Arts & Culture
L.A. Times Releases Guide to 67 SoCal Activities for Tweens and Teens
A new Los Angeles Times guide highlights 67 Southern California activities tailored for tweens and teenagers across dozens of neighborhoods. Independently reviewed offerings range from immersive planetarium experiences and themed cafes to pump tracks and maker spaces.
# ‘67’ things to do with tweens and teens in L.A. that will blow their minds
By L.A. Times Staff
June 16, 2026 3 AM PT
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Teenagers — they’re a tricky bunch to entertain. They’ve outgrown all the beloved kiddie spots you once relied on, and, well, they look so peaceful with their devices and NeeDohs and skin care regimens. Must we really strip them out of their element?
Yes, I say. We must.
Though the adolescent population might not be easy to thrill (my 13-year-old daughter rated the last three movies I recommended as “mid”), they long for great IRL adventures like the rest of us. And L.A. has plenty in store for them, whether crafty, sporty, daring, delicious or sneakily educational. There’s a West Hollywood karaoke spot where they can belt the latest Billie Eilish hit and a Pasadena sim center where they can drive real race cars on laser-scanned tracks. Or perhaps they’d enjoy a Little Tokyo design studio where they can DIY the phone case of their dreams or a Silver Lake photo booth museum where they can experience the analog world of yore.
We’ve made a whole list of activities — “6-7” of them, to be exact. (By the way, my teenage informants have told me that nobody says “6-7” anymore but I have already committed.)
So embark on a fun outing with your favorite teen or tween, and maybe their squad. And then, as they proceed to have the best time ever, smile as they shower you with effusive gratitude and compliments. Or more likely, as they give you a “thanks, bruh” before requesting an extra hour of screen time.
_— Michelle Woo, West Coast Experiences editor_
About This Guide
Our journalists independently visited every spot recommended in this guide. We do not accept free meals or experiences. What should we check out next? Send ideas to guides@latimes.com.
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## Watch a film or the big game at immersive domed venue Cosm
Inglewood Entertainment Venue
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(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)
By Todd Martens
Think of it as part planetarium, part mini-Sphere. Cosm is a newer entry in L.A.’s still-burgeoning immersive space, one that taps into our long-held desire to be enveloped in panoramic visions.
A domed, 87-foot-diameter wraparound screen surrounds audiences at the Inglewood venue, creating an illusion of in-the-flesh presence. Can’t make it to that NBA Finals or World Series game? Cosm wants to be your fallback plan, combining front-row-like seats with unexpected views.
Though the venue specializes in sports, it has released three collaborations with Warner Bros. for what it deems “experiential film.” Currently celebrating the 25th anniversary of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” Cosm’s screenings outfit the original film with additional effects and environments. For instance, in a memorable early scene, letters go a-flying any which way we look — up, down, left and right. Later on, the train to Hogwarts is seemingly stretched to infinity. And when Harry and pals traverse a moving staircase, the portraits on the wall, whose characters occasionally come alive, start to envelop us.
“We’re leaning into the experiential side,” Cosm Chief Executive Jeb Terry told me last year. Art, increasingly, is maximized to encompass us, and Cosm understands this moment well.
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## Embrace an old-school ritual at the Photo Booth Museum
Silver Lake Experience
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(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
By Christopher Reynolds
For teens who grew up with digital photography, a photo booth is a sort of visual adventure — a selfie with “analog magic.” And at $6.50 to $8.50 for a strip of four photos, it’s more affordable than plenty of other entertainment options.
At Silver Lake’s Photo Booth Museum, they can embrace the old-school ritual by stepping into restored booths — two of which date to the 1950s. The 1,350-square-foot space is designed to look “as if you walked into a Wes Anderson movie set,” said Kelsey Schmidt of Photomatica, the company behind the experience.
Is this at all like a traditional museum experience? No. Though visitors might learn a little about photography history, the core activity is taking photos with friends to hold in your hand and hang on your walls.
The machines are retrofitted to accept credit cards and Apple Pay, but otherwise the technology is original on the old machines — which means no retakes and a three- to five-minute wait for image processing. The film-based booths print black-and-white images only; the digital booth offers a choice of color or black and white.
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Vermont / Santa Monica Station
1.1 miles, 23-min walk
Walk times may vary. Walking estimates for distances over 1.5 miles are not shown.
## Enter an anime world at Little Tokyo's One Piece Cafe
Downtown L.A. Restaurant
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(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
ByKarla Marie Sanford
This viral cafe in Little Tokyo brings an epic anime series to life. “One Piece” follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, who dreams of becoming the Pirate King, and his band of Straw Hat Pirates as they seek the “One Piece” treasure. Now L.A. fans are flocking to One Piece Cafe, eager to try Japanese dishes inspired by characters like Sanji’s “Diable Jambe” Chicken Katsu Sando, with 24-hour brined chicken served on sweet honey milk bread, and Zoro’s Onigiri, in honor of the character’s love of rice and a nod to his precision as a swordsman.
The interior dons a nautical theme, with walls that mimic the wooden deck of a pirate ship and characters depicted inside portholes. Branded merchandise includes Luffy’s signature straw hat, themed key chains and even a “Wanted” license plate. Drinks, ranging from slushies to matcha horchata, come in collectible cups.
“One Piece” by Eiichiro Oda is the bestselling manga of all time. New audiences were introduced to the franchise in 2023, when Netflix released a massively successful live-action rendition.
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Little Tokyo / Arts District Station
0.3 miles, 7-min walk
Walk times may vary. Walking estimates for distances over 1.5 miles are not shown.
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## Try puppy, goat or kitty yoga at Laughing Frog Yoga
Sawtelle Yoga studio
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(Alisha Jucevic / For The Times)
ByAdam Markovitz
Trust us: It’s almost physically impossible not to smile the first time you settle into puppy pose with actual puppies scampering around, under and on top of you.
Equal parts cuteness and chaos, the animal-focused activities at Laughing Frog studio — which also offers goat yoga and kitty yoga — mix relaxing asanas with a playful, petting-zoo atmosphere. This might not be the ideal class for hardcore yogis, but it’s perfect for kids or teens looking for an offbeat activity. (Just be sure to opt for a rental mat so you don’t have to clean paw or hoof prints off your own.)
“It’s so refreshing to be able to offer something that brings out your inner child,” says Laughing Frog owner Kareem Mitha. “By the end of class, everyone is smiling and feeling connected to each other. It brings so much lightness into your day.”
Laughing Frog’s indoor studio also offers a daily assortment of easygoing classes with a focus on traditional, animal-free yoga, including Good Morning Yoga and Let Go & Flow.
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26th Street / Bergamot Station
1.4 miles, 30-min walk
Walk times may vary. Walking estimates for distances over 1.5 miles are not shown.
## Jump into a lake of slime at Sloomoo Institute Los Angeles
Beverly Grove Experience
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(Robyn Breen Shinn / For The Times)
By Michelle Woo
Housed in a boxy, Barbie-pink building on Fairfax Avenue, Sloomoo Institute, L.A.’s first and only slime museum, lets you interact with the sticky, gooey, gloppy substance in more ways than you’ve probably ever considered. You can get doused under a waterfall of slime (you’re protected with a poncho and shower cap). You can feel slime under your bare feet at Sloomoo Lake. You can catapult slime at unsuspecting family members. You can stretch slime, you can squish slime, you can stick globs of slime onto a wall of slime.
And you can make your own slime. The process requires quite a bit of tough decision-making. What texture would you like? Butter? Clear? Cloud creme? Jelly? Icee? And what scent do you prefer? There’s a wall of different sample smells, from gummy bears to fresh-baked bread to dirt. Once you’ve selected your color and mix-ins, squish, roll and swirl it all together to reveal your DIY slime creation that you get to take home. (Parents, don’t worry — an air-tight container comes with it.)
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Wilshire / Fairfax Station
1 mile, 21-min walk
Walk times may vary. Walking estimates for distances over 1.5 miles are not shown.
## Zip, zoom and soar on the Inglewood Pumptrack, a 'Disneyland for bikes'
Inglewood Park
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(Alisha Jucevic / For The Times)
By Kailyn Brown
Inside the sprawling Edward Vincent Jr. Park, there’s an area that’s always alive with action: the Inglewood Pumptrack. On the wavy, asphalt track that resembles a modern sculpture emerging out of a grassy field, cyclists of all levels zoom around, showcasing tricks and testing their endurance on hills, rollers and berms. On a pump track, instead of pedaling or pushing the bike forward, riders perform an up-and-down pumping motion with their bodies to maintain momentum.
The site — launched by Grow Cycling Foundation and billed as L.A.’s first pump track — features two asphalt courses, the Woodlands and World Championship tracks. Woodlands, which is smaller and surrounds a host of trees, has smaller rollers and is designed for slower speeds, whereas the colossus World Championship track, which is wider with large rollers, was built in a mirrored design so two riders can race in opposite directions at the same time. Both tracks are open to all ages and levels.
Other wheels such as skateboards, longboards and rollerblades are welcome at the pump track on specific days of the week.
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Fairview Heights Station
0.8 miles, 16-min walk
Walk times may vary. Walking estimates for distances over 1.5 miles are not shown.
## Get a first taste of corporate greed at premium L.A. escape room the Ladder
Arlington Heights Escape Room
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(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
By Todd Martens
There’s word that the company you work for is corrupt. Should you investigate and see what ethics are being breached, or play dumb and stay loyal to the firm? One of L.A.’s most ambitious escape rooms, the Ladder from Hatch Escapes counts on guests to come for the puzzles and stay for the story.
Think of it as a 90-minute interactive movie with puzzles, taking you through five decades, beginning in the 1950s, in which you will play an exaggerated game of corporate life. Start in the mailroom and work your way through secretarial and middle-management-themed areas, all the while mixing puzzles, games and choose-your-own-adventure-like choices.
You may find yourself playing a game of memory around digitally enhanced cocktail glasses. Or perhaps you’ll choose to investigate a wall-long switchboard, listening to callers’ problems and trying to connect them with a solution. Elsewhere, in an area dedicated to the 1980s, Nintendo’s “Donkey Kong” gets remixed as “Bossy Kong,” with a suited villain rather than a gorilla trying to thwart your progress. The final room — the corner office — is group game chaos inspired by the popular collaborative video game “Spaceteam,” complete with fully animated windows overlooking a city.
Hatch Escapes has garnered national attention for offering a boundary-pushing experience with the Ladder, which has a minimum age of 13. Teens can get a taste of the corporate world — and see how corruptible they really are.
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## Skate the night away at Moonlight Rollerway
Glendale Roller Skating Rink
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(Carla Blumenkrantz / For The Times)
ByJessie Schiewe
Generations of Angelenos have been wheeling and stumbling across the maple wood rink at Moonlight Rollerway since the 1950s. Its history traces back to World War II, when the building operated as an airplane parts foundry, but all traces of its wartime origins have been obliterated by twinkling lights, hanging disco balls and the snazziest rainbow swirl carpet you ever did see.
Moonlight Rollerway is open only at night: Wednesdays are “Rainbow Skate” for the queer community; Thursdays feature throwbacks from the 1970s through 1990s; and every other Friday is dedicated to R&B. Nearly half the crowd brings in their own skates, so on any given visit, you can expect to see some moves.
But you don’t need to be a pro to skate here. Those just starting out, or still struggling to stay upright, can sign up for training classes taught at the rink or skills classes that teach tricks like skating backwards. It’s a friendly place, where a light-up flower crown lost by a novice skater after a fall will almost surely be returned to its owner by another skater sturdy enough to bend over and pick it up.
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## Sing your heart out at West Hollywood's new karaoke spot Mic Drop
West Hollywood Karaoke
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(Jessica Lee)
By Kailyn Brown
After visiting karaoke spots around the globe, brothers Leo and Oliver Kremer decided it was time for them to open one of their own — one with glamorous decor, concert-level sound and delicious food and drinks. In April, they debuted Mic Drop, an upscale karaoke lounge with 13 private karaoke rooms and an electrifying main stage, where you can feel like a rock star in front of a cheering audience.
The venue used to be 21 and up, but as of late May, Mic Drop opened up their decked-out, private karaoke bookings to guests ages 10 and up. With haze machines, dancing spotlights and a catalog of more than 600,000 songs, it’s the perfect spot to host a birthday party, family fun-day or team outing. Order the tater tots, the Fuhgeddaboudit (made with pastrami, pickles and mustard) and the Deluscious chocolate chip cookie that just so happens to be vegan and gluten free.
Such reservations must end by 9 p.m. and a guardian (21+) has to be present. Rooms with underage guests will not be served alcohol beverages, but patrons 21 and up are welcome to grab a drink at the main bar. The main stage experience is limited to those 21 and up.
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## Make 3D art, podcasts, short films and more at Octavia Lab at Central Library
Downtown L.A. Library
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(Keith Kessler / Los Angeles Public Library)
By Dakota Kim
You might think of a 3D printer as a high-tech piece of hardware, but it has surprisingly practical applications. If your teen needs new glasses or clothing hangers, they can print them at Octavia Lab, the DIY maker space named after science fiction writer and Central Library patron Octavia E. Butler, located on Lower Level 2 of the Central Library next to the Science, Technology and Patents Department. But they can also print whatever fun or wacky thing they desire — an anime figurine, Dungeons & Dragons dice or a phone stand.
First, learn the basics of Tinkercad, a free, 3D design tool that’s browser-based, and prepare the design at home. Then sign up with a Los Angeles Public Library card, fill out a membership form to use the space and make a reservation beforehand (phone or in-person only) to use the facilities. Tweens and teens ages 12 and above can work independently on projects that include visual art, podcasts, music, film, sewing and embroidery, and archivism and storytelling. Software available spans a wide range, including GarageBand, Ableton, LogicPro and Adobe.
Low-cost parking is available at the 524 S. Flower St. garage (get your validation at the Info desk on the main floor)
Reported for The Park · Los Angeles Times