101 Memory Making Adventures for a
Childhood in Los Angeles™
In a city teeming with cultural diversity, a thriving arts and entertainment scene, stunning natural beauty, and an entrepreneurial spirit...
where do you start? You want your child to see it all! Not in any particular order, here's our collection of not-too-commercial family favorites that have stood the test of time. These adventures are just a jumping off point for your own brand of fun.
- Disneyland! Enough said.
- See the Getty Center. The art, the gardens...and the tram
- Explore the Discovery Center at the Natural History Museum
- Trot in the fast lane at the Griffith Park Pony Rides
- Pretend to be the engineer at Travel Town
- Catch a turtle in Franklin Canyon
- Eat dim sum at the Empress Pavilion in Chinatown
- See saris, eat barfi, and see a Bollywood show in Little India
- Feed the baby fish at the Fillmore Fish Hatchery
- Watch dolphins play at Point Dume (Pay Zuma) beach
- Take mommy to LACMA for free with my NextGen pass
- Drink retro soda at Galco's Soda Pop Stop
- Ride the Ferris Wheel at the Santa Monica Pier
- See my favorite Disney show at the El Capitan Theatre
- Hear a Story in the Afternoon at the Norton Simon
- Buy roses for mommy at the Los Angeles Wholesale Flower Market
- Feed the sharks at the Aquarium of the Pacific
- Brush a goat at the Los Angeles Zoo
- Eat beignets during Mardi Gras at the Original Farmer's Market
- Fuss with the other babies at a Mommy Movie
- Jam at a drum circle at the Kids Rhythm Club at Remo in NoHo
- See bagels being made at Western Bagel
- See an animal show at America's Teaching Zoo
- Check out a book from downtown's Central Library
- Step back in time at the La Brea Tar Pits Page Museum
- Root, root, root for the home team at a Dodger Game
- Take in a free rehearsal of the LA Phil at the Hollywood Bowl
- Slurp my first fancy coffee at Swork in Eagle Rock
- Go see snow at the Mt. Waterman Ski Area
- Go ice skating at Pershing Square's Downtown on Ice
- Pretend we're on vacation in Italy at the Getty Villa
- Feed the ducks at Los Encinos Historic Park
- X-Ray my broken arm at the Pediatric Care Center in Encino
- Ride the LA Live Steamers railroad in Griffith Park
- Pan for gold at the Autry
- Smell the lilacs at Descanso Gardens
- Play in a rainbow tunnel at the Huntington
- Learn about heroes at the LAFD Fire Station Museum
- Pick strawberries at Underwood Family Farms
- Cut down my own Christmas Tree at a tree farm in Somis
- Clean up the beach with Heal the Bay
- Dig up crystals at Gem O Rama
- See "the buffalo roam" at William S Hart Park
- Stomp the divots at a Will Rogers State Park polo game
- Metro to Union Station, then take a tour with the LA Conservancy
- Eat jello in the magical redwood forest at Clifton's Cafeteria
- Share a chocolate malt at the Fair Oaks Pharmacy
- Stroll in the tunnel of lights at the DWP Festival of Lights
- Eat a picnic then rock out at an Outdoor Summer Concert
- Pet the "instrument petting zoo" with the LA Chamber Orchestra
- Touch a sea urchin at the Manhattan Beach Roundhouse Aquarium
- Boogie at Dance Downtown all summer long
- Enjoy a french dip at historic Phillipes
- Eat a taquitos at Cielito Lindo at the north end of Olvera Street
- See where L.A. started at El Pueblo State Historic Park
- Celebrate Earth Day all year round at Star Eco Station
- Circumnavigate the globe at free concerts by L.A. County Music Center's World City
- Make mom crazy at "Mud Mania" in August at Rancho Los Cerritos
- Wave at the queen of the Tournament of Roses Parade
- Help decorate a Rose Parade float with glue and petals
- Cotton candy and deep fried everything at the L.A. County Fair
- Explore the tide pools at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
- Ahoy mateys...the Tall Ships Festival is setting sail
- See the first spout on a Whale Watching adventure
- Play without limits on a Shane's Inspiration playground
- See the rings of Saturn at a Griffith Observatory Star Party
- Hike Ferndell, then stop for pie at the Trails Cafe
- Visit the past at a California Mission
- Eat in an icon at the Encounter Restaurant at LAX
- Choose my own plant at Tomatomania
- Put my feet on the bed at IKEA
- See world class performers at Pillow Theatre
- Settle down for story time at an Independent Children's Book Store
- Meet my favorite author at the LA Times Festival of Books
- Release my own butterfly at the Kidspace Children's Museum
- Walk in a field of gold at the California Poppy Preserve
- Go global at a Fowler Museum's "Kids in the Courtyard" program
- Blast off at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Open House
- Dive into music at the Hollywood Bowl's Summer Sounds program
- Make mommy saw "ewww!" at the Bug Fair
- Let mom and dad go jump n jive at Pasadena's Lindy Groove
- Say thanks at the city-wide Fire Station Open House
- Go Trick or Treating as my favorite character
- Drive a trash truck at the Bureau of Sanitation Open House
- Free Family Day at the Japanese American National Museum
- Shakespeare or Peter Aslop at Topanga's Theatricum Botanicum
- Cruise the galleries on a Downtown Art Walk
- Be allowed to touch everything at the Zimmer Children's Museum
- Talk to the animals at Noah's Ark at the Skirball
- Figure out how it works at the Discovery Science Center
- Go rock climbing at Chatsworth Park North
- Board Air Force One at the Reagan Presidential Library
- Ascend 9000 feet on the Palm Springs Aerial Tram
- See the swallows return to Mission San Juan Capistrano
- Say "howdy" at the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival
- Get crafty at the Long Beach Sawdust Art Festival
- See SIX museums, hurry, go!...at MOTA Day (Museums Of The Arroyo)
- See the cherry blossoms in full bloom at Lake Balboa
- See science come to life at the California Science Center
- Get excited about books at the amazing Cerritos Library
- Watch fireworks fill the skies on the Fourth of July
Happy Adventuring!
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