With Valentine’s Day around the corner, and the overall need for couples to spend time together during the pandemic, we’ve put together some date ideas for your next visit to the Garden. Just walking around the Garden and taking in the beautiful plants and flowers is a romantic date, but there are easy way to up the ante. Whether you’ve been married for years or you’re still in the get-to-know-you phase, the Garden offers safe ways for everyone to add a little romance into their life right now. After all, love is more important than ever!

  1. Have a picnic: Grab some takeout from your favorite restaurant and head to the Garden for a romantic picnic! You’ll be supporting not one but TWO local businesses in the process, and there’s nothing quite as romantic as a well-planned picnic. Bring a blanket and select a remote area within the Garden so you can feel like you’re having a picnic alone in the woods or meadow. 
  2. Bird watch:  The Garden is an idyllic location for bird watching with the chance to see dozens of species, plus it’s a fun activity that you can do as a couple. Bring binoculars and a bird book and head off on your mission. Birds can be seen soaring the sky, perched in a tree, looking for berries or flowers in a shrub or tree, or on the ground looking for seeds and insects. While you can see them, be sure to slow down and listen for them too. This silent time may lead to the perfect kissable moment. Learn more about bird watching at the Garden here.
  3. Take a hike: You may not know this but the Garden has more than 5 miles of trails winding through its 87 acres. While Tram Road is a wonderful walk, our trails offer couples the opportunity to go off the beaten path and enjoy a more private hike. You’ll be surrounded by nature with birds chirping and the tree canopies creating romantic, natural archways. Our top trail recommendations are Alpine Lane and Lakeview Road.
  4. Go on a scavenger hunt: If you’re looking for a more active, fun date idea, try a scavenger hunt! Put your own together or use one of the hunts the Garden has put together over the years (they are all available on our blog). Choose from our Valentine’s Day ‘Where is the Love’ Scavenger Hunt, Critter Scavenger Hunt,  Sensory Scavenger Hunt, California Native Plant Hunt, or our Halloween-themed scavenger hunt. This is perfect for a new couple, or even a first date! 
  5. Look at art: If normally your ideal date night includes going to a gallery to view beautiful works of art, you’re in luck. “Hide and Seek: Art Meets Nature” is currently on exhibit at the Garden and includes 8 world-class sculptures, 6 of which are on loan from LACMA. Before you head to the Garden, be sure to print out our Hide and Seek activity page that will give you and your date a whole new way of viewing these beautiful sculptures.
  6. Walk your dogs:  The Garden is bringing back its dog walking hours on the third Sunday of the month starting this February. If you or your date are a dog lover, bring your dog(s) for a walk in the Garden! Not only is it a great way to get your pups some exercise, but its an easy way to introduce your four-legged friend best friend to your new favorite two-legged friend. 
  7. Cloud watch: There are 10 meadows and lawns throughout the Garden. Bring a blanket and lie down under the beautiful sky and get to know one another or re-connect. Cloud watching can open your imagination and lead to conversations you normally might not have. 

Ready for some love in the Garden? Buy your Valentine’s Day Weekend tickets here.

The Garden has remained open to serve the community by being a place to encourage wellness and health through nature and open space. Please help keep us open by considering a gift to the Garden. You can do so here.