My mom and I took my kids to see the Christmas markets in France this past December. It was a…read morebucket list trip for my mom, and while my boys had a great time, the travel was complicated and arduous, mostly because of my wild three-year-old Wade B. A couple weeks later, my husband and I took the boys to the Enchanted Forest of Light at Descanso Gardens. They had an absolute blast, and my five-year-old Leo B. declared, with utmost sincerity, "I think this is the nicest place I've ever been." Matt B. and I had been once before, almost a decade ago, with our friends Caroline Y. and Scott S., when we were all young and childless. We came back together, this time with five kids, and as much as I enjoyed it back in the day, I found it even more compelling this second time around. The magic was amplified ten times by the presence of my sons, who absolutely loved all the beautiful, colorful lights. I did buy them shitty Christmas light necklaces, one of which broke almost immediately, causing considerable strife. The alternative, of course, was to deny Wade his request before even entering the garden, where he would badger me every time he saw another child with the necklace. I was not surprised to see that most of the children seemed to have them, every parent having made the same calculation on their way in. Smart and evil of Descanso Gardens to put that vendor right by the entrance. I'm guessing Enchanted is their big revenue generator for the year, and this is a McKinseyish way to maximize. The kids oohed and aahed at every exhibit, marveling at all the colors and lights. We oohed and aahed right with them, and had the additional pleasure of watching them play and interact with the elaborate, immersive displays. They loved the tulip fields, the model trains, the stained glass houses, the trees and music and light. There was also a large platform that served as a dance floor for small children, who partied to the ambient music. Wade was especially taken with this stage, and the one part of the night that did not go well was when I yanked him away so we could see the rest of the installations. It was cold and the kids were up way past their bedtimes, but we all had a blast at the Enchanted Forest. When pressed, Leo admitted that Paris was in fact as nice as Descanso Gardens, but the point was made. Come Christmas, we can take the boys to France or we can just drive to La Cañada and buy a few tickets that support a wonderful botanical garden. We might even manage the latter every year.

My family and I visited Thanksgiving weekend and had a blast wandering around all the light…read moredisplays in the garden! This isn't necessarily a holiday-themed "Christmas" light experience, but it put us all in the holiday mood nonetheless. The themed light displays are well curated, the event is organized, staff are friendly, and the free parking is orderly and well managed. There are ten different themed exhibits found on the mile-long path. By far our favorite was the Ancient Forest, but the Garden of Good Fortune and the Fantasy Forest were close seconds! They do a wonderful job of using the light displays to really compliment and highlight the giant oak trees and other featured plants - as well as excellent music choices to really immerse you in a serene fantasy forest type experience. Some of the exhibits are interactive, like the Symphony of Oaks where you can step on the lights to make them change colors and sing - so fun! They also had a large village of tiny stained glass houses and other buildings you could actually enter and walk through - really beautiful. Another display I loved was the giant light built to resemble the moon - it was placed directly over one of the ponds and the reflection was magnificent! And everyone loves the massive, sprawling field of tulip lights which has a rotating show that will occasionally send waves of lights towards you. We spent a good hour and a half meandering around the path, which is well maintained and mostly flat with plenty of maps to find your way around the exhibits. The staff did a great job of respecting ticket entry times and the exhibits are so well laid out that we hardly noticed the crowds. Very well done! They don't sell tickets at the door so be sure to purchase online in advance. Booking our timed entry tickets was very easy via their website. They also take advanced reservations for their on-site Farmhouse restaurant and for valet parking. The restaurant and gift shop area was packed so I'd recommend restaurant reservations. But the parking was ample, even at 6pm on a Saturday and so well staffed and managed that we found a spot easily with zero chaos. This was my first visit to Descanso Gardens and now I'm wishing I had seen it in the daylight so I could compare haha! Tickets are a tad pricey but ee loved their Enchanted Forest of Light and can highly recommend it. Plus you're supporting a local botanical garden! I'll definitely be back to see all the splendor of the garden in the daytime.

I have been participating in the Montrose Arts and Crafts Festival as a designer of jewelry. While…read morethe advertising and promotion is pretty good, there are too many jewelry people, someone walked by my booth and said" jewelry again"! That made me feel badly since I take time to hand design and make all my pieces, I sign up early and pay to be among the early vendors. This year, there were lots of people but they were not buying jewelry. The security is very good with the security guard at night. Unloading and loading are fairly organized as well. from a vendor perspective I've done better in prior years, from a shopper perspective, the fair is fun and the variety is fairly good.

It was so nice to attend the two street length Art Festival in Montrose; it was a beautiful day,…read morewith the warm sun beaming down on this wonderful event. I enjoyed seeing all the woodworking sculptures and unique paintings and photographic works. My wife liked the jewelry and custom clothing. We both wanted to get the Apple Cobbler, but it ran out within two hours of the festival opening. I'm hoping they will have more today, so that we can enjoy some of the food available!

I love flowers so I'm always on the lookout for any flower festivals around town. When I see an…read moreevent posted on Yelp about the cherry blossoms festival at descanso gardens, I can't contain my excitement. After doing my research and reading reviews, I knew beforehand the issues regarding possibility of tickets being sold out early and issues with parking. My friend and I were lucky to be able to purchase tickets online before they sold out. We left home early and made it at descanso even before they open their doors so parking was very easy. If you did your homework, then I don't understand the negative reviews. So it was my first time to attend this festival so I had no idea what to expect. We headed to the Japanese garden where we thought the cherry blossom trees will be. I think we just saw a couple of them and wondered if there's more to see. We decided to join the tour and our guide informed us that the cherry blossom trees are expected to bloom late this year. It was a bummer but I thought this isn't Japan nor Washington, DC so I'm thankful that I was able to see even a few. So we then decided to go ahead and explore the rest of the gardens. We're glad we did because we really had a good time seeing other flowers like tulips, azaleas, day lilies, etc.

Came here in March because my boyfriend surprised me with tickets (aww right?). I was really…read moreexcited to come to this festival because I've never had the chance to. It may not be Japan, but close enough right haha! As a heads up, definitely buy tickets ahead of time. When we arrived, all the tickets were sold out. PARKING: Parking lot is available. Not too sure if you'd have to pay, I would assume so since it's LA. Lots of options on the residential streets and a short walk over. That worked out for us. CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL: Overall it was an alright experience. Funny to see how everyone kept taking pictures by any PINK flower thinking it was a cherry blossom. Not too many cherry blossom trees out there, so I wouldn't come expecting a grove of them. Also not the most organized festival. Spent most of the time just exploring on our own beyond the cherry blossom trees. It was a nice, relaxing day. Worth seeing at least once, but not over and over.

We visited Descanso Gardens' Carved Halloween experience as a surprise for my son's birthday, and…read moreit was a lovely family outing! Everything was cute, festive, and family-friendly, especially for kids. There are plenty of fun spots to take pictures and enjoy the Halloween decorations. We were able to see everything in about an hour and a half. The experience is on the smaller side, and you can see the map in my photos to get an idea of the layout. I paid $29 per ticket on a Tuesday, which felt reasonable. However, weekend tickets are around $50, and personally, I think that's a little too expensive for the size of the experience and what you get to see. Overall, it's a cute Halloween activity for families with kids, especially if you enjoy taking pictures and getting into the Halloween spirit!

Overall, the gardens are beautiful, but I left feeling a little disappointed with the overall…read moreexperience. I understand charging an admission fee, but it's hard to justify when many of the flowers and plants didn't appear to be very well maintained. On top of that, several areas and gardens were closed off due to private events, which meant we couldn't fully enjoy everything that was included with admission. I was also surprised that the train ride required an additional fee, especially since the ride itself lasted only about two minutes. Between the entry fee, limited access to parts of the property, and extra charges for attractions inside, the experience didn't quite feel like a good value. I hope this feedback is taken constructively because the gardens have a lot of potential. Better maintenance, ensuring guests have access to the advertised areas, or adjusting pricing when sections are unavailable would make for a much better visitor experience.

This farmers market has some of the freshest fruits and vegetables ever! I find farmer's markets…read moremore fun to visit and better quality food to buy than your average grocery store, and there are plenty of shops that you can go visit as well. This farmer's market houses all goods from yogurt to produce to meat to necklaces. The variety is absolutely amazing, and the market is also very organized. Tip: Go before 9am if you want to find the freshest vegetables, otherwise a lot of the good stuff will be sold out by then. I usually get the kale from the Aztec Farm stall, which is amazing quality, and that sells out super early.

Definitely one of my favorite places to be on a Sunday especially after working out. Many vendors…read moreselling various things like food (kettle corn, bread, pastries, Mexican and Korean dishes, hummus, olives, fruit, veggies, and so on), jewelry, clothes, art, etc... Sometimes there's a guy here who can sharpen your knives. There's stuff for kids to enjoy like a mini petting zoo. There are also plants for sale especially if you love succulents. Totally enjoy the fruit that's out there for you to try before buying. Sometimes you can even sample drinks before buying! Plenty of free parking either in the lots or street.

This town hall festival is none like any other…read more The whole city is here enjoying the vibrant vibes of people and culture. It is lit up at this event. So many smiling faces and laughing all around. Tons of families every way you look. It was a beautiful site to see the city come together.

Sooo many beer vendors, Bratwurst, roasted turkey legs and mmmmm pretzel, churros and Pastry from…read morePorto's. Live band was excellent and strong sound system. Loved the carnival rides, games, booths. Just buy tickets as all booths only accept tickets vs cash/card. Relaxful day in Montrose

A wonderful (free) local event held at Brookside Park this year (2026) so there's plenty of parking…read moreas well as handicapped parking spots and the park's public restrooms. Diverse "sidewalk' art all completed by chalk on the cement walking trails with the artists nearby if you want to interact. You're not bothered by anyone as you walk along (no sales or offers) so it's really an "at your own pace" activity. Great for kids too! There were food trucks on site.

We visited Saturday afternoon. It was very hot and humid too, so we decided to wait until the late…read moreafternoon. We came closer to 5:00 p.m. and it was a very good decision. The park was shaded for the most part and there was a breeze so it wasn't so bad. We were able to enjoy a lot of the chalk art and speak to some of the artists as well. We enjoyed it quite a bit. It would have been so much nicer if it was a little bit cooler. I would definitely be coming back next year.

The city holds a great 4th of July fireworks show at the elementary school every year! There is…read morelots of music, food, and rides for the whole family to enjoy. Gates open at 4 pm and close at 8:30 pm prior to the start of the show, but be sure to get there early for good seats! There is a $5 entry fee, but children 2 and under are free.

We had a great time…read more Adam Schiff was there and was very welcoming. The food trucks and ice cream was good It was a safe and fun environment Only suggestion would be hope it was a bit longer

Beautiful and serene little tea house in the park. I come here when I want a relaxing time away…read morefrom the hustle and bustle of city life. The tea house is very beautiful! And the koi pond is awesome as well! Unfortunately, my days off does not correlate to their schedule of events, so I have never had an opportunity to be a part of a tea ceremony here. So, I enjoy my time here by bringing my own tea set and drink tea on the grass. I come here to meditate, journal, and read as well. And I always feel refreshed afterwards! 10/10 would recommend visiting this park and tea house!

The tea house sits behind a small Japanese garden with a pond with koi fish, bridge, waterfall, and…read morelotus flowers. While small it's very serene and has mostly everything a traditional Japanese garden needs. The teahouse has some events but it's rarely open. You need to really pay attention to their website and keep checking back the event page. I find this is the most current, even more than their Instagram. I saw an event for matcha tea whisking workshop, but it was sold out unfortunately, but it looked cool and I was able to catch a glimpse inside of the teahouse which looks very traditional. The garden around the teahouse is open Mon-Thurs 10am-3pm. This is a really cute place to stop by if you live in Glendale/Burbank and walk around and sit near the pond or bring a book and sit in the grass. If you live farther just be forewarned that the gates to the garden are not always open when they say they are open. I've been here around 3 different times, and it wasn't open which was really annoying because I don't live anywhere near Glendale and I came out specifically to see the garden. The best bet to go is when there is going to be an event at the teahouse that way you can be certain or if you are already coming out here to go on a hike in the mountains behind the park. For something larger check out my list of other Japanese Gardens: bit.ly/3CLXWV9