RANCHO MIRAGE (CNS) – Outdoor areas at Sunnylands Center & Gardens in Rancho Mirage will reopen to the public starting Wednesday amid safety protocols aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus, although indoor areas will remain off limits except for bathroom access, officials said.
The center’s 9-acre art garden filled with 1.5 miles of walking trails and 53,000 plants will reopen starting at 7:30 a.m. with mandatory face covering and social distancing requirements.
“The purpose of opening the gardens is to provide the public with a safe, outdoor option for walking, meditating, and enjoying the beauty of this place,” Sunnylands Center & Gardens director Janice Lyle said. “Our 7:30 a.m. opening time is an hour earlier than usual to encourage visits during the cooler morning hours.”
The center’s phased reopening approach will begin with the outdoor areas first. Sunnylands staff are now retrofitting the indoor areas to allow for social distancing when indoor visits and house tours resume, officials said.
Sunnylands closed in mid-March following stay-at-home orders issued in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Access to indoor spaces — including the historic Annenberg estate, the gift shop and cafe — remains off limits, except for bathroom use.
Tours and other public programming will not be starting back up until further notice, officials said, although attendees can enjoy five self-guided audio tours available on the Sunnylands website.
Attendance will be monitored by Sunnylands staff to ensure overcrowding does not occur.
Admission to the gardens is free. They will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
Sunnylands Center & Gardens is located at 37977 Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage.
For more information, visit https://sunnylands.org/.
