Santa Monica

12 Family Memberships Worth Having As You Raise Your LA Kid

Submitted by Brian Steele on Sun, 01/06/2019 - 2:49pm

It can be hard to find places to go with the whole family without spending a bundle. When your kids let you know they love a place, it's a lot easier to go back there again and again (and again) if you become a member. Annual memberships allow you to enjoy all the perks and discounts a venue can offer (plus the tax write-off!). Here are a few of the most affordable and enjoyable places in LA to get memberships for the whole family.

Free in January: 15 Free Things To Do with Kids In Los Angeles

Submitted by Brian Steele on Mon, 12/31/2018 - 10:24pm

The holidays are over, and we all deserve a long winter's nap. But just because the decorations are getting packed up doesn't mean the fun has to stop. There are still plenty of free things to do this January, when all those Christmas & Hanukkah gifts start to lose their luster. From moon gazing to dance parties, if you're looking to keep busy without breaking the bank, we've got you covered. So grab the winter coat, and put away the checkbook, because who says you can't have fun on a budget?

Breakfast with Santa Claus: Where LA Kids Can Share a Bagel with Father Christmas

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 11/26/2018 - 1:30pm

Doing lunch might work for some LA types, but Santa Claus does breakfast. So before you take a train with Santa, see The Nutcracker with Santa, do some holiday shopping with Santa, wave to Santa on a boat, call Santa on the phone, or take funky LA photos with Santa, first you, your kids, AND Santa all need a good breakfast. The holidays are a busy time of year after all.

Most (though not all) of the events below require reservations, and some fill up surprisingly early. It's worth making the effort, though, if for no other reason than to see how good some people's table manners can be when the man at the head of the table is wearing a red suit and wielding a list.

18 Restaurants Open on Christmas Day in Los Angeles and Orange Country

Submitted by Martha Hall on Sun, 11/25/2018 - 10:23pm

The tree is trimmed, the presents wrapped, and the cookies baked and boxed. Hmm. Now, what to make for Christmas dinner. Our suggestion? Reservations. That’s right. Many Southland restaurants are open and happy to serve you on Christmas Day. You’ve already done so much to get ready for the holidays—instead of holing up in the kitchen, pile your family and out-of-town guests into the car and give yourself the gift of dining out. That way you all get to enjoy the day!

The Ultimate Roundup of Free LA Holiday Events for Families

Submitted by Brian Steele on Wed, 11/21/2018 - 2:06pm

The Holidays have arrived, despite what the palm trees outside your window might be telling you. With a Santa in every mall, and a shopping list as long as your arm, it’s time to ring in the most magical time of year. But if you need a little help finding some cost-cutting events to share with the whole family, look no further. From boat parades to menorah lightings, there’s plenty of free fun to be had this Holiday season.

Zimmer Children's Museum Gets a New Name and a New Home in the New Year

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 11/07/2018 - 2:00pm

The Zimmer Children's Museum, the hugely popular Miracle Mile hub for the preschool set, is making a break for the beach, picking up more space and a new name along the way. Soon to be known as the Cayton Children's Museum, it will create a whole new reason to go to Santa Monica Place, that mall with the ocean view at the end of the Third Street Promenade—giving families one more reason to spend a day in the seaside suburb.

Free in November: 22 Free Things To Do with Kids In Los Angeles

Submitted by Brian Steele on Thu, 11/01/2018 - 12:27pm

With the Holiday Season fast approaching, pocketbooks can start to feel a little light. If you’re in need of some family fun but don’t want to break the bank, look no further. There are still plenty of things to do in Los Angeles this November, without ever cracking open that wallet. From the Day of the Dead to Santa’s Sled, it's time to kick off winter with a frugal bang.

Best Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks in LA, from Downtown to the Valleys to the Beach

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 10/31/2018 - 1:02pm

One thing Angelenos love doing during the winter months is pretending that it’s winter, and the most fun way we do it is by turning parking lots and other open spaces into outdoor skating rinks for the holidays. Whether your family is trying skating for the first time, or you've got budding athletes looking for a change of scenery from indoor skating lessons, nothing says Southern California quite like the sight of kids and families in tank tops and mittens gliding merrily in the sunshine.

Ultimate Halloween Event List: 34 Best Celebrations in LA for Free or Spooky Fun

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 10/07/2018 - 7:10pm

If you've already spent on the Halloween costume (and perhaps a second one if you bought too early), and the pumpkin (and perhaps a second one if you bought too early), and the Halloween candy (and perhaps an extra aerobics class if you bought too early), you might have reached your limit with spending money on this mother-of-all kids' holidays. That's when it's time to start sniffing out which are the key Halloween activities (and which are the free ones) that keep the mood going at this haunting time of year. The following events are the Halloween parties not to miss—the scream of the crop!

Best Home Haunts, Haunted Houses, Halloween Decorations, and Spooky Tours in LA

Submitted by Roberta B on Thu, 10/04/2018 - 4:07pm

Our house loves Halloween—no, really loves Halloween. We reconnect with neighbors as we hang ghosts in trees, weave skeletons into the jasmine, drape pumpkin lights along the fence, and smear cobwebs all over the shrubbery. Our normally zen rock garden becomes a graveyard, and last year's Halloween costumes become its inhabitants.

One way we feed our macabre creativity is by avidly checking out other Halloween addicts' handiwork; we love the ghost trains, festivals, and pumpkin patches—we even love a good scream at the Queen Mary—but the real beauty of living in the film capital of the world is that private haunted houses frequently rival the spectacle of the big theme park spooks. Seriously. We've collected the scream of the crop below.