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Things To Do in LA this Weekend: Boo at the Zoo, Children's Book Fest, Mark in the Park

Submitted by Toby B on Thu, 10/03/2019 - 1:01am

It's beginning to look a lot like pumpkins, everywhere I go. And so it begins! The Harvest. The Corn Mazes. The Patches. We are on a crazed, giddy run to the end of the month.

But don't get spooked! Yes, there are scary things afoot. Yes, you can choose the dark and shadowy path. But you can also choose to welcome the season with laughs (and science!). You can fear the night or you can get in on the fun. Halloween is what you make it, and LA makes it easy to choose family-friendly. Or not.

Public service announcement for purists who wait to celebrate Halloween until, well, Halloween: There's still lots to do! This weekend sees festivals Greek and Southeast Asian, Manhattan Beachian and Encinoish. You can buy a ticket to the 20s, catch a plane, train, or (very small) automobile. The streets of Los Angeles are open wide, and you can make your mark in Grand Park. So go out there and scare up some fun.

Keep reading for our favorite treats for this weekend, no trick!

Best Pumpkin Patches for LA, Ventura, & Orange County Pumpkin Picking

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 09/13/2019 - 4:05pm

Ready to talk pumpkin patch? Yes, the time has come to surrender to the Great Pumpkin—who is, frankly, spoiled for choice around the Southland in Halloween season. We would never presume to call one pumpkin patch more sincere than the others, but LA’s pumpkin patches (and pseudo pumpkin patches) run a satisfying gamut from small to large, folksy to commercial. Whether you're hoping for a hit-and-run Halloween photo or a day's outing in autumnal reverie, your pumpkin picking destination is below...

Corn Mazes and Haunted Mazes Closest to LA and Orange County

Submitted by Audrey M on Tue, 09/10/2019 - 12:31pm

As kids are mostly settled into the new school year, and local orchards are open for apple picking, the next sign of autumn is the corn maze.

Corn mazes are created by a tractor in a growing field of corn—usually following a fairly intricate design. For large mazes, GPS is often used to create a picture that can be seen from the air. A mature corn maze is a true adventure, with walls of corn that are taller than most adults; children (and adults) can for sure lose their way! Most operators recommend kids be at least 5-8 years old before going in alone; use your judgment, of course. Closed-toe shoes are recommended for comfort (sneakers are best), as corn mazes involve walking on uneven ground amid broken cornstalks. And if you head into the maze at dusk, be sure to bring a flashlight!

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

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 09/09/2019 - 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.

7 Best Zoos near Los Angeles: the LA Zoo Is Just the Beginning

Submitted by Li Starr on Sat, 08/24/2019 - 1:20am

Did someone say zoo? If your little ones have fallen for the non-stop furry cuteness of LA's petting zoos (and there are plenty in and around LA), there's a chance they're going to start thinking bigger. There are lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) to see at many zoos, and while petting is not recommended for most of the occupants (seriously, keep your kid out of the bear enclosure), young ones love seeing creatures live and in-person that they usually only read about in books. Here are some of the many zoos within easy driving distance. While the Los Angeles Zoo is naturally on the list, it's hardly the only game in town.

Strawberries and Cherries and Stone Fruit, Oh My! Pick Your Own Berries in LA & OC

Submitted by erika on Fri, 05/10/2019 - 2:13pm

If you want to "get back to the land" within an hour of Los Angeles, there are myriad opportunities to go play farmer for a few hours and come home with a basket overflowing with berries. Whether you prefer strawberries, cherries, or stone fruit, picking your own berries is a fun (and tasty!) family activity.

Perfect Spots for Your LA Baby's First Birthday

Submitted by Lindsay Halladay on Mon, 05/06/2019 - 2:16pm

Congratulations! You made it through baby’s first year, and now it’s time to celebrate. If you’re like me and totally not into hosting your child’s first birthday party at home (read: cleaning, shopping, cooking, decorating, hosting...cleaning again), don't worry. The weather in LA is so beautiful that outdoor birthdays are possible nearly any time of year. If that's not your speed, the Southland boasts plenty of awesome indoor options as well. Here are 12 great spots of both varieties—from pricey to free with one surprise at the end—to smash a cake and tire out the kiddos so everyone can go home and take a well-deserved nap.

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!

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.

10 Super Science & STEM Summer Camps for Los Angeles Kids

Submitted by Roberta B on Thu, 01/10/2019 - 3:20pm

Ten summer science camps—try saying that 10 times fast! Or you could stop muttering to yourself and just check out our top 10 picks for great STEM and science-focused camps around the Los Angeles area. We've collected a variety of local STEM summer camps for kids—indoor, outdoor, animal-driven, coding, game design, biology, and robot-driven—all of which have been test-driven by parents we trust.

But if your children's summer cannot live by science alone, check out the Los Angeles art, cooking, horse, and classic outdoorsy camps in our Summer Camp Guide and Directory!