Discover L.A. during this Spring Break
Flowers blooming, birds chirping, seeing greenery everywhere is the indication that spring is here.
Spring also means moms gearing up with their most stealthy weapons to counter the kids excitement; getting all the snacks and food ready for the constant phrase ‘I am hungry’; scratching their brains trying to plan day to day entertainment for the kids so they do not end up eating our head.
Yup, we know it and have to face it too…it is SPRING BREAK!
Well, fear not moms as I have a list of activities and ideas you can carry out which are affordable and fun for all ages. Most of the time, we prefer to travel during spring break, but this year, we are taking a break and staying in L.A.. Therefore, I decided to see what are my options throughout L.A. to entertain the kids since I definitely do not want them to be home the whole time.
Day 1: Museums
LA is one city that is abundant of museums that have their own different themes, structure, are kid-friendly and have different interaction programs for kids of all ages. There is The Broad, Natural History Museum, La Brea Tar Pits Museums (kids who love dinosaurs), LACMA and many more. Yes, lot of these museums are pricey, especially, when you have more than one kid; however, lot of them have their ‘free days’ where adults and kids can get in for free. Click on this link to see which museums are free on which days.
http://redtri.com/los-angeles/top-ten-free-days-at-museums/slide/3. The best is to reserve some of the tickets ahead of time and you are all set to go.
Day 2: Picnic Time
Since kids and you must be tired from all the walking around the museum, you can plan a picnic. Grab your picnic baskets, two mats, sandwiches, juice and toys that they can play in the park. Have the kids take their bicycles, scooters or any toys besides electronics to the park. Believe me, kids enjoy this bonding time between us and them because they know that they have our undivided attention. If your park has a hiking trail, you can take your kids on a hike.
Another option, is if you want to explore some national gardens, you can go to the Huntington Library Garden, a beautiful botanical garden (free on 1st Thursday of the month); Descano Gardens, they have different diverse sections including a Japanese Garden; or the Fullerton Arboretum, is one of the largest botanical gardens in Orange County. These botanical gardens are very pretty and they all have children’s activity or program through which kids can interact and learn.
Day 3: Rest Day
After being out two days in a row, I for sure need rest and time to relax. On this day, you can do activities at home with kids or let them have their own time while you finish up errands or rest up. You can get painting tools from Ross or Michaels and have them paint on the canvas. You can get arts and crafts ready or have them play board games. Moreover, you can make it a movie day by catching up on movies or going to the theater.
Day 4: Amusement parks
LA is popular for its amusement parks and rides. From Disneyland to Knotts to Six Flags to Legoland or to a water park – Great Wolf Lodge; so, why not take a day off to hit some parks.
I found that the best way for all the parks is either to find a deal or go with the season pass they currently have or buy this GO Los Angeles Card. I am not advertising it, but this is a card most tourists use; however, for locals, I would suggest getting this card if you are planning on hitting up lot of popular destinations within a week. You can customize it to how many places you want to visit. They range from amusement parks to museums to aquarium to tourist destinations to activities like whale watching! The best part is once you have this card, you do not have to pay entry upfront at most of your destination.
Day 5: Beaches
How can we not hit the beaches with the perfect sunny weather. Kids love sand, water and any activities related to those. For younger kids, they can play in the sand, build a sand snowman, or play toss with the ball. The older ones can fly the kite or better yet, you can take surfing lessons or kayaking lessons for them. You can do the rides at Santa Monica Pier or go bicycling at Newport Beach. You can even go snorkeling at Catalina Island.
For moms who are working, fear not, there are Spring Break Camps. Yes, you heard right. Most camps include a wide range of activities while some are very specifically geared towards one activity like stem, dance, or gymnastics. Check out your local community centers, YMCA, or other places to see what your city has to offer to you. You can also click on this site to get more in details about the various different camps – http://redtri.com/los-angeles/spring-break-camps-for-los-angeles-kids/ .
Spring break is there for relaxing and exploring events with your kids. Moreover, it is spending quality time and bonding with your kids. If you have any places, please do share them.
