Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, an award-winning Southern California 501(c)3 nonprofit, opened their gardens to the public on Friday, May 22, in accordance with social distancing and safety guidelines provided by the state of California.
Amy Behrens, the executive director, explained that gardens like Casa Romantica’s are indispensable to community healing, offering much-needed places for respite with nature and inspiration. “We look forward to welcoming guests back to our beautiful setting where they can enjoy self-care or family time among our springtime blooms and ocean vistas.”
San Clemente is a popular Southern California seaside community. Casa Romantica’s gardens, with cliffside views of the Pacific Ocean and pier, have traditionally been a ‘must-see’ for tourists during the summer months. Casa Romantica is a member of the American Public Gardens Association and American Horticultural Society. Its gardens include several different themes, such as herbs, succulents, native plants, and a registered Monarch Waystation Butterfly Garden.
At this time only the gardens will be open, and the house remains closed for the safety of our guests. Tickets are limited to a maximum of 40 visitors per hour, with a maximum of 20 guests at any one time on Casa Romantica’s 2.5-acre property to ensure safe social distancing.
Complimentary take home maps are available at the front entrance so that visitors may take self-guided tours through Casa Romantica’s seaside gardens. The one-way route includes marked hand sanitizer stations. The complete course includes some stairs, but a modified route is fully accessible for visitors with special mobility needs.
The suggested donation for admission is $5, and self-service and/or non-touch methods of donation by card or cash are available at the front entrance. All proceeds support the 501(c)3 nonprofit’s preservation and programs.
As a cultural center, Casa Romantica continues to provide quality art and cultural events online. Upcoming events include:
May 26 at 1 p.m.: Casa Conversations, a LIVE Facebook event about Urban Gardening with Stephanie Knight, a Certified Horticulturalist.
May 26 at 12 p.m.: Online discussion of The Library Book by Susan Orleans
May 27 at 6 p.m.: Cooking at Home with TSPOONS Culinary School
Every Monday at 9 a.m.: Casa Yoga
Every Tuesday at 11 a.m. through June 2: Music and Movement for tots
Every Wednesday at 10 a.m.: Storytime for young children
Every Friday at 4 p.m.: Member Social Hour
While subject to current government health and safety guidelines, Casa Romantica anticipates re-opening its historic home later this summer and resuming its award-winning programming onsite for the 20-21 season. The upcoming season includes both onsite and remote modalities for participation, enabling the nonprofit to fulfill its mission for people of all ages in a manner that fits each individual’s needs.
For those visiting the gardens in the coming days, masks and personal hand sanitizer will be available for purchase at the front entrance. Visit casaromantica.org for a complete listing of protocols to protect our staff and guests before visiting the gardens.
Mission Statement
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and is the historic home of the founder of the city of San Clemente. Casa Romantica provides programs for all ages in arts, music, history, horticulture, and literature and is a premier Southern California cultural center.
