California Botanic Garden

The California Botanic Garden dates back to 1927. It’s located in Claremont, just south of the San Gabriel foothills and covers 86 acres of plants representing more than 22,000 California native plants — some of which are rare or endangered. It’s the largest botanic garden dedicated to California native plants and serves as a curated living museum.

Guests should give themselves at least two hours to fully appreciate this peaceful oasis away from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles city life. It’s a place for reflection and exploration, where visitors can take in panoramic views of mountains in the distance and stroll along the many paved paths (which are well maintained, and stroller/wheelchair accessible).

The Garden can be a nice destination to enjoy a romantic date, host an event or to plan a family excursion to learn about nature. There are a variety of different plants in bloom depending on which season it is (yes, the seasons do change in Los Angeles) which means that guests can visit multiple times in one year and can see a variety of blooming plants and wildlife on-site.

The Garden also hosts annual exhibitions, events and classes. Community members and visitors can also take advantage of rotating public programs such as classes that teach how to grow and prune certain types of plants and events such as happy hour gatherings and seasonal festivals.