As we approach the end of the calendar year and the weather cools, we’re ramping up our schedule of outdoor offerings, including wellness activities, tours of the historic estate, workshops, and more.
Each week, November through April, Sunnylands offers free outdoor activities to the public, including instructor-led yoga and tai chi sessions, guided bird walks, and on Sundays, toys and games are scattered on the lawn for families to enjoy. Our new wellness class, Movement and Mindfulness, is available on select dates (details below). Please see our events calendar for all program dates and times.
Additionally, we offer expert-led art and wellness workshops that cater to a wide array of interests. Picture yourself discovering a fresh meditation practice in a tranquil garden setting or experimenting with an outdoor painting workshop. Costs vary and space is limited for these workshops so be sure to secure your spot quickly.
With rain in the forecast this weekend, it’s a good time to note that all outdoor programs may be canceled or modified due to weather conditions throughout the season, including rain, lightning, or strong winds. Check our website or Facebook page for cancelation notices.
December tickets for tours of the estate will be available for purchase beginning Saturday, November 15, at 9 a.m. Pacific Time. Join a friendly guide on one of three tour experiences: the 90-minute Historic House Tour, the 45-minute Open-Air Experience, or the 60-minute Historic Walk, each offering stunning views and deep insight into Walter and Leonore Annenberg’s Sunnylands story.
The Center & Gardens is open* 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday with free parking and admission. During your visit, be sure to grab some refreshment from the café and browse the shop for some great holiday gift ideas.
*Please note, the Center & Gardens will be closing at 12 pm on Friday, December 12, and will remain closed December 13 and 14 for internal programming. Tours, activities, and public access will be unavailable. We will resume welcoming visitors on Wednesday, December 17, at 8:30 a.m.
See you around!
Sunnylands tour tickets: Available Dec. 15 at 9 a.m.
The 90-minute Historic House Tour takes guests inside the Annenberg home, highlighting the architecture, décor, and hospitality enjoyed by cultural icons for decades. Guided outdoor tours, such as the Open-Air Experience and the Historic Walk, also share the Sunnylands story while featuring the home’s midcentury modern architecture and stunning views of the golf course and grounds.
New exhibition—Curating Canopy: Trees at Sunnylands
The serenity of Sunnylands originates in large part from the careful selection of trees that founders Walter and Leonore Annenberg chose in the mid-1960s, transforming 200 acres of bare desert into a verdant oasis. Through beautiful imagery by photographer David Loftus, this new exhibition invites guests to view trees not just as landscape features but as art, each tree with its own sculptural form and seasonal expression.
Sundays at Sunnylands returns November 16
Offered most Sundays from 9 am to 2:30 pm, November through April, toys and activities, including large building blocks, hula hoops, ribbons, butterfly wings, and more, are available on the lawn for children to enjoy. Tote bags, with blankets, small toys, and activity books, can be borrowed from the reception desk. No reservations needed. Sun protection and water are suggested.
Thursdays: Free guided Bird Walks
Offered most Thursdays at 8:45 am, November through May, guided Bird Walks are an opportunity to discover various local and migratory bird species in the Sunnylands gardens. These free, 60-minute walks are open to all ages and experience levels. No reservations needed. Sun protection, water, and binoculars are suggested. Meet outside the Center entrance.
Fridays: Yoga in the Gardens
Offered most Fridays at 10 am, November through April, Yoga in the Gardens is an opportunity to practice poses ranging from beginner to intermediate. These free, 60-minute sessions are open to all ages and experience levels. Free parking and attendance. No reservations needed. Sun protection and water are suggested.
Wellness series: Live Easy Meditation
Guided by instructor Lisa Botts, participants will practice wellness exercises in the Sunnylands gardens. Anchored in meditation, breathwork, gentle movement, and sound therapy, this program focuses on stress relief, emotional balance, and mental clarity. Fee: $11.90 per person. For registered participants only. Limited spaces available. This series is offered on various dates throughout the season.
Saturdays: Tai Chi in the Gardens
Offered most Saturdays at 10 am, November through April, Tai Chi in the Gardens is an opportunity to practice the beginning positions of the Yang Family 108 Long Form. These free, 60-minute sessions are open to all ages and experience levels. No reservations needed. Sun protection and water are suggested.
New wellness series: Movement & Mindfulness
Designed for adults, but open to all, this new series focuses on graceful, low-impact movement that nurtures mobility, balance, and a deeper connection to the body. It is a gentle, yet inspiring movement class set in the serene Sunnylands gardens. These 60-minute guided sessions are free and open to the public to join. No registration or reservations needed.
Wellness series: Live Easy Meditation
Guided by instructor Lisa Botts, participants will practice wellness exercises in the Sunnylands gardens. Anchored in meditation, breathwork, gentle movement, and sound therapy, this program focuses on stress relief, emotional balance, and mental clarity. Fee: $11.90 per person. For registered participants only. Limited spaces available. This series is offered on various dates throughout the season.
Art workshop—Still Life in Pastel: Introduction
Join artist Gianne de Genevraye for a beginner-friendly painting class in the Sunnylands gardens. Participants will learn basic pastel techniques, including the use of negative space, directional light, colors, and more. Fee: $37.90 per person. All materials are provided. For registered participants only. Limited spaces available.
Art workshop—Still Life in Pastel: Intermediate
Broaden your pastel palette in this class led by artist Gianne de Genevraye. Participants will be introduced to expanded coloring techniques, compositions, and backgrounds. Fee: $45.18 per person. All materials are provided. For registered participants only (highly recommended to have taken the beginner level or equivalent). Limited spaces available.
Horticulture Workshop: Bonsai Bar
Join instructor Ben Kegel in the Sunnylands gardens for a bonsai-themed workshop. Participants will learn the fundamental skills and techniques behind the art of bonsai while they pot and prune their very own bonsai tree. Fee: $85 per person. All materials are provided. For registered participants only. Limited spaces available.
Beverages, light lunches, and tasty treats at the café
The Sunnylands café offers an appetizing selection of drinks (coffee, herbal teas, and soft drinks) and lunch options (sandwiches, wraps, and salads) as well as sweet treats (ice cream, cookies, muffins, and more). Enjoy stunning garden views from the outdoor patio. Click or tap below for the full menu.
Shop in person or online at the Sunnylands Shop
Browse a variety of great holiday gift options for the Sunnylands enthusiast in your life. Stop by during your next Sunnylands visit or shop online. Items include brand-new Sunnylands hats, mugs, postcards, exhibition catalogs, and more. For online purchases, select shipping or free in-person pickup at the Sunnylands Center.
This month's botanical spotlight: Fencepost
This columnar cactus is in the specimen beds near the shuttle gate. It is easy to identify with the solid white margin along ribs that display its spines. With a maximum height of around 16 feet, mature specimens bloom red, funnel-shaped flowers with pink interiors in rows down the rib margins. Browse the gardens at your own pace or try one of five self-guided audio garden walks.