As cases of Coronavirus have been continuously rising in the United States, especially in California, many places have remained closed, including restaurants and movie theaters. For those who are tired of staying at home all day, the Korea Daily has recently suggested a safe outdoor place to visit during quarantine: the California Botanic Garden.
Founded in 1927 and located in Claremont, California, the California Botanic Garden is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving California native plants, and spans 86 acres. A reservation is required in order to visit the garden and the admission cost is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and students, and $4 for children (age 3-12). It is currently open Wednesday through Sunday, between the hours of 8 am to 1 pm and 3 pm to 8 pm. Due to Covid-19, the garden has reopened with updated measures in place to ensure the safety of all visitors and staff, including limited visitation, increased sanitization, and timed-ticket entry. Because of the current situation, visitors are asked to follow the social distancing rules, as well as wearing masks during their visit to the garden and avoiding physical contact with other guests and staff.
I had the chance to visit the garden with my family, and there were quite less visitors at the garden than expected, due to the updated safety measures of social distancing. We saw a large variety of native plants, including cacti, wildflowers, and enormous palm trees towering over our heads. In addition to plants, many rabbits and squirrels were spotted, as well as diverse species of birds flying around. An interesting area of the garden was the Tongva Village, with the description: “Native Californians like the Tongva have long loved native plants, respecting them as kin.” It displayed a home made of hay, which was where the Tongva lived and used as their shelter decades ago.
The garden was also decorated with a never ending line of lights, indicating that it would light up at nighttime. When asked about her first experience at the California Botanic Garden, Grace Yoon stated that she “really enjoyed looking at all the different types of native plants at the garden.” She plans to make her next visit “at night when it isn’t so hot, because the lights would be a beautiful sight to see when they light up the path of the garden.”
So if you are interested in interacting with outdoor nature or looking for a place to visit with your family, the California Botanic Garden is a great and safe place to visit as it strictly follows safety measures.
