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.

Wow! What an unexpectedly cool experience!…read more Pro tips: 1. Bring whatever you like to keep you very warm in weather that seems cool normally but in the woods is icy cold. It was 51 and according to the weather app felt like 47 but I'm here to tell you it was COLD COLD more like 32 imho and head, hands, neck and feet coverage is a must so you can enjoy it. Suggest a warm beanie, gloves, and a down type jacket. Definitely jeans or long pants. I grabbed a blanket from my car to wear! 2. It's an easy walk, but for those with wheelchairs or canes or walkers it can be bumpy and some areas are a bit tricky. Also given all the rain, it can be dirty dusty muddy so wear shoes you don't care about. 3. Bring your best camera bc the photo ops both with people and without are plentiful. Make sure everything is charged as there's no common area to charge things easily. I'm sure you can try the restaurant or store in case of emergencies. Or go back to your car. 4. Be prepared to walk a very slow mile. Lots to see and photograph. Took me about 1:15 and I took my time. You can definitely do this much faster if solo and not easily amused or maybe not big on pics. And you can take a lot longer if you like detail and creativity amidst a natural space. 5. It's dark despite tons of lighting so be wise when walking. 6. Parking is free and easy. Just follow the signs or people. There is a walk to the line from the car. Lots of walking in general. 7. Our park reservations were for 6pm. I arrived around 6:10 and the line took about 20 mins. Was done by 7:40. 8. Cute shopping at the beginning before entering an next to the line to get in. It is an outdoor nursery type shop and two small indoor Knick knack type stores. Prices are typical tourist type prices. Also next to it is a coffee and pastry stand but you have to go first and then get in line or get out of line if you have people to hold your place as there's a line to get goodies. 9. Farmhouse is a restaurant on site. Checkout their Yelp. Make reservations as they book up fast. Good for groups. Food imo is average. Standouts were the beet salad, French fries, short rib appetizer, salmon and halibut. They use minimal seasoning at this place so if your health requires less sodium you're good! Get the pan fried crispy skin salmon lol. 10. If you're trying to cut costs there's an El Pollo Loco right as you exit the freeway coming here and before going up the hill to the park. 11. Great holiday thing to do with a large group. Entertainment for most everyone. If you're an outdoorsy, artsy, creative loving, enjoy exercise and family time type, this will be right up your alley!

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!

Great Mix of beautifully crafted items. An abundance of art, clothing, jewelry, music, food.read more

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.

WILDLIFE CAN BE SEEN HERE =======================…read more I love Descanso Gardens and being able to enter at 8:00 a.m. as a member. The dual membership where you can take a guest is about $85 I think. Check their website. Saw a Black Bear this morning, May 22, 2026. Staff was herding it away from the duck cabin with an air horn. I snapped at video of the bear. Turn the sound down. Love all the birds, flowers, Japanese Tea Garden, the Great Horned Owl family, the Jones Coffee Trailer, the Gift Store and more.

A nice place to take a long stroll and look at nature…read more They offer a wide variety of plants, trees, artwork and some water features. I would highly recommend that you go on a day when the weather is moderate and that you wear comfortable shoes. There are some cool ponds with Koi fish. Parking is free and there is a lot of it. There is also a restaurant called the Farmhouse on the property which had some pretty tasty food in a nice setting.

This is one of the best. They have great farmers here. Victoria, the market manager is fantastic…read more Rain or shine it's a great place to go for families to go hang out for the day.

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

This is a fun, unique way to spend Father's Day weekend. I brought my dad here years ago for a…read moredifferent kind of Father's Day activity and we both loved it. I really enjoy seeing the creativity that's dwelling in people's minds and they're able to physically manifest it through skillful uses of chalk. Absolutely amazing. Make sure your phones and cameras are fully charged because you're going to want to take a lot of photos. Some of these don't even look like drawings. They look like photograph portraits. There are about 200 artists who participate each year, and you can vote for the best piece. I believe we parked in the Colorado structure and it was pretty affordable. Considering the festival itself is free, this is a great, one-of-a-kind, low-budget activity that I HIGHLY recommend if you're in the area.

It was a good surprise to stumble upon this event. Not sure how often this happened but we just…read morehappened to walk into it. Didn't think much of it as we thought it was just the half block of the street that was blocked off. But then noticed that it also took part of the plaza as well as the street across from that. I just thought it was the farmers market. These artist with their chalk skills are amazing to say the least. Taking a picture and then creating it with just chalk and showcasing it was unbelievable. Each and every artist from all ages displaying their work, from portrait to cartoon characters to photography. Walking through and checking each work out was amazing. Some were already finished while loads were still in the progress of their finished look. Even talking to them and asking what their inspiration was made the process more meaningful. In the plaza area, they had artwork for a silent auction as well as a dj. The whole place was pretty taken with artist on the ground working away. Even with the heat, it was not stopping them. The experience was great walking through and checking out what was being created. Meeting some of the artist was a nice touch to the day.

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

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

Their watermelon slushie with boba sort of changed my view of the world. It comes with a price…read morethough.