What to Know
- Trick-or-Treat in the Garden at the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden
- Friday, Oct. 27, 4 to 8 p.m.
- $15 child admission; $15 adult (non-member); free for member adults; space is limited and registration for all attendees is "required"
Doorways, doorbells, and front porches are some of the well-known places associated with trick-or-treating, that time-honored Halloween night tradition.
But sometimes the chance to go in search of treats happens a few evenings ahead of Oct. 31, and, if the wind is just right, the whole magical outing occurs in an area that is decidedly lacking in doors and doorbells.
It could even pop up in a pretty place where owl hoots and peacock calls outweigh the sounds of the city.
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The destination we're describing — the knowing nod to peafowl was one colorful clue — is the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, that lush, tree-filled, sun-dappled expanse in Arcadia.
It's a spot that has several seasonal offerings — an Adult Night Hike in search of "Frightening Flora" will bloom on Oct. 21 and "Freaky Flora" self-guided tours are occurring daily — but the youngsters may want to visit on Oct. 27.
For that's when kids will enjoy the rare chance to Trick-or-Treat in the Garden, a nature-loving spin on the house-to-house Halloween happening.
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Several trick-or-treat stations will be erected around the ethereal grounds, as well as locations where you are invited to get acquainted with the garden's "...friendly resident hissing cockroaches, earthworms, snakes, bearded dragon, all to "... learn about how these amazing creatures are far more fabulous than frightening."
Plants, too, will be in the not-too-scary, super-extra-cool spotlight.
Costumes are encouraged and a map will be given out, a helpful tool, indeed. LA Arboretum is 127 acres, and while the trick-or-treat trail will cover just a small portion of that, you don't want to find yourself too far off the pathway.
This is all unfurling, with fun and atmosphere, as day turns to evening and the shadows of all of those gorgeous trees, which will soon be beginning their foliage-fabulous runs, are longer.
The garden's resident owls will likely not be seen — these nocturnal icons are on the shyer side when it comes to humans — but hearing all sorts of birds, and the ruffling of the breeze through hundreds of branches, will add to the perfect pre-Halloween environment.
Tickets are on sale now and you should purchase yours well in advance of the outing.
