Kylie Williams

Latest posts by Kylie

45 Free Holiday and Christmas Events in Los Angeles for Kids

Submitted by Kylie Williams on Sun, 12/01/2024 - 7:23am

DTLA sparkles each night during the holiday season. Photo courtesy of The Bloc

Merrily, there are loads of free holiday and Christmas events in Los Angeles for when you've blown your budget on Barbie's Little Dream House and a home Skee-Ball game but still need fun, festive things to do with the family.

Christmas in Los Angeles is dazzling, magical, and frankly a little overwhelming. There are more light displays, Christmas parades, tree lightings, immersive experiences, holiday walk-throughs, and Santas to visit than any reasonable family can handle. Don't get your tinsel in a tangle, though. Before you tap your Apple Pay for every Christmas experience in the county, check out our list of totally free holiday and Christmas events. You'll be shouting "joy to the world" for these free parades on land and water, tree lightings, Santa Claus visits, and that's before we even start with the menorahs and gelt drops for Hanukkah celebrations.

Save your cash for the stocking stuffers for kids by filling your festive days and evenings with these fun, free holiday and Christmas events, and visit these free neighborhood light displays in LA. If you need even more ideas for holiday events, check out our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Activities for Los Angeles Families.

What's Open on Thanksgiving in Los Angeles? Places Open for Family Fun

Submitted by Kylie Williams on Fri, 11/15/2024 - 6:14am

Stroll through vibrant foliage and gardens. Photo courtesy of Descanso Gardens

Thanksgiving might be known as the holiday where you eat food and watch football all day, but there's much more to do on this holiday in Los Angeles than you might think. Sometimes, you need a change of scenery or a break from the relatives, so knowing what's open on Thanksgiving in LA for family fun is invaluable—for clearing the house to prepare the meal and for walking it off afterward.

Stuff your Thanksgiving with much more than just food. You could spend the whole holiday out and about in Los Angeles by going to one of the places below that you may not have realized welcome visitors, and by eating at one of the many restaurants in LA open on Thanksgiving.

Gobble up more holiday goodness with Thanksgiving crafts, games, and activities for kids, and see where to kick off the Christmas festivities with the best neighborhood holiday lights in Los Angeles. For more holiday happenings, check out our Events Calendar and peruse our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events for Los Angeles Families.

10 Holiday and Christmas Events in Los Angeles to Book Now!

Submitted by Kylie Williams on Fri, 11/01/2024 - 1:17am

LA Zoo Lights: Animals Aglow makes a festive family evening. Photo by Jamie Pham

The time to book the best holiday and Christmas events in Los Angeles is now! These popular holiday events go on sale early and sell out quickly.

The holiday season is magical, but for parents whose to-do list is longer than Santa's, it can be hard to track when to buy tickets to all the big holiday and Christmas events in LA. Set your alarms, mark your calendars (and view our Los Angeles events calendar while at it), and prepare those ugly Christmas sweaters for all the festive family outings.

From incredible light walk-throughs to holiday train rides and the dates they go on sale, keep reading for all the LA holiday events intel.

Keep the holiday traditions going, or start a new one by bookmarking the must-do Christmas events in Los Angeles, seeing an LA Nutcracker ballet, and making more holiday memories with our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events for Los Angeles Families.

Best Neighborhoods to Trick-or-Treat on Halloween in Los Angeles

Submitted by Kylie Williams on Mon, 10/28/2024 - 6:19am

Hit the streets in South Pasadena for fabulous trick-or-treating and a peek at the actual Halloween house. Photo courtesy of southpasadena.gov

The best places to trick-or-treat in Los Angeles happen to be the best places to trick-or-treat in the whole country! Granted, we might be a little biased, but here are the facts: the Halloween decorations on local homes are second to none, and many blocks across the city close off streets to traffic to have trick-or-treat parties. And LA movie magic often finds its way onto neighborhood streets in the form of elaborately decorated houses and incredible special effects.

But in a city this big, some neighborhoods go all out on Halloween, and some remain pretty quiet. Where should you go? We’ve compiled a list of the most legendary trick-or-treat neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Here’s where to go to find lots of treats—not to mention some prime photo ops.

To keep busy until it's time to trick-or-treat, discover the best Halloween events for kids in Los Angeles, enjoy not-so-scary Halloween events for preschoolers, save your Halloween budget for candy and costumes with the top free Halloween events in LA, and find more Halloween fun in our Halloween Fun and Activities Guide for Los Angeles Kids.

Best Polar Express Train Rides & Christmas Trains in Los Angeles

Submitted by Kylie Williams on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 2:43am

Say hi to the conductor before meeting Santa on the Southern California Polar Express Train Ride. Photo courtesy of the train

'Tis the season for Polar Express train rides or Christmas trains! Los Angeles has plenty of holiday magic waiting on the rails, from a staple in Griffith Park to a movie-like adventure on the SoCal Polar Express. So, put on those matching family PJs and get ready to sing some carols, hear a story, and chow down on Christmas cookies, while embracing the holiday spirit. Kiddos may even get the chance to hand over those wish lists to Santa Claus in person.

There are seats available (so far!) on the Christmas train rides below that take place from Thanksgiving weekend through Christmas. Reserve your spot ASAP because Polar Express trains are a hot ticket, and tend to book up fast.

Get in the holiday spirit with the best neighborhood holiday lights in Los Angeles, take your Christmas card to the next level with LA-only photo ops with Santa, and visit our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events for Los Angeles Families for more holiday adventures.

Best Train Rides and Model Trains for Kids in Los Angeles

Submitted by Kylie Williams on Fri, 10/18/2024 - 7:21am

All aboard for railroad fun! Travel Town Museum photo by Kylie Williams

All aboard for trains for kids in Los Angeles! There's something about the clickety-clack of the railroad tracks, the comforting bounce of the train cars, and that booming whistle that gives kids all the giggles and glee. If your kids love trains as much as mine, you are probably looking for the best places to take kids who love trains in Los Angeles. The good news is, that LA is packed with train-themed fun.

I've pulled together a list of all the places my train-loving littles enjoy to share with you all. If you're looking for ideas on trains for kids in Los Angeles, check out this Instagram Reel featuring five great trains in the LA area. Chugga chugga choo choo, here we go!

Looking for more family fun? Browse our list of the best playgrounds in Los Angeles, discover the best botanical gardens for LA kids, and find more fun in our Parks and Playgrounds of Los Angeles & Orange County Guide.

NEW Sloomoo Institute Opens in Los Angeles for Kids to Enjoy Slime Fun

Submitted by Kylie Williams on Fri, 10/04/2024 - 9:08am

Embrace the mess! Sloomoo Institute photo by Kylie Williams

The Sloomoo Institute in Los Angeles recently opened for all the gooey, slimy fun. No matter how you feel about slime, your kids likely love it. Even the biggest anti-slimers might have to admit that they like slime, just a little bit, after checking out this new family-friendly attraction for kids in Los Angeles.

Sloomoo Institute is a welcome relief for parents who have watched their kitchens transform into slime laboratories. At the Sloomoo Institute, kids can squish, stretch, smash, shoot, stand under, stand on, and smell slime without making a mess at home.

For more interactive entertainment, bookmark these crafts for kids, visit the best children's museums in Los Angeles and Orange County, and discover more fun in our Museum Guide for Kids in Los Angeles and Orange County.

Newly-Renovated Play Area Opens for Babies and Toddlers at Kidspace Children’s Museum

Submitted by Kylie Williams on Thu, 10/03/2024 - 12:00pm

The interactive indoor playground is now welcoming crawlers and early walkers to play, climb, explore, and connect. Photo by Kylie Williams

Kidspace Museum in LA welcomes babies and early walkers to its newly renovated play space.

Pasadena’s beloved Kidspace Children’s Museum–my family’s absolute favorite in the Los Angeles area–understands the importance of socializing and play for babies, toddlers, and even their grown-ups. That’s why I jumped at the chance to check out the museum’s newly reopened and freshly renovated Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC).

Filled with brain-building sensory and developmental experiences for babies and toddlers, the interactive indoor playground is now welcoming crawlers and early walkers to play, climb, explore, and connect alongside their parents and caregivers. My 20-month-old couldn’t get enough of the eye-catching rain mobile and the easily-scalable stream climber structure, and I loved that the area was so safe and engaging for little ones that I could actually get in some conversations with other adults.

Read on for everything you need to know about the beautifully reimagined space, and get your Kidspace tickets for a chance to explore the Early Childhood Learning Center.