Tours

UC Master Gardeners of Los Angeles and Orange Counties planned tours surrounding Long Beach, Calif. The countless hours of preparation for conference tours by numerous volunteers and tour committee should be noted and applauded. The final tour destinations are not only unique and beautiful but also educational. Transportation is included in the cost for all tours.

Advanced ticket purchase required, on-site registration is not available. ALL TOURS WILL MEET IN THE LOBBY OF THE HYATT LONG BEACH. Please arrive 15 minute prior to scheduled departure time.

Conference attendees will have the opportunity to choose from and register for these arranged tours in and around the Los Angeles and Orange County area:

Explore the Huntington Botanical Gardens

Spend the day at this 120-acre estate, home to more than a dozen world-class gardens. While the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens is closed to the public on Tuesdays, they will open the gardens especially for UC Master Gardeners. Participants will have an opportunity to meet with garden curators, visit the Huntington Ranch where Los Angeles County UC Master Gardeners share information on edible gardening, and explore the Huntington’s fabulous Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Australian Garden, Herb Garden, Desert Garden, and more. Participants will enjoy lunch on their own at the Huntington’s cafe.

Provided on tour: Transportation (bus), water, light portable breakfast, coffee & tea on bus, light refreshments on return trip, entry fee to Huntington.
Activity level: Moderate, most garden areas at The Huntington are accessible to visitors with mobility impairments. However, grounds are extensive and you will walk a lot!
Price: $55 | Limit 98 | Time: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Go California Native!

Visit Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens (RSABG), the largest botanic garden dedicated to California native plants. Spread across 86 acres in Claremont, the Garden displays about 2000 taxa of California plants and includes those native to the California Floristic Province as a whole.

Enjoy a docent-led tour of the gardens and time to explore on your own, plus lunch at the outdoor classroom with a presentation by Peter Evans, director of horticulture at RSABG.

Provided on Tour: Transportation (bus), water, light portable breakfast, coffee & tea on bus, lunch at garden, light refreshments on return trip, entry fee to Botanical Garden.
Activity level: Moderate, some walking and uneven ground
Price: $70 | Limit: 98 | Time: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

CANCELLED Community Engagement with Gardens and Nature

On this full-day fieldtrip, spend the morning visiting school and community gardens that showcase Los Angeles County UC Master Gardener activities. In the afternoon, visit the gardens at the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum, where you will meet the UC Master Gardeners and Museum staff who bring the Museum’s garden education programs to life. The 3.5 acre garden was designed with an eye towards attracting wildlife and studying nature in the city, including plants that offer food and shelter for wild animals. Renowned landscape architect Mia Lehrer, who designed the garden, said of the site, "This is a new kind of garden space, an urban ecological laboratory where people can learn and have a better understanding of nature within the city." Features include an edible garden, a living wall, bird viewing platforms, permeable paths, water features, and bioswales. After touring the gardens, participants will have time to enjoy the exhibits at the Natural History Museum on their own before heading back to Long Beach.

Provided on tour: Transportation (bus), water, light portable breakfast, coffee & tea on bus, box lunch, light refreshments on return trip, entry fee to museum.
Activity level: Easy, some steps and uneven ground
Price: $70 | Limit 48 | Time: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Dramatic Gardens from the Desert to the Sea

South Coast Research and Extension Center located on 200 acres and established by the University of California in 1956 as a representative site for agricultural research. Tour and experience the variety of activities from demo landscapes to youth gardens, fruit tree field research projects to chickens and beekeeping topped off by a special luncheon. Travel next to the coast for a personalized tour of Sherman Library and Gardens. This 2.2 acre horticultural retreat offers a museum of living plants, displayed in a setting of gardens, patios and conservatories blooming with seasonal flowers and bubbling tile fountains – plus a specialized research library center devoted to the study of the Pacific Southwest. Finish the day at nearby Roger’s Gardens, a destination home, garden and landscape design center. One of Orange County’s premier nurseries for over 50 years, Rogers will delight with both outdoor and indoor spaces ranging from an outstanding plant collection and creative plantings to world class décor, artisan collectibles and gourmet foods. Shop to your heart’s content!

Provided on tour: Transportation (bus), water, lunch, light refreshments on return trip, entry fees to gardens.
Activity level: Easy, some steps and uneven ground.
Price: $68 | Limit 48 | Time: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

Los Angeles Farm and Garden History

Did you know that the roots of California’s abundant agriculture can be found in Los Angeles County? Explore our surprising farm and garden heritage with a morning visit to the Rancho Los Cerritos in Long Beach. The Rancho is a holdover from the era when cattle grazed throughout Southern California, and rancheros and their families cultivated elaborate gardens. Tour the Rancho’s gardens, which include specimen trees that date back to the mid-19th century, as well as lush 1930s-era landscaping designed by well-known landscape architect Ralph Cornell. Then learn about California’s farm and garden history from UC Cooperative Extension Advisor Rachel Surls and Los Angeles County UC Master Gardener Judith Gerber, co-authors of the recently published book “From Cows to Concrete: the Rise and Fall of Farming in Los Angeles.” Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing by the authors.

Provided on tour: Transportation (bus), water, coffee and refreshments at Rancho Los Cerritos, entry fee
Activity level: Easy, some steps and uneven ground
Price: $45 | Limit 48 | Time: 8:00 am - 11:30 am

Questions? Contact:
(Please include county name and Tours in subject line for all email communications)

Valerie Borel
Program Coordinator, Los Angeles County
Phone: (626) 586-1986
Email: vtborel@ucanr.edu

Sharon Stolen
Program Coordinator, Orange County
Phone: (949) 653-1808
Email: srstolen@ucanr.edu