Lace up your skates! It’s time to go ice skating, Portland families
Unless you live in Canada or somewhere in the Midwest, ice skating comes once a year—during the holiday season. For many Portland families, heading out to a local ice skating rink is as much a winter tradition as watching the Christmas Ships or going snow tubing. Portland has no shortage of winter activities, and ice skating here is no different. Grab the family and your friends and venture out to one of these holiday-happy skating rinks to get your Christmas on. Don’t forget your Santa hat and festive scarf so you can snag a few photos while you’re at it.
If you have seen I, Tonya, or have followed the story of Tonya Harding, you are no stranger to the Lloyd Center Ice Rink. Set in the Lloyd Center mall, this ice rink has been a focal point of Portland holiday tradition for generations. Bring the family, regardless if you have skates or not. The Lloyd Center rink offers rentals for only $4, and a typical admission fee of $20 during the winter season. Head online for open skate sessions and get ready to carve your way around the rink!
Rock ‘n Skate at Lloyd Center
Want to pay less and have even more fun? Swing by on a Friday or Saturday between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. for the rink’s “Rock ‘n Skate,” featuring a live DJ. Cost only runs $18, including the skate rental. Don’t wait, add some fun to your calendar next weekend and hit the ice with your favorite people.
Dates: Fri. & Sat., 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Lloyd Center Mall 2201 Lloyd Center Portland Online:lloydice.com
Come out and skate where to pros skate—the Winterhawks Skating Center. You don’t need to be a professional ice hockey player to skate here; they share the ice. Get out of the city and take a trip over to Beaverton for some slippery fun, especially because the skate rental is free. Admission is $20, but if you have little ones who are 5 years and younger, don’t worry about paying—they skate for free. Be sure to stop by their concession stand for some snacks in between loops around the rink, or grab a hot cocoa for an added touch of the holiday feel.
Sherwood Ice Arena coins themselves as “the coolest place in town”, and they aren’t wrong. With a whole host of times for different kinds of sessions (freestyle, adult skills, pick-up hockey, etc.), this ice rink has something to offer for the whole family. Public skate sessions are available nearly every day, so grab the kids and hop in the car for a cute, cool, cozy outing on the ice.
Disco Skate
Just because it’s the holiday season doesn’t mean there isn’t time for Disco. Let the disco ball at the Sherwood Ice Arena light up your night when you lace up your skates every Friday night. Come get your groove on with friends and family, and experience a night to remember underneath the twinkling lights.
Maybe you heard about it through your ice hockey club or your neighborhood friends, or maybe you’re hearing about the Mountain View Ice Arena for the first time right now. Whichever it may be, after visiting Mountain View, you’re sure to know that it is a hit with friends and family alike. Perhaps it is because of their ice skating instructional session, offered seasonally, their birthday party packages, or their flexible schedule and affordable pricing. With a skate rental of only $3, filling your children’s afternoon with fun on the ice is sure to be an awesome holiday memory. Toss everyone in the car and head up north today.
14313 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd. Vancouver, WA Online:mtviewice.com
From spectacular Santa experiences to low-key Santas in a mall, we’ve got all the details on the best places to take photos with Santa in LA all month long
Your holidays are in full swing: You’ve picked out the perfect Christmas tree nearby, gone to see the best holiday lights in Los Angeles, and you’ve started shopping for presents at the best toy stores in LA. What’s left to do but take some photos with Santa? Ok, yes, you can still catch a showing of The Nutcracker or start some holiday cooking, but before you hit the theater or the kitchen, check out these memory-making spots to take photos with Santa in LA. While a snowy holiday isn’t likely here, having a cool picture with the big guy himself will certainly get you in the Christmas spirit.
The Best Places to Take Photos with Santa near LA
Christmas Celebrations at Santa’s Village
For an all-out festive affair, head up to SkyPark at Santa's Village where the whole village comes into its own and lights up for a jolly good time. From breakfast with Santa to tea with Mrs. Claus, you can get as little or as much Santa in your life as you want. For photo-ops, make a reservation online to save your spot and prevent disappointments. Of course, that's not all—there's ice skating and a dazzling light show that takes place at the park as well.
Visiting Santa at the ocean-adjacent Santa Monica Place’s Center Plaza is a great excuse to not just get that priceless photo-op but also the chance to finish some last-minute holiday shopping and hit up one of our favorite museums for kids in LA—Cayton Children's Museum. Photos with the big guy require reservations but are free—although photo packages are available for purchase.
For this extra-special Santa visit, kids will embark on a journey to the North Pole, where they'll help Santa plan his big trip, check out Santa's carriage, head to Mrs. Claus' bakery (sweet treat included) and then finally, over to Santa's Bungalow for a private, one-on-one photo session in his living room.
Dates: Nov. 25-Dec. 24 (Fri.-Sun. until Dec. 18, and then daily Dec. 19-24); Times vary
If you're searching for a live Christmas tree, why not get a two-for-one by heading to Underwood Family Farms where Santa makes a special appearance over four weekends this year. Not only that, admission includes tractor rides, animal shows and holiday photo ops. Plus, they've added reindeer to the mix and make their special appearances on Dec. 10, 11, 17 and 18.
Of course The Grove has a gorgeous tree covered with thousands of twinkling lights and a nightly "snowfall" at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., but you can also book a meet-and-great with Santa (and get those professional photos to boot). Don't miss some of the fun shopping pop-ups happening here as well—The Netflix Store is a must for superfans of Stranger Things, Bridgerton, Emily Goes to Paris, Enola Holmes 2, and more.
Breakfast with Santa Benefitting St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital
Head to the Food Court in Santa Monica place for a special, family-fun event filled with kid-friendly activities including crafts, face-painting, special musical performances, and snacks along with an appearance by Santa Claus. A reservation will be required for this event.
Good to Know: In lieu of ticket sales they are asking for a $5 donation to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital per child (over the age of 1) for attendance.
Did you know that Santa is a avid scuba diver? When the holiday season rolls around, he can be seen swimming with the sea life (and feeding them treats) inside exhibits at the Aquarium of the Pacific. That's right: Jolly Old Saint Nick puts on his flippers and gets aquatic for Christmas, and you can pose for pictures with him while he's underwater. Check with the aquarium about the times he's expected to appear.
This breakfast buffet is full of jolly good times thanks to Santa and his elves creating a festive atmosphere that's hard to beat. In addition getting your photo with the big guy, you'll feast on a breakfast buffet that will leave you as puffed as the big guy, plus a reindeer antler making station for a fun takeaway. Check out why our editor's love spending a weekend here during their Holiday Happenings!
Make a fun day out getting your yearly Santa photo in LA at an outdoor party where carolers and singing madrigals roam the grounds and people tell winter holiday stories from a variety of traditions including Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanza. In the midst of the holiday festivities at Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum's second annual Holiday Family Faire, Santa and Mrs. Claus will appear for family photo ops. Enjoy Yuletide entertainment and shop for holiday gift and crafts at the artisan marketplace while you wait your turn to pose.
Date: Dec. 10; 11-5 p.m.
1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd. Topanga Online:theatricum.com
Have your pictures with Santa and eat with him, too. He'll visit from the North Pole to enjoy a magical breakfast in the ballroom of the Terranea Resort offering a kids buffet, various hot food, bakery and waffle stations. If that's not enough, there's also festive crafts to keep your hands busy while you wait for your photo.
Date: Dec. 17; seatings at 9 a.m., 9:30 a.m., and 10 a.m.
100 Terranea Way Rancho Palos Verdes Online: terranea.com
Hiking with Santa: Family Christmas Hike
If the thought of waiting in another long mall line with wiggly wee ones to get a picture with St. Nick isn't a jolly one, try an experience that is a bit more off the beaten path. Join Santa and his helpers on a 2.5-mile family Christmas hike around Ascott Hills Park, which is just east of DTLA. Here you can get some photos of your brood with the big guy against a Los Angeles city backdrop while getting some fresh air and exercise to boot. With free parking, free admission and views for days, this could be that unique holiday event you and the fam have been craving. There are limited spots available so make sure to reserve your spots sooner than later.
Autism Speaks invites all children within all spectrums of special needs and their families to gather before the mall opens for a sensory-friendly event to experience the time-honored tradition of a visit and photos with Santa. Reservations recommended.
Date: Dec. 4; Times vary but most start at 9 or 9:30 a.m.
Want to take the kids ice skating? These family-friendly outdoor ice skating rinks in Chicago are perfect for beginners
Sock skating on a wooden floor might be fun (have you ever tried it?), but there’s nothing like feeling the cool breeze on your face as you glide across a real ice rink. It’s time to lace up your skates for an essential winter activity. Keep reading to find great places to ice skate in Chicago. Many are free, some are new—and most offer loads of other activities in the same location. So after attempting a few figure eights (or, you know, just making it from one side of the rink to the other), you can cozy up with Santa or warm your bellies with a cup of hot cocoa.
In the wintertime, Parkway Bank Park in Rosemont offers skating in the park, where The Chicago Wolves ice rink takes center stage with the perfect ticket price: free! You're allowed to bring your own skates, but if you need to rent a pair, they're available on site for $8. Easy parking and plenty of dining options round out the seasonal fun. After untying your skates, head over to the Sugar Factory and warm up with over-the-top hot cocoas.
Between Nov. 18 and Jan. 1, make it a full day of wintry fun by visiting the Sparkle Light Festival at Impact Field. You'll be treated to tubing, a holiday market, festive food and beverages, Santa's workshop, a train ride, and holiday crafts, all amongst an immersive display of more than one million holiday lights.
Spectacular city skyline views will be your backdrop when you take a spin at the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink in Millennium Park. Reservations are required for 90-minute skate sessions. Once again this year, the rink will offer free ice skating lessons on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 to 10 a.m. (Skate rentals are extra.)
The Maggie Daley Park ice skating ribbon is one of the best spots in the city to skate a figure eight. Meanwhile, the railing that lines the loop is the perfect pick-me-up for wobbly skaters, young and old alike. Tickets are released on a rolling basis at 12 p.m. on select dates. Check their website for the release date schedule.
Pro Tip: A skate assist sled is available for use by skaters with physical disabilities and their companion skater.
New this year, the ice rink at Gallagher Way will be moved into Wrigley Field as part of their Winterland attractions. It's open for skating and bumper car riding. Admission into Winterland is $5. Skating is additional. Visit prior to Dec. 31 and shop Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville, Chicago's take on a traditional German Christmas market. Shop, eat, enjoy free entertainment, shop some more, and even say "guten tag" to Santa Claus. Admission to Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville continues to be free.
To learn more about Christkindlmarket's two locations, read our review here.
Brookfield Zoo's Holiday Magic is Chicagoland's largest and longest-running lights festival featuring over a million twinkling LED lights, and it's best enjoyed on ice. Take the family to circle the skating rink on the East Mall.
Although not outdoors, Navy Pier's Light Up the Lake ice rink provides all the holiday feels that make it worth mentioning. This indoor, temperature-controlled experience features a sprawling light garden of large-scale sculptures comprising more than 600,000 twinkling lights, a massive Alpine ice rink, authentic beer garden, kiddie train rides, Santa's Merry Main Street and gift market, and other family friendly and date-night activities.
Dates: Nov. 25-Jan. 7
500 E. Grand Ave. Streeterville Online: navypier.org
Double the fun! Watts Center boasts not one but two outdoor ice rinks. Tucked away in north suburban Glencoe, this gem offers figure skating lessons, ice hockey and recreational skating. When the conditions allow, you can also play on the sled hill. Check their calendar for themed skate sessions, like Glow Skate, Skate & Create, Holiday Skate, and more.
Feel the history in the air at Midway Plaisance ice skating rink, the original site of the world-famous Chicago's 1893 World's Fair. Skating is free and skates are available to rent. You can request sled-assisted skating, which allows people of all abilities to skate together, by calling 312-442-2194. Skate trainers are also available at the rink, first-come, first-served, for children new to skating.
While you're in Hyde Park, visit the Museum of Science & Industry's Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light and be enchanted by the trees and displays decorated to represent the rich multicultural heritage of Chicago.
Located above Michigan Avenue, the Peninsula Sky Rink is the only hotel skating rink in the city, now in its 10th year. Surrounded by skyscrapers and the glow of twinkling lights, the synthetic rink is tucked into a winter wonderland with festive music and dazzling snowflake lighting. Warm your bellies on a selection of hotel beverages and snacks at the Chalet.
Skates are available to rent with proceeds donated to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and Hephzibah Children's Association.
Dates: Nov. 25-Feb. 28
108 E. Superior St. Near North Side Online: peninsula.com
For up-to-date information on ice rinks operated by the Chicago Park District, check out their dedicated Skate in the Parkspage.
This Labor Day weekend, take your family to one of these fun, no-hassle (and mostly free!) activities in and around Washington, DC
Summer is winding down, and school is starting, but the cozy autumn air isn’t here quite yet. Nevertheless, Labor Day weekend activities in Washington, DC are right around the corner, and we’ve rounded up all the Labor Day family fun to be had in the DMV. With one more long holiday weekend to fill before we fully enter fall, we found everything from local concerts to parades to family-friendly art shows. So make the most of the unofficial end of summer with these events and activities in our area. The best part: these hip happenings require hardly any planning and are (mostly) free!
National Symphony Orchestra Labor Day Capitol Concert Older kids (or your all-nighter toddler) will love listening to the NSO’s annual free concert, happening Sun., Sep. 4 at 8 p.m., on the West Lawn of the Capitol Building, featuring Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke leading the orchestra in music by Aaron Copland, John Williams, new Kennedy Center Composer-in-Residence Carlos Simon, and others. Special guest Jimmie Herrod (Pink Martini, America’s Got Talent) joins the celebration to perform favorites by Gladys Knight, Joni Mitchell, and more.
West Lawn of the United States Capitol Building
Capitol Circle
Washington, DC Online:kennedy-center.org
Library of Congress National Book Festival Hear authors speak, learn about the Library of Congress, and find fun family activities like a Waldo hunt and story times at the place where books come alive: the National Book Festival. If you can’t make it to Washington, DC for the free, all-day event on Sat., Sept. 3, several programs—including talks—will be live-streamed, and videos of all talks can be viewed online after the Festival concludes. Don’t forget to pick out a new book before you leave.
Washington Convention Center
801 Mt Vernon Pl NW
Washington, DC Online:loc.gov/bookfest
National Museum of American History
Explore the history of labor at the “American Enterprise” exhibit, which is open daily, at the National Museum of American History. Kids will get a kick out of the Japanese McDonald’s sign, old ad posters, and one of Michael Dell’s early computers (“Mom, where’s the touch screen?”). Engage them with questions about how they hope to give back one day (and bring home a paycheck).
Constitution Ave., NW (between 12th and 14th St.)
Washington, DC Online: americanhistory.si.edu
Gaithersburg Labor Day Parade After a two-year hiatus, the ever-popular Gaithersburg Labor Day Parade, one of the City’s oldest traditions, returns to the streets of Olde Towne on Mon., Sep. 5 from 1-3 p.m. Now in its 84th year, this rain-or-shine event includes high school marching bands, dance groups, costumed characters, antique cars and fire engines, equestrian units, clowns, and more, all winding their way down East Diamond and Russell Avenues.
Glen Echo Park Labor Day Art Show
This free annual art show exhibits more than 200 artists from the mid-Atlantic region and includes media such as painting, drawing, glass, jewelry, photography, ceramics, furniture, sculpture, and fiber arts. Follow your visit with a trip to your local Michael’s and have your kids create their own gallery-worthy pieces.
Virginia Scottish Games
Although adult tickets are $20 over the weekend, kids 12 and under are free on Sunday—so come enjoy a day of piping and drumming, highland dancing, and fiddling competitions along with sheep-herding demonstrations (your kids will coo over the Border Collies), an antique British car and bike show, vendors and crafts, clan and society exhibits, children’s activities (games, archery, and face painting), live music, and plenty of Scottish food and drink. Kilts are welcome but not required!
Greenbelt Labor Day Festival 2022 will mark the 68th year of the festival that brings the Rising Star Showcase and Hybrid Art Show to town. Locals know the festival, which runs Friday through Monday, is the year’s main event with great rides for young and old alike, fantastic entertainment, and some of the best carnival food around.
Baseball: America’s Home Run There’s no better place to get in the all-American spirit than an exhibition about the history of baseball at the Postal Museum. In celebration of the recent 150th Anniversary of Professional Baseball, the National Postal Museum’s Baseball exhibit features historic objects loaned from renowned private collections that have never before been on public display. You’ll see Babe Ruth’s actual game-used bat and Yogi Berra’s uniform. All that nostalgia will surely inspire a family tailgate in front of the TV as our Nationals take on the Cardinals on Labor Day.
With warmer weather and longer days, you can make a splash with your family by planning a stay in one of these Atlanta-area Airbnbs with epic pools. From Alpharetta to Chattahoochee Hills, Smyrna to Druid Hills, the pool scene at these local Airbnbs is as hot as a summer day. Snag an avocado pool floatie, bust out the new swimsuits and get ready to relax.
Grant Park: Near the Zoo
Airbnb
Located not far from Zoo Atlanta, this 7 bedroom, 4.5 bathroom manse in Grant Park comes with a heated pool and spa. It's also not too far from Morellis, one of Atlanta's best places to score a scoop of ice cream.
After you've caught a double-header at Truist Park, you'll love heading back to this Mabelton 5 bedroom, 5 bathroom house with a heated pool and spa with it's very own slide. The Braves won't be the only ones sliding into home during you stay!
Midtown: Near The High, Center for Puppetry Arts, & MODA
Airbnb
After you get your fill of the Midtown museum scene, head back to your very own 4 bedroom, 4.5 bathroom pad that has a pool with a waterfall. Perfectly positioned to be a jumping-off spot for your Midtown adventures, you can even make it home for a nap and then hit the town again.
Buckhead: Near LEGOLAND, Atlanta History Center, & Shopping
Airbnb
This modern Buckhead home with 3 beds and 4.5 baths has pool views throughout, thanks to a nearly all-glass exterior in the back of the house. It'll cost you to stay here, but its location near shopping, LEGOLAND, the Atlanta History Center, and more can't be beat.
Flowery Branch: Near the Lake & Atlanta Falcons Training Center
Airbnb
A lake and a heated saltwater pool and spa? Sign us up! This 4 bedroom, 6.5 bathroom house in Flowery Branch puts you in proximity of the Atlanta Falcons Training Center and Lake Lanier. If you'd rather stay outside of the city, this is the spot for you.
How about a horseback ride, an award-winning production at the Serenbe Playhouse, and incredible farm-to-table dining to go with your custom pool with waterfalls at this house rental? Another option for staying out of the city, this house is a mere 45 minutes to the Atlanta airport.
Take a splash to the past with a stay in this 2 bed, 1.5 bathroom historic home in Monroe's downtown. After shopping in the town square and eating a burger and milkshake at the corner drug store, you'll head home to relax in this home's huge pool.
If your kiddos’ idea of nature is the sprawling freeways and concrete jungle of Los Angeles, well, let’s be honest, who can blame them, right? Beyond the raccoons that frequent our yards (and other animal encounters we pay admission for), there are excellent local nature centers where your kids can learn about our ecosystems, experience the sights and sounds of our nearby flora and fauna and get a sense of what the natural world looks like beyond the familiar concrete and controlled chaos of the big city without heading out of town to places like Lake Arrowhead or Big Bear.
Stoneview Nature Center At this 5-acre ever-evolving park, you’ll find yoga classes, guided urban walks, artwork, a demonstration garden and a community kitchen not to mention a scenic view of DTLA and the Santa Monica Mountains. The center is also the beginning of the “Park to Playa Trail,” the recreational corridor that connects state, county and city parks from the Baldwin Hills to Playa Del Rey and one of our favorite hikes with kids (parts of it, that is).
Good to Know: There is transportation to the park from the Metro Expo La Cienega Station to Kenneth Hahn State Recreational Area and the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook. The Parklands Shuttle operates 8 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Sat., Sun. and holidays. Rides are 25 cents one way and free for Seniors and children under 5.
Madrona Marsh Preserve and Nature Center
This beautiful, busy nature preserve in the heart of Torrance (just blocks from the giant Del Amo Fashion Center mall) and thought to be one of the last remaining vernal freshwater marshes in Los Angeles County, is not to be missed by city kids who need a dose of fresh air and fun. The best way to experience the marsh your first time out is to take the Tyke Hike offered the first Thurs. of every month ($5 donation) for ages 0-6. Check out their calendar for other great hosted walks like Fri. Fun, Night Hikes, Nature Storytime and more. Bring a hat and sturdy shoes—it’s alternately sunny and damp in different parts of the preserve—and consider taking binoculars, because this spot is a paradise for birders.
Don’t Miss: The Nature Center houses several live animal exhibits including snakes, turtles and other animals on a rotating basis.
Audubon Center, Debs Park Located in the fourth-largest park in Los Angeles, this Center aims to restore the connection between people and the land in Los Angeles. “As the first center that Audubon built within an urban environment to specifically engage the Latino community, the Audubon Center at Debs Park has played an important role in building a more diverse and inclusive conservation movement here in Los Angeles and beyond.” In addition to restoring habitats at Debs Park and along the L.A. River, the center hosts regular family hikes, art workshops, habitat restoration events as well as movie nights.
Don’t Miss: The Audubon Center courtyard features some of the best naturalistic play area we’ve ever seen—your kids will have a blast, and you might even get a chance to relax and enjoy the gorgeous surroundings.
Deane Dana Friendship Natural Area
Situated on a hilltop overlooking the harbor, this park offers one of the most expansive views of Los Angeles and Catalina Island to be found anywhere. In addition to hiking trails, a picnic area and a pleasant playground with a pirate-ship theme, the well-designed County-operated nature center offers enrichment classes for school groups, education on local species. Sat. mornings, nature superintendents hold a free meet-and-greet to share knowledge about the park, its inhabitants and all the ways to have fun at the park, called Every Body Explores (also taking place at other nature centers across the city).
El Dorado Park Nature Center
If you live on the Westside and you make the trip down to Long Beach—even better, if you want to spend the weekend in Long Beach, check out our insider tips—don’t miss El Dorado Park, a 100-acre park featuring everything from stocked fishing lakes, 4 miles of bike paths and a train park for train-crazy kids. In the heart of El Dorado’s recreational smorgasborg is the Nature Center. Nearly everything is stroller-accessible—making it a boondoggle for those with babies looking to get outside. Parking in the lot is $7, but easy street parking can be also be found nearby.
Don’t Miss: Family night walks and the self-guided hikes through the area.
Put on your dancing shoes because these Portland-area dance studios have it all for kids
Children love to express themselves through movement—or maybe they just love to move. If your kids are all about showing off with their newest dance moves (thanks, TikTok), it’s time to sign them up for one of our favorite dance classes near Portland. Not only do these Portland dance studios offer an opportunity for kids to harness their talents, they give them a chance to have fun and exercise too (hint: check out our favorite rock climbing gym spots and indoor playgrounds for more movement ideas). Now is the time to sign up for a local dance or movement class.
NW Dance Project has earned itself a reputation for cultivating and nurturing young dancers. Their Youth Dance Program offers exceptional year-round programming for youth ages 4 to 18. Dancers will experience the joy of dance taught by Portland’s finest teachers. Sign your little dancer up for beginner ballet or contemporary dance.
At Kids Club Fun & Fitness, kids can take dance, gymnastics, and swimming lessons. They offer ballet and musical theater classes as well as a variety of classes for tots, all the way up to age 12.
If you are as proud of where you live as we are, consider taking your little ones to our city’s dance classes. Portland Parks & Recreation is a reflection of all we stand for as Portlanders: variety, community, kindness, and an affinity for being eccentric. Offering an array of dance classes for a variety of ages plus parent/child classes, Portland Parks & Recreation helps everyone boogie. With a variety of locations, an easy online schedule, and registry (complete with class description and how many spots are left) this site is a great way for your family to find their groove.
Portland Metro Arts is home to dance, theatre, music, and visual arts programs. They focus on helping dancers discover their favorite form of self-expression through supportive, quality classes and an emphasis on always being a kid at heart. Their dance program breaks down by the school year and the summer season with performances peppered in.
It’s no surprise that this studio’s mission is “to be a positive force in your world by adding joyful moments to your day!” They work to enrich the mind, body, and soul through teaching with creativity, excellence, responsibility, and teamwork all while honoring each dancer’s individual learning style and needs. So smile, twirl, and leap on over to this center full of classes for “little toes” to kids.
New Vision Dance Center has classes for everyone—little ones and older. Enroll your young kiddos in the Hippity Hop class for 3-to-4-year-olds or 4-to-6-year-olds. Your older kiddos will enjoy the challenge of the more advanced classes. These dance classes will benefit your whole family.
Check out Steps PDX for a variety of classes for your kids. They put on exciting dance showcases with fun themes that your kids will love to be a part of. They also have a Steps for Youth program that partners with schools to get more kids involved with dance. Let your kids express themselves while learning amazing skills.
Los Angeles has an incredibly rich, LGBQT history—including hosting one of the first LGBQT parades on Hollywood Blvd. in 1970. To celebrate Pride Month, we’re pulling together a list of historically significant places where you can visit and learn more about these landmark achievements, along with some kid-friendly Pride Month events you can join all month long (also don’t miss our must-read list of LGBTQ books for kids). Check out our list below and make sure to check back often as updates are happening regularly!
photo: iStock
Pride Events & Activities in Los Angeles
Pride Night: LA Galaxy vs. Austin FC May 29:The Galaxy will host Pride Night, presented by Sherwin-Williams, on Sunday, May 29 against Austin FC to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Experience special activations throughout the match in collaboration with Galaxy supporters, the Los Angeles LGBT Center and MLS’ Soccer For All program. The National Anthem will be performed by and Casey Breves avid supporters of the Los Angeles LGBT Center, there will be an Angel City Brigade Clothing Drive where donations will benefit the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Youth Center as well as a Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital Food Drive. Bins at each entrance to the stadium. Donations will go to the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Pride Pantry. Event details.
LGBTQ+ Night at Dodger Stadium Jun. 3: The Dodgers have again teamed up with their long-time community nonprofit partner LA Pride to host their annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night at Dodger Stadium, presented by Blue Shield of California. This celebration of Los Angeles’ LGBTQ+ community will include drink specials in the pavilion bars, a special recognition of frontline workers from Los Angeles’ LGBTQ+ community and additional surprise guests featured during pregame ceremonies. The fun also continues post-game with Friday Night Fireworks, set to music mixed by DJ Bowie Jane. A special event ticket package includes a ticket to the game and an exclusive Dodgers LGBTQ+-themed jersey! Event details.
Light up the Night for Equality Viewing Party Jun. 3: Venice Pride cordially invites you to the Light Up the Night for Equality Viewing Party at Hotel Erwin’s High Rooftop Lounge to witness the L.A. premiere and illumination of Yvette Mattern’s Global Rainbow laser installation across the California Coast by a special guest. Event details.
Venice Pride Festival Jun. 4-5: Venice Pride Festival is returning and open to all ages! LA’s beloved grassroots LGBTQ+ celebration grows to two days and moves to a brand new beachside location: Venice Beach Recreation Center. Event details.
Let’s Celebrate LBGTQIA Voices! Jun. 6: Join Central Library for an online book club for teens to discuss a YA Fiction or Non-Fiction book that features LGBTQIA voices. Email teens@lapl.org from your school email address at least one hour before the program to request the link. Homeschool students, note the program name and “Homeschool” in the email subject line, make sure to include your name and grade level. Event details.
COME4ME by Kim Chi’ Donuts at Trejo’s Coffee & Donuts Jun. 10-30: To celebrate Pride Month, Hollywood favorite Danny Trejo, and his donut shop Trejo’s Coffee & Donuts, are teaming up with RuPaul’s Drag Race alum and cosmetics queen Kim Chi of KimChi Chic Beauty& KimChi Eats to create a colorful and delicious donut inspired by her iconic lewks. Head to Trejo’s Coffee & Donuts in Hollywood to taste the duo’s limited-time ‘COME4ME by Kim Chi’ donut that will be filled with taro cream cheese and topped with a white chocolate taro glitter glaze, passion fruit buttercream, candied dragon fruit and passion fruit flakes ($4). A portion of the proceeds from ‘COME4ME by Kim Chi’ will be donated to Seniors Fight Back, a charity whose mission is to stop hate against AAPI seniors. Event details.
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Jun. 11: The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County will host its first-ever Queer Family Day, featuring a rainbow-themed scavenger hunt, dino dance party, drag queen storytime, up-close encounters with behind-the-scenes museum collections, and more! The museum welcomes guests to wear their favorite shade of green to show off your nature-loving pride. This event is free with museum admission and for members. Event details.
LA Pride in the Park
Jun. 11: Christina Aguilera is headlining LA Pride in the Park, the music event with two stages, sponsor activations, exhibitors, and plenty of food and drink at Los Angeles State Historic Park. Gates open at 1 p.m., and the party goes until 11 p.m. Event details.
LA Pride Parade Jun. 12:The 2022 LA Pride Parade is back! Cheer on this iconic LGBTQ+ procession along with 130 contingents of marchers, performers, nonprofits, celebrities, and the businesses that proudly celebrate their LGBTQ+ employees as they walk in the 52nd Annual LA Pride Parade. This year’s theme, “Love Your Pride” which highlights “ Los Angeles as a global city whose communities love in every language. This Pride season, we’re inclusively embracing LA’s diversity by writing a love letter to LA in many languages.” Make sure to visit “Pride Village,” which is located next to the start and finish of the Parade. Vendor booths, activities and Ferris wheel will be featured. Admission is free. Event details.
Inaugural Pride Village Street Fair Jun. 12: This eclectic, family-friendly all-day street fair will be open to the public from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will welcome patrons to continue their Pride celebrations during and after the iconic parade. The family-friendly festivities will include two stages for music and performances throughout the day, including various DJs, a performance by RuPaul’s Drag Race All Star winner, Alaska, and more, as well as a Ferris wheel, pop-up roller skating rink, beer and bar garden, food trucks, local vendors, festive programming, and lots of love. Event details.
Bingo Night With Drag Queen Pickle Jun. 13: Kick off the “Express Yourself” Summer Reading Challenge with a fabulous Bingo Night, hosted by Drag Queen Pickle. Pickle, organizer of the local Drag Queen Story Hour, brings all of the glamour and humor that a rollicking game of bingo really needs. Event details.
Pride Paddle Jun. 26: The Southbay LGBTQ Center and The Portofino Hotel & Marina in collaboration with Harbor Vibes are hosting the second-annual Pride Paddle, taking place in the King Harbor Marina. Starting from the public hand launch behind Seaside Lagoon, paddlers will traverse through the harbor to the King Harbor Yacht Club and back with fun stops along the way. For anyone who is new to paddle boarding, support and instruction will be available to you during the event. Post-paddle, head to BALEEN Kitchen featuring a signature drink; The Flamingo consisting of a Watermelon Sorbet, homemade Coconut Orgeat, Drake’s Organic Vodka, Pineapple juice and fresh mint, with a fruity pebbles rim. 10% of all proceeds going to the Southbay LGBTQ Center. Event details.
SaMo PRIDE 2022
Santa Monica Pier, Downtown Santa Monica, and Santa Monica Place, in collaboration with the City of Santa Monica and Santa Monica Travel and Tourism, present SaMo PRIDE: a month of rainbows and festivities to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, individuality, inclusivity and acceptance. For the month of Jun., The Pier, Santa Monica Place, Third Street Promenade and surrounding businesses will celebrate Pride Month with a vibrant light installation dubbed “Miles of Pride,” which spans miles of city streets, illuminating the sky with a rainbow of colors. These installations will serve as a backdrop for a full calendar of events that bring together community, families and supporters from around the world. With a focus on family-friendly art, events and community connection, City of Santa Monica partners will host PRIDE markets, story hours, live music and so much more to help celebrate love in every color. Event details.
Big Sunday Volunteers
Big Sunday has teamed up with LA Pride for Pride Makes a Difference, a series of more than 300 helping events all over town in Jun. Event details.
Made With Pride Marketplace Every Fri.-Sun. in Jun., Santa Monica Place is partnering with Streetlet, an opportunity-matching and growth engine for small business owners and makers, to bring a pop-up Made with PRIDE Marketplace to the center. This unique marketplace is part of the annual SaMo PRIDE, a month-long citywide celebration focused on family-friendly displays and activities that safely celebrate the City of Santa Monica’s inclusive and diverse spirit. Once again PRIDE events will be anchored by “Miles of Pride,” a vibrant light installation that spans the Promenade and Santa Monica Place, illuminating the sky with a rainbow of colors to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, individuality, inclusivity and acceptance. Event details.
Teen Grab-and-Go Crafts: Rainbow Garland During the month of Jun., teens and tweens ages 11-18 years can pick up a craft kit with all the supplies needed to make a rainbow garland. Visit the North Hollywood Amelia Earhart Regional Library Reference Desk during library hours to get your kit. Event details.
SAYGAY for PRIDE
In partnership with the It Gets Better Project, the rebranded Banter by Piercing Pagoda has created a limited-edition nameplate necklace that reads ‘SayGAY’, with 100% of sales, up to $25,000, benefitting the IGBP’s mission of uplifting and empowering lives of the LGBTQ+ youth around the globe through the month of June. Help fight harmful legislation being passed around the US and supporting everyone’s right to live and love freely! Details can be found here.
The Black Cat, formally a bar and now a gastropub located in Silver Lake, was the scene of a brutal police raid on New Year's Eve in 1966. Two months later, in 1967, in response to the raid, a peaceful protest was held, noted as "the site of the first documented LGBTQ civil rights demonstration in the nation." In 2008, The Black Cat was recognized by the City of Los Angeles as a Historic Cultural Monument.
This outdoor staircase in Silver Lake, was named after the Mattachine Society—one of the world's first gay rights clubs, founded in 1950. This staircase was how members reached the meetings, hosted by Henry Hay, in his home.
Once you climb to the top, you'll be rewarded with a stunning view of the Silver Lake Reservoir.
2355 Cove Ave. Los Angeles
LA Public Library
The LA Public Library is an integral resource for LGBQT history where you can access videos, maps, books, films and more that showcase the struggle for equal rights in the gay community. If you can't make it to the library, you can still check out resources thanks to hoopla digital–a free resource that allows valid library card holders to access and download ebooks, movies, audiobooks, comics and tv shows to your device. They have an extensive collection of LGBTQ+ media you can access including children's books like, "A Boy Named Queen" and "From Archie to Zak."
Stocked with over 80,000 titles, Children's Book World is "committed to celebrate diversity, knowledge, and enrichment. A world where every child sees themselves on our shelves." Recognized year after year for this achievement, they are also know for their "book selection that is open-minded (gay-friendly, multi-cultural) and well-organized, divided into age-appropriate sections."
This is the world's largest research library dedicated to honor and archive LGBTQ history. Located near the USC campus, exhibitions, art shows and cinematic screenings are hosted here as well as at their gallery space, ONE Gallery, located in West Hollywood.
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archive 909 West Adams Blvd. Los Angeles
Los Angeles was first settled by the Tongva tribe and called the area Yang Na. But what makes this noteworthy is that the Tongva people were LGBTQ friendly. LA’s first tribes believed in "gay marriages, transgender lifestyles and that homosexuality was determined in utero" even going as far as celebrating homosexuals as “two spirited people and thought of them more as gifted than as outcasts." Look for a plaque in the plaza area honoring these ancestors.
Tia Chucha's independent bookstore specializes in providing great books on "Xicanx and Latinx history and literature, indigenous knowledge, bilingual children’s books, contemporary and social commentary issues, as well as Spanish-language, queer/LGBTQIA, art, poetry, antiracism, social change, and much more."
Located in Lincoln Park, this was the first publicly-funded AIDS monument in the country. In this serene space, you'll see a stainless steel archway as well as eight panels—six of the panels depict life with AIDS in the Latino community, and two granite panels will eventually display the names of 8,000 people lost to AIDS.
"Since 1969 the Los Angeles LGBT Center has cared for, championed, and celebrated LGBT individuals and families in Los Angeles and beyond. Today the Center provides services for more LGBT people than any other organization in the world, offering programs, services, and global advocacy that span four broad categories: Health, Social Services and Housing, Culture and Education, Leadership and Advocacy."
Maker sure to stop by and catch a show at The Village at Ed Gould Plaza, the Center's state-of-the-art educational, cultural, and social center.
The Village at Ed Gould Plaza 1125 N McCadden Pl. Los Angeles Online: lalgbtcenter.org
Los Angeles LGBT Center 1625 N. Schrader Blvd. Los Angeles Online: lalgbtcenter.org
The Celebration Theatre
The Celebration Theatre was founded in 1982 and is the only professional theater with the "mission of creating an outlet for LGBTQIA+ voices in Los Angeles."
Must-See:Dear Harvey: Stories of Harvey Milk is playing Sun. May 22-Sun. May. 29.
Chicago has a rich roller skating history rooted in the James Brown “JB” style, known for elaborate footwork. It’s also the birthplace of roller derby. While rinks are few and far between, you can still get your glide on at select retro-fun spots that have stood the test of time. Introduce your kids to this slick part of Chicago’s history and impress them with your 8-wheeled dance moves at these local hangouts.
Roll into Glenwood and you can easily transport yourself to the 80s, skating with hair scrunchied in a crimped high pony, jeans perfectly pegged and the smell of Electric Youth wafting behind you. Spritz the family with Aqua Net and take a few turns around the rink.
You’ll dig the polished hardwood floor and colored lights gleaming overhead. It sets the scene for open family skate on Wed. 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Sat., 12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. & 8 p.m.-11 p.m. and Sun. 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. If you have first-timers in your group, lessons are offered for all ages, Sat., 10:30 a.m.-noon.
MLK Skating is a city icon and a popular destination for birthday parties and school field trips. It's just one part of the Chicago Park District’s Dr. Martin Luther King Park and Entertainment Area opened by Mayor Daley in 2003. The rink is open for all ages Tues.-Sun., with Glow skating every Saturday. Once you’ve gotten your fill of skating, you can swap your wheels for bowling shoes or hit the arcade for gaming.
Music, games and pizza, pizza, pizza make for good old-fashioned fun at this west suburban hotspot. Glide your way around the rink to sounds of the top 40 every Sat. and Sun., 1 p.m.-4 p.m. This family-friendly skate intersperses freestyle skating with the hokey pokey, backward skating, races and buddy skating, where two or three people are encouraged to hold hands and do their best to not pull each other to the floor. Beginners can take lessons every Sat., noon-1 p.m.
Family-owned Lombard Roller Rink offers a clean, friendly environment to introduce kids to skating. Families are invited to take a spin, Fri.-Sun, and classes are offered for kids every Sat., noon-12:45 p.m. They also offer an artistic skating club that competes in several disciplines and at all levels.
The Rink was first opened in 1974 by then-husband and wife duo Carmen Clark and Nate Simpson. The idea was born from a desire to bring entertainment options a little closer to home, as they were always driving to the suburbs for a family night out. Although it has recently changed ownership, the new owners, Ramona and Curtis, are committed to keeping this Chatham neighborhood staple as it's always been. A place that's boiling over with positive energy and a focus on community building. Note: due to planned renovations along with vandalism in November, The Rink is closed with a re-grand opening planned for March.
Located just outside Chicago in Summit, Fleetwood is celebrating nearly 65 years of showing families a good time. Slide-in for open skate on Wed. and Fri.-Sun. Wobbly skaters can beef up their skills with lessons, Sat., noon-1 p.m. Kids who take lessons can skate for half-price, Sat., 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Coachlite has open skate Fri.-Sun. and discounted sessions on Wed. You can also book Dart Dasher Nerf where kids engage in nerf gun wars while a light show and music play in the background. These 2-hour private sessions that include pizza and game referees are a great high-energy birthday party idea.
Tinley Park Roller Rink believes the fastest path to happiness is found on skates. Who are we to disagree? Visit them for family skates on Sat., Sun. and Wed. They also typically open on school holidays, so follow them on Facebook to stay up-to-date on schedule changes.
17658 S. Oak Park Ave., Tinley Park; Online: tinleyrink.com
Maggie Daley Park
Infuse a bit of fresh air into your skate session at Maggie Daley's Skating Ribbon. The outdoor ribbon is open Apr. 30-Sep. 26 for rollerblading and mico-scootering. Rentals are available for both. Open skate times vary depending on the month, so check the website before making a plan to visit.
This place is great for families with young kids because it's designed for ages 14 & under. Skate sessions are held Tues., Wed. and Fri.-Sun. Plan a family date night on Wed. when the price of admission also gets you all-you-can-eat pizza. For a budget-friendly option, go on Tues. when admission is just $2.
Lynwood Sport Center has a cinematic history as the rink was featured in the movie Roll Bounce released in 2005. The best time for families to check out this sweet rink is Sat., Sun. and Tues. On Tues., order a large pizza, a pitcher of soda and your skate rentals for up to 4 people for $38.
Turn skating into a date-night (or day) opportunity with Chicago Athletic Association hotel's pop-up skate events. On select weekends, they host skate programming on the historic Stagg Court. Afterward, visit the Fine Arts Display Case on the 2nd floor to catch a glimpse of the hotel's vintage skates. Keep an eye on their website and Instagram for future announcements.
Celebrate Black History, Atlanta families, when you explore the city’s Civil Rights sites, landmarks, and museums
In Atlanta, we walk in the footsteps of Civil Rights leaders during Black History Month and every month. No matter what month it is, take the opportunity to honor and acknowledge Black contributions by taking a closer look at some of Atlanta’s (and our nation’s) most important historical sites—many of which we probably pass in carpool every day. Brush up on Black history with a Black history tour or history lesson, and see our city through entirely new eyes.
Black History Museums in Atlanta
Visit the Apex Museum
The Atlanta Black History Museum in the Sweet Auburn Historic District is packed with knowledge of the Black experience from Africa to America. While the museum focuses a great deal on slavery, it also takes a deep dive into African culture, Black inventors, and Black leaders. Exhibits span from “Africa the Untold Story,” where visitors can learn about the African continent over the past 6,000 years, to “Sweet Auburn Street Pride,” which helps visitors experience a more localized history of Black life in Atlanta.
What do you know about the Civil Rights Movement? Learn something new about the people from the past—famous and not-so-famous—who played a part in the movement. The Visitor Center, Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, and Freedom Hall are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. The Birth Home is open for limited ranger-led tours. Fire Station No. 6 is staffed by park volunteers and is open when volunteers are available. All sites are free to the public.
During the 1920s, Auburn Avenue became the commercial center of Black Atlanta. The phrase "Sweet Auburn" was coined by businessman and civil rights activist John Wesley Dobbs, the Unofficial Mayor of Sweet Auburn, and the maternal grandfather of Atlanta's first Black mayor, Maynard Jackson. Today, the avenue is home to the Sweet Auburn Springfest, the Caribbean Festival & Parade, and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade. Here's the best way to spend a day in the Sweet Auburn Historic District: on a regular day, you'll find historical sites on every corner, small and large museums, and plenty of good places to grab lunch.
Begin your tour of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center by following the Civil Rights Walk of Fame, past the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, and proceed to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site Visitor Center, where you can reserve a ticket for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birth home. Proceed east on Auburn to enter the King Center’s outdoor campus where you can view the crypt of Dr. and Mrs. King, the Eternal Flame, the Freedom Walkway, and the Reflecting Pool. Walk eastward along the pool to Freedom Hall, where you can learn more about Dr. King, Mrs. King, and The King Center through immersive exhibits.
Visit The National Center for Civil & Human Rights
The National Center for Civil and Human Rights believes in justice and dignity for all, and the power of people to make this idea real. They inspire visitors with immersive exhibitions, dynamic events and conversations, and engagement and education/training programs. Be sure to download their “Across Generations” intergenerational conversation starter for you to use on your visit.
Morehouse College, founded in 1867, is a historically Black, private liberal arts college for men. One of the college’s most distinguished alumni is Martin Luther King, Jr., who graduated in 1948. Inside The Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel you'll find a Hall of Honor, with 158 oil portraits of world leaders in the civil and human rights movement, and a bust of Mahatma Gandhi. Outside, you'll find a bronze statue of Dr. King, and the burial crypt and towering obelisk for Dr. Howard Washington Thurman.
At the former site of Yates & Milton Drug Store, which is now the Student Center on the campus of Clark Atlanta University, you can find a Georgia Historical Society marker that tells the story of the Atlanta Student Movement, which began when three Morehouse College students—Lonnie King, Joseph Pierce, and Julian Bond—formed the Committee on the Appeal for Human Rights and involved all the historically Black institutions of the Atlanta University Center (AUC). AUC students conducted sit-ins at segregated lunch counters throughout Atlanta, movie theaters, parks, and the Georgia State Capitol. When the students targeted the Magnolia Room at Rich's Department Store in downtown Atlanta, Martin Luther King, Jr. and his brother A.D. King joined them and were arrested with 77 student demonstrators. Protests continued over the next year until desegregation was achieved.
Corner of James P. Brawley Dr. SW & Atlanta Student Movement Blvd. Atlanta
greg keelen via unsplash
Rep. John Lewis Mural
This 70-foot mural of the late Rep. John Lewis is located on the east side of the current Renaissance Walk building. Lewis was a politician and civil rights leader who served as the U.S. Representative for Georgia's 5th congressional district. Located in an area downtown with much historical significance, you'll be walking in Lewis' footsteps if you go to pay this mural a visit. The Butler Street YMCA building, where civil rights leaders met in the 1960s, is directly south of this mural, and dozens of historical churches and businesses surround it in the Sweet Auburn Historic District.
219 Auburn Ave. N.E. Atlanta
Atlanta History Center
The exhibit Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow at the Atlanta History Center explores the Black struggle for full citizenship and racial equality that unfolded in the 50 years following the Civil War. It was created by the New York Historical Society in collaboration with the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and has a particular focus on local stories and artifacts. After checking out this virtual exhibit, pay a visit to the Smith Family Farm on the grounds of the Atlanta History Center, then to the Swan House to imagine these historic sites through the eyes of Black people during the time of their full operation.
Each Sunday, visitors from around the globe join church members at the historic church where Dr. Martin Luther King served as Pastor—in person at Ebenezer or via Ebenezer Everywhere—to experience Ebenezer’s history. The doors are open to all, and in addition to visiting the original church, you should be sure to check out the Visitor's Center, the nearby King Center, Birth Home, World Peace Rose Garden, and Behold Monument.
African American Burial Grounds Tour at Oakland Cemetery
Throughout February, Historic Oakland Foundation hosts guided walking tours of Oakland Cemetery’s historic African American Burial Grounds, with stops at the final resting places of a few Atlanta pioneers, including Carrie Steele Logan, founder of Atlanta’s first orphanage for African American children; William Finch, one of Atlanta’s first African American city councilmen; Bishop Wesley John Gaines and Julia A. Gaines, pastor and First Lady of Big Bethel A.M.E. Church; and Maynard Jackson, Atlanta’s first African American mayor.
Civil Bikes brings a fresh perspective to Civil Rights. Explore Atlanta's history and human rights issues on a guided bike tour that takes you to places that make Atlanta unique. Check out an upcoming schedule of Atlanta walking and bike tours of greater Atlanta, Georgia's storied Sweet Auburn, and historic West End neighborhoods. All tours are family-friendly and can accommodate any level of cyclists (or walkers!). Once you register for your Civil Bikes walking or bike tour, you will receive an email with details on where and when to meet, where to park, what to bring, and more.
The Atlanta Black History Tour follows the trail of Atlanta’s Black history while illuminating black life and achievement in the city from pre-Civil War to the present day. Unlike bike or walking tours, the Atlanta Black History Tour allows you to relax in a comfortable motorcoach as you tour the historical landmarks of Atlanta. The tour showcases Atlanta’s Black neighborhoods and highlights the homes of its leading citizens.
In Savannah, you'll find The Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum, which chronicles the civil rights struggle of Georgia's oldest Black community from slavery to the present.
Head to coastal Sapelo Island to experience African-influenced Gullah-Geechee culture. It's open for tours throughout the year.