Field Trip - Griffith Park!

Griffith park Field Trip

 

Today the girls and I braved the traffic on the '5' and visited Griffith Park!

The Observatory

Good to know:

• Parking is not easy - we visited on a weekday in the summer and it was crowded. There is parking on the hill going up to the observatory and there is a small lot at the top. All of it is free so we choose to cruise the lot and we got lucky - VIP parking for 3 happy girls!
• Bring a camera - the views of LA and the Hollywood sign are incredible!
• Prepare to spend some time - there is a lot to see - we spent about 2 hours there and we could have spent more time easily.

Observatory Road Map

• There is only one show for little kids - the first planetarium show.  The show is at 12:45 on weekdays. We were aiming to get to this show but traffic was heavy and it took us twice as long to get there so we missed it.
• As you walk in to the left are tickets for the shows.
• The exhibit in the hall to the left has a number of telescope and talks about telescopes and their components. It is very interactive.
• The exhibit hall to the right has a number of small rooms that talk about the moon and it's effects on earth. It is very interesting and gives the kids great visuals for tides and eclipses. There was also a map showing where it is daytime in the world and we played a game where we would say - "now my cousin is awake" and "now my grandma is awake". Totally cute.
• You can also go downstairs which has an amazing exhibit on meteorites that you can touch!  It also has a number of little telescopes that you can look through at a large star map. And there was a guy there allowing people to hold a real meteorite!  Super cool!!
• Then...there is the outside of the observatory!  The views of LA and the Hollywood sign were amazing!  You can climb all the way to the roof too!  And there is a few terraces too. It was a very cool experience.

Pony Rides

Next stop was the crazy pony rides that thrill my little girls!  If you leave Griffith and go back in the next entrance - that's where you will find the pony rides. I say "crazy" because the ponies run around the track in a pack with just a guy yelling at them. The ponies trot and walk and it a sight to see on a busy weekend. But the rides are only $3 and the kids absolutely love them!

Choo Choo

Next to the pony rides is a cute little train ride. It is quite long and you go kinda fast. You also go across a bridge and through a little town that thrilled even my 6 year old.

 

Park Play

Afterwards we headed to the carousel which happened to be closed...but if you go towards the back parking lot, there is a great playground!  It has three separate play areas complete with swings, monkey bars and A LOT of  play structures that are perfect for imaginative play.

   If we had more time we would have visited the travel train museum which has all these great old steam engines that you can walk around...in the middle of a city park - very cool!We had a great day!