The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens - San Marino, California

Hsin-Yi K.

After living in SoCal for 20 years, I finally made my first visit to The Huntington Library, and it was absolutely worth it! Just like everyone says, the place is massive—there’s no way to see everything in one day, and trust me, your feet will protest.

Since we had an afternoon reservation for Rose Garden Tea Room, we booked morning admission tickets to make the most of our visit. Right at the entrance, we noticed they offer a free guided tour (about 60 minutes), which gives a great overview of the different sections. Our tour guide shared many interesting historical facts, and I highly recommend it for first-time visitors!

My personal favorites were the Japanese & Chinese Gardens—absolutely stunning! The landscaping, architecture, and serene atmosphere make it feel like stepping into another world. I’ll definitely be back to explore more!

Pro Tip: Wear comfortable shoes and plan ahead because there’s SO much to see!

Indie

Huntington Gardens is absolutely beautiful and so much fun! The combination of stunning landscapes, vibrant flowers, and peaceful walkways creates such a serene and magical experience. Whether you’re exploring the Japanese Garden, the Desert Garden, or just taking in the incredible variety of plants, there’s always something breathtaking to see. It’s the perfect spot to relax, take photos, and enjoy nature. Highly recommend visiting—it’s truly a gem!

Nenad N.

Such a lovely place, full of surprises. Beautiful park, amazing plants and something for true explorers. You could spend a whole day there without gettinf bored. Perfect for a day trip from Downtown LA.

Wayne C.

Such a lovely museum and garden. There are great art collections, two Asian gardens, as well as many unique plants. While the ticket price may be, it is worth a visit.

Natalia G.

It’s funny how we are in the area for over a decade now and didn’t know of this place, found out about it by chance. For sure, from now on it will be our favorite place to go during a weekend or on holidays. They have a huge park, divided into theme gardens, today we walked around the Roses Garden, the Japanese Garden and the Chinese Garden, but they have much more to see. Very beautiful and clean, stunning nature, ponds, waterfalls, exotic greenery, air is filled with the smell of roses, an outstanding place to visit and replenish your energy! Also, their gift shop is something, lots of cute little gifts, quite pricey but rather unique. The admission is $28 for adults and free for children under 4 years old. They also have annual passes which will definitely save money.

James R.

The Botanical Gardens is a must see, be ready to walk much, so put comfy shoes and clothes. It will feel like your in different parts of the world as it has redwoods feel from California or Japanese village setting or desert plants or just a host of different roses in the rose garden. There is so much to see outside. There is also painting gallery to visit. For those that bring their own food there are many different locations to have a picnic. There are also restaurants for those want to eat there. There is plenty of parking but be aware that Fri-Sun you need to make reservations online.

Robert M.

Amazing place to visit. Nature lovers, history buffs, and art enthusiasts will all love it here. Plan to stay at least half the day. The shop is filled with tons of souvenirs. Tons!!! Benches are situated in a lot of places, so you can sit down and take in the peacefulness. Plenty of restrooms scattered throughout the grounds. Prepare for a lot of walking, but there is a shuttle service to help. Parking is free. Highly recommend picking up a map. It can be easy to get lost. And make sure you see the waterfall!

Farz T.

Truly a wonderful experience. Make sure you allow at least 4 to 5 hours to see as much as you can in this place in one day . Make sure you book in advance. It was so good that we fell in love with this and bought the whole year membership. Definitely worth it. Highly recommended .