Clifton’s Cafeteria

Despite an unassuming exterior, Clifton’s Cafeteria is a magical redwood-themed restaurant inside. Inspired by California’s national parks, Clifton’s is a wonderland of fake trees and river streams surrounding its two stories of tables. If the food is not particularly innovative, it owes to the fact that the menu remains largely unchanged from the forties, when Clifton’s first opened. But the cuisine is somewhat beside the point, as anything your grandkids order is sure to taste good while admiring the recreated majesty of nature. Be sure to look on the second floor for Nature’s Cathedral, a hollow redwood with a recorded sermon on earth’s beauty that plays when you press a button.

Contact number: (213) 627-1673

Location: “648 South Broadway

Los Angeles, CA 90014-1807”

Learn more here.

Carney’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 1

53

Los Angeles, CA 90028”

Learn more here.

Asahi Ramen

Some foods are more fun to eat than others. There is perhaps nothing more satisfying than slurping up slippery udon out of a bowl of miso broth. Most of the offerings at Asahi Ramen, located on a strip of Japanese shops on Sawtelle Boulevard in West LA, involve some combination of noodles, broth, and meat, though there are also salads and non-soup items. But it’s the steaming bowls of ramen heaped with veggies and shredded meat or tofu that remain the real draw, sure to delight you and your children.

Contact number: (310) 479-2231

Location: “2027 Sawtelle Boulevard at LaGrange Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90025″

Learn more here.

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.