Descanso Gardens is a 150-acre botanical garden and natural landscape located in La Cañada Flintridge, Los Angeles County, California. This 2026 visitor guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, transport or parking, accessibility, and practical visitor tips.
The gardens are covered by the Go City Los Angeles pass, which can save you big money if planning to visit several Los Angeles attractions.
This guide was updated in March 2026 to reflect the current $18.00 adult admission price and the daily 9:00 am to 7:00 pm year-round opening hours.
Quick facts about Descanso Gardens
| Feature | Details |
| Opening hours | Open daily, 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. |
| Ticket prices | Adults $18.00, Seniors/Students $14.00, Children (3–12) $8.00. |
| Address | 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011, USA. |
| Nearest public transport | Metro Line 90 bus to Verdugo / Honolulu. |
| Typical time needed | 2 to 3 hours. |
Descanso Gardens opening hours
Descanso Gardens opens from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm every day of the year, closing entirely only on Christmas Day. Unlike many botanical attractions, the site does not operate with seasonal summer and winter variations, maintaining a consistent daily schedule year-round.
Members of the gardens are permitted early entry starting at 8:00 am. During the autumn and winter months, the park occasionally hosts evening ticketed events, such as Carved and Enchanted Forest of Light, which operate outside of standard daytime admission hours.
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- 🎬 See how the movie magic works on the Warner Bros Studio tour.
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- 🥾 Hike up to the Hollywood Sign, guided by comedians and their dogs.
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Descanso Gardens ticket prices
Standard daytime admission tickets cost $18.00 for adults, $14.00 for seniors aged 65 and over, and $14.00 for students with a valid identification card. Tickets for children aged 3 to 12 cost $8.00, while children aged two and under enter for free.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in March 2026.
Descanso Gardens is included in the Go City Los Angeles pass scheme, alongside other regional attractions such as Universal Studios Hollywood, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, and the Aquarium of the Pacific.
Why book the Go City Los Angeles All-Inclusive Pass?
- 🎬 Universal Studios Hollywood: Get 1-day general admission to this world-famous theme park and working film studio (included with all 3, 5, or 7-day passes).
- 🎟️ 40+ Top Attractions: Gain entry to the best of LA, including Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood, Madame Tussauds, Knott’s Berry Farm, and the Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier.
- 💰 Substantial Savings: Save up to 50% on total admission prices compared to purchasing individual tickets at the gate for each site.
- 📱 Instant Digital Pass: No need for paper vouchers; simply download the pass to your smartphone and scan it for easy, contactless entry at every stop.
- ⏱️ Explore at Your Own Pace: Choose a pass duration (1, 2, 3, 5, or 7 days) and visit as many attractions as you like within that timeframe for ultimate flexibility.
How to get to Descanso Gardens
Descanso Gardens is located in La Cañada Flintridge, roughly a 20-minute drive north of downtown Los Angeles near the intersection of the 210 and 2 freeways.
If using public transport, visitors can take the Metro Line 90 bus from downtown Los Angeles to the Verdugo / Honolulu stop, which requires a subsequent 15-minute walk to the main entrance. Alternatively, the LA DOT Line 409 commuter bus stops at the Verdugo Boulevard and Hilldale Drive intersection.
Parking at Descanso Gardens
Parking at Descanso Gardens is entirely free for all visitors. The attraction provides a large, dedicated surface car park located directly outside the main entrance gates.
While the main car park has ample capacity on standard weekdays, it can fill up quickly during peak spring weekends. A valet parking service operates from Friday to Sunday between 10:30 am and 4:00 pm for a $12.00 fee.
How long to spend at Descanso Gardens
Most visitors spend between two and three hours exploring the 150-acre grounds. This time frame allows for walking the primary paved loop, visiting the formal gardens, and viewing the indoor gallery spaces.
Visitors planning to hike the unpaved trails in the steeper sections of the park or attend a scheduled event should allocate a full half-day for their visit.
Accessibility at Descanso Gardens
The primary routes through Descanso Gardens feature wide, paved pathways that are fully accessible for wheelchair users. Due to the historic and natural landscape, some secondary dirt paths in the Oak Woodland and Ancient Forest can be uneven, narrow, or steep.
Manual wheelchairs are available to borrow free of charge from Guest Services on a first-come, first-served basis. The gardens also provide a free golf cart shuttle service, available upon request, to transport visitors to elevated areas such as the Hilltop Gardens, the Sturt Haaga Gallery, and the Boddy House.
Inside Descanso Gardens
The site is recognised for its Camellia Collection, which is the largest concentration of camellia plants in the Western Hemisphere. These plants bloom primarily in the winter and early spring beneath a canopy of native coast live oaks.
The Japanese Garden is an enclosed space featuring a traditional teahouse, arched bridges, a koi stream, and Asian flora. Located nearby, the Rose Garden displays over 1,000 individual bushes laid out in geometric planting beds representing various eras of horticultural history.
The Ancient Forest contains a collection of cycads and other primitive plant species that date back to the prehistoric era, offering a visual contrast to the seasonal flowering displays found elsewhere in the park.
Visitors can also access the Boddy House, the historic 22-room former residence of the garden’s founder, situated on a hilltop overlooking the San Gabriel Mountains. Adjacent to the house is the Sturt Haaga Gallery, which hosts rotating contemporary art and science exhibitions.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip category | Practical advice |
| Timing | Arrive for the 9:00 am opening to view the birdlife and explore the gardens before the midday heat. |
| Crowds | Visit between Tuesday and Thursday to avoid the higher visitor numbers seen on spring weekends. |
| Layout | Request a physical map at the admission kiosk to easily locate the specific plant collections that are currently in bloom. |
| Entry process | Purchase advance tickets online to guarantee your entry time, as walk-up ticket availability is not guaranteed on busy days. |
| On-site logistics | Outside food and drink are not permitted inside the gardens, but designated picnic areas are located next to the car park. |
Frequently asked questions about Descanso Gardens
| Search query | Answer |
| Is Descanso Gardens suitable for children? | Yes, the gardens feature wide, pushchair-friendly paths and a miniature heritage railway ride. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for Descanso Gardens? | Yes, non-members are highly encouraged to purchase tickets online in advance to secure entry. |
| Is Descanso Gardens open on Sundays? | Yes, the gardens are open 364 days a year, including all Sundays, closing only on Christmas Day. |
| Are dogs allowed at Descanso Gardens? | No, pets are strictly prohibited inside the grounds; only individually trained ADA service dogs are permitted. |
Things to do near Descanso Gardens
- Norton Simon Museum: An art museum located in Pasadena housing an extensive collection of European paintings and sculptures.
- The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens: A large cultural and horticultural complex situated in nearby San Marino.
- Rose Bowl Stadium: The historic American football stadium in Pasadena, which frequently hosts public tours and outdoor flea markets.
- Griffith Observatory: A public observatory in Los Angeles offering scientific exhibits and views of the Hollywood Sign.
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL): A federally funded research facility in La Cañada Flintridge that periodically offers public tours.
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- How to visit the USS Battleship Iowa at the Port of Los Angeles.
- Planning a visit to the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles.
- Joining the runners at Runyon Canyon.
- The best way to visit the Autry Museum of the American West.
- Plan your visit to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Petersen Automotive Museum, La Brea Tar Pits and Museum of Tolerance.
