My family and I visited Thanksgiving weekend and had a blast wandering around all the light…read moredisplays in the garden! This isn't necessarily a holiday-themed "Christmas" light experience, but it put us all in the holiday mood nonetheless. The themed light displays are well curated, the event is organized, staff are friendly, and the free parking is orderly and well managed. There are ten different themed exhibits found on the mile-long path. By far our favorite was the Ancient Forest, but the Garden of Good Fortune and the Fantasy Forest were close seconds! They do a wonderful job of using the light displays to really compliment and highlight the giant oak trees and other featured plants - as well as excellent music choices to really immerse you in a serene fantasy forest type experience. Some of the exhibits are interactive, like the Symphony of Oaks where you can step on the lights to make them change colors and sing - so fun! They also had a large village of tiny stained glass houses and other buildings you could actually enter and walk through - really beautiful. Another display I loved was the giant light built to resemble the moon - it was placed directly over one of the ponds and the reflection was magnificent! And everyone loves the massive, sprawling field of tulip lights which has a rotating show that will occasionally send waves of lights towards you. We spent a good hour and a half meandering around the path, which is well maintained and mostly flat with plenty of maps to find your way around the exhibits. The staff did a great job of respecting ticket entry times and the exhibits are so well laid out that we hardly noticed the crowds. Very well done! They don't sell tickets at the door so be sure to purchase online in advance. Booking our timed entry tickets was very easy via their website. They also take advanced reservations for their on-site Farmhouse restaurant and for valet parking. The restaurant and gift shop area was packed so I'd recommend restaurant reservations. But the parking was ample, even at 6pm on a Saturday and so well staffed and managed that we found a spot easily with zero chaos. This was my first visit to Descanso Gardens and now I'm wishing I had seen it in the daylight so I could compare haha! Tickets are a tad pricey but ee loved their Enchanted Forest of Light and can highly recommend it. Plus you're supporting a local botanical garden! I'll definitely be back to see all the splendor of the garden in the daytime.

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!

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

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 farmers market has some of the freshest fruits and vegetables ever! I find farmer's markets…read moremore fun to visit and better quality food to buy than your average grocery store, and there are plenty of shops that you can go visit as well. This farmer's market houses all goods from yogurt to produce to meat to necklaces. The variety is absolutely amazing, and the market is also very organized. Tip: Go before 9am if you want to find the freshest vegetables, otherwise a lot of the good stuff will be sold out by then. I usually get the kale from the Aztec Farm stall, which is amazing quality, and that sells out super early.

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.

Always enjoy visiting Descanso Gardens. This place is a true hidden gem and urban oasis just a…read moreshort drive from LA. From the moment you step in, you're surrounded by incredible beauty and tranquility. The gardens are impeccably maintained with so much variety.. stunning rose gardens, one of the largest camellia collections in the world, and the highlight for us was the Japanese Garden. It felt like stepping into another world. We also enjoyed wandering through the oak woodland and catching the beautiful seasonal blooms. Everything was in full glory! We brought the kids and they had a blast riding the little train (super fun and a great way to see more of the grounds). The staff was friendly, the paths are easy to walk, and there are plenty of benches to sit and soak it all in. It's the perfect spot for a relaxing day date, family outing, or even a peaceful solo walk. Admission is reasonable and totally worth it. We'll definitely be back for the special events and different seasons. Highly recommend!

Overall, the gardens are beautiful, but I left feeling a little disappointed with the overall…read moreexperience. I understand charging an admission fee, but it's hard to justify when many of the flowers and plants didn't appear to be very well maintained. On top of that, several areas and gardens were closed off due to private events, which meant we couldn't fully enjoy everything that was included with admission. I was also surprised that the train ride required an additional fee, especially since the ride itself lasted only about two minutes. Between the entry fee, limited access to parts of the property, and extra charges for attractions inside, the experience didn't quite feel like a good value. I hope this feedback is taken constructively because the gardens have a lot of potential. Better maintenance, ensuring guests have access to the advertised areas, or adjusting pricing when sections are unavailable would make for a much better visitor experience.

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.

Great bartender Crystal has a lot of class. Small but friendly Would highly recommend....read more

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE; also often known as the Elks Lodge or simply The…read moreElks) is an American fraternal order founded in 1868 originally as a social club in New York City. Today headquartered at Elks National Veterans Memorial in Chicago, Illinois, it is one of the leading fraternal orders in the United States, claiming nearly one million members. Ok, I know more now than I did before I posted. My wife is a member, I stop by now and then for a cocktail. Friendly crowd. They support the community and raise money for charitable groups.

First time ever attending Montrose Craft Beer Fest and I enjoyed visiting and trying out new…read morebrewery vendors. I also purchased the VIP ticket and includes a small section for you to sit down and have pizza, wine and a tote bag with souvenirs. They also had a digital photobooth with props that matched the theme. Although it rained quite a bit at the beginning, it was tolerable and soon the rain ended and beautiful blue skies appeared. I did get to try out most of the beers which included: 805, Shadow Grove, Frogtown, Old Stump, Cerveceria Del Pueblo, Pro-five and Cellador amongst others. Unlimited pours during the festival plus DJ's spinning great hip hop music had me dancing alone unbothered. There were more sweet (vendors) bites than food vendors diversity options available, had pizza for the most part and a few other bites in between (chili, cabbage salad). I was there mainly for beer and wine. I got to spin the wheel and won a Starbucks gift card. Some may say the price of the VIP ticket was not worth it as it lacked more food options there; only pizza was offered and complimentary wine. So, next time I'll just purchase the general admission as I felt that was sufficient. There are plenty of activities to do. A live band was playing awesome music, and a DJ spinning hits on the other end of the block. Very lively otherwise.

Despite the heat this was a terrific event!…read more I did wish there were more food vendors. I was unable to get much to snack on because the lines were so long. The beer sampling was fantastic so that made up for it. I went at about 1:30 pm and had lots of beer tastings- I think I tried almost every brewery there. The event was scheduled to be between 1pm-4pm and it was about 3:15 or so when the beer pop-ups would say they were out of something. The food booths ran out much earlier. Among my favourites were the Avatar Jasmine IPA, the Red Ale from the Firefighter brand, a special brew from Hanger 24, and a delicious Leffe ale. The festival was pretty crowded but they did a good job of providing trash cans and cocktail tables. Everything seemed very clean, I appreciated that. I would definitely go again; recommend this for the 21 and over crowd but don't go hungry! :)