Sunnylands will reopen to the public for the first time since mid-March

For the first time since the pandemic began, one of the valley's great historical, Sunnylands Center & Gardens in Rancho Mirage, will be once again open to the public.

Sunnylands will open its garden and walking trails starting on Wednesday, September 16. The gardens will open free of charge on Wednesday through Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Sunnylands Center & Gardens is located at 37977 Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage.

"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," said Janice Lyle, director of Sunnylands Center & Gardens. "Our 7:30 a.m. opening time is an hour earlier than usual to encourage visits during the cooler morning hours."

Officials say they are planning gradual reopening of Sunnylands' facilities, starting with the gardens only. At this time, Riverside County has not met the state criteria that would allow museums to open their interior spaces.

The Center and the historic Annenberg home will remain closed until further notice. Tours of the estate and public programming, such as Yoga and Tai Chi on the Great Lawn, are also on hold.

Sunnylands is revamping its operations and retrofitting the Center to allow for social distancing when indoor visits and house tours resume.

Guests are required to wear face masks that cover the nose and mouth and to maintain a six-foot distance from people not in their party while in the gardens. Outdoor hand-sanitizing stations will be available, as well as very limited access to the Center for use of the restrooms.

Sunnylands will monitor attendance to prevent overcrowding.

Guests are encouraged to bring their own drinking water on their visit, wear sunblock, and to dress for warm weather.

The Sunnylands gift shop and café will be closed to the public. Some select gift shop items, including Sunnylands Olive Oil, will soon be available to buy online at www.sunnylandsshop.org.

Sunnylands has a long history of hosting U.S. presidents and world leaders dating back to 1966. In 54 years, Sunnylands has welcomed eight U.S. presidents and world leaders, public intellectuals, celebrities, and friends and family.

You can learn more about Sunnylands' long history at https://sunnylands.org/history/