Daddy Daycare Leads to Extensive Exploration of LA

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.

1. 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. ◊◊◊◊
2. 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. ◊◊◊◊◊
3. 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. ◊◊◊◊
4. 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. ◊◊◊◊◊
5. 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. ◊◊◊◊
6. 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). ◊◊◊◊
7. 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. ◊◊◊◊
8. 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! ◊◊◊
9. 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. ◊◊◊◊
10. 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). ◊◊◊
11. 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). ◊◊◊◊
12. 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. ◊◊◊
13. 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. ◊◊◊◊
14. 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?). ◊◊
15. 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). ◊◊◊◊◊
16. 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. ◊◊◊◊◊
17. 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. ◊◊◊◊◊
18. 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! ◊◊◊◊
19. 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). ◊◊◊◊◊
20. 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. ◊◊◊◊◊
21. 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! ◊◊◊◊◊
22. 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. ◊◊◊◊◊
23. 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. ◊◊◊◊
24. 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. ◊◊◊◊
25. OC Fair – Fried foods, amusement park rides, 4-H and FFA animals, exhibit halls and live music? We love it!  ◊◊◊◊
26. 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. ◊◊◊◊◊
27. 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! ◊◊◊◊
28. 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. ◊◊◊◊◊
29. 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 . ◊◊◊◊◊
30. 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. ◊◊◊◊
31. 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. ◊◊◊◊◊
32. 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. ◊◊◊◊◊
33. 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. ◊◊◊◊◊
34. 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. ◊◊◊◊◊
35. 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. ◊◊◊◊◊
36. 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. ◊◊◊◊◊
37. 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. ◊◊◊
38. 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. ◊◊◊◊
39. 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!