Social Distancing at the Descanso Gardens
If you have not read my last post yet, please do so before reading this one.
The last few weeks have been heavy for all of us. Scratch that, this entire year so far has been heavy. From a pandemic to protesting, it’s been more than a lot to handle for a mere six months. On top of all that, we’ve all been social distancing and in some cases, socially isolated.
COVID-19 has not vanished. It is a reality we will live with until there is a cure. But there is of course a “new normal”. Part of this involves slowly opening things like restaurants, stores, and even botanical gardens.
I decided to visit the recently opened Descanso Gardens, a botanical garden in La Cañada Flintridge with my good friend Jenny. I hadn’t seen her since the end of February and we had a lot of catching up to do. And so, off we went to (safely) enjoy a day with nature.
Since COVID-19, I’ve found solace taking long walks on my own around the beach or the surrounding suburban neighborhoods I live by. However, finding true nature in a metropolis like Los Angeles can be difficult. When I heard the gardens were open, I knew I had to go and experience them. I’ve been to other botanical gardens before but not Descanso.
The Descanso Gardens are about forty minutes from where I live. Traffic in Los Angeles is still lite and I am taking full advantage of it before things start to get rough. That is a silver lining I’ve found through all of this; being essentially trapped in one place for so long has fueled me to explore and drive to places I have never been to before.
So what is there to do at the Descanso Gardens? Just take a breather and take in the beauty of nature. Descanso actually translates into “rest” in Spanish. As corny as that sounds, we all deserve a break from our day-to-day lives and this small oasis away from the city gives it to you.
They have a rose garden, sweeping mountain views, streams, lakes, and a hiking trail. Overall, it’s a good place to get your steps in and to feel disconnected from the rest of the world.
Descanso is smaller than you would think, but it’s still pretty big. Especially since at one point, it was someone’s backyard. I’m going to throw in a little history here because it’s me.
In 1937, wealthy newspaper publisher E. Manchester Boddy bought the land and built a massive mansion on it for him and his family. In 1953, Boddy sold the land and the mansion to LA County. The mansion still stands and is usually open for tours.
There is also an amazing immersive sound installation with speakers that play relaxing music through an area of the gardens that is full of trees. In addition to the gardens themselves, Descanso also houses an art gallery and a railroad for train rides. Both are temporarily closed but there is still plenty to see and enjoy! You won’t regret coming here; bring your friends or family, they will definitely love it as well.
Things you should know before going to Descanso Gardens:
Descanso Gardens is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
You must purchase advance tickets online-they are not sold at the garden. Tickets are released every Tuesday at 10 a.m. for the following week.
You have to pick a time and date for your ticket. However, I found that they are not too nit-picky about letting you in even if it’s not the time selected. We arrived 10 to 15 minutes earlier and had no problem getting in.
Regular admission for adults is $15 and $11 for students. Both Jenny and I are CSULB alumni, but I still purchased student tickets. We brought our student I.D.’s with us but the employees didn’t even check
You must wear a mask
Bring water as there are no fountains
Bathrooms are available at the main entrance
If you get hungry, there is a kiosk that sells food from their restaurant. Picnic bench seating is also available
Parking is free and plentiful (the lot is huge!)
The Descanso Gardens are located at 1418 Descanso Dr in La Cañada Flintridge
For more information, check out their website
