King Gillette Ranch
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This was my first time attending a wine fest at this location. It was huge, with plenty of seating and a nice number of restrooms. Overall, I had a blast trying each vendor and eating at the food trucks. However, the only small problem I had was that the parking lot was full of dirt, so your outfit and shoes got dusty before you even get inside. Once inside the grass had several dents, which makes it hard to walk in high heels, wedges, or flip-flops. Tennis shoes are best or any comfortable walking shoe. The music was not that great. They played mostly techno which is fine but they should of played other music too.
Nice spot off of Las Virgenes Road to walk around and explore. They are ensuring all park visitors wear masks at all times, even when you are walking alone. There's an uphill 1/2 mile hike to Inspiration Point with views of the canyon, a Hindu temple and home development.
I truly beautiful spot to visit. They have many community events. Try yoga, hiking, volunteering, nature tours they offer. I've been there so many times and every visit is quite enjoyable. The staff is very friendly. Parking is easy.
https://www.nps.gov/samo/planyourvisit/upload/06-06_KGR-site-bulletin.pdf Fantastic history of the Gillette razor business king who built his retreat and entertained Hollywood back in the day. Trails, lakes and nature. Gorgeous!
I made a stop at King Gillette Ranch last week. I went to the see the "Night Visions II Photography" exhibit on display at the Visitor Center. I really enjoyed seeing the exhibit and liked exploring the rest of the Visitor Center. The staff on site were very friendly. I liked that the Visitor Center and the surrounding grounds looked very well-maintained. I ended up buying a bar of soap from the gift shop.
An awesome ranch that was originally owned by the Gilette Family (Shaving Razor) in the 1920s. This open area of over 500 acres is definitely worth visiting if you are in the Santa Monica Mountains. It's near the intersection of Las Virgines and Mulholland Drive. https://tinyurl.com/y27zhp9a
This is hidden gem tucked away in the Santa Monica Mountains called King Gillette Ranch. At the Ranch you will see many beautiful natural things and enjoy a peaceful time walking on the grounds. On our visit we did the short nature walk. A must to do on the premises is to bird watch. So, if you have any bird enthusiasts this is a win for sure and bring binoculars. We enjoyed picnicking under one of the oak trees. Do not forget to visit the visitor center where you will learn a lot about the Santa Monica Mountains. Parking is free.
A one time driving through pumpkin experience. Make sure you have a full tank of gas in your car and are on empty in your bladder, you don't know how long you might have to wait. Once you get in They have everything decorated really cool, not every scene has carved pumpkins, which is why I feel it's A bit over priced. And when you see something cool & take a moment to try to capture it on camera there's people ushering you to keep driving forward. Geez people I just paid $70 to drive by pumpkins, let me take a picture!! I wonder if walking through would have been more fun? Oh well, we did it, we've seen it, and I wouldn't do it again.
Located in the picturesque Santa Monica Mountains, this 588 acre recreation area offers trails, picnic tables and great scenic views for picture taking. Designed for razor magnate King Gillette in the 1920's with formal landscaping and the historic Spanish Colonial Revival style mansion with a formal courtyard and terrace. Not too many people making it a great place to visit during Covid. While in Calabasas we also visited the Malibu Hindu Temple and the downtown area.
Visitors center is closed for COVID but you can pick up an area map. I wish they supplied the stamps for my NP passport. I walked the trail to a botanical shed and saw a bunny. Then also walked around the back of the mansion and saw 5 more bunnies. The mansion has an expansive lawn with great trees that families were picnicking under. Great place to take the kids to ride their bikes and social distance.
Get an escape from the city and still be in the city?? So much to do here. Check out the web site for activities and events. A group of us went for an art exhibit. Beautiful location, clean indoor restrooms and gift shop. Outside there's a really nice picnic area, pack a lunch, eat under the shade, enjoy being outdoors. If you want to be a bit adventurous, there are trails to walk and hike on.
My sister and foodie friend, Sam L (sup, gurl!?), and I have put up some pretty impressive numbers in this Yelp game. We need a cigar. Cuban. And don't think that we don't know! That's why we force ourselves to balance out all of this food with exercise outings in nature to burn some of these damn calories. Go Hard or Die Tryin'. So, after a meal in Agoura, we had to find a fun place to get ta' steppin, and Sam mentions King Gillette Ranch. Lovely idea, friend. This place is secluded, large and nice! May not be over the top with exciting things to do, but there is a huge pond with ducks, a small botanical garden with a greenhouse, a small visitor's center/museum, lots of trees and land to roam around and much more...including the LA mansion of King C. Gillette. Take a guess at who he was. ;-) Park rangers are available during business hours and are so helpful. The restrooms are immaculate! Lovely water fountains. Even The Biggest Loser house is here. Shhhhhhh don't tell anyone. Gillette Ranch, I like you.
We really enjoyed visiting King Gillette Ranch recently. It's a great place to go if you need some peace and quiet. Not a lot of people around, the ones we ran into were very nice and respectful. Great place to bring a book or a picnic, or both. First, it's easy to find, there are signs everywhere once you exit 101. Take a left from Las Virgenes and there it is. Free to visit and 2 hours free parking, that's plenty if you visit the ranch and take a hike around as well. They have a great, beautiful, huge Visitor's Center (you need some time to check it out inside, full of information about the area). This is a great place where you can rest, relax, use the restroom, grab a map of the property. It's a nice walk on the property to the actual ranch (you can't visit the indoors) and other buildings (yes, they do shoot 'The Biggest Loser" here). We also hiked up to the Inspiration Point, it's a loop, follow the path and your instinct, there are different ways to it. It's a short hike, around 1 mile, moderate, nothing crazy. We enjoyed learning about the history of the place and exploring the property. It's a great way to spend a nice afternoon if you live in LA or you visit from out of town and you'd like to see something off the beaten path. It's close to Paramount Ranch, Malibu, so you can do more things in the area. Or just spend a relaxing couple of hours here.
I attended the Rose Day event 2026. It was a beautiful day with free rose, cocktails and mocktails all day (with the price of admission). The parking lot is very dusty, but once inside the venue there was grass and compacted dirt. We weren't allowed to bring chairs, so we brought blankets to lay out on the grass, and it was life saver. I would go back next year. read more
2 days ago
This was my first time attending a wine fest at this location. It was huge, with plenty of seating and a nice number of restrooms. Overall, I had a blast trying each vendor and eating at the food trucks. However, the only small problem I had was that the parking lot was full of dirt, so your outfit and shoes got dusty before you even get inside. Once inside the grass had several dents, which makes it hard to walk in high heels, wedges, or flip-flops. Tennis shoes are best or any comfortable walking shoe. The music was not that great. They played mostly techno which is fine but they should of played other music too. read more
1 year ago
Nice spot off of Las Virgenes Road to walk around and explore. They are ensuring all park visitors wear masks at all times, even when you are walking alone. There's an uphill 1/2 mile hike to Inspiration Point with views of the canyon, a Hindu temple and home development. read more
2 years ago
I truly beautiful spot to visit. They have many community events. Try yoga, hiking, volunteering, nature tours they offer. I've been there so many times and every visit is quite enjoyable. The staff is very friendly. Parking is easy. read more
https://www.nps.gov/samo/planyourvisit/upload/06-06_KGR-site-bulletin.pdf Fantastic history of the Gillette razor business king who built his retreat and entertained Hollywood back in the day. Trails, lakes and nature. Gorgeous! read more
I made a stop at King Gillette Ranch last week. I went to the see the "Night Visions II Photography" exhibit on display at the Visitor Center. I really enjoyed seeing the exhibit and liked exploring the rest of the Visitor Center. The staff on site were very friendly. I liked that the Visitor Center and the surrounding grounds looked very well-maintained. I ended up buying a bar of soap from the gift shop. read more
6 years ago
An awesome ranch that was originally owned by the Gilette Family (Shaving Razor) in the 1920s. This open area of over 500 acres is definitely worth visiting if you are in the Santa Monica Mountains. It's near the intersection of Las Virgines and Mulholland Drive. https://tinyurl.com/y27zhp9a read more
This is hidden gem tucked away in the Santa Monica Mountains called King Gillette Ranch. At the Ranch you will see many beautiful natural things and enjoy a peaceful time walking on the grounds. On our visit we did the short nature walk. A must to do on the premises is to bird watch. So, if you have any bird enthusiasts this is a win for sure and bring binoculars. We enjoyed picnicking under one of the oak trees. Do not forget to visit the visitor center where you will learn a lot about the Santa Monica Mountains. Parking is free. read more
6 years ago
A one time driving through pumpkin experience. Make sure you have a full tank of gas in your car and are on empty in your bladder, you don't know how long you might have to wait. Once you get in They have everything decorated really cool, not every scene has carved pumpkins, which is why I feel it's A bit over priced. And when you see something cool & take a moment to try to capture it on camera there's people ushering you to keep driving forward. Geez people I just paid $70 to drive by pumpkins, let me take a picture!! I wonder if walking through would have been more fun? Oh well, we did it, we've seen it, and I wouldn't do it again. read more
Located in the picturesque Santa Monica Mountains, this 588 acre recreation area offers trails, picnic tables and great scenic views for picture taking. Designed for razor magnate King Gillette in the 1920's with formal landscaping and the historic Spanish Colonial Revival style mansion with a formal courtyard and terrace. Not too many people making it a great place to visit during Covid. While in Calabasas we also visited the Malibu Hindu Temple and the downtown area. read more
Visitors center is closed for COVID but you can pick up an area map. I wish they supplied the stamps for my NP passport. I walked the trail to a botanical shed and saw a bunny. Then also walked around the back of the mansion and saw 5 more bunnies. The mansion has an expansive lawn with great trees that families were picnicking under. Great place to take the kids to ride their bikes and social distance. read more
3 years ago
Get an escape from the city and still be in the city?? So much to do here. Check out the web site for activities and events. A group of us went for an art exhibit. Beautiful location, clean indoor restrooms and gift shop. Outside there's a really nice picnic area, pack a lunch, eat under the shade, enjoy being outdoors. If you want to be a bit adventurous, there are trails to walk and hike on. read more
12 years ago
My sister and foodie friend, Sam L (sup, gurl!?), and I have put up some pretty impressive numbers in this Yelp game. We need a cigar. Cuban. And don't think that we don't know! That's why we force ourselves to balance out all of this food with exercise outings in nature to burn some of these damn calories. Go Hard or Die Tryin'. So, after a meal in Agoura, we had to find a fun place to get ta' steppin, and Sam mentions King Gillette Ranch. Lovely idea, friend. This place is secluded, large and nice! May not be over the top with exciting things to do, but there is a huge pond with ducks, a small botanical garden with a greenhouse, a small visitor's center/museum, lots of trees and land to roam around and much more...including the LA mansion of King C. Gillette. Take a guess at who he was. ;-) Park rangers are available during business hours and are so helpful. The restrooms are immaculate! Lovely water fountains. Even The Biggest Loser house is here. Shhhhhhh don't tell anyone. Gillette Ranch, I like you. read more
We really enjoyed visiting King Gillette Ranch recently. It's a great place to go if you need some peace and quiet. Not a lot of people around, the ones we ran into were very nice and respectful. Great place to bring a book or a picnic, or both. First, it's easy to find, there are signs everywhere once you exit 101. Take a left from Las Virgenes and there it is. Free to visit and 2 hours free parking, that's plenty if you visit the ranch and take a hike around as well. They have a great, beautiful, huge Visitor's Center (you need some time to check it out inside, full of information about the area). This is a great place where you can rest, relax, use the restroom, grab a map of the property. It's a nice walk on the property to the actual ranch (you can't visit the indoors) and other buildings (yes, they do shoot 'The Biggest Loser" here). We also hiked up to the Inspiration Point, it's a loop, follow the path and your instinct, there are different ways to it. It's a short hike, around 1 mile, moderate, nothing crazy. We enjoyed learning about the history of the place and exploring the property. It's a great way to spend a nice afternoon if you live in LA or you visit from out of town and you'd like to see something off the beaten path. It's close to Paramount Ranch, Malibu, so you can do more things in the area. Or just spend a relaxing couple of hours here. read more
Cool experience! After waiting for 45 minutes this 25 minute drive thru was worth. We loved all the cool pumpkin creations. From the old school Mario Brothers to our beloved Kobe Bryant. The details on all these pumpkins are mind blowing. They even had actors and singers carved into pumpkins! It was so cute to see Hollywood's famous couples carved on the same pumpkins. Who ever does these carvings sure deserves credit. Wish it was a little longer and they had snack options. Other than that our kids have a cool experience! read more
Trekked out to King Gillette Ranch for the first time yesterday when we had our grandson after school. The Visitor Center is open until 5 PM, so even with the afternoon traffic, we were able to spend time in the center, then go for a walk around some of the grounds. Visitor Center definitely gets five stars. The exhibits about the Santa Monica Mountains state and national parks are very well done. They highlight the land's topography and diversity, along with the flora and fauna in the area. Also included are the challenges posed on the natural landscape by the human population in the area over the years. Some nods are provided about movie & TV shows filmed on the Ranch and in the region over the years. There was some production on site filming yesterday, back behind the main mansion. We got close enough to see several of the cast in period nurse's uniforms, but not much else. Perhaps from the early 60's? Guessing that from a couple of cars in the area, too. After we checked out the exhibits and gift shop, we went for a stroll over to see the pond and the mansion grounds. Here's where we drop from five stars to four. The "pond" was cement-lined and not accessible to guests. It has a steep shoreline. A few ducks and other waterfowl were in residence. Didn't seem to be a mechanism for moving the water around, so to me it looks like one huge mosquito breeding ground. We wondered about that, especially with the recent rise of mosquito-born diseases spreading to the Southland. Yikes! The large sweeping lawn gently rolling down the hill from the original Gillette Mansion to the pond is treacherous to walk, as it's very uneven and littered with small twigs and branches from the surrounding trees. You really have to watch your step. It's definitely a peaceful spot. You feel well away from all the home-bound commuters streaming by on Malibu Canyon Road. Visitor Center's parking lot features solar panels sheltering cars from the sun and generating its own power. A lot of thought, care, and dollars went into launching this venue as a new addition to the chain of parks in the area. read more
We went for the event night on the Jack. While i felt admission even discounted at $20 plus $10 fees x 2 was a bit over priced, the event was surprisingly really good. Just when i thought the maze of pumpkins to view was over there were more to check out. Every corner showed more to see. Definitely a fun date spot. They even had food trucks and a beer garden. Wish it was colder though for an ultimate date but over all pretty cool. Definitely a worthwhile check it out once kind of thing. I wish they had a pumpkin patch though for sales. We were hoping for that but no worries. Great artistry and we took lots of photos! read more
8 years ago
Went for the night of Jack event with kids and my sister. It was different. Not scary which is great for the kids. They had food trucks and the best part was a bar. I did complain about not enough seating at the food area vs bar area ( which was half empty) but they took my complaint into consideration and fixed it right away, and added more picnic tables which I thought was great service! The trail of pumpkins was cool definitely interesting for kids my 2 year old was amused. Perfect place to go on a weekend night with kids and friends. Also would be a great first or second date spot. read more
8 years ago
Can't wait to review this location again when I visit the property in daylight. Nights of the Jack was cool for the scary folks. read more
6 years ago
We waited 60 minutes to get in. It took 35 minutes to drive thru. The pumpkins were amazing. However; it lacked so much. My friend had gone through the event at Topanga mall and loved it! They came home with so much candy which was thrown into their car along the way. Same $70 price. No wait time. This was a sad second! Once was definitely enough! read more
6 years ago
My appointment was at 9 and it's 10 and I haven't moved, and I don't see me moving any time soon. Bf is getting hangry. I'm wondering what is the point of reservations if they don't let you in. I'll be back for the update if I ever get through. Update: Got through at 10:30 and it was amazing. I would end by saying they could organize it a bit better to avoid making people wait more than 30 min, especially considering there are no bathrooms. read more
8 years ago
If the name rings a bell, that's because this stunning ranch was once owned by the razor king. I was blessed to work on a film in this beautiful location, but the grounds are open to the public. How peaceful to lunch under the trees and walk off the calories trekking through the gorgeous property to the port-a-potties. Other than the noise we made, all I could hear were birds chirping. The ranger warned us to watch out for ticks and snakes, though thankfully, none of these were spotted. Even though I was working, at the end of the day, I felt like I had been on vacation. Looking forward to returning for a visit to Inspiration Point when it's cool. read more
6 years ago
6 years ago
Came here to celebrate a friend's birthday who also used to go to school here. She was a very knowledgeable tour guide. Beautiful space for a picnic. Lots of flora and fauna. read more
This is a hidden gem located in the lovely Santa Monica mountains. The visitor's center is a cool Spanish-style building with a cute outdoor courtyard complete with a picturesque water fountain. (Although the visitor's center is closed inside you can still wander the grounds and grab a free map of the Santa Monica mountains for your future explorations). There's a little walk behind the parking lot you can do in a few minutes to stretch your legs. Then there's a really delightful 1.5 mile loop hike up to Inspiration Point for a great view of King Gillette Rance and the Santa Monica mountains from up high. The loop takes you into the protected Malibu Creek state park and then back to King Gilette Ranch (and is free). On the way to the trailhead you will pass a little lake complete with fall foliage (in season) and ducks. On my hike I ran across a large herd of deer and a flock of wild parrots. read more
In the heart of the Santa Monica Mountains is the King Gillette Ranch, 588-acres of beauty, most of the space is open to the public as a park by the California State Parks, National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and Mountains Recreation and Conservation. The visitors center looks new (2013) and is gorgeous http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/king-gillette-ranch-calabasas?select=auJO_MjMC2Sjf_ziyYO-VA#auJO_MjMC2Sjf_ziyYO-VA http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/king-gillette-ranch-calabasas?select=hFy-oLSdK_6tEM0pSh5jCQ#hFy-oLSdK_6tEM0pSh5jCQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/king-gillette-ranch-calabasas?select=vRuvthxa9jhpHEV3SvfoxQ#vRuvthxa9jhpHEV3SvfoxQ The first thing I noticed were the beautiful adobe walls http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/king-gillette-ranch-calabasas?select=hFy-oLSdK_6tEM0pSh5jCQ#1ofj_2rJApYRz9fjeP245w The visitor's center has a lot of free and useful information regarding the local outdoors- Santa Monica Mountains and its surrounding area http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/king-gillette-ranch-calabasas?select=hFy-oLSdK_6tEM0pSh5jCQ#mxPKyrxjdmJsjHNDUv6MQg Other bits of info within the center, include: Essences of things local like- the beach, oranges, purple sage & pearly everlasting http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/king-gillette-ranch-calabasas?select=hFy-oLSdK_6tEM0pSh5jCQ#zF-NKIjWwp7-t0feTWQ-lA Visual table of the unpredictable rainfall in the Santa Monica Mountains http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/king-gillette-ranch-calabasas?select=hFy-oLSdK_6tEM0pSh5jCQ#iVovCMmauhimJ5tJKmc8Tg A huge 3-D scale model maps where the Los Angeles River, Malibu Creek, Sycamore Creek and Calleguas Creek lie http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/king-gillette-ranch-calabasas?select=hFy-oLSdK_6tEM0pSh5jCQ#lfG9rj_p7pwUbi6Z3Ww5eg History of surrounding popular areas http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/king-gillette-ranch-calabasas?select=hFy-oLSdK_6tEM0pSh5jCQ#qRwSXS3cPUoizXlGn2mfsA Takes 2-minutes to make a silly post card, free souvenir http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/king-gillette-ranch-calabasas?select=hFy-oLSdK_6tEM0pSh5jCQ#5wlccTltRoz3SqoKLGN-Pw Parking-2 hours FREE http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/king-gillette-ranch-calabasas?select=hFy-oLSdK_6tEM0pSh5jCQ#eSMS0-wNrY13hB6yFJt-gw King Gillette is walking distance from Malibu Creek State Park and worth a peek. Locals and Visitors, trek! read more
This is another one of those sites that I have driven past 100 times on my way to the beach and I never knew what was there. King Gillette Ranch is a nearly 600 acre property located in the hills of Calabasas. The state had tried for 30 years to acquire the property. It's been called "the hole in the donut that is the National Santa Monica Mountains Park System." The state first tried to buy the property in 1978, but was outbid by a religious group called The Church Universal and Triumphant. The property was sold again in 1986, and at that time the state lost out to Japan-based Soka University. At one point they event tried to acquire it by eminent domain proceedings after the university proposed expanding their campus to accommodate 5,000 students. The university later put the property on the market and the various park advocates quickly went to work attempting to raise the $35 million for the purchase. The property has an interesting history. Besides being owned by King C. Gillette, the founder of the disposable razor empire, it was also owned by MGM movie director Clarence Brown and actor Bob Hope. Hope later donated the property to the Claretian Order of the Catholic Church who operated a seminary on the site for 25 years until it was bought by the religious group and later Soka University. The highlight of the park is the $9.5 million, eco-friendly, Anthony C. Beilenson Interagency Visitor Center. It was formerly the site of the 100-year-old horse stables. My kids and I had a great time viewing the various exhibits that touched on the local environment, water conservation, local history, Native American culture, and environmental issues. After you walk through the Visitor Center you can take a short walk and make your way over to the Gillette Mansion. It's a Spanish revival mansion that was built in the mid-1920s. It was designed by famed architect Wallace Neff. You are not allowed to go inside the former home but you can walk the picturesque grounds. There's a really nice bridge over a large duck pond. There is a 1-mile round-trip hike that you can take to Inspiration Point that offers a 360-degree view of the surrounding valley. There's also a botanical garden with drought-tolerant native plants. The TV show "The Biggest Loser" is shot on the ranch property. read more
10 years ago
The Visitors Center is very helpful about other trails around the area, along with providing insights to the best time of the year to hike certain ones. This particular trail is very short unless you venture on to Ridge Trail by Inspiration Point. But, if you're looking for something short and sweet the loop would suffice. Everything is pretty dry due to the drought but the mountainous views are always breathtaking. read more
13 years ago
This visitor center is really cool and VERY quiet. I was surprised that on a beautiful Friday afternoon, there were only a couple other cars in the parking lot. This is the main visitor center for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area. Located in the heart of that area, this visitor center offers many educational exhibits and information about the parks and hiking trails. I mainly stopped here for my National Parks Passport stamp. But I had also heard about Paramount Ranch, and was curious if I could see it quickly without having to take a long hike. The park rangers were very helpful and provided me with a map for Paramount Ranch (which is very nearby the visitor center). Overall a very pretty and peaceful place. I recommend checking it out - if I lived in the area, I would love to explore the tons and tons of trails. Always great to discover new parks! read more
Interesting little ranch that was built by King Gillette. This used to be owned by Soka university until the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy took over. The trails at the back of Ranch are worth exploring and the grounds of the ranch itself are beautiful. There is a small interpretive museum for the Santa Monica Mountains. Great place for a walk, hike, picnic or just an afternoon out. read more
9 years ago
9 years ago
I enjoyed this tucked away ranch. I went early in the morning around 8 am in late March to avoid the crowd or the burning sun. The park ranger pointed out the cherry trees, and it was a nice surprise to see cherry blossoms! I didn't visit any of the buildings, just there to visit nature. read more
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How do I purchase the tickets to see the Christmas lights?
Visit https://holidayroadusa.com/ The park is only the venue location, Holiday Road is a production that applied for a permit to utilize the park.
Review Highlights - King Gillette Ranch
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2 months ago
