Mike Anderson

Latest posts by Mike Anderson

33 Things To Do with Los Angeles Babies Before They Turn 1

Submitted by Mike Anderson on Sun, 05/14/2023 - 7:45am

There's something to explore in every season at Kidspace. Photo courtesy of Kidspace Children's Museum

Los Angeles babies get places like Hollywood, Santa Monica, Long Beach, and Beverly Hills as their playgrounds from the first moment the little starlet is born. On the topic of firsts', a baby's first year is a collection of memories waiting to happen—for Mom and Dad, anyway!

Los Angeles is the best place on earth to raise kids, and it’s filled with magical moments and places you can enjoy with children. World-class museums, restaurants, and entertainment will make your kiddo quite the cultured connoisseur from a very young age. Plus, living in LA means (almost) never being trapped indoors with a fussy baby. Here are our favorite ways to introduce your little Angeleno to the joys of SoCal living. Pack a diaper bag, sling a stroller in the back of the car, keep this checklist handy, and explore LA, baby-style.

From baby classes to baby stores, we've got baby's whole first year covered and then some in our Los Angeles baby guide.

Find an Amazing Petting Zoo near Los Angeles Where Kids Can Meet the Animals

Submitted by Mike Anderson on Fri, 10/22/2021 - 11:16am

A goat hug makes any day brighter. Photo courtesy of Kfar Saba Urban Farm

Dr. Doolittle may have been able to walk with the animals and talk with the animals, but at these petting zoos near Los Angeles kids can feed, hug, and sometimes even ride the animals. Actually, petting zoo is too narrow a term for these rescue centers and urban farms, where kids can meet critters in closer quarters and even get their hands on them (gently, of course). These incredible animal encounters and petting zoos near Los Angeles have rescue animals, pony rides, animal feeding experiences, and more. Some offer birthday parties on-site or even parties that come to you.

To discover more places where kids can get up close and personal with animals in LA, check out our roundup of all the best zoos near Los Angeles, including insider tips for visiting our very own LA Zoo.

Best Family-Friendly Beer Gardens in Los Angeles: 14 Spots Where Kids and Parents Can Chill Together

Submitted by Mike Anderson on Thu, 04/29/2021 - 8:21am

Play, sip, relax, repeat. Photo courtesy of Wirtshaus

After a long week of parenting, there’s nothing more rejuvenating to me than sitting outside in sunny California gorgeousness and tossing back a cold beer and pretzel while my toddler runs around like a maniac. If these family-friendly wineries sound great but too far of a drive, a kid-friendly brewery right here in town may be just the ticket. Here's a list of inviting places in the Los Angeles area, broken down by region, where you can drink outside with the kiddos, ranging from super traditional German beer gardens to family-friendly brewpubs with outdoor spaces.

Dogs, Kids, and Science Meet at this New Museum Exhibit for Dog Lovers

Submitted by Mike Anderson on Thu, 04/11/2019 - 11:09pm

Can you run faster than a dog? Photo by Leroy Hamilton/California Science Center

I’m a big dog person (meaning I like dogs, not that I am some sort of half man, half dog). Luckily, so is my toddler. A real perk of having a child who loves dogs is that she gives me an automatic excuse to pet a lot of strangers’ dogs (“Oh, my adorable little girl just wanted to say hi”). But no excuses were necessary for both of us to get a really good dog fix at the new exhibit Dogs! A Science Tail at The California Science Center.

Handcrafted Marshmallows? This Burbank Sweet Shop Serves Ultimate Indulgence

Submitted by Mike Anderson on Tue, 10/09/2018 - 4:11pm

Long before becoming Mommy and Daddy, my wife and I were determined to have a favorite indulgence we loved even more than cake at our wedding reception: s’mores. So when Plush Puffs Handcrafted Marshmallows opened in Burbank this fall, I jumped to take my daughter to enjoy one of my favorite, decadent treats. But take note: these are far from the average bag of mallows that are probably aging in the back of your cupboard.

Angels Flight: An Only-in-LA Moment To Share with Kids (Sometimes)

Submitted by Mike Anderson on Sun, 07/22/2018 - 10:04pm

Angels Flight is one of the more whimsical novelties of downtown Los Angeles. It's objectively adorable, ubiquitously beloved, and for the life of me I can't quite express why. It’s also a fun addition to a Downtown trip with kids. For a two-dollar round-trip, it is a goofy little local history lesson—and a chance to see and even ride on the world's shortest railway.

The Last Bookstore Is LA's Reading Playground for Kids Who Love Books

Submitted by Mike Anderson on Fri, 07/20/2018 - 6:00pm

Getting kids excited about reading is one of the most important things a parent can do—so it's worth thinking outside the box. When kids start to grow tired of the pastel children’s section, take them downtown to The Last Bookstore, LA's unusual book playground. It is undeniably cool and, best of all, it makes reading seem edgy and funky, rather than something a bunch of lame adults try to trick them into doing.

Muppets Take over the Skirball this Summer in the Jim Henson Exhibition

Submitted by Mike Anderson on Fri, 06/15/2018 - 4:00am

The Skirball Cultural Center is already a fantastic kids' destination, mostly because of the incomparable Noah’s Ark exhibit (add it to your list of great indoor places to take kids during the summer). Combine that awesomeness with this summer’s Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited (you know, Muppets?) and you have a must-go for Angeleno families.