By Trang Vu
Welcome to the third and last post in this series! Today I will mention the places in Los Angeles county where you can visit with you toddler. While the Underwood Family Farm is a bit far away (approx 1 hour driving time), the other two places are relatively close by. Let me tell you about them without further delay!
Peekaboo Playland (Eagle Rock)
This is a fun indoor playground with a bouncing castle, lots of toys, a slide, BYO food & drinks and more. We went there once and my son loved it – he was running around and exploring everything! It costs $12 for kids and $6 per adult. The Playland is open to the public on weekdays only, as they host events on weekends.
Hiking at Eaton Canyon Falls (Altadena)
If you like hiking and water falls, the Eaton Canyon trail is just for you. It’s a great escape into the nature, especially on hot days. Located in northern Altadena, the trail can be approached from several points. Starting at the Eaton Canyon Nature Center, it is a loooong hike. I think it took me more then 3 hours with my son in a hiking carrier, and I didn’t even reach the end of the trail. But there is a huge parking lot (which gets very full on weekends) and the Nature Center has some live snakes and exhibits you can see.
At the beginning of the trail you have to waddle through ice cold water, because there is a small stream going through the trail. Either you wear easy clothes or be prepared to get wet – which is quite refreshing in the summer. The trail then goes a long way through woods and trees, so it is fairly shaded.
Of course if you don’t want to hike for so long, there is a shortcut to arrive at the waterfall more quickly: begin the trail after the Chuck Ballard Memorial Bridge. I’d park in the residential area at Mt Wilson/Pinecrest Gate and then walk up to the Falls. There are a lot of spots at the river where you can splash with your little ones. Since its a stream, it’s not suitable for swimming, but it’s nice on hot days to put your feet in the water.
You will need to wade through several streams out here. I guess aquashoes are best to avoid taking off/putting on your shoes every couple of minutes. My son was in the carrier with me and was napping during the hike thanks to the natural white noise :).
Underwood Family Farm (Moorpark)
The Farm is near Ventura, about a 1 hour drive from Pasadena – and it is totally worth it! This family farm is just AWESOME. We all loved it; my son got to see farm animals for the first time, my husband got fresh lemonade and food, and I gotta pick fresh vegetables and fruits from the field! It’s a small amusement park, zoo, playground, shop and farm in one. They have farm animals from cows to goats to chickens, and a petting area with baby goats. So cute. And they have huge picking fields with vegetables, fruits and flowers. The strawberry fields in summer were amazing, and my son loved picking some strawberries by himself. We also got a lot of fresh produce which was not more expensive than the supermarket. You have to pay per pound (lb) at the exit. The rides are paid with tickets which you have to buy at the booths. They also offer birthday parties with huge hayballs and themed activities.
I hope you enjoyed reading the posts in this series, and visit a few (if not all) places mentioned in here! I believe that some of these places can be visited even if you do not have kids as my husband and I enjoyed them independently as well. Cheers!
Editor’s note: If you would like to post about your time in Pasadena, or provide helpful information, tips, recipes or anything else, for that matter – please do reach out to Amrita at blogcisc@gmail.com. We are happy to help you through the process even if you just have an idea, and will be happy to help you through the writing process. Thanks!
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