Author: local researcher

Beard Papa’s

A Japanese import by way of France, Beard Papa’s is a truly cross-cultural dessert experience. Their specialty is a giant cream puff; a flaky pastry stuffed with a custard cream. They can be ordered by the box like donuts, or individually for a perfectly sweet treat that can be consumed out of hand while cruising the shops on Sawtelle Boulevard, or walking around the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard with your children.

Contact number: (323) 462-6100

Location: “6801 Hollywood Boulevard Suite 153

Los Angeles, CA 90028”

Learn more here.

Dodger Stadium

Baseball loving children will hope your visit coincides with the season, as Dodger Stadium offers a classic sports experience and games are rarely sold out. Views are great, even from the cheap seats, and all the staples, from peanuts to popcorn to foot-long Dodger dogs are available for sale. You’ll leave with a foam finger and a lot of great memories.

Contact number: (323) 224-1400

Location: “1000 Elysian Park Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90012”

Learn more here.

Staples Center

Sporting and entertainment events abound at Staples Center. The downtown arena is visible as a beacon from surrounding freeways. Check the calendar for concerts, hockey and basketball games. The food options are far above the par of normal stadium fare, and the views are great from every seat. In case children are just too small to see, giant screens project the action from every angle.

Contact number: (213) 742-7300

Location: “1111 South Figueroa Street

Los Angeles, CA 90015”

Learn more here.

Hollywood Bowl

This famous outdoor ampitheater has only gotten better with age. Concert events happen year round. Many classical performances are more than suitable for children, as green areas are turned into a massive picnicking ground. A recent favorite, tailored to a younger crowd but plenty entertaining for everyone, is the Video Games in Concert series. Themes from classic games like Pac-Man and Tetris are performed by an orchestra, with laser projections and suited characters as a visual counterpart to the music.

Contact number: (323) 850-2000

Location: “2301 North Highland Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90068”

Learn more here.

Bob Baker Marionette Theater

Open since 1961, this puppet theater on the edge of downtown has been providing magical old-fashioned entertainment ever since. Reservations are required, and can be made the same day. Bob Baker, a Hollywood native, worked in the animation industry before opening his puppet palace. Preserving classic traditions of craftsmanship and performance, your children are sure to be enchanted and inspired by the magical marionettes.

Contact number: (213) 250-9995

Location: “1345 West First Street

Los Angeles, CA 90026-5804”

Learn more here.

Greek Theatre

An outdoor ampitheater located in a lush area of Griffith Park, the Greek Theatre hosts concerts year-round. One of LA’s best live music venues, the real attraction here is the natural splendor of the surroundings. Hawks fly overhead and crickets chirp in the background. Most shows start during daylight and proceed through the sunset. Check the website calendar for upcoming children-friendly concerts. Concession stands are way above par, and lawn areas for picnicking abound.

Contact number: (323) 665-1927

Location: “2700 North Vermont Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90027”

Learn more here.

Skirball Cultural Center and Museum

This museum of Jewish history, located in the Sepulveda pass, features rotating exhibits, film screenings and community programs. Most exciting for children is the recently opened “Noah’s Ark” display. Incorporating found objects to create an interactive floor-to-ceiling art installation depicting pairs of animals on board a wooden ship, the display created by famed avant-garde puppeteers Bread and Puppet is whimsical, enchanting, and teaches the value of reusing and recycling in art.

Contact number: (310) 440-4500

Location: 2701 North Sepulveda Boulevard,Los Angeles, CA 90049

Learn more here.

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

While not as large or impressive as its New York counterpart, this natural history museum has its own considerable charms, with a focus on local history. A large basement exhibit traces California’s progress from backwater to major cultural force. There are amazing dinosaur murals painted by Charles R. Knight, who was the first to extrapolate anatomically correct drawings from fossils of extinct creatures. The traditional glass cases of animal displays are here too, as well as strong sections of South and Central American artifacts your children will find mythically inspirational.

Contact number: (213) 763-3466

Location: 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90007

Learn more here.

American Girl Place

This center of commerce in the Grove, encompasses a bookstore, a café with a large dining room, and doll-related facilities like a beauty salon and hospital. A theater holds American Girl shows daily, and the store is always packed with birthday parties. children will love the historically accurate doll wardrobes.

Contact number: (877) 247-5223

Location: “189 The Grove Drive

Los Angeles, CA 90036”

Learn more here.

Museum of Tolerance

Dedicated to explaining and putting cultural and racial prejudice in context, this museum uses multimedia displays and videos to tell the hidden history of prejudice and its catastrophic consequences. An important lesson for your children about the dangers of racism and stereotyping, the museum aims to educate rather than entertain.

Contact number: (310) 553-8403

Location: 9786 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90035

Learn more here.