How to Take Kids to Griffith Park in Los Angeles
Griffith Park is the premiere city park in Los Angeles. The park offers numerous activities for children, including such famous attractions as the Los Angeles Zoo and the Griffith Observatory. There is a merry-go-round, pony rides and a miniature train museum. With family-friendly trails and plenty of picnicking opportunities, a family could spend at least several days fully experiencing the park.
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Instructions
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Locate Griffith Park on the Los Angeles city map. Make reservations in the towns that border the park. Burbank and Pasadena are probably the best options. Note the park’s proximity to Universal Studios.
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Visit any time of the year, but note that summer offers the most daylight and provides the best weather conditions.
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Take the children to the Los Angeles Zoo. Plan to arrive when the zoo opens. There is a nominal fee. Smaller than the zoo in San Diego, a visit to the L.A. Zoo can be completed within 5 hours. The zoo has an extensive collection of hoofed animals, primates and reptiles (see Resources below).
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Leave the zoo and visit the merry-go-round or pony rides. Located on the park road between the zoo and the observatory, these attractions provide a relaxing atmosphere for the parents while the kids are being entertained. Picnic tables are plentiful.
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Opt to visit the Travel Town Museum which provides a miniature steam engine train ride. The train ride and museum generally keep the same hours as the zoo, so unless this visit is planned based on the zoo trip, these attractions may be closed. Both the pony rides and train rides offer a great diversion until dark when a visit to the Griffith Observatory is necessary.
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Visit Griffith Observatory. Perched above Los Angeles, the observatory is a must visit for any parent taking their children to the park. Inside, there are ample scientific displays involving everything from geology to astronomy. A pendulum swings beneath the interior rotunda and shows the motion of the planet. The observatory offers many hands-on activities for the kids. For dinner, there are shops outside selling comfort food. If wanting more substantial fare, Western Avenue is minutes away (see Resources below).
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Stay at the observatory until dark. Purchase tickets for the planetarium show. There are also tickets to view a planet through the giant telescope located in a domed roof upstairs.
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Spend extended time on the observatory’s roof for sweeping views of the Los Angeles Basin. The view is especially impressive below the nighttime sky.
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