Find a Real-Life Eden at the Huntington Gardens

Visit this onetime estate to discover 120 acres of magnificent trees, flowers, and more.

It’s good to be king. Or certainly to live like one as Southern California railroad magnate, businessman, and art collector Henry E. Huntington did. His sprawling estate is now home to a one-of-a-kind cultural institution, known collectively as The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens .

The library houses rare manuscripts that date back to the Middle Ages, with a changing selection on display. Permanent exhibits include an early manuscript of The Canterbury Tales and an original Gutenberg bible. The Huntington’s art collections are renowned for one of the finest selections of British works outside London (look for Gainsborough’s famous The Blue Boy on display), as well as classic American works dating back to 1690.

Still, it’s hard to stay inside for too long at the Huntington. That’s because the gardens here are masterpieces too. An estimated 14,000 varieties of plants grow in areas capturing distinct garden styles from around the world, including Chinese, Japanese, and English Country styles. The 10-acre Desert Garden’s succulent collection is also breathtaking, and the Rose Garden features varieties dating from ancient times to the present. There’s plenty to keep the kids busy too, thanks to a children’s garden and the interactive Rose Hills Foundation Conservatory for Botanical Sciences, which includes a rain forest exhibit.