I\u2019m looking for something that\u2019s open early on the weekends (9 a.m.?) where we can take our 2-year-old daughter. We don\u2019t want it to be an indoor play place or something that is solely designed for kids. Ideally, it would be something that adults enjoy too. Maybe something outdoors or with a restaurant\/cafe where we can give ourselves a little treat. We are in Manhattan Beach and have to be back home by 12:30 p.m. for nap time. We\u2019ve been able to make drives to Pasadena and Orange County and make it back in time (bonus of leaving on a Saturday or Sunday because there\u2019s no traffic!) \u2014 Brittany Newell<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what we suggest: <\/p>\n
Finding places that will keep both you and your toddler entertained can be tricky. But don\u2019t fret, Brittany! I\u2019ve enlisted the help of some of my colleagues who are also parents that understand the need to flee the house before nap time. I\u2019ve compiled a list of fun mini adventures that you can start early-ish.<\/p>\n
For an activity close to home, Michelle Woo, The Times\u2019 West Coast experiences editor, suggests renting a toddler bike trailer or bike seat from one of the local shops and taking a ride along the Strand from Manhattan to Redondo and back to Hermosa for a stop at Good Stuff<\/a>, a beachside restaurant where you can enjoy a refreshing smoothie, mimosa or Woo\u2019s go-to order, \u201cthe Good Stuff Breakfast with a pork sausage patty \u2014 simple yet comforting.\u201d Then let your daughter play in the sand for a while. And if you haven\u2019t been to the Roundhouse Aquarium<\/a> before, it\u2019s definitely worth a visit. The free, donation-based marine educational center is home to swell sharks, sea urchins, jellyfish and more that will leave visitors of any age in awe. <\/p>\n About 12 miles up the coast in Venice Beach is the newly renovated Windward Plaza Playground, a nautical-themed fun zone equipped with slides, swings, climbers and more. The best part is that it\u2019s located on the sand at the beach just steps away from the famous boardwalk. Before you get to the park, my colleague Amy King suggests stopping by Breakaway Cafe<\/a> for yummy breakfast burritos or Menotti\u2019s<\/a> for coffee. <\/p>\n For an early morning adventure, Times entertainment and features editor Brittany Levine Beckman recommends visiting the Riverside bike path in Frogtown, which opens at 6 a.m., so you can start as early as you\u2019d like. She and her husband usually take turns pushing their 18-month-old daughter in a tricycle along the pathway and get their steps in. Afterward, she suggests going to Lingua Franca<\/a>, a restaurant situated along the river. \u201cWe\u2019ve arrived a few times as soon as the restaurant opens at 10 a.m. on the weekend and been the only early-bird brunchers,\u201d she tells me. \u201cWe grab a table outside in the back and our daughter meanders without us feeling annoying.\u201d The restaurant also serves a toddler-approved Dutch baby and a parent-approved bloody Mary, she adds. If you prefer to just grab a coffee, go to Tadaa.Coffee<\/a>, which has a sand pit that your daughter can play in. <\/p>\n Another fun option is the Natural History Museum<\/a> in Exposition Park, where you can wander through the awe-inspiring Dinosaur Hall<\/a>, learn about the evolution of mammals<\/a>, roam through the enchanting nature gardens<\/a> and admire more than 2,000 gems and minerals<\/a> from across the globe. The museum opens at 9:30 a.m., but there\u2019s still plenty of time to explore before nap time. Levine Beckman also enjoys taking her daughter to the museum. \u201cOur toddler loves the animal dioramas,\u201d she tells me. \u201cShe likes staring up at the dinosaur bones too (and can say \u201croar\u201d now), but the big stuffed animals are her favorite.\u201d For food, my colleague Sophia Kercher recommends South LA Cafe<\/a>, which is located at the museum. <\/p>\n Now for some rapid-fire ideas: Kercher suggests the Stoneview Nature Center,<\/a> which is a plant-filled city sanctuary nestled in Culver City\u2019s Blair Hills. Here you can chase hummingbirds, roam through the never-crowded garden and \u201cvisit Stoneview\u2019s resident quails, which have their own fenced-in compound called, \u2018Quallywood,\u2019\u201d she says. Times contributor Rachel Kraus, who recently wrote about the rise of mall parks<\/a> in Southern California (and why parents are loving them), suggests the Proud Bird<\/a> near LAX, which she calls \u201ca one stop shop parent and kid utopia.\u201d She adds, \u201cYou can order food and drinks (including from a full bar) and let your kids run around on the outdoor play structure, kick a ball on the turf or explore the vintage airplanes.\u201d Also, be sure to check out our list of L.A. playgrounds that are close to coffee shops<\/a> where you can get a jolt of energy if needed. <\/p>\n I hope these suggestions are helpful with planning your next morning adventure with your toddler and that you are able to create some fun new memories together. 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