Arboretum Season

Holiday Escape to Fullerton Arboretum

All is not always calm this time of year, but peace reigns at Fullerton Arboretum, a quiet 26-acre oasis in the middle of urban Orange County. It’s on the campus of Cal State Fullerton, and with most of the campus closed for the holidays, this is the perfect time to take a stroll through the diverse gardens and woodlands situated in between student housing and the baseball fields.

As soon as you enter the arboretum, the scent of sage fills the air. Relax in a forest of conifers to get in the holiday spirit, or stroll around the lake to unwind from the stress of the season. Different gardens are filled with plants from around the world—visit Africa, Asia, or South America … they even have banana and plantain trees! Or check out the orchard and farms to see some of the fruits and vegetables that will fill your holiday feast. Multiple paths weave their way throughout the arboretum, making it easy to get lost in thought … or just plain lost. Be sure to check out the map at the front to help you find your way—or use this excellent online interactive map. Thankfully benches are bountiful here.

YOGA BONUS: This Saturday, December 22, the arboretum is hosting Yoga in the Garden ($15 for non-members) as well as a complimentary Nature walk.

The Fullerton Arboretum is located at 1900 Associated Rd. in Fullerton. From the 57 Freeway, exit onto Yorba Linda Blvd. and head west. Make a left on Associated Rd. and veer left at the fork, following signs for the arboretum. Open daily, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free, but a $5 donation is suggested. No dogs.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Can't Top This

    San Francisco’s Presidio was already a fantastic place to hang out for the afternoon, a beautiful site within the largest urban national park in the United States (the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). And Presidio Tunnel Tops is like a cherry on top. Make that two cherries on top, with the newly opened (July 2025) Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre green space located at Old Mason Street across from the Crissy Field Marsh in the Presidio.

    View
  2. This Is Paradise

    Granite mountain-scape, superb sunset views, crystal lakes, and shoreline campsites … the trip to Paradise Lake in Tahoe National Forest lives up to its idyllic name.

    View
  3. Aloha from California

    Say Aloha without leaving California with a 7-mile out-and-back hiking adventure to Lake Aloha in El Dorado National Forest. You can also camp here, a premier place for stargazing.

    View
  4. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Hot As (Bumpass) Hell

    So you like going to all the hot spots when you visit places? Well, in Lassen Volcanic National Park there’s a place so hot it gets downright steamy. Bumpass Hell is the largest hydrothermal area in the park, with sputtering mud pots, sulfur vents, and boiling pools. It’s California’s Yellowstone. But it only opens in summer through fall.

    View
  2. Underground Garden

    Looking to escape the summer heat? Head to Fresno and discover its cool secret: the Forestiere Underground Gardens–an enchanting garden and architecture oasis like no other.

    View
  3. Oh Ryan

    Sure, it’s those whimsical trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its marquee billing; but this beautiful landscape also has surrounding mountains and its night sky—one of the darkest in Southern California and designated an International Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree has four allowable stargazing parking lots, and a newly opened haven for spending the night nearby...

    View
  4. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

    View