The beautiful thing about living in Southern California is that you can enjoy outdoor events and attractions all year long. Los Angeles has several amazing botanical gardens and one of the best is the Arboretum in Arcadia next to Santa Anita Racetrack.
Find things to do and where to stay in Arcadia here.
What I love about visiting botanical gardens like the Arboretum is that it doesn’t matter what season you visit. You will see plentiful arrays of flowers in spring or summer but fall and winter have their own appeal as well.
This is a view of the Arboretum’s aloe vera and cactus garden during the winter.
Practice forest bathing and yoga by registering for specific classes that are given there.
The Baldwin Legacy
Elias Jackson “Lucky” Baldwin was born in 1828 and was a California pioneer, businessman, and investor. He purchased Rancho Santa Anita in 1875 and constructed a red and white coach barn in 1879 that is still standing at the Arboretum.
To beautify the property, he imported peacocks from India whose descendants walk the grounds today.
Baldwin at first lived at the Hugo Reid Adobe on the Arboretum grounds which he expanded to an 8-room residence. Construction of his Queen Anne Victorian-style guest cottage on the shore of Lake Baldwin was completed in 1886. It is thought that Baldwin built it as a honeymoon gift for his 4th wife Lillie Bennett who was only 16 at the time of their marriage.
The home was designed by Lillie Bennett’s father Albert, an architect known for designing courthouses in California. The couple separated soon after the home was finished and it became a memorial to Baldwin’s third wife, Jennie who had died in 1881. You may recognize the cottage from the TV show, Fantasy Island.
Baldwin, who died in 1909, owned vast holdings throughout the area and founded the original Santa Anita Racetrack which closed and was rebuilt nearby. He was also known as a philanderer and gambler.
The Arboretum came into being in 1947 when the Southern California Horticultural Institute, the State of California, and the County of Los Angeles, purchased 111 acres of Rancho Santa Anita and created the botanical gardens around the Baldwin home.
Plant collections at the L.A. Arboretum
The Arboretum features native California plants as well as those from Africa, Australia, the Canary Islands, and Madagascar. It also has one of the largest collections of Engelmann Oak trees in Los Angeles County.
Walking in the gardens
The L.A. Arboretum encompasses 127 acres and is an easy and mostly flat walk unless you venture up into the upper portion. Wheelchairs are not currently for rent but the trails are paved and easy to navigate for those who require wheelchair assistance.
Only certified service dogs are allowed on the property and other “emotional support” animals are not allowed.
Tram tours are available and are a good way to learn about the history and landscape but can’t always be guaranteed due to weather.
Docent-led walking tours are also available.
Admission is by online timed reservation for non-members. Adults pay $15 for a day pass and seniors 62+ are eligible for a discounted rate of $11.
During the holidays, the L.A. Arboretum hosts its spectacular Lightscape Holidays Lights display.
Members of the Arboretum may visit anytime.
The Los Angeles Arboretum is located at 301 N Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007
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