you need to add it to your itinerary.
The Hungtington Library is a cultural and educational center located in San Marino. The institution covers 207 acres and is home to a world-renowned research library, a fine arts museum, and 120 acres of botanical gardens. It is only an 18 min drive from DTLA and is a great way to get away from the big city.
Weekdays - $25,
Weekends and holidays - $29
Tickets are a bit pricey but so worth it.
•The first Thursday of every month is Free Day but you'll need to reserve ahead of time. Free Day tickets are available the last Thursday of every month for admission the following week.
Wednesday-Monday: 10 am - 5 pm
Tuesdays: closed.
You'll want to spend a full day here because the compound is massive.
Parking is free but the parking lot fills up pretty quickly, so come early.
•The Huntington Library - It has more than 430,000 rare books & millions of manuscripts!
•Huntington Art Gallery - This gallery displays European Art
•Virginia Steele Scott Galleries - This gallery displays American Art
There are a total of 16 gardens! Sadly we didn't have time to visit them all but here are the ones you shouldn't miss:
•Desert Garden - This is a must because it's one of the oldest and largest cacti and succulent collections in the world.
•Japanese Garden - I absolutely loved the Japanese garden. It closely resembled the authentic Gardens in Japan.
•Chinese Garden - This garden was just as beautiful as the Japanese Garden. It has plants, flowers, and lakes.
•Rose Garden - he garden was designed primarily for display, providing copious quantities of cut blooms for the large elaborate floral arrangements favored in their home. Household records indicate that in one year alone more than 30,000 flowers were used in these massive bouquets, 9,700 of which were roses.
•Jungle Garden - The Jungle Garden features a high forest canopy, an understory of trees and shrubs, climbing vines, and leaves of giant proportions. Plants commonly associated with the tropics grow here, including orchids, bromeliads, gingers, ferns, palms, bamboos, and even a waterfall.
•Bring mosquito repellent, there are many around there.
•They have lockers near the entrance if you need to store heavy items.
•Wear comfy shoes. I wore platforms and my feet hurt so badly.
•Do not remove plants, flowers, or fruit from the grounds
•Do not feed the wildlife
•No picnicking is allowed in the gardens
•Drones are not allowed.