I met my wife in high school, and we’ve been together for almost 9 years now (2 of which we have been married), so we’ve been on tons of dates. However, I would have to say that one of the most ideal dates we ever had was, funny enough, our first. We drove down to the L.A. County Arboretum, which is a large, yet beautiful botanical garden in Arcadia, CA. I don’t think an arboretum is a place that crosses many people’s minds when thinking of an ideal date, but this park has a lot to offer, such as sightseeing and hiking.
The best time to go is around May or June, because during that time is when most of the plants and flowers are in bloom, there’s peacocks roaming freely (including baby peachicks during this time of the year), and the weather is overall just great. The pricing to get in is cheap, and college students even get a discount. Considering it was our first, I’d have to say that this arboretum is perfect for a first date. We’ve also gone back to it many times afterwards!
The park is massive, so there’s a lot of walking involved, but it’s large enough to where you can spend a full day exploring with your date. Its gives you time to talk to each other and connect, and it gives you insight into what type of person your partner is (what kinds of animals/plants they like—maybe what type of flowers they’re into for future reference, if they enjoy walking/hiking, etc.). There are various areas that can even be considered romantic, such as the arboretum’s waterfall, various gazebos, or flowery gardens.
If an arboretum isn’t your ideal date, there’s also a few other interesting places nearby. My wife and I have also been to the Santa Anita Racetrack, located across the street, where you can watch horse races. There is also the 626 Night Market, a bustling food market that thrives at night, making the perfect night date. Overall, however, the L.A. Arboretum still takes the cake in my book.
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