Take the D Train

Everything families need to know about making the most of the new metro extension

Photo by José Martín Ramírez Carrasco on Unsplash

The celebratory free rides might be over, but the D line is here to stay! And my family is very excited to start exploring.

As a born and raised Angelino I truly believe the only thing stopping LA from being the unequivocally best city in the world is a lack of trains (RIP the red car). Yes, we have an extensive network of buses, but riding a train or street car is just so much more fun, and attracts the choice riders we need to make this car-loving city less congested. For the train-loving toddler and car-hating baby in my family, the Metro rail is the only way to go.

I often joke that if I ran for mayor it would be on the single issue of slime mold mapping our sprawling city until we had a Tokyo style megalopolis worthy train system. But until that day comes, I can’t wait to take the D. Here are my favorite kid-friendly hangs at each of the three new stops:

La Brea

Right of the La Brea and Wilshire stop is the El Rey theater, an all-ages venue where my Dad took me as a teen to see both The Aquabats and PJ Harvey. Most shows are at night, but a train ride + cool show would be an unbeatable combo for a hang with an older kid or teen.

During the daytime hours, kiddos with a K Pop Demon Hunters obsession can head to the Korean Cultural Center for Korean lessons, or cultural events like music, crafts, and food demos.

Or walk the five minutes over to Republique for a surprisingly kid-friendly brunch. Built by Charlie Chaplin as an office space in 1928, the high ceiling and exposed stone make the space feel like a magic castle, and the cast iron blueberry pancake is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

Fairfax

When it comes to kid-friendly stops along the new D extension, Fairfax and Wilshire is the heavy hitter.

You’re right in the middle of Museum Row, walking distance to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Craft Contemporary, Petersen Automotive Museum, and Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, where the ongoing Ponyo Exhibit has been a hit with kids of all ages. Or take the train to the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum for the Backseat Babies meetup next month!

Food options abound too, starting with the always popular with children Original Farmer’s Market, where even the pickiest eaters can find the perfect bite to put on their trays, stocking up on stickers at Sticker Planet before taking the trolley to The Grove.

I personally also love taking little ones to explore the art of finger food in Little Ethiopia, where they can stop by Meals by Genet to scoop up the ultra-savory 50 hour marinated doro wat with spongy, sour injera. Make sure to bring extra wet wipes (I know you always do).

La Cienega

Then there’s La Cienega, the end of the line!

The nearby Fine Arts Theater frequently runs kid friendly matinee programming, while La Cienega Park and Community Center has plenty of green space and a playground to explore.

And if you make it to the last stop on the D, you’ll be walking distance to the Beverly Hills location of Mama Liu’s Dumpling House, or Lawry’s The Prime Rib if you feel like splashing out on a historic restaurant experience.

What’s Happening This Weekend?

It’s Memorial Day weekend so that means there’s all kinds of weird and wild happenings going down across multiple days this week. Here are a few weekend long activities to drop in on:

Fleet Week is here, so little vehicle lovers can tour active-duty ships and the always popular retired Battleship USS Iowa.

Celebrate LGBTQ+ creativity at the West Hollywood Arts Festival, showcasing local artists and storytellers with a series of free events.

Or for more fun by the sea, down in Hermosa Beach it’s Fiesta Hermosa weekend, with multiple stages of live music and a carnival.

For my West Side and Valley cuties there’s Topanga Days—an annual throwback event with a parade, live music, and games for all ages.

And for our regularly scheduled daily programming:

Friday:

Kick off the weekend with the annual Day of Armenian Music at UCLA, celebrating traditional musical folkways with a free daytime concert.

Saturday:

I love the criminally undersung Wende museum, and this weekend’s No-sew Upcycle Workshop is the perfect opportunity to check out the collection and walk away with a cute handmade tote.

Or swing by Saturday School at A Good Used Book for a cheap used book ($1 and $5 options available) plus a special Puerto Rician street food popup from Wepa Pa’l Mundo and tea from AKObylee.

The Silverlake Youth Reading Club is celebrating the launch of author Priya Swamianathan’s debut novel, Deepa m.d. The perfect hang for your little reader.

Listening to Music Under a Tree is one of my favorite outdoor music series to take kids to. It’s hosted in a park with a tiny little playground and tons of edible natives. People bring dogs, books, and wine, and the vibe is always 10/10.

Sunday:

Go big, literally, this Sunday fun day with Play Day in the Park at the Pasadena Playhouse, where they’ll be rolling out oversized toys and games for kids of all ages.

Or keep those bookish vibes going at the third annual Black Children’s Book Festival at Malik Books in the Crenshaw Mall. With author meet-and-greets, book giveaways, and an interactive storytime, it promises to be a memorable day for young readers.

Monday:

Start the short week off right with BG Nites at Bub and Grandma’s, with a perfect combination of live music (from the Zach Tenorio Trio) and kid friendly carbohydrates (get the bread pudding sundae) to keep the whole family happy.