As a teacher, I am blessed to have a generous amount of vacation
days built into the traditional academic calendar; the best of which come in a
two month stretch of summer when the days are long and the weather’s just
right.
As a native Angeleno with 44 years of experience in the City of
Angels, I know my city well. I know how fortunate we are to live in a region
that offers the natural wonders of snow-capped mountains, wondrous desertscapes, and famed coastlines that delight with the surf and sand made famous
by the likes of the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean. In terms of ethnicities and
cultures, it would not be hyperbole to call Los Angeles one of the most diverse
cities in the world, and we are lucky to have an extensive collection of restaurants,
cultural centers, museums and galleries, historical landmarks, and community
groups to remind us how our differences unite us in our shared humanity and
traditions. This is a city that I love and one that I am compelled to share
with my children and others.
Taking advantage of our summer vacations, my two children and I
set out to make Summer 2018 one of extensive exploration of the Greater Los
Angeles area. Using a list of locales that I compiled the previous summer, we
started our adventures by doing something I had always wanted to do but never
took the time – climb Mt. Lee to gaze over the LA panorama from the Hollywood
Sign. This trek with two little ones not only served as a fantastic and iconic
kickstart to our summer but also proved to be a calorie killer for this
heavyweight Dad bod. Our summit of Mt. Lee launched a list of Instagrammable adventures
that took us from mid-June to mid-August and amounted to 40 unique excursions
in the LA area.
Enhancing our mission to see and experience as much as we could
during our vacation was the Passport to
Success that my 5-year-old adopted as his (and my) objectives list. This
document introduced us to the program developed by Families in Schools (www.familiesinschools.org/passport-to-success) which aims to get LA families out into the city to experience
many of its free and inexpensive cultural venues, such as the Hammer Museum, La
Plaza de Cultura y Artes, the Flight Path Museum and Learning Center, and the
California African-American Museum. The Passport
to Success encourages young people and their guardians to enjoy 44 unique
destinations that offer educational opportunities and resources for health
services. The passport also throws open the doors of all the Los Angeles Public
Library branch locations and prompts children to sign on to the LA Dodgers
Reading Champions program. We managed to visit 28 passport sites and join the
Blue Crew’s reading program before the bells of Back to School rang out in mid-August.
Ultimately, with the passport and our own To-Do list of fun day
trips, my family and I notched more than 40 visits to unique destinations in LA
over the course of one busy summer vacay. What follows here is our list of
destinations and a brief description and humble rating of each.
- Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens – While it may not have the prestige or size of its San Diego
cousin, the LA Zoo is a wonderful place for little ones to engage with the
animal kingdom and learn about the zoo’s conservation efforts. We’ve been
GLAZA members for several years, and our kids love to visit early in the
morning when the animals are at play or eating their breakfasts. ◊◊◊◊
- Petersen Automotive Museum – We are consistently
impressed by this museum’s collection of cars and motorcycles, many on
display and many more in the museum’s vault. Its rotating exhibits and special
exhibits (currently Porsche and Lowriders) are always fantastic and fun
for enthusiasts of design and motoring. In addition, the kids love the
Cars interactive room where they learn about mechanics and have fun with
hands-on play. ◊◊◊◊◊
- Craft & Folk Art Museum – This summer marked our
first visit to this small museum across the street from the La Brea
Tarpits and LACMA. The staff here was very welcoming and the exhibits on
the second and third floors showcased such craftsmanship and style in the
works of bamboo basketry and glass. This is a fantastic place that does
not get nearly the kind of foot traffic that it probably should. ◊◊◊◊
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) – I have been visiting LACMA since I was just a wee lad, but I
still love to get lost in its massive galleries and grounds. From the
exterior works such as “Urban Light” and “Levitated Mass” to its permanent
collection and temporary exhibits, LACMA draws the interest of young and
old. During our visit this summer, the kids and I enjoyed the 3D exhibit
and were pleased to learn about the museum’s NexGen program that grants
free admission to children (and a parent/guardian) until they are 18 years
old. ◊◊◊◊◊
- La Brea Tarpits – Like my experience with LACMA, I’ve been visiting the La
Brea Tarpits and the Page Museum since I was a rugrat. I’ve always loved
rolling down the grassy slopes of the museum, visiting the Colombian
mammoths stuck in the bubbling, stinky tarpits, and wondering at the
exhibits which trace the timeline of flora and fauna in LA, dating back to
our last ice age. ◊◊◊◊
- Discovery Cube LA – Our kids always love the short trek to the north end of the
San Fernando Valley to have a few hours of play and discovery at the
Discovery Cube (and I love free admission for teachers). The permanent
exhibits regarding conservation, the science of hockey, the flow of water
to LA, and our local environment are always complemented by a special
exhibit (Doc McStuffins and Dinosaurs have been favorites). ◊◊◊◊
- Japanese American National Museum – It is vital to our cultural
fabric and history to have a museum such as this. While we visited with
the specific intent of checking out the Hapa.Me exhibit, I was most
impressed by the extensive collection of artifacts and historic accounts
of Japanese internment and years that followed the end of WWII. This was
our first visit to the JANM, but it will not be the last, as I hope to
remind my kids of the rich Japanese American culture and the painful
history stemming from how an entire community of people were treated in
response to fear and suspicions. ◊◊◊◊
- Little Tokyo – LA is full of communities that play home to various cultures
and ethnicities, and Little Tokyo (area surrounding JANM and the Geffen
Contemporary at MOCA) is one of the easily accessed and enjoyable
neighborhoods that should be experienced by locals and visitors alike.
Check out the temples, restaurants, and Sanrio store! ◊◊◊
- Flight Path Museum and Learning Center – I was born and raised in LA and have flown in and out of LAX
many times, but I had no idea that this museum even existed! Thanks to the
Passport to Success, we
paid a visit to this museum which sits right alongside the runway, just
off of Imperial Highway on the El Segundo border. Here you can find a
fantastic collection of memorabilia from each of the airlines that have
called LAX home, many of which no longer fly friendly skies (TWA, PSA,
Western, etc.). For those of us who once collected plastic wings when we
boarded flights at LAX or BUR, this place is a real walk down memory lane.
◊◊◊◊
- El Segundo Museum of Art (ESMoA) – This is another museum, really a large gallery, that we did
not know about until the Passport to Success brought it to our attention. This
space in downtown El Segundo hosts rotating exhibits and community events
throughout the year. During this visit, we enjoyed GROUNDED: Approach LAX
from Different Directions, a photographic exhibit from Zoe Crosher and
John Divola (an old friend of my father John Bache). ◊◊◊
- Travel Town – All kids love visiting the Travel Town Museum in Griffith
Park, and while you can’t climb aboard as many of the trains as we could
when I was a kid, it’s still a blast to stand among the giant locomotives,
dining cars, cabooses, and trolleys. Plus, for a few dollars, you can take
a couple of trips around the park on the scale model train. Our son loves
it here so much, he’s requested it as the location for his last three
birthday parties (very reasonable rental fees for picnic areas or one of
two dining cars). ◊◊◊◊
- The SEA Lab – This small non-profit aquarium is run by the LA Conservation
Corps. As I understand it, the Lab has some wonderful programming and
touch tanks for kids to explore, but when we visited it was underwhelming.
Perhaps because it was nearing closing time on a Sunday, we were unable to
access any touch tanks and had very limited access to the marine life; we
missed the last tour out back and were not impressed by the few aquariums
and exhibits inside. ◊◊◊
- Placerita Canyon Nature Center – Head up the 14 Fwy to the
Placerita Canyon exit and head just a little ways to the East to visit
this great little nature center and the Oak of the Golden Dream, the spot
of the first documented discovery of gold in California. Our kids love the
nature trails, live animals (rehabilitated and used for teaching), and
interactive exhibits. ◊◊◊◊
- Museum of the San Fernando Valley – As a Valley kid, I have
high hopes that this little museum becomes something bigger and better. It
is housed on the second floor of a small office building in Northridge,
not far from CSUN. While there are a couple of interesting exhibits (i.e.
the Hollywood Shorties dwarf community athletes), the museum lacks the
feel of a true museum or the visual impact of a place like the Valley
Relics Museum (perhaps they should combine forces?). ◊◊
- Central Library and 4 other LAPL Branches (Encino-Tarzana, Studio City, West
Valley, and Northridge) – The
network of Los Angeles Public Libraries is fantastic. We truly enjoyed
visiting the Central Library downtown (gorgeous) and each of the branches
in the Valley. The kids checked out books at each location (and you can
return them at any one of the LAPL branches). ◊◊◊◊◊
- Descanso Gardens – Many people visit Descanso in La Canada-Flintridge during
the holidays (Forest of Light) or in the Springtime when flowers are in
full bloom. We’ve enjoyed these seasons at this beautiful property, and we
have taken advantage of its free day, the third Tuesday of the month any
time of year (and the parking is free too). Descanso boasts a lovely
Japanese tea house and garden, a scenic lake, an ancient forest, and a
gallery atop a hill. ◊◊◊◊◊
- Kidspace Children’s Museum – This is a perfect place for kids ages 3 to 11 to learn about
physics, play in water and mud, ride trikes, climb towers, and explore
nature. Situated in the arroyo seco near the Rose Bowl in Pasadena,
Kidspace takes advantage of its idyllic surroundings, using the outdoors
as a lab (Physics Forest) and play space. Parking is free and there are
often special events and family activities on site. ◊◊◊◊◊
- Hollywood Sign – It’s iconic and is most-often marveled at from a distance
from any vista in LA. Still thousands of people, locals and tourists
alike, trek to the top of Mt. Lee to see the backside of the Hollywood
sign and the view of both the Burbank area and all of Los Angeles. For us,
we began the hike to the sign from Lake Hollywood Park on Canyon Lake Drive.
With a hiking carrier and a City Mini stroller, the kids caught an easy
ride to the top (several miles). What a great workout, adventure, view,
and benchmark adventure! ◊◊◊◊
- Hollywood Bowl – This is my summer happy place. Our family loves to take in
3-5 events each summer, packing a picnic and sitting just high enough to
enjoy a view of the Hollywood sign. With perfect LA weather on a summer
evening, it can’t get any better. We love to catch John Williams, a film
screening with live orchestra, live musicals, and the Sound of
Music sing-a-long. Two other perks
of the Bowl are its museum and the Tuesday and Thursday rehearsals that
entertain small crowds between 9 am and noon (this and parking are FREE). ◊◊◊◊◊
- That’s from Disneyland Pop-Up – This was a fun and nostalgic special engagement in Sherman
Oaks in which Disney super fan Richard Kraft opened the doors of a former
Sports Authority to share his collection of more than 800 original pieces
from Disneyland including film cells, park ride cars, and Jose, an
animatronic Enchanted Tiki Room bird. The exhibit led to an August 26
auction that netted Kraft $8.3 million. ◊◊◊◊◊
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory – How fortunate we are to have friends connected with JPL! Our
family had never been to JPL before, so we were very pleased to head over
to La Canada-Flintridge to explore the historic facility during a private
tour of the campus. It’s hard to say who was more excited, the 5-year-old
or his geeked-out daddy. From Voyager to the Mars rovers, we ate it all up
and are happy to say we’ve been to “the center of the universe” at the
Space Flight Operations Facility at NASA JPL! ◊◊◊◊◊
- Natural History Museum – As a member (and a California teacher), we have easy access
to this LA treasure, and our kids always love a visit to the NHM. From the
dinosaurs to the gems to the mammal dioramas to the special exhibits to
the “Becoming Los Angeles” exhibit to the butterfly pavilion, the NHM has
plenty to captivate and educate kids of all ages. We love this place and
are grateful it exists. ◊◊◊◊◊
- California African American Museum – After many visits to Exposition Park, it was high time that
we paid a visit to this small but impactful museum adjacent to the
California Science Center. The CAAM houses four galleries with rotating
exhibits and a large atrium with an installation and some hands-on
activities for kids. One of the most nostalgic and impressive exhibits
that we enjoyed was “How Sweet the Sound: Gospel Music in Los Angeles”
which closed on August 26. ◊◊◊◊
- Exposition Park and Rose Garden – The heart of LA is blooming with roses! The Exposition Park
Rose Garden is framed by USC, the NHM, the California Science Center, and
the Wallis Annenberg Building and beckons visitors with seven acres of roses,
more than 100 varietals in all. In 1991 it was added to the national
registry of historic places. ◊◊◊◊
- OC Fair – Fried
foods, amusement park rides, 4-H and FFA animals, exhibit halls and live
music? We love it! ◊◊◊◊
- El Pueblo Historical Monument (Avila
Adobe and Olvera Street) – This
is the original heart of the City of Angels, and while it is widely known
as a cultural center that delights visitors with tasty foods and colorful
clothing and crafts, El Pueblo is so much more. This is home to the city’s
oldest home, some of our oldest eateries, and a wealth of cultures that
include Spanish, Mexican, Chinese, French and Italian influences. El
Pueblo is a must-see for locals and tourists alike. Take a stroll through
all of the museums, visit the vendors, cruise over to Union Station, and
perhaps even traverse a few blocks into Chinatown. ◊◊◊◊◊
- Italian American Museum Los
Angeles (IAmLA) – This beautiful museum full of interactive exhibits, artwork,
and artifacts is housed in a gorgeous building at Main and Caesar Chavez
at Olvera Street. It used to be the Italian Hall where many Italian
Americans would gather to celebrate their culture and collect strength
from one another. Now the space has been brought back to life with a
flourish… and it’s free to visit! ◊◊◊◊
- Chinese American Museum – I have visited the CAM several times with students, but this
was our first trip with the kids. This museum is free and is a critical
piece in the puzzling history of immigration in America. While the
exhibits showcase the rich history ad contributions of Chinese Americans,
it also draws attention to the institutional racism that kept immigrants
out, plowed over the original LA Chinatown, and prevented many from
purchasing homes and businesses. This museum is a treasure based on its
permanent exhibits, and it’s strengthened by its temporary exhibits. In
this case, the hip-hop exhibit upstairs was both enlightening and
entertaining. ◊◊◊◊◊
- Plaza de Cultura y Artes – We have paid several visits to Olvera Street, but this was
the first time we set foot in La Plaza de Cultura y Artes on Main Street
near the Pico Building. We were rather impressed by the exhibits related
to the foundations of LA (LA Starts Here!), the activism of students (Ya
Basta!), and the interactive Calle Principal which invites the youngest
visitors to experience life on a Mexican American street in 1920’s
downtown LA . ◊◊◊◊◊
- Museum of Social Justice – Located below the United Methodist Church at Olvera Street,
the Museum of Social Justice is home to rotating exhibits which highlight
the issues most affecting humanity, and this summer the museum’s focus was
on LA’s homeless population. Through photos and testimonies, the exhibit
brings a deeper humanity and puts faces on the homeless issues in the city.
◊◊◊◊
- The Watts Towers of Simon Rodia State
Historic Park and Watts Towers Arts Center – The story of this remarkable historic and artistic site is
nearly as fantastic as the structures themselves. To think that one man
made his home and sculpted tribute towers on his own with found materials
and his bare hands (with just a few hand tools) is astounding. To stand
back and marvel at this place is a unique LA experience. If you visit when
the Arts Center is open, have a conversation with the good people in the
office, enjoy the art gallery, and watch a brief video about the towers
while surrounded by an incredible collection of culturally significant
musical instruments. ◊◊◊◊◊
- Hammer Museum – The Hammer is in the heart of Westwood and is home to one of
the finest galleries in LA, boasting a rotation of thoughtful and
significant exhibits. This summer, the Hammer welcomed visitors with Made
in LA, a collection of photography, mixed media, sculptures, and one live
performance. EJ Hill actually took the podium in his exhibit, standing
still as a trophy during each operating hour; he took home the summer’s
prize for audience recognition, $25,000. ◊◊◊◊◊
- Dodger Stadium – One of the most iconic MLB stadiums in the country, Dodger
Stadium is both lively ballpark and baseball museum. It’s always a great
day at the park when “It’s Time for Dodger Baseball!” We make every effort
to get to at least one game each summer and love spending a few hours in
Chavez Ravine, win or lose. ◊◊◊◊◊
- Skirball Cultural Center – Every child loves visiting Noah’s Ark at the Skirball for its playful take on
the famous ark and its animals crafted out to reclaimed and recycled
materials. It’s an interactive wonderland. The Skirball also hosts events,
has beautiful permanent exhibits, and has consistently cycled through
incredible exhibits that are typically centered on the arts and history of
the Jewish Community. This summer we truly enjoyed the Jim Henson exhibit
with its array of Muppets, video clips, costumes, and tools of the trade. ◊◊◊◊◊
- Huntington Library and Gardens – While the libraries may not have topped the kids’ list of
highlights, the gardens of the Huntington certainly did. Of particular
interest for young visitors is the Conservatory and Children’s Garden.
Here kids can lose themselves in the Wonderland-type greenery of trees,
shrubbery, and water features. In addition, the rest of the gardens each
impress in their own way – the Japanese Garden, the Garden of Flowering
Fragrance, the Desert Garden, etc. The Huntington is a treasure, both in
its libraries and galleries and its gardens. ◊◊◊◊◊
- Battleship Iowa – How cool is it to walk the decks of a real-live battleship,
one which saw action from the WWII era through the Cold War era and into
the Bush years! This mighty ship is now a museum that does a fine job of
walking visitors through its history, its armament, and its new life as a
center for education. In fact, the museum curators have done a fine job of
laying out the self-guided tours and provide visitors with a fantastic app
and opportunities for kids to learn by hunting for the ship’s mascot,
Vicky, the former skipper’s little dog. If you are a naval buff or a
history sponge, this is a place that you must visit. For our family, the
battleship was Stop #1 in a busy day of San Pedro exploration that
included lunch at Pappy’s Seafood, a trip to the LA Maritime Museum, the
Point Fermin Lighthouse, and Angels Gate Park and the Friendship Bell. ◊◊◊◊◊
- Los Angeles Maritime Museum – This museum just north of San Pedro’s Ports ‘o Call takes
visitors on a walk down the maritime memory lane of the ports of Los
Angeles, enlightening folks to the history of ships and small boats, the
harbor of San Pedro, the community that was born from maritime labor, and the
role that the Navy has played in the region. While the museum is fairly
small, it is loaded with great models of ships, some interactive exhibits,
and plenty of photographic evidence of the development of the Port of Los
Angeles area. ◊◊◊
- Angels
Gate Park and the Korean Bell of Friendship –
In this lovely park upon a hill on the coast in San Pedro, visitors can
enjoy grassy play areas, a basketball court with a view, the remnants of the
Nike missile facility of Fort MacArthur (cool and worrisome at the same
time), and the gorgeous Korean Friendship Bell. From SanPedro.com: This massive and
intricately-decorated bell and pavilion was donated in 1976 to the people
of Los Angeles by the people of the Republic of Korea to celebrate the
bicentennial of the U.S. independence, honor veterans of the Korean War,
and to consolidate traditional friendship between the two countries… When
it was built, it cost the Korean people $500,000. Four pairs of figures,
each pair consisting of the Goddess of Liberty holding a torch, and a
Korean spirit, are engraved in relief on the body of the bell. Each of the
Korean spirits holds up a different symbol: a symbolic design of the
Korean flag; a branch of the rose of Sharon, Korea’s national flower; a
branch of laurel, symbol of victory; and a dove of peace… Resting
peacefully on the knoll overlooking the sea gate from which U.S. troops
sailed into the Pacific, the bell site affords an unsurpassed view of the
Los Angeles harbor, the Catalina Channel and the sea terraces of San Pedro
hill. ◊◊◊◊
- Wayfarers Chapel – This chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes, not far from Trump
National and Terranea Resort, is also known as The Glass Church. It is a
memorial to the founder of the Swedenborgian Church, Emmanuel Swedenborg,
and is now a place of quiet reflection and prayer and a favored location
for weddings and other events. The chapel was designed by Lloyd Wright and
was dedicated in 1951. Today it is on the national register of historic
places and continues to offer wayfarers a place for rest and meditation. ◊◊◊◊
Consider
ALL of the places we didn’t go this summer (but may have visited in the
past): Griffith Observatory, LA County Arboretum, Getty Villa, Getty Center, William S.
Hart Museum, Zimmer Children’s
Museum, Museum of Tolerance, The Broad, California Science Center, MOCA,
Norton Simon Museum, Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, Aquarium of the Pacific, Cabrillo
Marine Aquarium, Roadhouse Aquarium, Valley
Relics Museum, Autry Museum (members),
Pasadena Museum of History, Vincent Price Art Museum, Dominguez Rancho Adobe
Museum, Banning Museum, Columbia Memorial Space Center, Museum of Latin
American Art, Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum, Jurupa Mountains Discovery
Center, Lincoln Memorial Shrine, Mission Inn Foundation and Museum, Museum of
Flying, Reagan Library, Bowers Museum, and many many more. What a city! What a
region!