Los Angeles Arboretum

As busy and hectic as my life typically is, I’m always in search of a quiet and serene place to relax in this chaotic city. I’ve learned that sometimes you need to venture just outside of Los Angeles to really find and enjoy that peaceful and tranquil setting you’re looking for. This brings me to a new just-outside-of-LA destination that I recently discovered and wanted to share with you all: the little-known Los Angeles Arboretum. The LA Arboretum is located in Arcadia, just minutes away from the infamous Santa Anita Racetrack. I’d say from Downtown LA, it’s about a 30-45 minute drive over here (and parking here is free – woo!). The Arboretum is basically a giant park that will take you about 2-3 hours in total to fully walk through and explore. It’s home to a wide variety of plants, trees, flowers, green houses, animals (the prettiest peacocks are all over the place near the entrance), and plenty of areas to sit back and relax with a good book or good friend.
 
The LA Arboretum is local, hidden gem with plenty of photo ops, whether you’re looking for a spot to take some professional pictures or just snap some shots with your iPhone.  Make sure to grab a map on your way in to get the lay of the land and to ensure you stop by all the main attractions, and I'd recommend bringing a camera, water, sunscreen, hat, and comfortable shoes for walking.
 
Overall, any place near Los Angeles that allows me to explore beautiful nature in a peaceful and quiet setting gets an A in my book. Click here to read all about the lovely Los Angeles Arboretum, and click here for the Arboretum’s hours of admission.