It has been middle of the summer hot the last few days and we are still in spring. Scared of what is to come in the next few months, we have been scoping out fun wet afternoon activities. Today we made our way to downtown LA to the newly refurbished Grand Park.
Wow! What a place. This is our new go-to on a hot afternoon. It’s free, it’s a gorgeous urban park, and we can help support the revitalization of downtown. We didn’t explore too much as my son went straight to the wading membrane pool/fountain, but there is a ton of space for picnics and lounging on the grass, hot pink benches scattered all over for relaxing and of course, a Starbucks right next to the fountain so you can sip your chai latte’s or iced coffee’s while the kids play.
We live only a few blocks from the Metro, so we decided to take the underground. As a fan of public transport in general and particularly of trains, our son was in heaven. This was his first time on an underground train, so he was full of questions on our short 15 minute ride to downtown.
The Details on having fun at Grand Park:
- Located downtown LA between City Hall and The Music Center
- Parking is available nearby, ranging from 10 -20 dollars; I suggest taking a bus or the metro.
- LA’s Red Line and Purple Lines drop off in the middle of the park. Get off at Civic Center Station, follow the signs to exit Temple Street and cross Temple St. as you exit the metro. You will see the fountain perched up on the hill.
- Stroller/Wheelchair friendly with ramps and elevators anywhere there are stairs.
- Open from 5:30 a.m. – 10:00 pm; Free
- Restrooms are located near the Starbucks just to the left of the fountain
- Bring swim suits, a towel, sunscreen, hat and a change of clothes for the little ones.
- Wear shorts or a skirt so you can join in for some splashing fun.
- Grand Park’s Farmer’s Market is held every Tuesday from 10-2 with food trucks, pet valet and all the regular farmers market stalls.
The park, nor splash pad were crowded on this weekday visit, even though it was in the upper 90s. I imagine it gets busy on the weekends however, which could be a bit hectic for small kids, so plan accordingly.
Go get wet and take advantage of this wonderful new park in downtown LA. Happy Splashing.