Serene Spas, Quiet Gardens & Soul-Restoring Escapes Around the City
Los Angeles is a city that never sits still. Between the traffic, the noise, the packed restaurant wait lists and the relentless calendar of events, it’s easy to forget that silence is an option. But here’s the thing: LA is actually full of places to exhale. You just have to know where to look. Whether you’re craving a candlelit teahouse, a mineral spring soak or a botanical garden that makes downtown feel very far away, this list has you covered. These 24 spots, from Pacific Palisades to Palos Verdes to the hills above Malibu, are proof that peace is always closer than you think. Put the phone down. Take a breath. You deserve it.
Downtown & Arts District
1. Shoes Off, Phones Away
Tea at Shiloh sets the rules before you even walk in, and honestly, that’s what makes it magical. This reservation-only Arts District teahouse operates as a quiet co-working café during the day and transforms into a candlelit sanctuary after dark. The daylight session (10 a.m.–3 p.m.) is ideal for journaling, reading or settling into a slow afternoon over traditional Chinese and Japanese teas. Come nightfall, expect unlimited herbal blends, watercolor stations, live music in the loft and a room full of people actually talking to each other. Shoes come off at the door, and, somehow, that feels like a ritual. Book your spot online before you go.
Tea at Shiloh
2035 Bay St Ste 102
Los Angeles, 90021
M, 7–10 p.m.; T–W, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. & 7–10 p.m.; Th–Su, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. & 7–11 p.m.
2. A Love Letter To Books
Few places in LA earn their name quite like The Last Bookstore. Spread across 22,000 square feet inside DTLA’s Spring Arts Tower, this labyrinth holds more than half a million books, records and curiosities. Wander past art installations, duck through hidden book tunnels and claim one of the cozy reading nooks tucked throughout the space. Whether you’re hunting a rare vinyl, trading in paperbacks or snapping a photo in the iconic book arch, it’s easy to lose an entire afternoon here. Equal parts bookstore, gallery and gathering place, this is one of LA’s most beloved slow-down destinations.
The Last Bookstore
453 S Spring St
Los Angeles, CA 90013
213.488.0599
Daily, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.
3. Art Deco, All Day
Right in the heart of downtown, Los Angeles Central Library reminds you why cities exist. This stunning landmark blends soaring Art Deco murals with gleaming architecture and endless rows of books to get lost in. Tucked-away reading rooms whisper that you should stay longer, and rotating exhibitions and gallery spaces turn an ordinary visit into a cultural afternoon. Step outside into Maguire Gardens for a breath of fresh air between chapters. It’s the perfect mix of calm and culture, all free to anyone who walks through the doors.
Los Angeles Central Library
630 W Fifth St
Los Angeles, CA 90071
213.228.7000
M–Th, 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; F–Sa, 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; Su, 1–5 p.m.
South LA & Exposition Park
4. Roses, Always Roses
The Exposition Park Rose Garden is one of LA’s most peaceful botanical gardens, featuring more than 200 rose varieties across seven acres. Located next to the Natural History Museum, the garden has welcomed visitors since 1928 with peak fragrance and color from April through November. On any given weekend, the air fills with perfume and wedding parties and locals claim a patch of grass to read, reflect or simply do nothing at all. In winter, the caretakers tend the roses quietly, ensuring fresh blooms return for another dazzling season. Come for the petals, and stay for the peace.
Exposition Park Rose Garden
701 State Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90037
213.763.0114
Daily, 8:30 a.m.–sunset
Closed Jan. 1–Mar. 15 annually for maintenance.
5. Walk Your Way To Stillness
The Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens is exactly what the name promises. This South LA oasis centers on a walking labyrinth, a centuries-old practice that uses the rhythm of footsteps to quiet the mind and coax the nervous system out of overdrive. Trickling fountains, vibrant flower beds and scattered benches make every corner of the property a place to pause. Whether you’re working through something heavy or simply need to detach from the week, a slow loop of this labyrinth has a way of resetting the internal clock. Plan ahead and book your reservation online.
Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens
3500 W Adams Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90018
323.737.4055
F & Su, 1–4 p.m. (2–5 p.m. during Daylight Saving Time)
The lower meditation gardens may be undergoing construction. Check the website before your visit.
Westlake / Downtown Adjacent
6. The Urban Wild You Didn’t Know Was There
Head west to Vista Hermosa Natural Park, one of LA’s best-kept secrets for anyone who needs green space without a drive. This 10.5-acre pocket of hillside wilderness sits just steps from downtown, with winding trails, shaded oak groves and open meadows that invite a pause. The skyline views are gorgeous from up top, and the small amphitheater and nature-inspired playground make it a great option for solo strolls and family visits alike.
Vista Hermosa Natural Park
100 N Toluca St
Los Angeles, CA 90026
323.221.9944
Daily, dawn–dusk
East Hollywood & Mid-City
7. Culture On A Hill
Perched atop Olive Hill in East Hollywood, Barnsdall Art Park anchors Hollyhock House (Frank Lloyd Wright’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Los Angeles) alongside open lawns, working art galleries and one of the city’s most photogenic sunset vantage points. Events rotate throughout the year, from gallery openings and family workshops to summer wine tastings on the west lawn. Whether you’re here for the architecture or just want a quiet place to sit with a glass of wine at golden hour, Barnsdall delivers.
Barnsdall Art Park
4800 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323.644.6296
Park: Daily, 6 a.m.–10 p.m.; Hollyhock House: Th–Sa, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Beverly Hills & Brentwood
8. Poolside Zen, Japanese-Style
Hideko Spa in Brentwood takes the Japanese wellness tradition and gives it a modern, Los Angeles upgrade. The spa’s Japanese-style treatment rooms create a sense of calm before you get to the table. All products are 100% organic, ensuring even the most sensitive skin feels nothing but cared for. Book a single or couples massage, or indulge in the gold facial that will leave you glowing. This is the kind of self-care that lasts beyond the afternoon.
Hideko Spa
12211 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
310.612.4550
Daily, 10 a.m.–8 p.m., reservations required
9. Hollywood Came Here First
Greystone Mansion & Gardens is a free 18.5-acre Beverly Hills estate with terraced gardens, ornamental fountains and panoramic city views. Built for the Doheny family in the 1920s, the property has doubled as a film set multiple times and remains open daily to the public. Wander the quiet pathways, linger by the reflecting pools and soak up an atmosphere that feels removed from modern LA. Those who plan ahead can peek inside the mansion itself during special programming on select weekends.
Greystone Mansion & Gardens
905 Loma Vista Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
310.285.6830
Daily, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. (winter: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.)
Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Pacific Palisades & Malibu
10. Ancient Art, Ocean Air
Just on the edge of Malibu sits the Getty Villa, with Pacific views and gardens that feel like a portal to another world entirely. Designed as a reimagined Roman country home, the space showcases an extraordinary collection of ancient Greek and Roman antiquities indoors. Step outside to sculpted greenery, long colonnaded pools and terraced lawns. General admission is free, just reserve your timed-entry tickets in advance. You just pay for parking. It’s the rare place in LA where the architecture tells the story and the surroundings let you breathe it in.
Getty Villa Museum
17985 Pacific Coast Hwy
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
310.440.7300
Tu, closed; W–M, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Closed New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Early closure on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
11. A Garden That Survived the Fire
One of the most sacred places in Los Angeles, the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine only deepened its meaning after surviving the devastating 2025 Palisades Fire thanks to a heroic community effort. Founded in 1950 by spiritual leader Paramahansa Yogananda, the 10-acre grounds wrap around a spring-fed lake populated by swans, koi and lotus flowers. The Mahatma Gandhi World Peace Memorial stands at the water’s edge. The meditation gardens are open Wednesday through Saturday, with limited Sunday afternoon hours. It’s free to visit, and the spirit here is palpable from the moment you step through the gate. Reservations are required and can be made at lakeshrine.org.
Note: the hilltop temple is temporarily closed while fire recovery work continues, but the gardens and Windmill Chapel remain open.
Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine
17190 Sunset Blvd
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
310.454.4114
W–Sa, 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Su, 1–4:30 p.m.
12. Cowboys, Mountains & Clean Living
Set on 200 acres in the Santa Monica Mountains, The Ranch Malibu is an award-winning retreat that runs six- to eight-night immersive programs (and a newer three- to four-night option) for groups of up to 25 guests. Days begin with sunrise yoga, followed by guided two- to four-hour hikes through the mountains, daily massage and plant-based meals grown in their own organic garden. Cell service is limited, the Wi-Fi is intentionally minimal and the results are undeniable. This is the getaway you schedule for yourself when everything else has stopped working. Reservations required.
The Ranch Malibu
12220 Cotharin Rd
Malibu, CA 90265
310.457.8700
13. Low Tide, High Peace
El Matador State Beach proves that the beach doesn’t have to mean crowds. Far out on the western edge of Malibu, this photogenic stretch of coastline is defined by dramatic sea stacks, sculpted caves and tidal pools teeming with marine life. Go at low tide for the best exploring. Bring a book, a picnic and no agenda. There are tables for lingering and plenty of quiet coves to claim for the afternoon. This is Malibu at its most elemental.
El Matador State Beach
32220 E Pacific Coast Hwy
Malibu, CA 90265
310.457.8144
Daily, 8 a.m.–sunset
San Fernando Valley
14. Serenity, Reclaimed
One of LA’s most magnificent escapes, The Japanese Garden at the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant (known as SuihoEn, meaning “garden of water and fragrance”) proves that beauty can grow from unexpected places. This 6.5-acre authentic Japanese garden was built to showcase the beauty of reclaimed water, and it does so majestically. Stroll through the dry Zen garden and its stone formations, cross footbridges over koi-filled ponds, pause at the wisteria arbor and find a bench near the waterfall. The authentic teahouse is the final punctuation mark. It’s a place that rewards slowness and asks very little in return: just a few dollars at the door and your full attention.
The Japanese Garden (SuihoEn)
6100 Woodley Ave
Van Nuys, CA 91406
213.791.0238
M–Th & the second Sunday of each month, 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Closed on City of LA holidays and within 24 hours of rainfall.
15. Paperbacks & Peace
Lost Books in Montrose is the kind of bookstore that restores your faith in physical media. Walk through a tunnel of greenery into a room where shelves of paperbacks and hardcovers share space with an abundance of lush plants, creating an ambiance that feels more botanical garden than retail shop. A vinyl section rounds out the offering for music fans. Come in with a title in mind, or come in with nothing at all. Either way, expect to leave with several things you didn’t plan on buying and a mood that’s better than when you arrived.
Lost Books
2233 Honolulu Ave
Montrose, CA 91020
818.330.7073
M–Sa, 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; Su, 10 a.m.–7 p.m.
16. 150 Acres of Botanical Bliss
Just 20 minutes from downtown, 150 acres of botanical bliss await at Descanso Gardens. And somehow, most Angelenos still haven’t made the trip. The grounds feature native oak woodlands, a Japanese garden, one of the largest camellia collections in the world, a stunning International Rosarium and flower displays that shift beautifully with every season. The pace here is unhurried: paths wind through shaded groves, stream beds and open meadows. The on-site café and charming gift shop round out an ideal afternoon. Admission required; advance tickets available online.
Descanso Gardens
1418 Descanso Dr
La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
818.949.4200
Daily, 9 a.m.–7 p.m.
Closed Dec. 25.
San Marino & Pasadena
17. Masterworks & Meadows
The Huntington Library, Art Museum & Botanical Gardens is one of Southern California’s great cultural institutions. Originally the private estate of railroad magnate Henry Huntington, the 207-acre grounds contain more than a dozen themed gardens, from the famous Japanese Garden and Desert Garden to the rose garden and Chinese Garden of Flowing Fragrance. Inside, world-class collections include a Gutenberg Bible and Gainsborough’s “The Blue Boy.” Note that library exhibition galleries are temporarily closed for construction. Reservations are required on weekends, holidays, and peak seasons, and recommended at all other times. Free admission tickets are released every last Thursday of the month at 9 a.m. for the following Thursday.
The Huntington Library, Art Museum & Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Rd
San Marino, CA 91108
626.405.2100
W–M, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Rolling Hills Estates & Palos Verdes
18. Butterflies & Breathing Room
Now in its sixth annual season, SOAR at South Coast Botanic Garden returns each year as one of the most enchanting escapes on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Running May 1 through Sept. 30, the experience immerses visitors in a pavilion of hundreds of tropical butterflies (species you won’t normally spot in SoCal). The journey starts with the Host and Nectar Garden and passes through the Emergence Chamber, where you might catch a butterfly breaking free from its pupa. For a truly magical extra, add the Butterfly Feeding Experience for $6 and use a nectar-filled tool to entice butterflies to come close. Timed tickets are required in advance for all visitors.
South Coast Botanic Garden (SOAR)
26300 Crenshaw Blvd
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274
424.452.0920
Botanic Garden: Daily, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
SOAR: M–F, 11 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sa–Su, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
San Pedro
19. Stone Bridges & Century-Old Trees
Averill Park in San Pedro is the sort of quiet neighborhood park that deserves a wider audience. Cross stone bridges over trickling creeks, wander beneath nearly century-old trees and listen to nothing in particular for a while. A gazebo, picnic tables and barbecue pits make it equally suited for a solo afternoon and an intimate gathering. It’s a change of scenery from the city’s more crowded parks and definitely deserves a regular spot on your weekly rotation.
Averill Park
1300 Dodson Ave
San Pedro, CA 90732
310.325.8906
Daily, dawn–dusk
Cerritos
20. The Library That Looks Like a Museum
The Cerritos Public Library has no business being this beautiful. And yet, here we are. The contemporary exterior looks more like a cultural institution than a public library, and the interior delivers. There are winding shelves of fiction, non-fiction and everything in between, private reservable study rooms, a children’s and teen studio and outdoor benches perfect for a fresh-air reading break. It’s spacious, peaceful and entirely free to visit. If you haven’t been, go.
Cerritos Public Library
18025 Bloomfield Ave
Cerritos, CA 90703
562.916.1350
M–F, 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sa, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Closed Sundays and major holidays.
Venice
21. Every Inch a Masterpiece
For an experience unlike anything else in Los Angeles, visit The Mosaic Tile House in Venice. Over decades, the late Cheri Pann and artist Gonzalo Duran covered nearly every surface of their live/work home in vibrant hand-painted tiles, mirrored mosaics and sculptures, transforming the property into a living, breathing work of art. Tours are guided, intimate and awe-inspiring. Every corner reveals a new detail, a new story and a new flash of color. It’s part home, part gallery and part dreamscape. Visits are by reservation, recommended in advance.
Mosaic Tile House
1116 Palms Blvd
Venice, CA 90291
Sa, 1–4 p.m., reservations recommended
$20 adults; $15 seniors 65+; free for children 12 and under.
Reserve by emailing [email protected]
22. Waterways & Quiet Moments
The Venice Canals feel like a city within the city, and a far calmer one at that. Created in 1905 by Abbott Kinney as LA’s version of Venice, Italy, the network of waterways winds past some of the city’s most enviable homes, wooden footbridges and an atmosphere that shifts from breezy and bright by day to hushed and romantic by evening. Walk alone, wander with a date or simply admire the life being lived on the other side of those glass-walled kitchens. No ticket, no reservation and no itinerary required.
Venice Canals
Dell Ave & Sherman Canal, Venice
Day Trips from LA
23. Mud, Minerals & Mountain Views
For over 166 years, Glen Ivy Hot Springs has been drawing Southern Californians toward its healing waters, and the appeal is completely intact. Spread across 14 lush acres, this iconic wellness destination features 19 pools, including thermal mineral baths, a lap pool and a saline pool. It’s home to the legendary Club Mud, where you slather yourself in California red clay and bake in the sun before rinsing off to reveal impossibly soft skin. Spa treatments, group fitness classes (aqua fitness and tai chi), on-site restaurants and evening programming Wednesday through Sunday from 4–9 p.m. make this a full-day escape. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially on weekends.
Glen Ivy Hot Springs
25000 Glen Ivy Rd
Temescal Valley, CA 92883
888.453.6489
Daily, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. (select evenings seasonally)
Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
24. Geothermal Magic, 80 Miles Out
Murrieta Hot Springs Resort is what happens when a century-old Southern California institution gets a proper 21st-century revival. After reopening in 2024 following a multi-million dollar renovation, this 46-acre resort now features more than 50 geothermal pools and water features, a full-service spa and an adult-only Relaxation Terrace. The daily wellness programming includes aqua yoga, sound baths and contrast bathing circuits. Day passes are available seven days a week; overnight stays include 24-hour soaking access. This is the kind of reset that makes a 75-minute drive from LA feel well spent.
Murrieta Hot Springs Resort
39405 Murrieta Hot Springs Rd
Murrieta, CA 92563
951.290.0887
Daily, 9 a.m.–10 p.m.
Q&A
Q: What are the most peaceful places in Los Angeles for meditation?
A: The Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine in Pacific Palisades and the Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens in South LA are two of the most specifically designed meditation spaces in the city. Both are free to visit and both require reservations. The Japanese Garden (SuihoEn) in Van Nuys is another exceptional option.
Q: Are there any hot springs near Los Angeles?
Yes. Glen Ivy Hot Springs in Temescal Valley is the most iconic, about an hour to 90 minutes from LA, with 19 mineral pools and the famous Club Mud experience. Murrieta Hot Springs Resort, about 80 miles out, is a newer renovation with over 50 geothermal pools and overnight accommodations.
Q: What are the best botanical gardens near Los Angeles?
A: Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge, The Huntington Library, Art Museum & Botanical Gardens in San Marino and the South Coast Botanic Garden in Rolling Hills Estates are all world-class options within an easy drive of the city. Each offers a dramatically different experience.
Q: Are there wellness retreats near Los Angeles for a week-long stay?
The Ranch Malibu is one of the most celebrated week-long wellness retreats in Southern California. It offers all-inclusive programs with hiking, yoga, massage and plant-based cuisine. Murrieta Hot Springs also offers overnight accommodations for extended stays.
Q: What peaceful places in LA are free to visit?
A: The Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine, Vista Hermosa Natural Park, Averill Park, the Venice Canals, Exposition Park Rose Garden, Barnsdall Art Park, Greystone Mansion & Gardens and the Los Angeles Central Library are all free to the public (reservations required for the Lake Shrine).
