Yay! I finally made my way to Sunnylands! I had never heard of Sunnylands until my colleague who lives and works nearby told me about it. I was super intrigued.

It’s free to visit the grounds. If you’re feeling extra, you can also go on a guided tour of the garden and house. There’s a cafe, and a gift shop with the cutest desert mod birdhouses.

But I was there to get my cactus fix! Seriously, why are groups of cacti so amazing to look at?

Sunnylands is perfectly manicured and they’ve got plenty of desert plants to enjoy. On my visit it was a perfect 75 degrees (ok fine, that was really hot for me, but the shade was lovely!).

I had a snack with my friends, we strolled, and I watercolored. Even though there were people around, it was a tranquil place. It just felt so peaceful and welcoming.

This was my last visit to the Coachella Valley for work (for now!) but if I’m ever back in the area I definitely want to come back here.

More Coachella Valley highlights: Dinosaurs! Cacti! Foods!