Griffith Park

Best Summer Horse Riding Camps around Los Angeles and Orange County

Submitted by Martha Hall on Wed, 04/03/2019 - 6:00am

It's hard to believe that only a few decades ago many LA kids could pat and even ride horses in their own neighborhoods. My friend who hails from Brentwood remembers feeding carrots to front yard horses just blocks from the now bustling and trendy San Vicente Blvd. Wouldn't that be nice? If you have a little rider-wanna-be but no riding ring next door, don't despair: there are many horseback riding summer camps with lessons for kids right around the corner.

Along with our recommendations for the LA area's best art camps, classic outdoor summer camps, and science camps, we offer our picks for LA and Orange County's best summer horse riding camps. Be sure to check our camp guide for more camp ideas!

Insider's Guide to Griffith Park: More Things To Do Than Most Angelenos Know!

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Wed, 03/06/2019 - 9:00am

Five times the size of New York’s Central Park, Griffith Park was designated as a historic-cultural monument in 2009, protecting it from future development. Angelenos should be thankful to Griffith J. Griffith, a Welsh real estate developer who gifted the land to the city in 1896 as a “place of recreation and rest for the masses.” The result for us has been access to fantastic hiking trails, a home to some of our most iconic museums, and a wealth of other family activities. Lucky Los Feliz and Burbank families can call Griffith Park their local; for the rest of us it's worth setting aside a little time to be surprised by all that Griffith Park has to offer; there are probably one or two items on this list even locals didn't know about!

10 Free and Cheap Summer Camps Los Angeles Parents Should Know

Submitted by Li Starr on Fri, 02/22/2019 - 1:44pm

Summer camp can be a great way to keep Los Angeles-area kids busy and even intellectually and creatively stimulated through those long summer months—but rarely is it cheap. Amazingly, we came up with a list of LA summer camps that won't destroy your budget, and some of them are even (gasp) FREE. There are great STEM camps, art camps, and outdoor, sports fun, too!

Check out these summer camps with your kids, tweens, and teens now, because even though summer fun seems far away, spots will fill up before you know it.

Find more options in our LA Summer Camp Guide, or browse our Camp Directory of listings by interest, age, and area.

The Cutest Animal Ever Was Just Born at the LA Zoo—and You Can See Him!

Submitted by Li Starr on Tue, 02/05/2019 - 2:25pm

Squeee! The Los Angeles Zoo has an adorable new baby, and your kids will consider visiting this little guy a must-do. Born December 19 to first-time parents and zoo residents Steph and Mario, this southern pudu—a tiny and super cute deer species from South America—is now out and about. Allow us to help you set a beeline for him so you can stop by the zoo to say hi (and call him by his surprising name)!

Say Boo at the Zoo: 5 LA and OC Zoos with Cool Halloween Week Events

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 10/19/2018 - 11:57am

Let the record show that there is more than one way to smash a pumpkin, and handing it to a hippo is definitely one of them. A gorilla does the job pretty well, too, as does a tiger, or—well, just about any other animal at the zoo. This discovery by our nation's zookeepers has led to a peculiar Halloween tradition—that we highly recommend!

Each year Southern California's zoos (and Griffith Park is only one of the options, as you'll see below) plan Halloween events, usually treating resident critters to their favorite delicacies stuffed inside pumpkins. For some, the delicacy may actually be the pumpkin itself (chomp chomp), while the more carnivorously inclined seem to view the pumpkins more as wrapping paper (smash smash). Either way, zoo animals smashing pumpkins ups the ante on traditional pumpkin patches. Check out all the beastly fun at Southland zoos this season.

Free in October: 25 Totally Free Things To Do with Kids in Los Angeles this Month

Submitted by Brian Steele on Sun, 09/30/2018 - 11:41pm

Boo! It's spooky season here in Los Angeles, which means you're probably already committed to spending on costumes and candy. If you don't have a lot of spare cash to spend beyond the trick-or-teating, no problem; there's still plenty of free fun to be had by the whole family. From Halloween happenings to sweater weather shenanigans, you can hit the town without breaking the bank. Here are just a few of the free events happening all month long.

Best Petting Zoos around LA Where Kids Can Get Their Animal Fix

Submitted by Mike Anderson on Fri, 09/21/2018 - 10:16pm

Kids of all ages love animals, from babies barely aware that the cow goes "moo" to older kids who can somehow spit out the full Latin name of a rare South American pig most adults don't know exists. So it's very special when children get the opportunity to go beyond the classic zoo to meet critters in closer quarters, and even get their hands on them (gently, of course).

Boney Island Is Back from the Dead and Haunting the Griffith Park Ghost Train this Halloween

Submitted by Li Starr on Fri, 09/07/2018 - 10:04am

When Boney Island ended its run after 19 years in a residential Sherman Oaks neighborhood, fans of the pun-tastic haunt were heartbroken. But mourn no more (unless that gets you into the Halloween spirit, of course). Boney Island is teaming up with the Griffith Park Ghost Train to create a double-feature event that isn't too scary for little kids but is definitely a treat for everyone.

Do You Know These 10 LA Spots Made Famous in TV and Movies ?

Submitted by Li Starr on Mon, 07/02/2018 - 4:05pm

When you live in the movie-making capital of the world, there can be surprisingly cool things to see around every corner. Looking to entertain bored tweens or visiting relatives—or even compliant, happy-to-go-anywhere little ones? Why not remind them (and yourself) that LA is home to many of the locations they've seen on the big and small screen. All over Los Angeles there are places that look strangely familiar, and it can be fun taking a closer look to figure out why. Check out some of these locations from your favorite movies and television shows.

Griffith Observatory: 10 Reasons To Visit Real Stars in Los Angeles

Submitted by Lindsay Halladay on Tue, 06/19/2018 - 12:01am

Feeling a little "been there, done that" with some of SoCal's popular tourist stops? Can't say we blame you. But the famous Griffith Park Observatory is one iconic destination not to be overlooked. The most-visited public observatory in the world, Griffith is also a familiar sight from the many films in which it has (ahem) guest starred. If you or anyone in your family loves space exploration, stargazing, science, or even hiking it's a must-go. Here are 10 reasons why.