It's time for another Far Away Friday! Today's comes to you from Meghan, mom to two girls and blogger over at Electricmommy. Her family travels a ton, so if you're looking for any advice, check her out. This post is from sunny Los Angeles. Enjoy!
I’ve lived in Los Angeles for a few years now and have heard a lot about the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens in San Marino (right near the border of South Pasadena) but had never been there. Well, this week we finally went to check it out!
I’ve lived in Los Angeles for a few years now and have heard a lot about the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens in San Marino (right near the border of South Pasadena) but had never been there. Well, this week we finally went to check it out!
I was a little nervous because this
was one of my first outings with the baby and toddler by myself but it was a
huge success!
Parking was easy and free (score!)
Admission prices to the park depend on the day you go so check HERE
for prices. I paid $25 for myself and the two little ones were free.
Once we headed in, we went straight
to the Children’s Garden. It was amazing! There were miniature fountains that
the children could splash in and get wet. (Side note: a bathing suit and an
extra set of clothes would have been a good idea.)
There was a prism tunnel where the
children could crawl through and see halos of light and color. They could make
music with pebbles, play with magnetic sand, play with a vibrating fountain
that would make the water bubble up and appear to be dancing. There’s also a
fog grotto that was a lot of fun.
It is a beautiful area where you
enter through a tiny, children sized blue door. My three year old loved it! She
didn’t want to leave.
However, mom wanted to explore some
of the other gardens. 😊
There are so many! More than you can
explore in one day (at least when you have a baby and toddler with you, that
is).
- Here is a list of the gardens:
- Australian Garden
- California Garden
- Camellia Garden
- Children's Garden
- Chinese Garden
- Conservatory
- Desert Garden
- Herb Garden
- Japanese Garden
- Jungle Garden
- Lily Ponds
- Palm Garden
- Ranch Garden
- Rose Garden
- Shakespeare Garden
- Subtropical Garden
The Japanese Garden was one of my
favorite spots. There was a large pond with a bridge that connected one side to
another. There was a beautiful Japanese House, a ceremonial tea house, lots of
beautiful trees and flowers, and lots of water. It was absolutely magical!
There were benches everywhere to stop and take in the amazing scenery.
We also loved the huge grass area
that surrounded a beautiful 17th century Italian fountain. This is
considered the North Vista and Camellia’s area. There was lots of room for my
daughter to run around and play. This particular garden area was surrounded
with flowers and sculptures, with the fountain right in the middle.
There is art and culture everywhere
throughout the gardens! They have an American Art building as well as a
European Art building. There are over 650 paintings and 440 sculptures.
All in all, we had an amazing day at
the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens. We spent most of our time
exploring the gardens but would love to explore more of the library next time.
If you visit the Los Angeles area, I
highly recommend you make a trip here. The kids will love the Children’s Garden
as well as the rest of the beautiful grounds. There are benches everywhere to
stop and take a break and to just take in the gorgeous surroundings. Even
though I went by myself with a baby and my three year old, it was still very
relaxing and peaceful. There is something about those gardens that just sets
you at ease.
Also, make sure to check the
calendar ahead of time! They often have lots of interesting tours and classes
going on for the public.
Thanks Meghan, for most posts like this one, check out our Far Away Friday series, and don't forget to check out Electric Mommy! They just got back from Mexico!
