The sun was shining with no wind in sight in Los Angeles this weekend, so I wanted to take advantage of it and explore, in my opinion, one of the best museums/gardens in the country. The Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens are located in San Marino, a tiny enclave in Pasadena, and cover acres filled with amazing outdoor space and art.

The Library houses almost 11 million books, letters, photographs and sketches, with hundreds of key artifacts on display for guests to see up close. Some of my favorites were an elaborately decorated manuscript of Canterbury Tales by Chaucer and a rare draft of Henry Thoreau’s Walden.

The botanical gardens are truly a place to explore, and pathways and larges areas of open grass encourage families and groups to do so. To roam every garden will take all day, so I suggest carving out time for this and putting on walking shoes! Guests can roam Desert Garden, filled with succulents; the subtropical garden; and, in the spring, I highly suggest the picturesque rose garden. The Japanese Garden, however, is the mainstay and has been for more than a century with its multilevel gardens, mood bridge and cherry blossoms, all in an expansive labyrinth. The bonsai collection is extensive and a must-see for enthusiasts of these tiny and well-trimmed wonders.

After all the trails, there are plenty of excellent restaurants and eateries throughout the property to stop and enjoy. If you can plan ahead, I suggest reserving a table at the Rose Garden Tea House for high tea, or stop into 1919 Café and Red Car Coffee shop.

I plan on becoming a member, as it’s a great place to take my niece and nephew on the weekends, but also the arts and nature need patrons to help sustain this type of refuge!

— Carly Allen, executive vice president, associate publisher