Before the pandemic I was in such a good rhythm on what places to take my little guy -Hue who is 2 + 1/2 at the moment but he was about 10-13 months when we were in our “going places” prime. I knew what was going on each day and where. I don’t want to forget all these great places I took him. He was under two at the time so he got in free to most places. I will call out all the free places, age ranges and anything else you might need to know in this LA toddler guide.
MUSEUMS:
1| Skirball Cultural Center is probably one of my favorite museums of all time! It’s just always has had really good exhibits for adults (great when baby is asleep in stroller!) but they also have the best exhibit in town for kids: Noah’s Ark. I actually shied away from this exhibit for a while because I thought it was religious. It’s simply an interactive ark with tons of things for your child to play with and explore. It’s imaginative and so much fun for my little guy who was about one when I took him a lot. I know he would love to go to it now. It’s indoors and probably won’t open up for a while but I know when it does open up they will be super safe about it. We always seemed to go on Thursdays which is their free day. I wasn’t going intentionally because it was free it’s just the day I happened to be going. I think because I went during the week it was not busy which I loved. Not a fan of crowds. Usually Hue would fall asleep on the way there so I would check out the exhibits until he woke up and then we would head to Noah’s Ark. So we both got fulfilled by going to the museum. They plan to open to the public May 15th, 2021 with limited exhibitions and a lot of member’s – only offerings. Most likely you will have to get advanced tickets. If you end up having to pay it’s still under $20 for 1 adult + 1 child. Unless you go on Thursday-when it’s free. They do have an outside Noah’s Ark but right now it’s for members only.
2| LACMA is also a very cool museum. I have seen some super cool exhibits here before I had Hue. I came when Hue was probably 6 months and a museum guard came up to my friend who happened to be pushing Hue and told her about the NexGenLA. Basically I signed Hue up for free membership up to 17 years of age. He gets to bring one adult with him for free so that means I don’t have to pay either! Such a cool program! I don’t know if it’s open right now but there was a gallery, I think associated with this kids program, that was behind the gift shop and it was basically an art/craft studio for kids. Hue was a little young for it at the time but would be perfect for it now! I think they had classes and made cool things or it looked like it… Also this is where the Urban Light lives. We have all seen it in a million shows/movies/commercials. Also the grounds of the LACMA are also pretty cool + it is right next to the La Brea Tarpits. So, there is A LOT to see here and all you have to do is pay for parking and maybe buy a cool book at the gift shop!
3| In Pasadena on Colorado Blvd is the Southern California Children’s Museum. We went here definitely once maybe even twice. The main area was one big room wit a lot of different areas that were very interactive. Hue had a great time. It wasn’t too expensive. I can’t find the prices because they are operating a little different right now. They are open but only by reservation/semi-private party. When we went it was a rainy Sunday and there was a birthday party happening so it was busy but still tolerable. I bet this place during the week day morning was probably where it was at. Looking forward to going back when it opens fully back up.
4| Cayton Museum in Santa Monica. Babies are free under 1 year old. Adults are $14. This is such a fun place for littles. Hue was always under one so he was always free when we went. There was a lot he couldn’t do but it was still super interactive for him. We were actually very close to buying a membership. Then the pandemic hit and luxuries like memberships became non-existent. The Cayton Museum is closed but they seem to have a creators program that seems to take place outside, in front of the museum. It looks like it is free but you need to reserve a spot! This seems pretty cool. I’m going to check it out!
5| Travel Town in Griffith Park is the best. It’s free. There is a little choo-choo train that circles the park and everyone waves to each other as the train passes by. There are some trains that have the front area of the train that are open for kids to check out. Parents were honoring the one in/one out system and a line built up sometimes but it went super fast. They have a “must wear mask at all times” policy. Hue ran around in overalls and I got him a little conductor hat. We ate lunch at the picnic tables and Hue made some friends. It was kind of our first outing where things started to feel somewhat more normal and it was such a great feeling. I decided against riding the train because the line was super long but I think during the week the lines wouldn’t be as long. At least it was that way in the past. It looks like they have plastic dividers and they probably can’t pack the train right now making the line a bit longer than usual. Even without riding the train we still had a great time!
6| Kid Space Children’s Museum is open! Looks like you have to reserve your tickets in advance. That is pretty typical of most museums at the moment. Babies under one are free! Hue went here once maybe twice before the pandemic. I felt he was too much of a baby for a lot of the outside play area stuff. We mostly hung out indoors for story time. (Which I wore sandals without socks and they had a rule you had to wear socks and we refused to buy some so it was just awkward because Hue was too young to be on the play mat by himself without me.) I felt like once he got a little older that this could be a pretty magical place. So I am excited to take him back. Plus it’s butterfly season there right now. I don’t know exactly what that means but sounds exciting!!! Update: We went! It was awesome! They had 15 pretend caterpillars hidden all over. We only found four! The whole place was decorated with butterflies. They had an area where we made a wildflower potting clay disc. We plan to put in a pot soon where it will expand and grow wildflowers to attract bees and butterflies! There were a lot of things missing or taken out but Hue still had a great time discovering all the new things.
7| The Getty is always a classic place to take my little guy. Parking is always an even $20 but entry is free! I like going here. It’s a nice mix of inside + outside options. There is a nice grassy hill with views for days. There is a little water feature in one of the main outdoor areas and it ends up falling in an impressive waterfall feature that then leads down into the cactus garden. I know they had a family area but I never used it. Hue was pretty small when I went both times with him. There is plenty to do there but our usual trip looks like some quick strolls with a stroller through some exhibits and then we head to the grassy hill near the cactus garden so Hue can run around. Like the Skirball, it’s not too far from my home so that is a nice feature too! Their website says they will be re-opening in May but will require timed-entry reservation.
8| The Getty Villa is such a sweet + magical seaside mansion nestled in the mountains. I took art classes at Otis in Highschool + we had to come here to draw in the gardens. It was pretty awesome. I think it was then that I imagined what it would be like to have a house like that. Then whenever I visited I pretended it was my home. They have changed it a bit over the years but it is always a favorite place to visit. A couple of years back my parents and I were doing an English Tea Tasting once a month and we went to their very fancy Tea by the Sea tea room. It was so beautiful. We took Hue there around 4 months and it was just a lot of walking around. I think it would be the same now except I would be running after him. The Getty Villa has always been reservation only and still is. It’s $20 per car + a reservation.
9| Natural History Museum is now open! It’s $15 for adults and $7 for children. Timed reservations are required. We have taken Hue here. We spent a lot of time outdoors in the garden but the exhibitions are super cool inside. Hue liked it but was still pretty young when we took him. I bet he would LOVE it now. In college our drawing teacher would have us come here to draw all the dinosaur skeletons. I have fond memories of hunkering down on the floor somewhere and drawing for hours. It’s a different look for me now. I am just chasing Hue everywhere but it’s still a fun experience for him and that is what matters. We did try to come here a couple of times only to get turned around because USC was having a game and the parking was full or their was a graduation or something. I’m sure it’s a little different now but just know if USC is having events it might impact your visit. We ended up at the Cayton a lot when this would happen.
10| California Science Center is right next to the Natural History Museum. Entry is free but a timed reservation is required. This and the museum below are the only museums I have not actually taken Hue to! I have gone before (usually for a class requirement) and always love going here! They have a lot of cool exhibits and I always learn something here. Hue will love it. Maybe I will take him on a week day soon. I know USC is still doing school on-line so I’m thinking parking/traffic will not be so congested.
11| Another museum worth mentioning would be the Norton Simon Museum. I love this museum. I went a lot when I was in art school and kind of fell in love with it. It has a mid-century vibe to it. It has great work of arts you can see (free when a student!). Plus it has a nice little garden outside. I was looking into taking Hue pre-pandemic. I do remember seeing kids art afternoons on the weekends. I looked it up now and they seem to be offering a lot of cool kid art online programs so I would definitely check that out. Hue might be a little young for the online art offerings but I am still going to see if anything sticks. I never have gone with Hue but I do plan to take him in the near future. Adults are $15. Children 18 and under are free! Wow… and students are free too. Which is also maybe why I went SO much in college. Advanced ticketing is required.
GARDENS/FARMS
12| Huntington Library is a very cool place. If you have been there you understand the magic and if you haven’t visited – you must. It is super overpriced but totally worth it. All the gardens are beautifully manicured. The restaurants carry my favorite brand of tea, Art of Tea. I happened to go the day before Halloween in 2020. There was a lot shut down. The children’s play area is closed which is kind of usually where we end up. Also all the indoor art exhibits and a lot of the restaurants including the tea house are closed. They have some pretty good exhibits in their museums but the main attraction for me is the gardens. We usually just walk around for about an hour or two and explore then eat our lunch either at the main 1919 Cafe or we bring our lunch from home. You must reserve tickets ahead of time and I visited during the week. I wouldn’t even try to go during the weekend right now unless your into crowds. Adults are $25 for weekdays and $29 on Weekends. Children are free under 4 years of age.
13| Descanso Gardens is like the Huntington Library’s cousin. They have the same vibe but at Descanso Gardens things feel more rustic less fussy. You will still get a great sandwich at their front cafe area, their gift shop is one of my favorites (We got Hue a cool board book there when he was a baby.) and I think I saw a bar cart selling Mimosas and Bloody Mary’s shuffling around one weekend while we were there. I happened to visit early May and the rose garden was spectacular – EVERYTHING was in bloom. For Hue, he just loves the adventure of running around pointing at fish swimming in the pond or seeing the turtles sunbathing on rocks. It’s really beautiful any time of year but was especially stunning in Spring. Advanced ticketing is required. We went as a family once or twice over the summer and it wasn’t that busy. I have looked a couple of times since April and the weekends are usually pretty booked up so you have to plan your trip in advance unless you are a member – then you can go anytime you want! I have also thought about becoming a member here too. General Admission is $15 and children under 5 are free! Also, Descanso offers so many great opportunities. Before the pandemic they had a Tuesday children’s reading circle. It was recommended for 2 and older and I think it was free. I was waiting for Hue to turn 2 and then the pandemic hit. I didn’t see anything about it on their website so they are probably waiting for things to calm down a bit to bring that back. The train wasn’t running either but I asked a grounds keeper and he said he thought the train would be up and running by June. Also, I have never been but they have cool events around Halloween and the holidays. I’m not sure if they are going to be doing it this year but I think it would be worth checking out!
14| Los Angeles County Arboretum Botanical Garden is also a fantastic place to bring a toddler with a ton of energy! I have grown to love this place more with each visit. It’s a really beautiful place. There are peacocks roaming freely throughout the park. The park is vast and can even tire my little guy out. I feel like I discover something new every time I come here. In the winter they do a light show of the whole park and it’s super cool. I was so impressed by it and Hue had such a great time running under huge tunnels of lights. I will definitely get tickets to see Lightscape this year. Advanced ticketing is required. Adults are $15 and children under 4 are free!
15| L A Zoo is open! I can’t remember exactly when we last went but I think it was in October. There was a lot of things closed. Like anything indoors, the carousel and the play ground were all closed. The cool thing was there were a lot of babies that had just been born so that was really cute to point out to Hue. There was some cool extras missing this time around. The year before they were having some Halloween/Zoo night thing and they had this cool haunted maze in the front that Hue checked out before seeing the animals. That was not there this year. They also had a giant Christmas Tree the year before that we missed this year. It felt like a lot of the special additions they have added over the years were missing but seeing the animals is always the main event and that part did not disappoint. I also made a point to go before Hue turned 2 because he was free under 2 and I missed out on that for most of 2020 so I wanted to go at least one more time before he became a $17 ticket. The LA Zoo is a great place to take your toddler to get them outdoors and to see a ton of animals. Timed advanced ticketing required. Adults are $22, under 2 are free and 2-12 are $17. That’s why taking your toddler while they are under 2 is so appealing, the price jumps up quite a bit after 2 years of age.
16| Underwood Farms is becoming one of my favorite places. It took a while to grow on me. The first time I went was in the Fall before Halloween on a Sunday afternoon. It was so crowded and very overwhelming. I have since come back when it is less crowded and I absolutely have fallen in love. First of all, Hue loves it. He just runs around and gets rid of so much energy! He loves picking all the fresh veggies. I had no idea how much fun this would be for him. I underestimated this part greatly! They have a link so you can find what is available to pick before you go. This is a place I would check their website regularly because they have different events for every season. You get quite a bit with your ticket purchase. You get a free tractor-drawn wagon ride that can drop you off at the pick-your-own fields. We tend to walk to the fields to get our veggies and fruits and then take a wagon ride and enjoy the view. We usually pack a lunch – all that walking makes you famished. There is a whole petting zoo too! A lot of the park stuff is closed off but last time we were there (just before Easter) the swings and the tractor slides were open. Fair warning – the drive there and back is always SUPER windy. Every. Single. Time. You get used to it once you are there but it’s always a little jarring at first. This is a GREAT place for your toddler. Every time you go is a different experience because they decorate for every holiday/season and there is always a new vegetable or fruit that just became in season that wasn’t the last time you were there. Prices right now are $6 during the week and $8 during the weekends. Kids under two are free. I have noticed the prices jump all over the place according to what season your in. I would just check the website before you go.
17| Santa Barbara Zoo is a small zoo nestled in the hills in Santa Barbara. It is a beautiful place with gorgeous views. We went on a Sunday afternoon in early 2020 right before the pandemic hit. I remember it being super crowded and a little underwhelmed when it came to some of the exhibits. A lot of the exhibits had no animals in it. It was a nice stroll through a park for a couple of hours and the weather was super nice. I think too when you hear how great a place is and then finally visit it, it can be underwhelming. Adults are $19.95 kids are $14.95 and children under two are free! The down side to this is you have to pay for parking and both parking and park tickets need to be purchased in advanced. It’s a pricey experience for a small zoo in my opinion but Hue loved it and I would go back again. It’s close to $70 before you have even entered the park for a family of three. When we went with Hue he was free because he was under 2. If your looking to get out of town for a day trip this may be a place you want to add to your calendar.
18| Wildlife Learning Center is a small wild life animal rescue shelter for wild life that were in a compromised position. This place gives them a home and a safe place to live. The last time I was there I think a lot of the animals were victims of people trying to keep them as pets. It compromises the animals to not live in the wild anymore so this gives them a safe shelter. It has a very, very small zoo like vibe. You can check out all the animals in like under 30 minutes. We went in the morning during the week. They have a lot of extra things you can do but for additional fees. When we were there they brought out an animal (I can’t remember what, maybe a snake?) and they talked about the animal, answered a ton of questions and let the kids pet the animal. It is definitely worth checking out. Adults are $12 Children ages 3 – 15 are $10 and children aged 2 and under are free! You do need to buy advanced tickets. The staff here are super knowledgeable and friendly. Hue loved it but we were done pretty fast because it’s not that big of a place. I like this place because it’s a little off the beaten path and there are some pretty cool animals. When we went there was a sloth and really gigantic eagles. (I think they were eagles, they were a giant bird of some kind, really amazing to see the wingspan of a bird like that.) Your toddler will be happy you took them!
PARKS
19| Lake Balboa is probably my favorite park in the valley. I grew up in Valencia and I had heard about Lake Balboa but I had never been. The first time I visited about a year before I got pregnant with Hue, I couldn’t believe this huge lake and beautiful scenery was in the middle of such a congested + traffic heavy place. During the pandemic we were coming here A LOT. I came for a run, my husband did too and then we brought Hue later in the day to run around. We would pick a different part of the park and explore it. I didn’t even realize how huge the park was until we started having little adventures in it out of boredom and everything else being closed. I don’t know what my little family would have done if Lake Balboa would have closed. We also loved it before the pandemic too! We had Hue’s first birthday here. I took Hue on walks around the lake in his stroller when he was a baby. I absolutely love this place. Now we walk around the lake and explore rocks, sticks and climbing trees. We even go to the playground if it’s not too crowded. I avoid this park on the weekends. There are definitely some weirdos here but I just try to avoid them or people watch from afar. Homelessness is definitely a problem every where in LA but I have noticed a lot more homeless in the park. They tend to keep to their selves and hide out in the riverbanks surrounding the park. To enter the park is free. You can rent bikes or swan boats if you want to be active while at the lake!
20| Griffith Park (Play Ground / Train ride / ponies / petting zoo / carousel / Observatory / Travel Town / LA Zoo) There is so much to do in Griffith Park besides hike! (There are so many great hiking trails! When Hue gets a little older I think we will explore hiking some more.) We love the playground in Griffith Park. It is the first universally accessible playground. We like to go here every once in a while to break up our usual play ground routine. There is another train in addition to the travel town train that you can ride for $3 (11 years old and under) to $3.50 (12 years and over) and babies under 18 months ride free. During the holidays they add a lot of festive lights to it. This is located close to the pony rides which is also $5. There is also a petting zoo for another $5. This includes the parents entrance fee if the child is under 14 years old. This is all located closer to the Los Feliz entrance. Closer to the play ground is Griffith Park’s Merry-Go-Round. It seems to be open Saturday + Sundays from 11 -5 and is $2. I personally have not done any of these yet. I wanted to do the train ride around Hue’s first birthday but ultimately felt he was too young to really absorb it. I think he is around the perfect age to visit this area of the park. I did notice they close for lunch at the train area so just double check the hours before your visit. The Griffith Observatory is a super cool place. The actual museum is closed but the grounds and hiking trails around are open. If you wanted to walk around with your toddler and check out the views or go on a small hike this area will not disappoint. Fun fact the last weekend LA was open before everything shut down we visited Griffith Observatory. The museum part was open and it was fun for Hue! The last two places, Travel Town + the LA Zoo were covered in a different section above because they are big enough to be talked about on their own but are located within Griffith Park so I thought they deserved to be mentioned here too. Griffith Park is huge with so many fun things to do! I would group some things together. Like you can do Travel Town, the playground and the merry-go-round in one outing. I assume you could do the train + pony rides + the petting zoo in another outing. The zoo is definitely big enough to do that solely in one outing. Since you would just be visiting the grounds at the observatory, I would take that more like an adventure and you might be there for a while collecting sticks or short enough where you need to visit the play ground before you head home. Of course you can do each thing on their own too! Just depends how much energy your little one has!
21| Johnny Carson Park is one of our favorite parks. It is located very close to our old apartment where we lived for almost 15 years before Hue! It’s a great park. I feel like they totally redesigned it a couple years back. I remember it kind of being a construction zone for a while when I would go on walks by it. The actual play ground is set back from the main road separated by a huge grassy field which makes it feel kind of secluded and safe. There is a sweet little pink free library that Hue loves to check out almost every time. There are picnic tables there in case you want to bring lunch but I have also brought a blanket and ate lunch with Hue under a tree. Hue loves to run to the park on that aforementioned grassy field and he absolutely loves this cement “Theater” area that he just twirls around in circles for forever. There are a couple of bridges that connect the park to another area behind the play ground that is great for walking/exploring or just rolling down grassy hills. There is a road that is hard to see that runs behind this grassy hill area. Hue of course loves to hang out by this area because its at the top of a grassy hill but I just don’t let him step onto the road area. There is also a couple of homeless people that kind of hang out on the outer areas of this park. They don’t really bother you if you don’t really bother them. Hue once got kind of close to the outer banks and a homeless guy yelled at us to leave so I just keep him away from that area from now on. We go to this park regularly. There is always something happening here. A toddler ballet class or a toddler soccer match on the weekends. I also see a lot of adult meet-ups too. A super bonus… the public bathrooms are not bad! I usually hold a bathroom break at most public parks but this one is maintained well.
22| North Weddington Park is located near Universal Studios but is kind of hidden as it sits up next to the 101 freeway and is nestled at the end of a neighborhood of homes. It is space theme and has a lot to do and explore here. The actual park is quite big but it’s hard to see how big it is when you first pull up. We like mixing this in to our regular rotation to switch things up for Hue!
23| Valley Glen Community Park is a sweet little park and even sweeter that it’s pretty close to our home. There is the play ground area that we mostly go to which I love because it is gated. It’s the park we go to when I know Hue needs to get rid of some extra energy but I also need to make dinner or get him home for a nap kind of play ground for us . It also has a pretty descent sized park area with lots of trees and benches + picnic tables. There is a path around the outer edge where people run/walk/walk their dogs.
24| Lacy Park is such a gem. My friend who lives closer to that area showed it to me and I am so glad she did! It has a huge park area, a great path for walking, riding bikes, scootering and the path is one-way so no confusion or crashes. It has a rose garden and an outer dirt path for more walking. It also has a play ground that Hue loves. Plus the bathrooms here are also descent and they have a family bathroom which if I am alone with Hue that makes life much easier. This park is nestled is San Marino and is free during the week but to keep the crowds down it is $5 on the weekends to non-San Marino residents. Hue is free. I couldn’t find anywhere where it’s written down but I think kids under 4 or 5 are free on the weekends. This is a great place to bring lunch and have a picnic.
25| Van Nuys Observation Area is super close to our home! It’s a great thing to do for Hue. We have met up for a play date here. Hue and I have picked up In-N-Out and ate in our car watching the planes land and take off. This is a private airport where a lot of celebrities fly out of on their private planes. Most notably the Kardashians – we even saw a paparazzi with his gigantic camera taking shots through a hole in the fence there once. It is a parking lot so you do need to be careful of cars leaving and entering the lot. I usually make the trunk our hub. It’s our picnic table and a place to sit to watch the planes + helicopters. I have even seen people bring bikes but for me I keep Hue on a pretty tight leash there so I don’t really want him getting too far away from me. There is a play ground observation area there but it has been closed since the beginning of the Pandemic. I don’t know if it’s open yet. This is a great free place for us to go that is super close to home!
26| Lake Hollywood Park is great walking/biking path around a reservoir with a gorgeous bridge/dam and amazing views of the Hollywood Sign and of Los Angeles. If you are lucky you might see some deer which is pretty magical to see up close for both Hue and I! The only thing about this path that is a downside for parents with toddlers are the bikes. A lot of people are walking and running but there are a lot of serious bicyclist’s who come whizzing by you. I hear them call out that they are coming but it’s tricky when you are trying to let your toddler run free. I am very aware of the bicyclist’s coming and goings to avoid any collisions but it can be a lot sometimes.
BEACHES
27| Zuma is great because it has a huge parking lot. It’s super easy to access to the beach which is great when you are hauling ALL THE THINGS and holding a toddlers hand (sometimes carrying a toddler) while navigating where to park your stuff for a few hours. I personally have not been brave enough to do the beach on my own – yet. Zuma’s parking lot is $15 flat fee on the weekend I don’t know about weekdays or the non-summer months. There is also parking along the PCH but again with a toddler you might just want to pay the fee and park in the parking lot.
28| County Line is where we go when we tag a long with my husband while he surfs. You have to park on the street which is the Pacific Coast Highway. Across the street and a little north is Neptune’s Net. So you know you have gone too far if you pass that restaurant on your right. I would definitely not come alone here with just my toddler. There is a steep hill you have to navigate with a toddler and I don’t think I would feel comfortable with ALL THE THINGS you need for a beach day (snacks, diapers, swim suit for Hue, beach towels, blankets, sunscreen, lunch, water, milk, sand toys, maybe an umbrella or a beach cabana – basically everything.) hanging on my body too. Also when the tide is high there is very little beach so this is a place I feel comfortable coming to when I know my husband is near by to help us navigate the terrain. Upside it is totally free.
29| Malibu Lagoon State beach is a great spot. It just takes a little bit of a walk (with a pretty view) to get there which might be cumbersome with a toddler. You can pay for parking in the lot or you can park on the road just outside of the parking lot. I wouldn’t come just alone. I would want another adult around to help me out so I could either carry ALL THE THINGS or carry/watch Hue. Across the street is Malibu Country Mart if you want to grab a bite to eat or do a little shopping after your beach adventure.
30| Will Rogers State Beach is a beach I don’t think I have ever visited or not that I know of… but I have heard a lot of people that have been and seem to enjoy it. It’s located in Pacific Palisades. I wanted to put it on here because I really know all the surfing beaches because of my husband but I have a feeling this is a great place to take toddlers. I don’t know for sure but when I get to check it out I will update here for sure!
31| Santa Monica beach is a very big area. I have been to the C Street area (Might be a surf nickname for this location) for my husband because he surfed there once and took the family. It is located left of the Santa Monica Pier when you are looking at the ocean. There is a parking lot that you have to pay for. Plus you have a great view of the pier! We happened to go on Christmas day so it was not busy and Hue had a great time! To the left of the pier when you are facing the water is the North Beach Playground. It’s a great playground with a lot of fun things I hadn’t really seen before. Hue absolutely loved it and it didn’t hurt that you have a view of the ocean the whole time your at the park! There is a parking lot in front of the playground that I’m pretty sure you have to pay to park there but not 100% sure on that. We got there by walking across the bridge that goes over the PCH and then we took a series of stairs up where there is grassy areas and paths that overlook the ocean. We got sandwiches from Bay Cities and had a little picnic up on the grassy area part. We also parked up there in the metered parking. Great spot to hang out but I wouldn’t do the whole stairs thing without a friend or my husband to help.
32| There are tons of beaches in Ventura. Growing up my dad always took us here where we would bbq hot dogs + hamburgers and then we would walk over the (in my little girl eyes) giant sand hills and play on the beach and in the water. Now we go to Surfer’s point so my husband can surf while Hue and I play in the sand. Then together as a family we walk along the path that stretches for miles along the coast. Recently we had a playdate at the beach near the pier. All the parking lots are pay to park but I don’t think any of them are more than $5. There are so many more beaches I want to explore here! Love coming to Ventura when I need a little change in scenery for a minute!
FREE
33| Libraries were my jam before the pandemic. I was very into the Burbank Library program. I think living in Burbank for almost 15 years means I gravitate towards that area a lot. There were great classes for Hue starting from when he was a baby. Under 12 we went to this Library which was closed to the public at this day/time but just opened for this class which was so amazing. The librarian would sing songs and read books to our smiling, crying, crawling, walking babies! It was kind of a mommy-and-me circle time. I absolutely loved it and hope they bring all these programs back once things start to open up. Once Hue was one we went to this library for a more age appropriate class. It was the same concept as the under 12 class but just different songs/books. I love the children’s area in this library, it’s sweet with a tree in the middle of it. The class always had an activity afterwards. Sometimes it was a craft for a specific holiday or maybe it was just coloring. It was great for Hue. Just as we were getting our stride coming to this class the pandemic hit and all of these classes were cancelled. I never went to this library but I was told it had a great class for toddlers too. They were all on different days/hours. I will definitely take Hue back here when they open up. It was one of our favorite things to do together. As for right now they have a lot of online programs for kids here. I also had a mom come up to me randomly and tell me the library programs in Northridge were really awesome too. Once you have a baby most moms band together to share all the info they have! I love the mom community! I am assuming that most libraries in the LA County are going to have some cool kid programs. I think if this is something your into it is definitely worth checking out and the best part – it’s all free!
34| Concerts at The Grove + The Americana. So… one of the nannies at the library class told me about these concerts. I think the The Grove kid concert was on a Thursday and Americana kid concert was on a Tuesday or something like that. I never was able to go but the nanny told me it was fun, free and the kids just danced and had fun. Hope they bring these back too!
35| The mall! Great for when it’s too hot or too cold. We would go early in the morning when it was less crowded. Hue just runs, takes the escalators, elevators whatever he wants and that makes me happy because he is just burning all his energy! Most of the kids indoor play areas are closed so I keep Hue away from those areas so he isn’t upset that he can’t play.
