Los Angeles County Arboretum
The LA Arboretum is a little-known gem that is close to the Huntington Library but at a fraction of the cost for the photography permit.
The Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia offers ten landscape themes with flowers for macro photography, plus roaming peacocks, hummingbirds, and turtles in a prehistoric forest pool. A Baldwin Lake and Tule Pond restoration project begins construction in September. The permit costs less than at the Huntington Library.
Arboretum's Vintage Photo Subjects
The arboretum contains five late-19th-century vintage buildings that provide varied indoor and outdoor photo subjects. Among these, the Queen Anne Cottage was originally built for Elias Jackson Baldwin's third wife and later repurposed as a tribute to his fourth wife following their separation. The Gate House features a north-side peaked roof restored to its original mid-century form, with an open trellis covering the pavilion.
Best Photo Spots
Here are six photo spots at the Los Angeles County Arboretum: cottages, greenhouses, gardens, a grove, a knoll, and a conservation garden.
Queen Anne Cottage
Photographs of This Location
Arboretum Entry Gate House Rehabilitation
The Los Angeles Arboretum's historic Entry Gate House was designed by Allison & Rible Architects, and the rehabilitation of the building alongside the entry plaza was completed in June 2023. The Arboretum maintains a dedicated history page covering the background of the site. The reconfigured plaza offers an updated vantage for photographing the restored structure and its surroundings.
Common Questions
Tickets should be purchased online prior to visiting.
The entry fee is $15.
Practical Information
301 N Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, California 91007; 210 Freeway, Baldwin Avenue exit; I-10 East
The arboretum has general parking available outside, located to the right as soon as you exit the freeway.
9am-5pm; 9am-5pm, last entry 4:30pm; December 25
EBT cardholders receive free admission for up to two adults and four children under 18.; third Tuesday of each month; The Arboretum offers reduced-rate admissions for seniors (62+) and students with ID.
Tickets are limited to timed entries and must be purchased in advance online.; No pets are allowed; only ADA service animals are welcome at the Arboretum.; Required for posed/formal photography
Session Tips
- Visitors should keep a distance of 10 feet from peafowl and never feed, touch, or chase the wildlife.
- Flying drones are not permitted in the gardens.
- Photographers should visit the arboretum when it is brightly lit for the best results on a photo walk.
- Peacocks roam freely at the LA Arboretum and may jump into portraits uninvited.
- Only service dogs are welcome at the Arboretum, so leave pets at home.
Photowalk
Walk the Los Angeles County Arboretum Photo Trail
1 routes through the same vantage points, from a quick loop to a full afternoon.
The Tropical Green House contains several thousand orchids along with trees, leaves, flowers and fauna for capturing the entire environment.
When to Shoot
Best Time to Photograph
1:23 PM - 1:48 PM
1:48 PM - 2:48 PM
12:33 AM - 1:33 AM
1:33 AM - 1:58 AM
Best Season
Plumeria bloom at the Arboretum is a seasonal highlight mentioned for visitors.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 06:57 | 17:06 | 10h 8m |
| Feb | 06:36 | 17:36 | 10h 59m |
| Mar | 07:02 | 19:00 | 11h 57m |
| Apr | 06:20 | 19:23 | 13h 2m |
| May | 05:50 | 19:47 | 13h 56m |
| Jun | 05:40 | 20:05 | 14h 25m |
| Jul | 05:51 | 20:04 | 14h 12m |
| Aug | 06:13 | 19:39 | 13h 25m |
| Sep | 06:35 | 18:58 | 12h 22m |
| Oct | 06:57 | 18:17 | 11h 20m |
| Nov | 06:25 | 16:48 | 10h 23m |
| Dec | 06:50 | 16:44 | 9h 53m |
What to Expect During Your Session
Members enter the LA Arboretum at 8:00am, one hour before the 9:00am public opening, and tickets must be purchased online in advance. Drones are prohibited, only service dogs are admitted, and photographers should keep 10 feet from the free-roaming peacocks that may wander into frames uninvited. Bright lighting produces the strongest results, while aperture control can isolate a flower subject against a soft blurred background or keep the whole frame sharp.
Members gain early entry at 8:00am, one hour before the public 9:00am opening.
A session can begin in the Tropical Green House highlighting several thousand orchids using aperture control techniques to isolate subjects or render full-frame focus.
Getting There
Access & Transit
- Wheelchair access
- Designated accessible parking is located near the front entrance, and paved roads throughout the garden provide access to many landscape areas.
- Parking
- Designated accessible parking is located near the main entrance of the Arboretum.
- Public transit
- 210 Freeway, Baldwin Avenue exit; public transportation
- Walking distance
- 15.5 inches