Chances are, if you have a TV, you’ve seen the inside of this arboretum more times than you could count.

Hundreds of TV shows and films were shot in this botanical dream world, where you can sit in a greenhouse full of exotic orchids, stalk your way through an Australian forest, and creep through a bamboo jungle all in the space of an hour. 

Besides the eclectic selection of garden environments to choose from, those with a keen eye and a taste for 80s classics will instantly recognize the Fantasy Island set from across a serene pond filled with hungry ducks and red sliders curious to see if you brought treats. If the mood strikes you, you can stand on a log as red sliders scatter, point at the sky and holler, “Zee plane! Zee plane!” at the “lagoon” and iconic house as your background - a photo op that many find hard to resist. 

A quick walk down the hill and you are strolling through geometric herb gardens as peacock fashionistas glare and slowly scatter in your wake. The Arboretum is a popular filming location due to its ability to stand in as several exotic climates including Greece, Japan, South America, and Australia while being a mere 20 miles outside of Hollywood. The location is also popular with succulent and native plant lovers, who converge for the annual InterCity Cactus and Succulent Show, hosted by the Arboretum and organized by three local cactus and succulent societies.