The Exposition Park Rose Garden is considered one of L.A.’s hidden treasures.
With all the attractions at Exposition Park, its garden can easily be overshadowed. However, it is home to thousands of roses and has been around since 1927. As soon as your eyes lay on the sea of colorful blooms, and you take in the floral aroma, you are instantly teleported from the city to an oasis.
The location of the Exposition Park Rose Garden was once part of the city’s Agricultural Park from 1871 to 1911. During that time, the rose garden area was used for horse, camel, and dog racing. It was also the spot for farmers to sell their wares. Come 1914, the city of Los Angeles announced plans to construct the garden, but it was not built until the late 1920s.
Over the years, the garden has faced threats of removal. In 1986, there were efforts to dig up the garden in order to build an underground parking lot. The outcry from Angelenos and the media prevented this from happening. Then the once Los Angeles Raiders planned to uproot the garden to create a practice field for the NFL team.
Their efforts in ridding the garden failed, and in order to protect the garden from being destroyed, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.
Today, the Exposition Park Rose Garden is referred as one of L.A.’s hidden gems. This lush escape is the perfect place for picnics with loved ones or even a sweet solo date in the sun. You can often find girls taking their quinceañera photos or families getting group portraits. From time to time, the city also holds special events for the public to enjoy at the park. For more details visit Exposition Park’s calendar here.
Aside from this beautiful rose garden, Exposition Park has many other site attractions:
– California African American Museum
– California Science Center
– L.A. Memorial Coliseum
– L.A. Sports Arena
– EXPO Center
– Natural History Museum of L.A. County
– Science Center School and Amgen Center for Science Learning
Location: 701 State Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90037
Hours: Monday-Sunday, 9A.M. to 7:30P.M.