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Sunnylands Center & Gardens

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Sunnylands Center & Gardens - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Sunnylands Center and Gardens

• Description

Sunnylands Center and Gardens was designed by Frederick Fisher and Partners in the late 2000s. It is surrounded by a nine-acre art garden planted with more than 70,000 arid-climate plants and trees. Landscape architect James Burnett said that the design was inspired by the Annenberg’s collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings.

Visitors to Sunnylands Center and Gardens can enjoy a variety of free public programs. The programs include guided garden walks, exhibitions, a selection of 20th century sculptures, films, and multi-media kiosks. The interior of the Center’s Great Room, with a camera-ready view of Mount St. Jacinto, was designed by Michael Smith, best known for his work decorating the residential quarters of the Obama White House. The gift shop features a selection of items related to Sunnylands. A café features light lunches, coffee, tea, and snacks.

The Historic Estate

The 15-acre Center and Gardens is the starting point for tours of the 200-acre historic estate . Tickets for tours must be purchased online.

The historic house and grounds were completed in 1966. The house was designed by A. Quincy Jones, a pioneer of midcentury modern architecture. The estate contains thousands of trees, 11 man-made lakes, a tennis court, and a nine-hole golf course designed by Dick Wilson. It was the winter residence of Walter and Leonore Annenberg.

The Annenberg’s left the historic residence – where they entertained seven U.S. presidents, British royalty, celebrities, and international leaders – in a public trust to be forever operated as a high-level retreat center devoted to international understanding and the public good. Since their passing, The Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands has hosted meetings that address serious issues facing the nation and the world.

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Sunnylands Center & Gardens

Review Highlights

“ You see a lot of personal items such as cards and photos from the royal family of England to the Annenbergs . ” in 16 reviews

“ This year we decided to book the house tour and are so pleased to have expanded the Sunnylands experience. ” in 26 reviews

“ If you're going to visit the beautiful gardens at Sunnyland , I recommend that you pay attention to their charming outdoor cafe. ” in 5 reviews

Location & Hours

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37977 Bob Hope Dr

Rancho Mirage, CA 92270

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About the Business

Visitors can enjoy a number of free scheduled walks and activities or they can meander through unique gardens that contain more than 50 varieties of arid-resistant plants. Exhibitions, kiosks, and an award-winning film focus on the history and legacy of Sunnylands and Walter and Leonore Annenberg. A selection of 20th century sculpture from the Sunnylands collection is also on exhibition. A café serves light lunches. The gift shop features a carefully curated selection of merchandise with an emphasis on modern design, as well as Sunnylands-inspired items. Books feature current and past Sunnylands exhibitions. For complete information about visiting Sunnylands, purchasing tickets for tours of the historic house, and the calendar of events please visit the website. www.sunnylands.org …

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Are the bathrooms family friendly? Are the gardens kid friendly?

Yes, I believe there is a changing station. I don’t remember seeing a family bathroom. Best to call them to confirm. Technically the gardens are family friendly- but don’t recommend rambunctious kids or… more

Dog friendly? I would love to bring my pup

Sorry to disappoint, but pets are not permitted at Sunnylands. To see our full policy regarding pets and service dogs, please go to https://sunnylands.org/plan-your-visit/.

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Overall rating

148 reviews

Sunnylands is billed as "history, hospitality and diplomacy in the California desert." This historic 200-acre estate was the winter home of the Annenbergs, ambassadors and philanthropists who hosted 7 US Presidents, the British royal family, and other 20th century notables and celebrities. The gardens and center are free, but if you can, book the Historic House tour (90 minutes) online, which is a look through the 25,000-square foot midcentury marvel. We didn't know about the tour but check in at the center to see if there are any tickets left. Unfortunately only one ticket was available. So instead we enjoyed the beautiful gardens: over 70 species of native and desert plants, landscaped to reflect the Annenberg's collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artworks. The grounds are peaceful and meditative and we also enjoyed sitting in the outdoor cafe. I would love to return on a house tour to see the midcentury masterpieces inside as well as learn more about these philanthropists who gifted this estate so that the public could enjoy it.

See all photos from Karyn M. for Sunnylands Center & Gardens

Visiting Sunnylands is a must if you love history, beautiful gardens, fine art, mid-century modern architecture, and interiors. This morning we took the guided house tour exploring the Annenbergs' historic mid-century modern home. We rode in a covered golf cart to the house. A friendly college intern was our guide (note: they cannot accept tips, I tried). At the end of our tour, we stopped to watch a brief movie about Sunnylands in the main building. There is also a gift shop and cafe. Parking is free but very limited. They encourage carpooling. My tip is to go early when parking is available and open, plus it's still cool as it can get hot outside quickly.

Just as beautiful as the Huntington Botanical Gardens but on a smaller scale. This place evoked a peace and calmness as I walked the grounds. The cafe staff was kind and welcoming. The turkey sandwich on cranberry bread was fantastic. There are tours available (two walking tours and one house tour where you get carted around). Unfortunately , time didn't permit me to take any of the tours. I plan to return and update you on those at a later date. Overall, this is a must-visit if you're ever in Rancho Mirage.

See all photos from Shirley S. for Sunnylands Center & Gardens

Walking tour is wonderful but BRING SUNSCREEN! I was under the impression the tour is more shaded than it is. An hour in full sun. Prepare accordingly.

The history of Sunnylands Center & Gardens is one that is steeped in beauty, history, and romance. Located in Rancho Mirage, California, this estate is the former winter home of Walter and Leonore Annenberg, and is now a public garden and a National Historic Landmark. The Sunnylands estate was built in the 1960s, and was once the site of many high-profile political events and meetings hosted by the Annenbergs. Today, the estate is open to the public and allows visitors to experience the beauty and serenity of its gardens and grounds. The estate is made up of nearly 200 acres of land, including formal gardens, desert landscaping, a lake, and a nine-hole golf course. I have yet to experience the tour of the interior of the home as I haven't wanted to pay the fee to do so. But it isn't much and if I am touring the place again and with a friend I will go ahead and tour the home also. I love the little cafe and outdoor seating area that is right behind the home and faces the vast gardens, grasses and catus plants. Its a beautiful little oasis near a running fountain of continuous of water and I'm looking forward to bring my friends to this little cafe/patio and sit and enjoy the beautiful palms springs weather on a perfect weather day and enjoy some great conversation.

See all photos from Kimberley K. for Sunnylands Center & Gardens

Decided to book the house and grounds, that's right the whole shabang, maid, cook, chauffeur, caddy, and butler service with Jeeves, thru AIR BNB for a mere million 5. Nah not really, however I have wanted to tour this place ever since I moved into town! It sounds so amazing, as does the impressive social circle enjoyed by the Annenbergs from Presidents to Royalty...just amazing circle of friends and associates. I will tell you more after my visit...stay tuned!

Ok...I've been going to the desert since I was a kid but never even knew this place was here. How does that even happen?? I was visiting the art installations of desert x2023 (highly recommend, btw) and one of the pieces was there. I pulled into the driveway and was wowed...gorgeous drive up to the visitor center...took my breath away. The center is amazing - mid century modern architecture - very Palm Springs. They offer tours so if you're ever looking for something new to do in the desert, check it out.

Awesome gardens

Beautiful grounds

Stunning and free scenery! We loved the quiet quiet amongst the carefully manicured space. Highly recommend!

A beautiful garden and mini-museum, free of charge in the middle of the greater Palm Springs valley. There is a gallery, a small restaurant offering lunch and beverages, and a tiny gift shop. But the main event (if you're not on the paid tour of the house) is a stroll around the manicured gardens, finding a bench and watching the people and the birds, or sipping a beverage or enjoying some lunch by the fountain and listening to the water gurgle. Peaceful.

Tuna on cranberry bread with chips

We tried to book a tour far in advance but they had a retreat that week, so there were no tours of the interior for when we were here. Reserving tickets the minute they are available is highly recommended though as they go fast. Ticket sales open on the 15th day of each month starting at 9 am Pacific time for tours occurring in the following month (for example, February tickets go on sale January 15). If you can't get tickets the garden is still open with a guided audio for that you can listen to online. All for free. And, there is a video that introduces the story of the Annenbergs. The gardens are beautful and tranquil! It really was an enjoyable stroll. If i were a retiree out here, I'd visit regularly to get some exercise and get centered. I loved everything about our visit. I bet when the plants are in bloom that it is spectacular.

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Take it Outside

Sunnyands will start offering three outdoor tours - historic, landscape, and bird walk - of the historic annenberg estate in november..

Staff Report October 14, 2020 Attractions , Current Digital

As part of its gradual reopening during the coronavirus pandemic, Sunnylands Center & Gardens will offer outdoor tours of the historic Annenberg estate beginning in November.

Tours inside the Annenbergs’ midcentury modern home, however, are not being offered at this time to safeguard the health and safety of employees and guests. The three outdoor tours of the 200-acre estate are:

• Historic Walk – Guests take a leisurely, one-mile walk onto the estate accompanied by a knowledgeable guide. The 60-minute walk focuses on the history of Sunnylands, the Annenbergs, their guests, midcentury modern architecture, and design. Offered Wednesdays through Sundays. $25 per person.

• Landscape Tour – Guests may reserve a tour for as many as six people of their choosing who will take a guided, 45-minute, open-air shuttle ride throughout the grounds of the estate. The tour features Sunnylands’ landscape, outdoor sculpture, nine-hole golf course, and sustainability efforts. Offered Wednesdays through Sundays. $125 per shuttle

• Estate Bird Walk – Guests join an experienced birder for a 90-minute birding walk on the estate, discovering the variety of birds that prompted the Annenbergs to dedicate 25 acres of their land as a sanctuary for resident and migratory birds.  Offered Thursdays and Saturdays. $38 per person.

© THE ANNENBERG FOUNDATION TRUST AT SUNNYLAND

Guests on all tours must be at least 10 years old.  Guests are required to wear face masks that cover the nose and mouth and to maintain a 6-foot distance from members of another party and their guides.

Tours begin on Nov. 11 and depart from Sunnylands Center & Gardens, 37977 Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage.

Tickets for the Historic Walk are sold in person on a first-come, first-served basis on the day of the tour at the Center.  Payment is by credit card only. Tickets for the Landscape Tour and Estate Bird Walk can be purchased only online at sunnylands.org , with tickets for November’s tours going on sale on Oct. 15 at 9 a.m. Pacific time.

A $1 processing fee is added to all transactions.

Currently, Sunnylands’ gadens are open to the public free of charge from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.

Beginning Nov. 4, opening hours will change to 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the Sunnylands café will open to outdoor seating.  All food and beverages, including lattes and French press coffee, will be packaged as “to go” items that guests can take home or to an outside table on the Sunnylands patio.

For more information, visit sunnylands.org .

• READ NEXT: Sunnylands Opens Walking Trails and Self-Guided Audio Tours .

Visiting Sunnylands, Palm Springs's Luxury Getaway for Presidents and Royalty

Even democracies have their kingmakers. And in the United States, there have been few more powerful than the Annenbergs.

You may not have heard of them, but the people who govern the world have depended on their patronage for generations. In the 1960s, billionaire media titan Walter Annenberg and his wife Leonore hired architect A. Quincy Jones to create a midcentury-modern residence in the California desert town of Rancho Mirage, two hours' drive east of Los Angeles and 20 minutes east of Palm Springs. From there, the Annenbergs parlayed their fortune into unprecedented political influence. When Richard Nixon fled the White House upon resigning in 1974, this is where he went to decompress: 200 gated, meticulously landscaped acres and a private 9-hole golf course well away from the prying eyes of the press, Sunnylands served for decades as an exclusive desert retreat for the American elite, hosting private parties and dealmaking that made the world spin. The Annenbergs hosted royalty, U.S. presidents, prime ministers, and celebrities. Now anyone can visit. 

Handsome movie star William Haines was voted the top box-office attraction of 1930 by movie distributors, but he was soon forced out of the industry for being gay. But like Walter, Haines was deftly diplomatic—he became a professional interior designer and earned the favor of prickly high-end clients including Joan Crawford, Carole Lombard, Gloria Swanson, George Cukor, and Frank Sinatra. His work, which humanizes the 25,000-square-foot house via clusters of cozy living spaces, was trendsetting, blending custom furnishings, exquisite French décor, Asian touches, and great paintings. Haines pieces are now prized among design collectors, but at Sunnylands, entire rooms of his work are still intact.

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Sunnylands Center & Gardens

Price & Hours

• Facilities 4.0
• Atmosphere 5.0

For a curated desert landscape that hosted royalty, world leaders and old Hollywood stars, explore Sunnylands Center and Gardens, the 15-acre parcel that's part of the 200-acre Rancho Mirage estate of former ambassador Walter Annenberg and his wife, Leonore. The Sunnylands Center and Gardens features a 9-acre garden with reflecting pools and more than 50,000 arid-adapted plants, some from North and South America, Africa and the Mediterranean. Along a 1.25-mile walking trail, visitors can enjoy views of the nearby mountains and several free audio tours are available for download on smartphones. The Sunnylands Center and Gardens features free activities throughout the year, such as a guided 60-minute birding walk on Friday mornings from November to May. The main house, a midcentury modern classic, is located within the 200-acre estate that also includes 11 human-made lakes and a nine-hole golf course. The home is open by tour only (reservations are required several months in advance) and other guided tours are also available.

Recent visitors marvel at the precision of the gardens, where " no flower or bush or cactus is out of place." Other visitors added that the Sunnylands Center and Gardens offered lots of bird-watching opportunities, in addition to plenty of benches for resting. Reviewers also encouraged visitors to plan ahead and book tickets to the home tour well in advance, as tickets are often sold out.

Sunnylands Center and Gardens is located in Rancho Mirage, about 10 miles southeast of downtown Palm Springs. It is open Wednesday to Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission and parking are both free. In addition to the visitor center and gardens, there's a gift shop and cafe on-site. To tour the midcentury modern house along with its grounds, separate admission is required. There are several tours available, from the historic home tour (starting at $49 per person) to a guided shuttle tour of the grounds (starting at $28 per person). Visit the Sunnylands Center and Gardens website for more information.

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Birding on the Estate

Tickets for the Birding on the Estate are $39 per person plus a service fee.

Beginning at 8:45 am, local birders take as many as six guests on a shuttle for a 90-minute excursion onto the historic estate, where bird species such as the vermilion flycatcher are year-round residents. Many other species are found during spring and fall migrations.

Schedule now through December 2023:

• 8:45 am: Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday

Schedule from January 2024 through May 2024:

• 8:45 am: Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday

All levels of birding experience are welcome. Guests are encouraged to bring their own binoculars. This tour does not include access to the historic house. All guests must be at least 10 years old. We request that all cell phones be silenced during the walk.

Inclement weather or retreats on the estate may cause the suspension of this tour on some days. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available online. Tickets are released in monthly blocks at 9 am Pacific time on the 15th of the preceding month.

Access our birding list here .

Visitor Information Center for Palm Desert & Palm Springs

Sunnylands: Where Power, History, And Beauty Meet

Imagine a place where world leaders gather to promote global peace, surrounded by serene gardens and luxurious amenities. That place exists, and it’s called Sunnylands.

Sunnylands is a breathtaking 200-acre estate in Rancho Mirage, California, rich in history and significance. For over 40 years, it has played host to some of the world’s most influential political, business, educational, and entertainment leaders.

The estate was originally purchased by Walter and Leonore Annenberg in 1963. Then, it was designed by architect A. Quincy Jones and interior designer William Haines and served as the Annerberg’s winter retreat for over four decades.

In 2001, the Annenbergs established The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands with a mission to preserve the estate and promote world peace through international dialogue. In fact, Rancho Mirage City pronounced Sunnylands a historic site in 1990, recognizing its rich cultural significance and enduring legacy.

Today, Sunnylands remains a beacon of hospitality and tranquility, welcoming visitors from all corners of the globe to explore its stunning grounds and historic residence.

Since opening its doors to the public in 2012, Sunnylands has welcomed over half a million visitors from all over the world. And we’re inviting you to explore her as well!

Sunnylands offers an exciting and unforgettable experience rooted in beauty, art, history, and culture.

You can explore the estate’s beautiful gardens, take a guided tour of the Annenberg’s historical estate, or attend the many events and exhibitions held throughout the year.

You can also enjoy delightful meals or light snacks at our on-site café. And with a gift shop filled with unique and memorable souvenirs to keep your experiences evergreen, there’s something for everyone at Sunnylands!

Sunnylands’ stunning gardens offer a glimpse into the Annenbergs’ love for nature and art. The grounds feature over 70 species of native and arid-adapted plants and a serene atmosphere.

The gardens have been carefully curated to appear in a variety of colors and textures throughout the year, and guided tours are available to help visitors explore their different areas.

More than that, Sunnylands hosts a wide range of events, like art exhibitions, film shows, historical lessons, and tours. The estate’s Center & Gardens hosts lectures, films, and concerts, and visitors can learn about the history of the estate and the Annenbergs’ philanthropic legacy.

Plus, there’s free Wi-Fi and parking space. You don’t have to worry about reservations or tickets — parking is free. The environment is also conducive and safe for kids.

So, why not plan your visit today? Come discover what makes Sunnylands so remarkable and unique, and experience her beauty and tranquility for yourself!