I'm looking for something that's open early on the weekends (9am?) where we can take our 2 year old daughter. We don't want it to be an indoor play place or something designed exclusively for children. Ideally, it would be something that adults would also enjoy. Maybe something outdoors or with a restaurant/cafe where we can treat ourselves a little. We are in Manhattan Beach and have to get home at 12:30 pm for nap time. We have been able to travel to Pasadena and Orange County and return on time (an added bonus of leaving on a Saturday or Sunday because there is no traffic!) – Brittany Newell
This is what we suggest:
Finding places that will keep both you and your toddler entertained can be tricky. But don't worry, Brittany! I have enlisted the help of some of my colleagues who are also parents and understand the need to leave the house before nap time. I've compiled a list of fun mini-adventures that you can start early.
For an activity close to home, Michelle Woo, the Times' West Coast experience editor, suggests renting a toddler bike trailer or bike seat from one of the local shops and taking a ride along the Strand from Manhattan to Redondo and back to Hermosa for a stop at Good Stuff, a beachside restaurant where you can enjoy a refreshing smoothie, mimosa or Woo's favorite dish, “the Good Stuff breakfast with a simple but comforting pork sausage patty.” Then let your daughter play in the sand for a while. And if you haven't been to the Roundhouse Aquarium before, it's definitely worth a visit. The free, donation-based marine education center is home to inflatable sharks, sea urchins, jellyfish and more that will wow visitors of any age.
About 12 miles offshore in Venice Beach is the newly renovated Windward Plaza Playground, a nautical-themed fun zone equipped with slides, swings, climbers, and more. The best thing is that it is located on the sand of the beach a few steps from the famous boardwalk. Before arriving at the park, my colleague Amy King suggests stopping by Breakaway Cafe for delicious breakfast burritos or Menotti's for coffee.
For a morning adventure, Times entertainment and features editor Brittany Levine Beckman recommends visiting the Riverside Bike Path in Frogtown, which opens at 6 a.m., so you can start as early as you want. She and her husband often take turns pushing their 18-month-old daughter on a tricycle up the trail and in. Afterwards, he suggests going to Lingua Franca, a restaurant located by the river. “We arrived several times as soon as the restaurant opens at 10 a.m. on the weekends and we were the only ones who had an early lunch,” he tells me. “We take a table outside in the back and our daughter wanders around without us feeling bothered.” The restaurant also serves a toddler-approved Dutch Baby and a parent-approved Bloody Mary, he adds. If you'd rather just have a coffee, head to Tadaa.Coffee, which has a sandbox your daughter can play in.
Another fun option is the Natural History Museum at Exposition Park, where you can wander through the impressive Dinosaur Hall, learn about the evolution of mammals, tour the charming natural gardens, and admire more than 2,000 gems and minerals from around the world. The museum opens at 9:30 a.m., but there's still plenty of time to explore before nap time. Levine Beckman also likes to take his daughter to the museum. “Our little one loves animal dioramas,” she tells me. “She also likes to look at dinosaur bones (and can now say “roar”), but large stuffed animals are her favorite.” As for food, my colleague Sophia Kercher recommends South LA Café, which is located in the museum.
Now, some quick ideas: Kercher suggests the Stoneview Nature Center, which is a plant-filled urban sanctuary located in Culver City's Blair Hills. Here you can chase hummingbirds, stroll through the never-crowded garden, and “visit Stoneview's resident quail, which have their own fenced enclosure called 'Quallywood,'” he says. Times contributor Rachel Kraus, who recently wrote about the rise of mall parks in Southern California (and why parents love them), suggests the Proud Bird near LAX, which she calls “a unique utopia for parents and kids.” He adds, “You can order food and drinks (even from a full bar) and let your kids run around on the outdoor play structure, kick a ball on the grass, or explore the vintage airplanes.” Also, be sure to check out our list of Los Angeles playgrounds that are near coffee shops where you can get an energy fix if needed.
I hope these tips are helpful in planning the next morning's adventure with your toddler and that you can create new fun memories together. Happy exploring!
