Looking for a family adventure in LA but don’t know where to start? Our 940 Family community consists of a diverse network of dynamic families from all across SoCal. Each week, a different family gives us recommendations for where to make the most of family time. Whether you’re an outdoorsy mom, a thrifty dad, or a culturally curious kiddo, we got you. Here are the best of all of our outdoorsy PlaceLists so you can have fun in the sun with your little ones this summer in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Zoo
Julie Chang: The zoo is an ordinary hangout for families, but WHAT YOU DO at the zoo can totally give you a fresh experience. For example, hand feeding giraffes at the LA ZOO! To mark their 50th anniversary, the zoo is letting visitors feed the giraffes twice a day. And as of right now, they have a brand new baby giraffe! She's 3 weeks old Also at the zoo, Zoo Overnights. You and your little one can pitch a tent overnight at the LA Zoo and wake up to the lions roaring in the AM. I'm an ambassador of the zoo, so, they'll let us fib this for a shoot.
Read Julie’s full 940 PlaceList HERE …
Julie Chang and Driggs at the zoo.
Underwood Family Farms
Moorpark, All ages
Wendy Burch: If you raise your kid in LA, then you know that Green Acres are not so easy to come by. So, when we want to kick up some dust, ride a cow train and pet a goat, we head to Underwood Family Farms. Picking a pumpkin there is a rite of passage around Halloween. And Easter Egg hunting in the Spring is a basketful of fun. But we don’t need a holiday to head to the farm. It’s pretty much a party any day the pigs are oinking’ and the tractors are pullin’.
Read Wendy’s full 940 PlaceList HERE ….
Image courtesy of @missmadilynn
Venice Beach Boardwalk
Breegan Jane: There's nothing quite like introducing young minds to the cultural melting pot that is Venice Beach. It’s legendary! There is a bit of everything on the boardwalk, from vendors to crafts, even break-dancing! The kids never have a dull moment, and no two trips are alike. Best of all, it’s free!
Read Breegan’s full 940 PlaceList HERE …
Image courtesy of @ohmeletz
Beverly Hills Farmers Market
Beverly Hills, All ages
Kathryn Eisman: On Sunday mornings, this is the ideal place to pick up some locally sourced, organically grown fruit and veggies. There's often a band, which Capri loves dancing to and putting a few dollars in their "tip hat", and we never leave without a horse ride and time in the petting zoo where she snuggles some bunnies and feeds the goats.
Read Kathryn’s Full PlaceList HERE …
Image courtesy of @erityellen
West Hollywood Park
West Hollywood, All ages
Stephen Hoffman: This is one of the best public parks in the city; it has expansive open green space, a huge basketball court, a swimming pool and a play area. What makes it even better is that the local library is also at the park. It’s going through a massive construction project right now, so a lot of the space is unavailable for use—but after it’s done it’s projected to be even better than before.
Read the full Hoffman PlaceList HERE …
Image courtesy of @nataliya_sav
Shadow Hills Equestrian Center
Shadow Hills, Ages 4+
Ilana Sparrow and Ben Procter: Unlike many urban areas, Los Angeles is home to a large, thriving equestrian community. SHEC is an 11 acre ranch located in the horse-zoned section of Sunland called Shadow Hills. The Shadow Hills Riding Club boasts one of LA’s top therapeutic programs, which serves children with all kinds of special needs (including autism, sensory processing disorders, cerebral palsy), veterans, at-risk youth and more. There is a “petting zoo” filled with a friendly assortment of rescued goats, pigs, sheep, miniature donkeys and even a cuddly llama named Ginger. Kids can take lessons with a variety of trainers on site, or drop in at many of the community events from pancake breakfasts to a spectacular Halloween-themed weekend in October with something for everyone from the haunted house to a hay maze, to pony rides.
Read full Sparrow 940 PlaceList HERE ….
Image courtesy of @gw.eq.photography
Santa Monica Airport Park
Michelle and Peter Lazarus: Great little playground… and if airplanes are your thing (our daughter, ahem!!!) you can actually watch them take off and land from a sweet little viewing area.
Read the full Lazarus PlaceList HERE ...
Image courtesy of @peteremerson.la
Marvin Braude Bike Trail
T and Hapa Lopez: The Marvin Braude Bike Trail is huge, but I specifically like the very small stretch between Bali Way and Via Regatta. It's such a great place to teach kids how to ride their bikes, or to just ride with your kids without the worry. This is more like a small park that happens to have a bike trail. You can set up a picnic on the grass (with food you can grab from Ralph's, just through the gate), and have lunch with a great view of the boats parked in the Marina. The trail also has a pedestrian path, if you're not a bicycle rider and would rather power walk with a stroller. There is small lot with easy parking; always a plus. My family has such great memories here. My first daughter learned to walk on this very path, and she now loves to take her bike and ride like the wind.
Read the full Lopez PlaceList HERE …
Image courtesy of @chcheryl
Venice Skate Park
Venice, Ages 1+
Andrew and Lydia Pelosi: Locals and tourists alike flock to the bowls by the beach to see skaters pulling epic tricks. Beware of the fact that your youngsters may want to start skating early and there is a group of 2-3 year olds already shredding, and teachers for kids that young!
Read the full Pelosi PlaceList HERE …
Image courtesy of @sixthdayskateshop
Franklin Canyon
Beverly Crest, All ages
Sandro and Fiona Reinhardt: This is our easy go-to to get the kids out of the house and into nature. We start by walking around the small duck pond. It’s full of turtles, fish and of course ducks! We’ve been going there since my oldest, Sofia, was a baby. Then, we go around the full loop of the reservoir; it only takes an hour or so at most, but the kids always have a great time stopping to find frogs, clamber over rocks and have a little picnic.
Read the full Reinhardt PlaceList HERE …
Image courtesy of @team_peter
Malibu Pier
Malibu, All ages
Ricardo Pavan & Desiree Kohan: We love to paddle board as a family and just under the Malibu pier is one of the perfect places to paddle with our 3-year-old. We always have a life vest on our boy and would recommend this for any age as long as the children can swim. You can rent boards and wetsuits, if you don't already have, just across the street. (They already have a stash of boards on the beach for easy access!)
Read the full Pavan/Kohan PlaceList HERE …
Image courtesy of @alwaysagata
Concerts on Canon
Eric and Emily Scheinbaum: For a handful of Thursdays during the summer, you can bring a picnic, or pick up food from Bouchon or Montage, and listen to live music. A different band each week sets up in between the two restaurants off of Canon.
For the full Scheinbaum PlaceList HERE …
Image courtesy of @bjgz90210
Leo Carrillo State Beach
Malibu, Ages 3+
Jack and Felicity Van Der Hidde: Great campsite for families with young kids. Short walk to the beach where there are tide pools to explore and a cool cave. Great little camp store if you forget anything. The campsites are protected in the woods- not right on the beach.
Read the full Van Der hidde PlaceList HERE ….
Image courtesy of @osprojects
Header image courtesy of 940 LA
