Sea Dragon Ride - Pacific Park, Santa Monica Pier
380 Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica, CA  90401
310.260.8744
Map
Park hours vary
$3 - $5 per ride, or $15.95 for unlimited ride wristband (ages 7 and younger) and $21.95 for ages 8+
 "A swinging wooden ship with two lifelike dragon heads make passengers feel as if they're caught in the turbulent seas with the scariest of serpents." Tempted? After you ride the ship, have a go on one of the many other park rides, including the Pacific Wheel (an absolute must, especially at sunset as we mentioned in our 100 Things To Do with LA Kids post) or the West Coaster roller coaster. Check height requirements for each ride. Must be at least 36" for most.

Dragon Play Structure
Just south of the Santa Monica PIer Aquarium
1600 Ocean Front Walk
Santa Monica, CA  90401
What happens when you cross public art with a children's climbing structure? You get something like the Dragon and Boat Sculpture near the Santa Monica Pier. What fun to scale its vicious mouth, then jump to safety into the warm sands below - not to mention manning the spray button at the helm of the ship and getting the dragon all fired up. And if slaying the dragon builds up an appetite, stop by Big Dean's across the street for some Buffalo Wings, a "world famous" burger, or German Bratwurst.

Natural History Museum
900 Exposition Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA  90007
213.763.DINO (3466)
Map
Open 7 days, 9:30am-5:00pm
Tickets: Ages 0-4, free; 5-12, $5; youth 12-18, $8; Students with ID, $9; Adult, $12, Seniors 62+, $9. Free admission on the first Tuesday of every month (except summer months).
Membership
Not only can you view preserved dragonfly specimens inside the museum, soon you will be able to see and interact with live critters in the 3.5 acre outdoor North Campus (working title). Crews are hard at work landscaping an expanse of urban wilderness, a soon-to-be living laboratory. Dragonflies, among other wildlife, are expected in that outside space projected to open in 2013, in time for the museum's centennial.

Also dragon-y at the museum? Consider checking out the museum's Curator's Cupboard - a chance for the public to meet the curators and get a glimpse and hands-on feel of some of the museum's 35 million (you read that right) archived objects, including the herpetology collection, and the largest lizard of all, the Komodo Dragon. 12:30 - 3:30, Grand Foyer 1.

Komodo Dragons at the LA Zoo
5333 Zoo Drive
Los Angeles, CA  90027
323.644.4200
Directions
Open 7 days, 10am-5pm
Closed on Christmas Day
Admission: Children under 2, free
$13 Children 2-11
$16 Ages 13+
$13 Seniors (62+)
And speaking of Komodo Dragons (also known as Monitor Lizards), the LA Zoo has two in captivity. Komodo Dragons are currently classified as "Vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Lucky us that we can visit two well-protected "little guys".

Dragon Restaurants
Dragon Chinese Restaurant
966 S. Vermont Ave
Los Angeles, CA  90006
213.387.8833
Menu
Delicious dishes in the heart of Koreatown. A great place to eat lunch or dinner after a visit perhaps to the nearby Korean American Museum or the Grier Musser Museum (Huell Howser has been there!) Or book one of their many private rooms for your next party or event. The friendly staff speaks English, Korean, Chinese and Spanish.

Pico Twin Dragon Chinese Restaurant
8597 W. Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA  90035
310.657.7355
Menu
Serving scrumptious meat and vegetarian dishes (both sit-down and takeout) Pico Twin is a great family restaurant choice. Valet parking is available, though nearby street parking is often an option (watch for signs and restrictions). Regulars recommend the Sweet and Sour Pork, the shrimp dishes, and the Won Ton Soup. And many diners love the almond cookies.

Dragon Entertainment
Fairies and Dragons Parties
16733 Ventura Blvd
Encino, CA  91436
818.783.8488
Map
Fairies and pirates and dragons, oh my! If your little love enjoys costumes and make-believe (whose child doesn't?), here is the spot for you. Choose from a variety of magical dress-up themed parties (including a dragon theme, of course), that include, among other options, face painting, arts-and-crafts and story telling. This enchanted space even provides the costumes. See pricing and party scheduling details. Two hour parties start at $400

Dragonfly DuLou Children's Boutique
2066 Hillhurst Ave.
Los Angeles, CA  90027
323.665.8441
Mon-Sat 10am-6pm
Sun 10am-4pm
Map
Okay, we admit, we might be stretching it here. Dragonflies fit our category only because they have "dragon" in their name. (Where did their name come from? One theory involves St. George and the Dragon, so perhaps we're not too far off). But including them in our list means a heads-up to some interesting goings-on!
Part boutique, part birthday party central, part hip Los Angeles family meeting place, Dragonfly DuLou is a destination not to be missed. If you want tot-friendly music or ballet classes, they have 'em. If you want trendy baby gear, yep, they have that, too. Consider throwing your birthday kid's next party here, with a jewelry table, discotheque, or face painting as add-on options. MOMS Club Los Feliz and MOMS Club Hollywood also meet here. Check out the store's upcoming workshops and events.

Dragon Martial Arts
The Dragon Institute - Wing Chun Kung Fu
34241 Pacific Coast Highway
Dana Point, CA  92629
949.542.8470
Map
Class Schedule and Hours
Not only do they have dragon in their name, they are also offering a Year of the Dragon Special. Now's your child's chance to try something he or she has perhaps wondered about: Kung Fu. You can't beat an entire month of classes for only $49, with no registration or enrollment fees.  Lauded as one of the most effective self-defense systems in the world, Wing Chun Kung Fu is an art that highly influenced the philosophy and martial arts style of Bruce Lee. Adult classes, and Tai Chi and Qigong are also offered.

Double Dragons - School of Kung Fu San Soo
11732 Washington Pl
Los Angeles, CA  90066
310.748.4415
Map
Class calendar and fees
And if you're in West LA, take a peak at the Double Dragons School of Kung Fu San Soo. Children ages seven and up as well as adults can partake in the evening classes (morning classes on week-ends) that aim to develop, strengthen and balance "Eye, Mind, Body and Spirit."