If there’s one thing parents can count on, is that kids usually love one of these: dinosaurs, trains or planes. And if you find yourself with an airplane fanatic at home—you know, a mini Maverick who feels the need for speed? Roger that—we’ve rounded up the best spots in SoCal to see planes up close, learn about aviation history and even where to take a thrilling flight. So buckle up and put your tray table in the upright and locked position because these high-flying ideas are ready for takeoff!
This airplane-themed restaurant is absolutely one of the best places in town to bring kids who are super into flying. Indoors, there’s a great food bazaar with plentiful family-favorite dining choices like Bludso's BBQ, burgers, chicken and waffles, Asian selections, pizza, healthy farmer’s market options and a swell kid’s menu. Outside is truly where it’s at though—with a fab playground, spacious grassy area and plenty of incoming flights making their way into LAX one after the other—it may just blow your kid’s mind.
Insider Tip: Competition for a good spot on the patio or around the fire pits is fierce on summer evenings so you may have a better shot getting an outside table during the week rather than on the weekend.
Hours: Wed., Thurs. and Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 7 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 8 p.m.
What’s better than downing a delicious Double-Double from In-N-Out? Enjoying it while planes soar overhead at LAX! The In-N-Out on the northwest corner of 92nd St. and Sepulveda Blvd. is one of the prime spots in town for die-hard plane lovers. Located right next to the arrivals runway, this is an incredible place to watch incoming airplanes land. There are tables outside the restaurant as well as a grassy park directly across the street where you can picnic.
Hours: Vary daily for dine-in and drive-thru.
9149 S. Sepulveda Blvd. Los Angeles Online: in-n-out.com
Vista Del Mar Park
This tiny park along the coast is one of the premiere locales to catch planes taking off from LAX. Vista Del Mar Park sits directly under some of the airport’s main runways, giving onlookers a stunning view of planes taking off over Dockweiler Beach. There's also a small playground and picnic tables, making it an ideal spot for sunset picnic.
Clutter’s Park is one of the very best places for watching planes take off from LAX’s south runways—just 1,500 feet away. The park features a few benches to rest your duff for some serious plane spotting, but it may be wise to bring a chair or two from home as well. It gets especially crowded on weekends, so for the best views, early weekday outings are a better bet.
Van Nuys Airport has a public observation area open daily that features permanent displays, special children's exhibits and live broadcasts of air traffic controllers in the airport's control tower. Because airport tours are still suspended at the moment due to COVID, kids are invited to take a virtual tour that gives little ones an insider’s look at the aircrafts, history, activities and people at the airport.
Hours: Open daily, 8 a.m. - dusk.
Woodley Ave. and Waterman Dr. (East Side of Airfield) Van Nuys Online: iflyvny.com
As the only aviation museum at a major airport, the Flight Path Museum is truly one of a kind. The museum hosts an impressive collection of airline artifacts, including a display of over 600 airline uniforms from 68 airlines around the world, and walks you through the history of LAX. Other must-sees include the DC-3 Exhibit, Space Exploration Exhibit, Flying Tigers Exhibit and Fire Fighting Vehicle Exhibit. Another bonus to coming here is being able to watch the planes taxi, take off and land at adjacent LAX. Free parking is available and advanced reservations for these one-hour visits are required.
Hours: Fri. and Sat. 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. Cost: $5 per adult and $3 per child.
The Museum of Flying in Santa Monica invites plane fans to explore the fascinating aviation history of its beachside city. The venue features tons of interactive exhibits and memorabilia from the Donald Douglas Aircraft Company, as well as recreations of the Douglas Aircraft Company Executive Boardroom and office of Chairman and Founder, Donald W. Douglas. But the real star of the show here are the myriad aircrafts on display including a replica of The Wright Flyer, a North American Navion, a Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, T-33 Cockpit and many more. There is lots of free parking and awesome views of from Santa Monica Airport’s observation deck nearby.
Hours: Thurs. - Sun. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Cost: Adults are $12, kids aged 3-12 are $6 and littles 2 or younger are free.
Filled with interactive exhibits from head to toe, the California Science Center never disappoints. And when it comes to aircrafts, the same holds true. Whether it showing kids the 1902 Wright Brothers Glider, a F-20 Tigershark fighter plane, the Velie Monocoupe, an A-12 Blackbird or tons of other artifacts, little ones will love learning how scientific principles affect aircraft design. Children can even pretend to be a pilot for the day in the Flying Club Simulator. No slouch to the airplanes, kids will also love checking out the Space Shuttle Endeavour during their visit as well. Timed-entry reservations are required.
Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Cost: General admission is free with a small service fee for online reservations. Featured exhibitions and simulators are available at an extra cost.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum is a must-see for so many reasons, but the Air Force One Pavilion will be what your kiddos remember most. Guests are invited to step aboard the same Air Force One that flew President Reagan over 660,000 miles during his time in office. The exhibit offers visitors a real sense of what it was like to fly in this iconic plane, including a vibration and tilt that make it feel as though you're getting ready to take off down the runway. Also featured at the museum are the F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter and F-14 Tomcat, as well as the Marine One helicopter that Presidents Johnson, Nixon and Ford flew during their time in office.
Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum in Compton is actively inspiring the next generation about the world of aviation. Museum highlights include an exhibit on the Tuskegee Airmen, a T-33 and T-38 Talon, a UH-1 Huey Helicopter, a T-28 Trojan and a replica of the Spirit of St. Louis, among others. Kids will also love a harrowing turn in the Top Gun flight simulators – F-16 style cockpits outfitted with state-of-the-art fighter jet simulators which can be set up for team dog flights and airfield or carrier landings.
Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Cost: Museum tours are free, but flight simulator costs vary.
Just a quick drive to Torrance and you'll land a the Western Museum of Flight—well-worth the trip for plane lovers. Dedicated to preserving and displaying Southern California’s aircraft history and heritage, the museum features several incredible items that kids can both see and touch, including Warbirds, aircraft and target drones, piston and jet craft engines, aircraft components, ejection seats, World War II instruments, aircrew accessories and an extensive model aircraft collection.
Hours: Fri. - Mon. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Cost: $5 per person and kids 10 and under are free.
If you don’t mind the trek to the OC, Flightdeck may be right up your alley as it features incredible flight simulators in both fighter jets and Boeing 737s. The minimum age for kids is 11 years old so this a better outing for the tweens and teens in your brood. Amateur pilots are invited to experience the thrill of aerial maneuvers at 600 knots and air-to-air combat in an authentic military flight simulator. Or you can take the controls of commercial airliner in their Boeing 737 flight simulator. Classroom training and in-flight instruction are provided. Your wingmen who may not wish to participate are welcome to watch all the action on large LCD screen inside the Officer’s Club. Be sure to wear light clothing as you will be putting on a flight suit over it during your simulation.
Cost: Fighter jet simulations start at $59 and Boeing 737 simulations start at $109. Reservations are highly recommended.
Launched in 1992, the Young Eagles program has made it its mission to help inspire kids in the world of aviation and give them firsthand experiences in flight. Through the generosity of EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) volunteers, the organization has dedicated 25 years to giving area youth ages 8-17 their first free ride in an airplane. During the 15-20-minute flight, pilots walk kids through the various parts of the airplane and answer any questions about flying or aviation. Parents are invited to find a Young Eagles event or pilot near them and fill out the necessary registration online.
As the leading provider of airplane tours for both tourists and locals in LA, Corsair Aviation takes guests up, up and away in a luxurious Cessna over some of LA’s most iconic landmarks—whether it's soaring over downtown and the Hollywood sign or cruising high over Santa Monica and Malibu, every passenger on board gets a window seat for the best view. Tours start at 30 min. in length and go up from there.
Indoor Skydiving:iFly Hollywood has a vertical wind-tunnel waiting for flight fanatics. Jump into a tunnel of air with an instructor and feel the thrill of skydiving without being 10,000 feet in the air. Prices start at $75. Flyers must be over 3 years of age and kids under 18 must have a parent sign their waiver.
Parasailing over the Ocean: Strap into a seat side-by-side with the kids while parasailing off the Marina Del Rey harbor. The minimum age to parasail is 6 years old and kids under 18 must have a parent to sign their liability waiver. Rates start at $105 per person.
Zip-Lining as a Family: Zip with views of the ocean in Catalina ($139 per person during the spring and summer). Participants aged 10 and up and weighing at least 80 lbs. may ride solo. Kids between ages 5- 9 must ride tandem with someone age 18 and older who will act as the child’s guardian during the trip. Littles under 5 are too young to zipline. If you want to make a whole weekend of adventure, here’s our awesome guide to spending the weekend in Catalina.
Summer is nearly in the books, and if you’re looking for a festive LEGO-filled way to count down the holiday season, then you’re going to want to get your hands on all the new 2021 LEGO advent calendars!.
After a bit of a wait, the LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar is done orbiting the galaxy and is here. Great for kids six and older, the Mandalorian-inspired set it comes with 335 pieces that include seven minifigs and mini builds!
Included minifigures are The Mandalorian and the Child, a Scout Trooper, Stormtrooper, Tusken Raider, IG-11 and IT-O Interrogator Droid. Little builders can also construct The Razor Crest, TIE Fighter, Tusken ballista snow launcher, training targets and the Child’s hoverpram.
The 2021 LEGO Harry Potter Advent Calendar is designed for kids seven and up, has 274 pieces and features 24 little gifts for your brick builders including six minifigures and buildable models like a Hogwarts letters arriving through the fireplace.
photo: LEGO
The minifigures include Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Dudley Dursley and Griphook. Mini builders will also get two wizard card tiles to add to their collection.
You can order both calendars starting Sept. 1 from LEGO.com for $39.99 each.
It’s time to start planning and shopping for the holidays. For decades, LEGO has been a go-to toy brand for both children and adults. Now, it’s been revealed which sets have gained the most value over the decades, with surprising results.
Most people just buy LEGO sets for their kids (or themselves) to build and play with, but for serious collectors, it’s a different story altogether. Rare LEGO sets can fetch thousands of dollars; it can be a very competitive market, not unlike buying and selling art or playing the stock market.
From the iconic Space Command Centre to the LEGO Star Wars X-Wing Fighter this new study uncovered the most valuable LEGO sets ever created:
Key Findings
Set 926-1, ‘The Space Command Centre‘ is the most valuable LEGO set, currently valued at $10,141.
Released in 2013, the ‘Mr. Gold’ Minifigure has seen the highest appreciation of any LEGO set, increasing from its retail price of $2.99 to now being valued at $4,680.
The ‘LEGO Duplo PreSchool Racer’ was released in 1977 at the reasonable price of $1.10. A mint-condition version would now be worth $160.69; that’s a +14508.18% rise in value.
Released in 1965, the LEGO set 001-1 might have nostalgic value due to its age, but with an original retail price of $4.95, a set today is only valued at $68.84, a +1290.71% increase.
For more information on this study, visit TheToyZone.
—Jennifer Swartvagher
All photos courtesy of TheToyZone/Featured Image: BrickLink
If your kids are Star Wars fans then an early Christmas present is in order. Wake up to a new gift every day with the new 2020 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar. Behind each of the 24 doors is a Star Wars LEGO minifigure, LEGO figure, buildable starship vehicle or location.
Also, keep your eyes open for a code to unlock Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga game content.
These quick builds bring an unlimited amount of creative fun. There are 6 LEGO minifigures and 6 LEGO figures to discover including Darth Vader wearing a red Death Star sweater and Poe Dameron donning a green BB-8 sweater. We’d invite them to any ugly sweater party we were having!
The 12 mini builds in this holiday calendar include the Millennium Falcon, an A-wing, TIE Fighter, X-wing, Droid Control Ship, Anakin’s Podracer and Darth Vader’s Castle.
There is also a foldout playmat of the Millennium Falcon with Christmas lights to inspire role play.
This 311-piece advent calendar building set makes a fun holiday gift for kids and adults alike. The characters and construction models can be used with other LEGO Star Wars sets for even more creative play. This set will be available on Sept. 1 and retails for $39.99.
Just when you thought you couldn’t get enough Star Wars™ and Baby Yoda (sorry, Grogu!), LEGO® has quietly added four awesome new sets to their stellar lineup. We got a sneak peek of each one, and all of them will be available for purchase on Jan. 1st, 2021. Scroll down to see them all.
Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing Fighter
This set features Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and General Dodonna LEGO minifigures.
Your 16-bit childhood memories are making a comeback. Sega Genesis is releasing a mini version of the console originally released in 1988!
With Nintendo re-releasing games and accessories from the ’80s and ’90s, it was only a matter of time before competitors like Sega got in on the throwback era, as well. Sega has just released the Sega Genesis Mini along with some classic games from your youth. The console and games feature the same 16-bit graphics and sounds from the original version just 55 percent smaller. The console, which comes with two controllers, can plug directly into a TV for play.
The Sega Genesis Mini comes pre-loaded with 42 classic game titles including favorites like Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition, Sonic the Hedgehog, World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck and Castlevania: Bloodlines.
The entire system, including the games and controllers, is priced at $79.99 and is already available for purchase at retailers like GameStop, who expects this to be a hot ticket holiday gift. “Our pre-orders [of the Genesis Mini] are doing very well and we expect to move a lot of inventory as we head into the holiday season,” GameStop told CNN in a statement.
Throughout your pregnancy your growing baby is often compared to fruit to illustrate it’s size. When the world’s smallest baby was born in a San Diego hospital it was the size of an apple.
The Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns has announced the birth of a baby girl who was just 8.6 ounces when she was born in December. She was born just 23 weeks and three days into her mom’s pregnancy and is beloved to be the world’s smallest surviving micro-preemie.
Doctors didn’t have much hope for the baby after she was born, telling her parents that she likely wouldn’t survive more than an hour. That hour turned into more than five months and the healthy baby has just made her way home weighing five pounds.
The baby, which the nurses nicknamed “Saybie” was delivered early after her mom was diagnosed with preeclampsia. She spent the next several months in the neonatal intensive unit steadily growing. A sign on her crib read “Tiny but Mighty.” As a micro-preemie the baby still has a long road ahead as she continues to grow, but clearly she’s a fighter. “She’s a miracle, that’s for sure,” said nurse Kim Norby.
When one mom found out her little girl wanted to be a fire fighter after she learned her daughter believed only boys could become one, this mama took to Twitter for help. The outpouring of responses is incredibly inspiring and will totally make your day.
When TheGuardian journalist and mom, Hannah Summer’s four-year-old daughter Esme came home saying that she wished she could be a boy so that she could grow up to be a fire fighter, Summer asked Twitter if there were any videos she could show her daughter to prove otherwise. Twitter quickly responded with female fire fighters introducing themselves to Esme.
It wasn’t just grown-ups that were quick to prove that fire fighters can be female. As one Twitter user pointed out, even young girls are determined and ready.
Summers was happy to report that the videos worked and Esme has a future career path paved out.
Update: @WestMidsFire – Esme has now watched the video – on repeat! And LOVES it. She now firmly believes 100% that she can be a girl AND a firefighter so thanks again – job done! She's also very excited about the invite to visit and would like to try on the yellow helmet! https://t.co/7oW5IKDgty
A groundbreaking superhero is about to hit theaters as Marvel’s first female Captain Marvel graces the big screen—and one organization wants to ensure that every young girl has the chance to witness it. The Captain Marvel challenge GoFundMe is raising money to make it happen.
Girls Inc. and We Have Stories have partnered up to help send girls across the country to see this inspiring new superhero in theaters for free. We Have Stories, headed by founder Frederick Joseph, is the same organization that raised funds to help send kids all over the world to see Black Panther last year.
Thread: This March on International Women’s Day, Marvel Studios will be releasing their first woman led film — Captain Marvel.
We want to help girls from @girlsincla have the opportunity to see the film by providing tickets and renting out theaters. https://t.co/lXWIUVDo0v
“The lead character, Carol Danvers, is not only a superhero, she’s also an athlete and fighter pilot,” Joseph said in a statement. “She is a prime example of the fact that women can do anything, and there isn’t a better person to be playing her than Brie Larson, who has been one of the faces of numerous feminist movements such as TIME’S UP. I am inspired by Brie and women around the globe and look forward to sending as many girls as possible to see this film.”
The GoFundMe has already out-raised its initial goal of $20,000, raising $22,000 in just over a week. Since the movie doesn’t hit theaters until March, there’s still time to get that figure closer to the $800,000 that was raised for Black Panther screenings.
You’ve heard of helicopter parenting. But what about “jet fighter” parenting? Between helicopters, snow plows and lawnmowers, tiger moms, free-rangers and all the other “types” of parents, it might seem like there isn’t possibly room for one more. But then again, the term get fighter does sound pretty rad. So what is it, exactly?
While jet fighter parenting isn’t exactly a new term and it hasn’t enjoyed the media popularity of helicopter parents, jet fighter parents started making their mark years ago. Before Millennials grew up enough to start really adulting, Gen X parents actually started the jet fighter trend.
Let’s start with a bit of a parenting history lesson. Once upon a time there were just parents. No tiger moms, no helicopters, just plain ol’ parents who let their kids be kids. But then the world got scary. Or rather, the media brought the scariness of the world into American homes with the ubiquity of the television. As parents started witnessing the big bads of the world on the nightly news, they started to hover—and thus, the helicopter parent was born.
As those hovered-over kids grew into Gen X adults with their own kids, they developed their own parenting style. Instead of the constant hovering of a helicopter, the jet fighter parent waits in the wings and swoops in when needed. Think of the jet fighter as “partial-helicopter” or “helicopter-light.”
So now you’re probably wondering, “Hey, am I a jet fighter parent?” Chances are you are—but maybe only at certain times. It’s totally understandable. Who wouldn’t want to swoop in, save the day and get out immediately after?