Good Will Huntington

Visit the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens in Pasedena

01.11.2023
Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens

{FEBRUARY 2024 NOTE: Due to the recent storm, please check the official website for updates and status on the roads, the park, and events.}

Trying to get your fill of art and culture in one weekend can be tricky. Do you visit the science center, an art museum, or some botanical gardens? Visit all three at Huntington Library, a sprawling Pasadena-area estate and nonprofit that boasts a bit of everything, including 120 acres of botanical beauty ranging from jungle to desert to Japanese and Chinese gardens with bridges, patios, and waterfalls. (Note: Weekend reservations are required!)

Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens in Pasadena

A collection of European art has taken residence in the lavish former home of Henry Huntington. Spot rare books and manuscripts in the Beautiful Science exhibit, including Isaac Newton’s own copy of his seventeenth-century breakthrough book Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy. There’s also a quirky collection of century-old light bulbs. This place is full of bright ideas.

Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens in Pasadena

TIP: Enjoy dining and coffee options around the gardens.

BONUS LUNAR NEW YEAR EVENT: Celebrate the lunar new year at The Huntington (February 10-11): Chinese New Year Festival.

The Huntington Library is located at 1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino (directions). It’s closed on Tuesdays. *Weekend reservations required. Free audio tours are available for the art galleries. No picnicking allowed. No dogs.

Story and photos by Matt Pawlik, @mattitudehikes

 

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View

  4. Roaring Good Time

    There’s nothing quite like the majestic beauty of California’s redwood forests. Now, imagine experiencing those towering giants aboard a historic 19th-century steam train. Roaring Camp Railroads in Felton is home to some of the oldest and most authentically preserved narrow-gauge steam engines in America.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

    View
  2. Alex Villicana, Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery

    Locals' Feature: Alex Villicana

    Tech booms, AI revolutions, okay that’s all fine, but you wanna know what else is really cool? Being a pioneer in a world-famous industry that—in Paso Robles—remains solidly down to earth. When Alex Villicana established Villicana Winery in 1993, he clearly had grape expectations...

    View
  3. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View