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Huntington Desert Garden

Nature & parks
In San Marino, California
1.3 mi from Route 66

The Huntington Desert Garden belongs to The Huntington in San Marino, CA, about 1.3 miles off the old road. Its cactus and succulent collection ranks among the biggest and longest-established in the world, with desert plants gathered from across the globe. After driving the Mojave on Route 66, it is a chance to see desert plants from many other dry places, all side by side in one garden.

What is Huntington Desert Garden?

The Desert Garden is one section of the botanical gardens at The Huntington. Its plants come from harsh, dry environments and include cacti, succulents and many other species adapted to heat and drought.

Much of the collection was built on plant-hunting trips. William Hertrich, who served as the first curator, and Henry E. Huntington traveled through the Americas, north, central and south, and brought specimens back. The result is a living catalog of how plants survive with very little water.

Visiting Huntington Desert Garden: tips

The garden is reached through The Huntington, so plan it as part of a visit there. Parking is on site and the grounds are listed as wheelchair accessible. Allow an hour here alone; the paths reward slow walking.

The Desert Garden Conservatory sits right beside the garden and shows rarer plants under glass, and the main library and art galleries are about 0.2 miles away. A cafe is a short walk off, and the Pacific Asia Museum is about 2.2 miles away. Bring a hat and water on hot days, since the walk through the collection is mostly in the open.

Practical info

Address: 1151 Oxford Rd, San Marino, CA 91108
Phone: +1 626-405-2100
Website: huntington.org/japanese-garden
Hours: Mon, Wed–Sun 10–5
On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix

Where to eat near Huntington Desert Garden

All diners →

Diner & restaurant
Twohey's
South Pasadena, CA · 2.3 mi from Huntington Desert Garden
A 1950s-style diner in South Pasadena, founded in 1943 and known for a burger called the Little Stink-O.
Diner & restaurant
Fair Oaks Pharmacy
South Pasadena, CA · 2.4 mi from Huntington Desert Garden
A 1915 pharmacy with an old-fashioned soda fountain, on the corner where Route 66 ran down Fair Oaks Avenue.
Diner & restaurant
Philippe's
Los Angeles, CA · 8.6 mi from Huntington Desert Garden
A downtown Los Angeles restaurant running since 1908 that claims to have invented the French dip sandwich.