Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
189
If you prefer canvas to parchment, Huntington also put together a terrific 18th-cen-
tury British and French art collection. The most celebrated paintings are Gainsborough's
The Blue Boy
and Sir Thomas Lawrence's companion piece
Pinkie,
depicting the youthful
aunt of E lizabeth Barrett Browning. These and other wor ks are displayed in the stately
Italianate mansion on the crest of this hillside estate, so y ou can also get a glimpse of its
splendid furnishings. American art and Renaissance paintings are exhibited in two addi-
tional galleries.
But it's the v ast
botanical gardens
featuring mor e than 14,000 differ ent species of
plants that draw most locals to the H untington. The
Japanese Garden
comes complete
with a traditional open-air J apanese house, koi-filled str eam, and ser ene Z en gar den.
There's also an exotic
Desert Garden,
intriguing
Jungle Garden,
Bing Children's Gar-
den
(designed specifically for kids ages 2-7), and the glass-and-steel Conser vatory for
Botanical Science where visitors learn some of the fundamentals of botany via state-of-
the-art science stations. The latest addition is a new 12-acre
Chinese Garden,
the largest
classical garden outside mainland China and one of the largest of the H untington's 14
specialized gardens. Highlights include a lake, teahouse, pavilions, and bridges within a
landscape of plants native to China.
Because the Huntington surprises many with its size and wealth of activities to choose
from, first-timers might want to star t with a tour . One-hour garden tours ar e offered
daily; no reservations or additional fees are required. Times vary, so check at the informa-
tion desk upon arrival. I also recommend that you tailor your visit to include the popular
English high tea
served Monday and Wednesday through Friday from noon to 4:30pm,
and Saturday and S unday from 10:45am to 4:30pm (last seating at 3:30pm). The tea-
room overlooks the R ose G arden (home to 1,000 v arieties display ed in chr onological
order of their br eeding), and since the finger sandwiches and desser ts are served buffet-
style, it's a genteel bargain, even for hearty appetites, at $25 per person (please note that
museum admission is a separate r equired cost). P hone
&
626/683-8131
for tear oom
reservations, which are required and should be made at least 2 w eeks in advance.
1151 Oxford Rd., San M arino (near P asadena, with easy ac cess from the 110 high way or 210 fr eeway).
&
626/405-2100. www.huntington.org. Admission $15 adults, $12 seniors 65 and over, $10 students and
children ages 12-18, $6 children ages 5-11, free for children 4 and under; free to all the 1st Thurs of each
month. S ept-May M on and Wed-Fri noon-4:30pm, Sat-Sun 10:30am-4:30pm; June -Aug Wed-Mon
10:30am-4:30pm. Closed major holidays. Free parking.
7
The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden
Tucked into the
hillsides of the San Gabriel Mountains, this sprawling horticultural and botanical center
was formerly the estate of silv er magnate “L ucky” B aldwin—the man r esponsible for
bringing horse racing to S outhern California—who liv ed until 1909 on these lushly
planted 127 acres overlooking the Santa Anita racetrack. You might recognize Baldwin's
red-and-white Q ueen Anne cottage fr om the opening sequence of
Fantasy Island
(“de
plane, de plane ”); the gar dens are also a fav orite location for mo vie filming and local
weddings. I n addition to spectacular flora (ev ery continent is r epresented her e), the
Arboretum boasts a bevy of resident peafowl who seem unafraid of humans—one of the
best treats here is being up close when the peacocks, attempting to impress passing hens,
unfold their brilliant rainbow plumage. Avid gardeners will want to visit the nursery-like
gift shop on the way out. A dmission is free every third Tuesday from 9am to 4:30pm.
301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia.
&
626/821-3222.
www.arboretum.org. Admission $7 adults, $5 students
and seniors 62 and o ver, $2.50 children ages 5-12, free for kids ages 4 and under. Daily 9am-5pm. Last
admission 4:30pm. Closed Dec 25. Free parking. From the 210 freeway, take the Baldwin Avenue exit and
follow the signs.
