The Preschooler's Guide

Pink's World Famous Hot Dogs on Wilshire and La Brea in Los Angeles.
This is a great place to visit with your preschooler if you want to taste real L.A. culture.

Established by Paul Pink in 1939, Pink’s hot dog stand is by far the most famous hot dog stand in Los Angeles. It is a favorite spot of many Hollywood celebrities and they often leave an autographed photo for display on the walls in the dining room. Hot dogs are favored by many preschoolers and why not take them to the best one in town. The menu is full of unique choices from chili dogs to the Martha Stuart Dog. Of course you can get a plain dog for the kids even though it is not on the menu. The full selection is available on the web site if you care to plan your choice ahead of time.
There are bathrooms available as well as indoor and outdoor seating.

In this tough economy, it is awesome to visit your favorite attractions for free. Here is a list of places and the days that they have free admissions!

Los Angeles County

George C. Paige Museum: 1st Tuesday of the month

Huntington Library: 1st Thursday of the month

Japanese American National Museum: 1st Thursday of the month all day and every Thursday from 5pm - 8pm.

Kidspace Children's Museum: 1st Thursday of the month from 5pm - 8pm.

Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Gardens: 3rd Tuesday of the month.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art: 2nd Tuesday of the month.

Museum of Contemporary Art: Every Thursday from 5pm - 8pm.

Museum of Latin American Art: Every Friday.

Museum of Neon Art: 2nd Thursday of the month.

Museum of the American West: 2nd Tuesday of the month.

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County: 1st Tuesday of the month

Norton Simon Museum: 1st Friday of the month.

Ramond M. Alf Museum: Every Wednesday.

South Coast Botanical Garden: 3rd Tuesday of the month.

Southwest Museum of the American Indian: 2nd Tuesday of the month.

UCLA Hammer Museum: Every Thursday

I love to go to the park. The more stuff the better. I love water elements, such as duck ponds, sprinklers to play in and great play structures. My absolute favorite playground so far is Polliwog Park in Manhattan Beach. It is on the cover of my book.

Visit the Santa Ana Zoo on Sunday from 5:30 - 7:30 pm for dessert and music. As always, you will be able to ride the train and see the animals. We love this zoo for little kids! It is just the right size, it's flat and there is a great playground that is covered by a canopy so it's always shaded.

Admission for Sunset at the Santa Ana Zoo is $10 per person 3 years and older.

Santa Ana Zoo
(714) 953-8555
www.santaanazoo.org

You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. Genesis 6:19

The Preschooler's Guide is a travel resource for parents of preschool-aged children. We offer information about hundreds of great places to have fun with little kids. You don't have to wade through information about attractions meant for adults or older children and hope there is something there for your young child. Look here for up to the minute information about your favorite museums, beaches, playgrounds, zoos and concerts just for little kids.