Is Carved at Descanso Gardens Worth Visiting? (2024)
Looking to find out if Carved at Descanso Gardens is worth visiting?
In its first year, Halloween at Descanso Gardens was a day time event.
Since then, it has become an entirely night time special event called Carved.
Descanso Gardens is very well known for their Enchanted Forest of Light event during the Winter Holiday Season and now they are just as popular in the Fall.
See our full experience at Descanso Gardens in this video on our YouTube Channel!
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Is Carved at Descanso Gardens Worth Visiting?
Carved is a family friendly event that everyone can enjoy.
Many visitors say that it is actually not worth the price though.
If tickets were only about $25 I’d recommend checking it out, but it’s $35-$45 depending on the night you go.
If you’re splurging for a date night, I’d recommend checking it out though, but I wouldn’t take the whole family.
Carved at Descanso Gardens
In the Camellia Forest and Rose Garden areas of Descanso Gardens there will be hundreds of carved pumpkins lining the trail.
This year, there will be a new route, the pumpkin house, a hay maze, a glow in the dark installation, a Dia De Los Muertos altar, Halloween themed foods and drinks, and more.
A unique experience they offer is the UV black light experiences, along with live pumpkin sculpting, and a celebration of Dia de los Muertos in the Ampitheater.
These photos are from past years’ day time visits during the Halloween season, so the decor for Carved may be a little different, especially since this new event is an evening event.
These Wooden Jack-O’-Lanterns were so cute!
I loved the section that had all Fall foliage, with yellow, brown, and red plants surrounding the Jack-O’-Lanterns.
The bug sculptures were all so creative and it is on a nice quiet trail.
✅ Japanese Garden and Visitor Center Courtyard – DRINKS!
This was one of our favorite parts! We ordered a Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.
We took them to the trails and found a bench to sit on and sip our drinks while people watching and admiring the views.
This place is great for just finding a nice quiet place to relax.
We saw several families sitting out on the grass picnic style with little ones just running around.
✅ Descanso Gardens Halloween Gift Shop
Plan to stay for at least a couple hours, if not longer, to check out the other areas of Descanso Gardens.
Especially the Ancient Forest and Rose Gardens.
There’s also an awesome gift shop at the entrance that has all of the Halloween merchandise you need.
We bought a few items including a Halloween themed shot glass, a jar of Bourbon Molasses Mustard (for when we have brats and sauerkraut at home to celebrate Oktoberfest), and a bag of pumpkin shaped pasta!
When we were there, all red tagged items were on sale for 50% OFF.
So it is definitely worth checking out.
They have their regular year-round merchandise in there as well, so be sure to browse the whole store.
If you’re fairly local, look into an annual membership too if you think you’ll visit a few times throughout the year.
It would be cool to see how it looks throughout each season.
Getting To Descanso Gardens
Descanso Gardens is located at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011.
Plan for traffic if you’re coming from the LA or Orange County areas!
Know Before You Go
The weather in the area is great for layering since it tends to be cooler in the shadier areas and warm in the sun still if you’re visiting before sunset.
If you’re bringing children, it is very much encouraged to dress them up in their Halloween costumes or any Fall/Halloween themed outfits.
✅ Halloween at Descanso Gardens Tickets
Carved at Descanso Gardens is a new Halloween event that runs from October 6th – October 29th.
Entry times begin at 6 pm and continue every 30 minutes until 9 pm.
The event ends at 10 pm.
Members of Descanso Gardens receive a special discount and early access to tickets beginning August 23rd at 10 am.
All others can purchase tickets beginning September 6th at 10 am.
Children under 2 are free, but still need a ticket.
Ticket prices are $30-$40 for members and $35-$45 for non-members.
Children ages 2-12 get discounted tickets for $20-$25 for members and $25-$30 for non-members.
👉🏼 Click Here To Purchase Your Carved at Descanso Gardens Tickets Now!
Fun Fall Things To Do Near Descanso Gardens
Since Carved at Descanso Gardens is a nighttime event, these are some other activities you can do during the day in the local area.
✔️ Swan Boat Rental in Echo Park
Enjoy a relaxing afternoon at Echo Park pedaling the iconic Swan Boats before you head over to Descanso Gardens for Carved!
👉🏼 Click Here To Book Your Swan Boat Rental Today!
✔️ Downtown Hollywood Haunts Ghost Tour
Visit some of the most haunted places in Hollywood and hear some scary stories of the past!
This tour starts right on Hollywood Blvd at the famous El Capitan Theater.
👉🏼 Click Here To Book Your Downtown Hollywood Haunts Ghost Tour Today!
More Local Halloween Events in Southern California
If you’re looking for more places to explore throughout the Halloween season, there is plenty to do in the Southern California area.
✓ Nights of the Jack Halloween Event in Calabasas
Nights of the Jack is a family friendly event at the King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas.
The pumpkin trail is fun for everyone and there is also a “spookeasy” for the adults.
✓ Roger’s Gardens: Halloween Boutique in Corona Del Mar
This plant nursery in Corona Del Mar, near Newport Beach, has been transforming it’s Halloween boutique for several years now.
Each year it gets a new theme and the theme for 2023 is The Witching Hour.
Conclusion: Is Carved at Descanso Gardens Worth It?
Descanso Gardens is historically known for it’s yearly Christmas lights event, but have now made a name for themselves in Fall events too.
Many visitors have said they enjoyed their experience, but felt is was too pricey to do again.
The consensus appears to be that $25 is the most people would prefer to pay for this experience, but tickets are considerably more for this.