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A Guide To The Best Fun For Kids In Eastside LA

hollywood park kids child 610 header grass
(credit: Shutterstock)

When it comes to kids, every parent is pretty familiar with their child saying "I'm bored - what are we doing today?!" Luckily for parents around Los Angeles, the city holds a treasure trove of fun activities to cure their boredom. If you live on the Eastside, specifically the areas around Downtown Los Angeles, Echo Park, Silverlake, and neighboring communities, there are tons of interesting places to visit and actives to keep you and your kids entertained.

Griffith Park Observatory
(credit: Gabriel Bouys/Getty Images)

Griffith Park
4730 Crystal Springs Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 913-4688
www.laparks.org

With a treasure trove of activities that will keep not only your kids entertained, but parents too, the sheer size and amount of things to do can seem an overwhelming task at first. From the famed griffith observatory where kids can observe the iconic planetarium and gaze out to the stars in space, to travel town where kids can take part in a train ride through Griffith Park, to Los Angeles' zoo, to a historic merry-go-round that dates back to 1937, there is plenty to keep the kids entertained here. Follow up those activities with a hike, and a picnic on the vast grounds of the park, and it's safe to say your kids will sleep soundly at night after all the activities!

Silver Lake Recreation Center and Park
(credit: Vi H./Yelp)

Silver Lake Recreation Center and Park
1850 West Silver Lake Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90026
www.laparks.org

Located next to the Silver Lake Reservoir, The Silver Lake Recreation Center is a haven for kids of all pages. The park, which offers all types of playgrounds to climb around on, also is home to a basketball court, a large soccer field, and other benefits like a dog park, picnic grass areas and trails for running, jogging and walking.

silverlake meadow
(credit: Daphne A./Yelp)

Silver Lake Meadow
1850 West Silver Lake Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(323) 644-3946
www.laparks.org

If an afternoon of flying kites and setting up a picnic sounds fun for your kids, then a visit to the Silver Lake Meadow should be in order. Found next to the reservoir, you'll find beautiful views of the water, and your children will have fun flying kites or watching others as you picnic on the grass.

macarthur_park.jpg
(credit: Wikipedia)

MacArthur Park
2230 West 6th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90057
(213) 368-0520
www.laparks.org

Designated a City of Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument, MacArthur Park lies in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles and offers a beautiful lake, soccer fields, a children's playground and play areas as well as picnic tables and an auditorium. In additiona, the Levitt Pavilion offers summer concert series which include kid friendly performances. In fact, it hosts more than 50 free concerts each summer between the June and September months.

gymnastics kid
(credit: Shutterstock)

The Klub Gymnastics
1110 Bates Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 662-5582
www.gymnasticslosangeles.com

A fun activity for kids is also one that will help develop athletic skills, balance, coordination, flexibility and a mental toughness. Found in Silver Lake, Klub Gymnastics offers classes for all kids ages including those who are walking on up. Your kids will have fun bouncing around and work off that excess energy at these classes.

echo park lake
(credit Mike D./Yelp)

Echo Park Lake
1751 Echo Park Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 847-328
www.laparks.org

Let's face it: what kid wouldn't have fun pedal their own boat? On Echo Park Lake, they can do that. With commanding views of the L.A. skyline in the background, jump into one of these pedal boats with your kids and enjoy a fun and relaxing day out on Echo Park Lake. Kids will rejoice in fun at the myriad of activities as well as fishing, a walking path, a boat house, and picnic areas. Aside from pedal boat rentals, the park also offers guided canoe and gondola rides as well. Open from 9am to 1/2 hour before sunset 7 days a week.

Space Shuttle Endeavour Inaugurated Into Exhibition At The California ScienceCenter
Andrew Hanna, who works for NASA, holds up his 17-month-old son Aaron during the space shuttle Endeavour exhibit grand opening ceremony at the new Samuel Oschin Pavilion of the California Science Center on October 30, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

California Science Center
700 Exposition Park Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90037
(323) 724-3623
www.californiasciencecenter.org

A museum might not seem like much fun to most kids, but The California Science Center offers a treasure trove of activities, and exhibits that will keep your children in amazement throughout their visit. Featuring dynamic and interactive exhibits, live demonstrations, programs, along with an IMAX 3D theater, children and parents get to actually engage with the exhibits to make it an interesting learning experience. Permanent exhibits here include air and space exhibits where kids will let their imagination run wild as they see real life aircrafts that made it to space, as well as exhibits on ecosystems with animals and much more.

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