The Broad

In one of the more ambitious remodels in the city’s recent history, the Ace transformed the United Artists theater into a huge pull for locals and visitors alike. While downtown L.A. is undergoing a greater Renaissance, this 1920s institution is inarguably one of its crown jewels. Besides hotel rooms, there’s a coffee bar, and an Acne outpost just around the corner.

In a Frank Gehry building just across from the Walt Disney Concert Hall and steps from the Broad, the Conrad has: Sleek bedrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, some of them overlooking the hotel’s pretty pool and the Grand complex. Two José Andrés restaurants, which both have stupendous service and several standout dishes, like San Laurel’s black Mission fig stracciatella salad and Basque-style cheesecake. And an outstanding spa that features an infrared sauna, Augustinus Bader facials, Gavin McLeod-Valentine–trained aestheticians, and harmonic therapy using binaural beats. It’s easily the best place to stay on Bunker Hill.

We’re longtime fans of the Proper hotels—and interior designer Kelly Wearstler’s worked some magic with this one again. The rooms, while mostly on the snug side, are gorgeously designed. There’s a rooftop pool with views of DTLA. And then there are the three excellent restaurants: Downstairs, James Beard Award-winning team of chef Suzanne Goin and restauranteur Caroline Styne run the Portuguese-inspired Caldo Verde. Dahlia is the speakeasy bar—it’s great for intimate nights out. And don’t skip the rooftop restaurant, Cara Cara, at sundown.

It took two years to restore this hotel to its 1926 glory, or what the hotel calls its “Spanish colonial splendor.” And it was worth it: Impressively grand common areas with soaring ceilings; hundreds of rooms, each classic and modern with a few artful touches thrown in; and an unusual (very cool) coffin-shaped pool surrounded by cacti. The hotel also makes an impressive showing of places to eat and drink: Veranda for Mexico City-inspired meals and Bar Figueroa for an old-Hollywood vibe. In fact, if you don’t stay here, it’s absolutely worth to at least stay the evening.

Hotel Per La is colorful and luxe without feeling too formal: The lofty lobby feels like verdant Italian garden; the rooms are chic and comfortable—some have standing tubs and courtyard patios. A rooftop with gorgeous views and a pool (and poolside bar, Bar Clara) make it the perfect downtown respite. Their ground-floor restaurant, Per L’Ora, serves excellent apertivos and agnolotti.

The Hoxton knows how to have a good time anywhere she goes, so we were thrilled when the hotel landed in the Los Angeles Railways Building in DTLA (after an epic renovation). One of the best things about the Hoxton’s approach to hospitality is that the hotel caters to people who just want to relax as well as bon vivants who just want to be bon vivants. Whether you post up in the lobby, which takes design cues from the building’s Beaux Arts roots, or at the mid-century-modern-meets-monstera-garden rooftop bar and pool, the whole place hums with energy. If you’re traveling alone (or even if you’re not), you’ll almost certainly make new friends here. Or at the very least, you’ll enjoy cocktails and conversation in one of the hotel’s two restaurants. Café Basque, the Hoxton’s lobby diner, has breakfast and an all-day menu to satisfy palates from hungover to health-conscious. Up on the roof, Cabra leans into a Mediterranean-inspired menu and ships out poolside snacks. Rooms come in four sizes—and the smaller ones are thoughtfully designed, so they don’t feel cramped or have those annoying shower doors that open the wrong way. If you’re looking for an event space that doesn’t feel like one, check out the Apartment, a five-room spread that can be rented out by the room or in its entirety.

Level is advertised as a luxury furnished apartment complex, which it is. But we've discovered it's also one of downtown LA's best secrets for a hotel stay. First off, it's immaculate. The design is modern, and the amenities are pristine—there's giant gym and a gorgeous rooftop pool with an area for screening movies. And second, we might actually be more inclined to stay here than at a traditional hotel. Each room has a full working kitchen, a washer and dryer, and a view that looks like the entire southern half of California. And it's located in walking distance of LA Live and some of downtown's best restaurants and bars.

Brothers Nakul and Arjun Mahendro enlisted the help of their classically trained chef dad Pawan Mahendro to open their Indian gastropub, Badmaash. The menu here is devoted to both traditional and reimagined Indian dishes: chili-cheese naan, Punjabi fish-fry, butter chicken, and chicken tikka poutine—an homage to the Mahendro’s Canadian roots.

Chefs Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis (both of Bestia fame, still, after all these years, a hard table to land) have opened Bavel. The duo’s roots span Israel, Morocco, Turkey, and Egypt, so the menu has a strong Middle Eastern bent. There’s the expected hummus, baba ghanoush, and assorted flatbreads, in addition to a Wagyu beef tagine and grilled lamb, finished in Menashe’s signature flavor-happy style—all meant to be shared. And because interiors can be just as much of a draw as the food, particularly downtown, where raw and industrial spaces prevail, Gergis tapped Studio UNLTD to collaborate on the light and bright décor (skylights, hanging planters, whitewashed brick walls, brass fixtures, and Moroccan tiles). Food photos: Nicole Franzen. Interior photos: DYLAN + JENI.

In an industrial-inflected, warehouse-like space in L.A.'s Arts District, you'll find Bestia, helmed by husband-and-wife duo, Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis. While the scope of the menu is ambitious (and innovative, as Ori hates to waste meat, meaning you'll find the occasional beef and lamb heart or chicken gizzard dotting the offerings), you should really go for the pizza: Ori gives his dough a good 24-hours to rise and fall before it heads into the wood-burning oven, and you can tell. A trip here requires Uber, as this place draws huge crowds—the bar is a fun place to wait, and the cocktails are delicious.

Brera Ristorante is almost hidden in a warehouse building in an industrial pocket of the Arts District—you need to know it’s there to find it. Angelo Auriana and Matteo Ferdinandi, who run this place, grew up in Italy’s Po Valley and, fittingly, serve no-nonsense, traditional Northern Italian trattoria food. Come hungry and order the beef carpaccio, drizzled in a grassy, green olive oil to start. The stinchetto—a big hunk of falling-off-the-bone pork shank on a bed of polenta—is ideal for three people to pull apart. Then the dumpling dishes: The capunsei are made with ricotta, the pisarelli with bread, and the gnocchi with potato. Oenophiles will appreciate the breadth of the wine list, full of the heavy-hitting Barolo and Amarone bottles alongside more unusual, small-production labels.

This natural wine bar, operated by the folks from Psychic Wines, is electric. The wine list is eclectic, the patrons even more so, and the dishes are simple but colorful and elegant. Every now and then, they turn the space into a nightclub for the evening—you can find details on their Instagram.

Cole’s is one of several spots in town claiming to serve the “original” French Dip sandwich, and though we can’t confirm or deny, we can say that their dip is bomb. Yeah, the dipping jus is flavorful and the prime rib tender, but it’s the Atomic mustard that pulls it all together. (Don’t forget garlic fries.) Post-dinner, proceed to the quirky little speakeasy in the back for an old fashioned.

There's something so comforting about a hot bowl of ramen on a cold day, and anytime there's even a hint of rain in Los Angeles, the lines at this Little Tokyo joint are out the door. What makes the ramen here stand out is the broth, which is cooked with pork bones for hours to achieve its thick, flavorful consistency. The portions are huge, so be prepared to take home leftovers. There's a second location on Sawtelle.

Across from Rossoblu is the latest from the Scopa Italian Roots team, this time a chic Latin-inspired venture with a lush, tropical feel. Everything is meticulously executed, from the vibe (gorgeous, open-air) to the food (whipped beans, spicy beef empanadas, and the corn—oh man, the corn with the queso fresco, cotija, and chili-lime salt). The drinks are in a category all their own; they’re inspired by vintage cocktails, so get into it. Order a daiquiri or piña colada at the bar.

De La Nonna is a great spot for group dinners. The focaccia-style pizzas are small; order a couple for the table. It’s a high-energy spot—if you’re feeling it, you might keep the party going at the Let’s Go! next door.

This is an offshoot of Chef Kazunori Nozawa's popular sushi restaurant, Sugarfish—and like Sugarfish, the emphasis is on the freshness and quality of the fish. But that's where the similarities end, as KazuNori is all about the hand rolls. They have two menus—one if you're ordering to go or eating on their patio, and another if you're sitting at the sushi bar.

In a city rife with delis, this is where you want to go for hot pastrami—the #19 is legendary. It’s also refreshingly simple: slow-smoked pastrami, Swiss cheese and slaw on fresh rye, and since the meat is so ridiculously juicy, you can easily skip the Russian dressing. The only setback is the skimpy opening hours (8am-4pm; closed Sundays), but coming right before closing and ordering to-go is a good workaround if you’re aiming for dinner.

Filipino spot Lasita has a lively dining room and patio that's perfect for date nights or get-togethers with a few friends. Order the rotisserie chicken and a bunch of sauces for dipping. (Unless you’re here on a Monday night, when they serve a seafood-centric menu instead.)

In 2015, Chef Tin Vuong opened his second Little Sister near Pershing Square downtown. Head here when you're in the mood for good Southeast Asian food.

The mild pandemonium around David Chang’s first West Coast restaurant is entirely warranted. The food is difficult to describe, not definable by any one region or culture. It’s a mishmash of foreign flavors that many will find unexpected and familiar at the same time. Definitely not a repeat of Chang’s greatest hits—there’s no ramen here. Instead, this is an entirely new menu of shareable dishes that are often prepared tableside. The grilled bings (a type of Chinese flatbread), topped with everything from cultured butter to uni, are something we’ve never seen before. Sausage-stuffed peppers with buttermilk and the short ribs with all their many fixings are reason enough to book a table. Call a few weeks ahead for a table, or if you’re just two, go early and try for a walk-in (then get a cocktail at nearby Apoteke while you wait).

Located in the Hauser and Wirth gallery complex in DTLA’s Arts District, at Manuela, chef Wes Whitsell nostalgically cooks the food he ate growing up in Texas, injected with modern flavor and technique. The restaurant is very much farm-to-table, the garden eggs really do come from the garden (they have their own chicken house, home to twelve rare-breed birds). All the smoking, fermenting, preserving, and pickling are done in-house. The sides really stand out, featuring vegetables commonly eaten in the South but rarely seen on LA menus like okra, scarlet runner, and dragon beans.

Marugame Monzo is the place to go for udon of all flavors—from curry udon to uni creamy sauce udon, shrimp tempura udon, and seafood tomato cream udon. The real draw of Marugame Monzo, though, is that you get to watch the udon being made in the glass-enclosed kitchen—the impressive pounding, rolling, and cutting of the dough into thick udon noodles. An entertaining and tasty meal.

Fittingly situated behind the Broad contemporary art museum, Otium’s box-like, wood, steel, and glass building can easily be mistaken for a large-scale art installation. Inside, the large light-filled dining room and communal table area revolve around a sprawling open kitchen and are meant to accommodate the museum crowds without making anyone feel, well, overcrowded. Chef Timothy Hollingsworth, formerly of The French Laundry, developed a menu that’s at times experimental but always approachable and delicious, think: artichoke and burrata, bacon tart, and falafel.

Downtown Los Angeles in a word? Colorful. And in three words: loud, congested, and hectic. Which is what makes us especially grateful for the succinctly named Q Sushi. Beyond a heavy wooden door on bustling W 7th Street, Q Sushi is a transporting and utterly serene getaway in the middle of the endless energy of the city. Classical music alongside perfunctory service devoid of small talk, it’s the kind of place that lowers your blood pressure as soon as you walk in. It’s also the kind of place that was recently awarded a Michelin star for its omakase-only experience. So settle in and clear your schedule—you’ll be here for about twenty mind-blowing courses.

Sonoratown is sensational. The meats here are charred over a mesquite grill instead of a flat-top. The carne asada is made with beef short rib instead of the traditional skirt steak. They have another location in Miracle Mile, if you happen to be coming from the Westside.

The long, sinuous sushi bar is where it's at, though you'll need to order a minimum of four items to sit here, which, once you taste the fish, won't be a problem. Fresh as can be, the sushi is prepared diligently by experienced chefs who emphasize the high-quality cuts with a light ponzu sauce here, a sprinkling of lemon and sea salt there. It's located in a strip mall and ideal for a business or casual lunch. Don't be intimidated by the line, as it moves fast.

At Sushi Zo, the policy is omakase only, so it's an indulgence in all ways, but it's a place for purists, as the incredibly high-quality, fresh but uncomplicated fish actually melts in your mouth.

Yangban serves up creative interpretations of traditional Korean dishes, made with Californian ingredients. The whole operation is a marvel: It’s one part restaurant, one part deli counter, and one part minimart, which sells everything from pantry staples to incense and streetwear by LA-based Asian-American designers. The twice-fried Yangban wings are insane; we order them with kimchi and pickled veggies.

Named after the province of its founders, Yang Chow serves up authentic Mandarin and Szechuan cuisine in a simple downtown space. Their signature slippery shrimp is worth the trip alone.

Dig into yellowtail sashimi, shisito peppers, spicy albacore crispy rice in an industrial space. If the wait time is up there, grab one of their takeout handroll kits.

Apotheke is nearly impossible to find—though not for long, given that David Chang’s Majordomo is next door. It’s on a slip of Spring Street that’s...not quite Chinatown...not quite DTLA. The interior of the bar, with its low rosy lighting, blush banquettes, leather armchairs, and pretty tile, is reminiscent of a French boudoir; that is to say that while so many bars feel inherently masculine, this one skews feminine. The outdoor patio is just as comfortable, with Turkish rugs scattered over the deck, big sofas to sink into, and plenty of space heaters. The beauty of the off-the-grid location is its size: You can sit outside and stargaze, never experiencing the claustrophobia so prevalent in other LA bars. The drinks are more like elixirs spiked with alcohol and divided into “aphrodisiacs,” “health & beauty,” and “painkillers.”

There are now a number of quality craft beer spots and breweries in LA, but Angel City Brewery remains a favorite. Located in the historic John A. Roebling Building in the Arts District, Angel City is a great casual spot to gather with friends for day-into-night beers. The brewery hosts a number of regular events, like Tacos & Trivia Tuesday, and is a popular host to a range of fun food trucks, although you can bring your own food with you, too. You can go on a tour of the brewery Tuesday, Thursday, and weekends, and there are also a few different options for private events, including a large beer hall (capacity: 200) that is perpendicular to the brew house. The brewery always has several Angel City styles on tap, some of which you can find in other bars and shops around California and Nevada.

In a lofty warehouse with games and high-top seating, Arts District Brewing has a ton of taps and a solid food menu. They have a speakeasy-style cocktail bar behind the brewery, too. It's a good option for big groups without much fuss.

EightyTwo is a bar, but the drinks are more like a bonus here. The real draw: one room full of quarter-operated classic video games and another dedicated to the great game of pinball. Rotating food trucks make regular stops in the back courtyard, so you can take a break in the middle of a Pac-Man tournament.

It's a little bit off the beaten path, but that's part of the charm of this old-school, urban bar with a great craft beer selection, reasonably priced cocktails, a photo booth, Pac-Man, jukebox, and more. There's also a great happy hour and a takeaway liquor license, which is pretty clutch in this town. P.S. Check out the ladies bathroom. Here's a hint: It smells oddly of bubblegum.

This brewery is low-key and has some of the best craft beer in the city. It’s a relatively small operation—more tasting room than the sprawling warehouse vibe that’s become so common for LA breweries.

This hot-pink Italian disco, situated just behind De La Nonna, is a great place to go out. If you come early in the evening, the groovy, mirrorballed space is a chill spot to have a drink and listen to music. The dancing really picks up at around 9 p.m.

A truly good bar speaks to our purist hearts: great music, solid drinks, and excellent service are what we crave. Wolf & Crane triple-checks all these boxes. This drinks-only establishment (an anomaly in its food-driven Little Tokyo neighborhood) serves up an inventive cocktail list with a rare bent toward Japanese whisky. The staff is incredibly knowledgable about every bottle on the shelf (some holding very rare whiskies) and willing to explain the history and notes of each, sommelier-style, which makes a trip here even more enjoyable.

Endorffeine’s owner, Jack Benchakul, is a former biochemist turned pastry chef turned barista, and he personally brews every single cup of the phenomenal coffee served here. He hosts ticketed desserts-and-drinks tasting menu experiences, too.

Built in 1917, restored in the '90s, and then revamped in the past few years, this downtown market—which has operated continually for the past century—still maintains its original façade in the Homer Laughlin Building. Nowadays, you'll find specialty shops like DTLA Cheese, along with small food joints serving up Mexican, Chinese, and Japanese food, ideal for the downtown office crowd and tourists alike.

There's no short supply of Mexican food in LA, so when we say that Guisado's has some of the best, it's a hefty stamp of approval. Guisado is the Spanish word for stew—the kind of slow-braised, spiced meats that taste just as good with a side of rice and beans as they do starring in a taco—and that's exactly where this spot excels. Slow roasted pork with pickled red onions is the fan favorite, but they also do excellent fish, steak, and chicken. The original is in Boyle Heights, though they now also have locations in Echo Park, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Burbank, and West Hollywood.

It’s pretty typical of L.A.'s fusion culture that the best po'boys in the city come from a tiny deli in the heart of Old Chinatown, complete with black-and-white linoleum floors and an old-school green striped awning. The deli is tucked into a specialty grocery store, where you can buy hard-to-find Southern ingredients like Andouille sausage, Zapp's potato chips, and Café du Monde coffee. Behind the counter, they make shrimp, oyster, and catfish po’boys served with creamy remoulade sauce that are about as close to New Orleans as you can get in Los Angeles.

Any given morning, you can expect the line for Maru to dribble down the block. The crowd skews creative, and the craft of coffee is taken seriously. They also make delicious tea drinks, including one of our favorite matcha lattes in the city. There's another location in Los Feliz.

These purveyors of ultra-creamy ice cream got their start in Santa Barbara in 1948, and the heritage of their brand is hugely important to them. Their dairy is sourced from grass-grazed cows which are raised just north of LA on the central coast, and they've been working with the same creamery since they got their start (eggs are cage-free, too). This is the kind of place where classics like vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry reign supreme. Kids obviously can't get enough of it. You can buy this stuff at many upscale grocery stores, but we prefer to have it scooped for us at either their Grand Central Market or Studio City locations.

Since the regeneration of the area in the 30s, the main plaza on Olvera Street has hosted a vibrant Mexican marketplace. It's home to some of the city's oldest and most historic buildings (26 of them) including the Avila Adobe, built in 1818, LA's oldest surviving residence; Pico House, a luxury hotel built in 1870; and the Plaza Substation that used to form a part of the Yellow Car network.

French-born chef Christophe Happillon has become known as L.A.'s oyster sommelier through his oyster pop-ups at high-end restaurants and hotels. In 2014, he brought The Oyster Gourmet to Grand Central Market in the form of a tiny stall with wood-canvas wings that open and close not entirely unlike...yes, an oyster. Like the space, the menu is small but satisfying—oysters, of course, and also a selection of clams, shrimp, and some raw fish, along with wine and beer. In addition to his space at Grand Central Market, Happillon still does seafood catering, and brings oyster pop up bars to events and parties in Los Angeles.

Another stellar French Dip joint that swears theirs started it all, Philippe’s has been around since the ‘50s, and therefore, might just have the original “original” on the menu. There are actually five dips on offer, the beef being the obvious fan favorite. That said, we like the turkey as it’s lighter but just as flavorful.

By day, this Chinese tea house and restaurant in Mandarin Plaza serves excellent noodles and small bites along cups of oolong. By night, people flock here for tea cocktails, which are a little unexpected—you might order a drink with pu-erh, tequila, chili pepper, and lime, for example—and always fabulous.

There was once a time you could get Stumptown only in Portland, Oregon. Thank goodness things have changed. We keep the bold roast on tap at goop HQ and happily visit the shops when we're in the Pacific Northwest, New York, New Orleans, and downtown Los Angeles. Stumptown’s latest location, in the fashion district along bustling Los Angeles Street, offers a good amount of seating for the smallish space. We like to come here for downtown meetings or lazy Sunday pour-overs.

Whether you order the mushroom or the adobada tacos, get it “con todos”—the team applies salsa, onions, and other toppings with mixologist-level precision. Victor Delgado and Jorge “Joy” Alvarez-Tostado understand, in the same way a white-tablecloth restaurant does, that the excitement and energy a dish is served with is critical to the dining experience—their version is just way more fun.

Tea Master serves some of LA’s best matcha in a Little Tokyo strip mall. This place is the real deal; the owner is a student of Edosenke, a centuries-old Japanese school of tea ceremony. And their matcha soft serve is a treat after lunch at Sushi Gen across the way.

Verve practices direct trade with the farmers who source their coffee beans—an important (and very difficult to execute) practice that allows them to exceed fair-trade minimums when they pay farmers for their goods. Here, you'll also find reliable internet and plenty of seating housed in a sleek, urban-feeling space.

Wexler's Deli in Grand Central Market occupies a remarkably small space considering the insane volume of good food it produces. Their focus is on Jewish comfort food, with a simple menu that’s focused on the classics: bagels with lox and shmear, pastrami and smoked fish (cured and smoked on-site), and insanely good pickles that they make themselves. Good to remember: They deliver.

This teeny but beautifully curated vintage store is arguably one of the best in L.A. It’s also the place you want to be when hunting down the perfect pair of vintage Levi’s—the selection here isn’t necessarily vast, but each piece is lovingly chosen, washed, and repaired by the owners themselves to look its best. There are also band t-shirts, army jackets, and a few racks of dresses—all in excellent shape. If pins and patches are your thing, the semi-annual pin-and-patch parties are a gold mine.

As the West Coast's largest art and architecture-centric bookstore, this is the sort of place where you can put together a stack of beautiful coffee table books.

Straddling downtown and Little Tokyo, the Japanese-based Kinokuniya offers great notebooks, stationery, pens, and gifts. Kids, in particular, go nuts here. There's also a location in Culver City.

New to DTLA, Kinto focus on striking a balance between beauty and functionality when it comes to building out the ultimate home cook’s kitchen. In other words, not only will the delicate Japanese pottery and double-wall champagne glasses on offer add pizzazz to your counters but, thanks to Kinto’s obsession with quality, they’ll stand the test of time, too. With the coffeeware collection of carafe sets and porcelain brewers, you’ll navigate your kitchen with the dexterity of an artisanal coffee-shop barista.

A hugely successful used books and record shop may seem like an anachronism but this shop keeps expanding.

This lending library lets readers borrow or buy books in a very relaxed way, as the staff here seems to care more about getting people to read the books than buy them, and lending times, unlike a typical library, vary according to the length and difficulty of the novel. It's a little out of the way, but worth the trip if you're looking to do some serious reading.

This quaint bookshop, nestled in the heart of Chinatown, is made for those rare, rainy afternoons in Los Angeles. (Though we’ve been known to use the stacks as a hiding place from the sun, too.) You could spend hours getting lost among the hundreds of curated cookbooks and knickknacks ranging from salt cellars to vintage bandannas all tucked away on the corner of North Hill Street. Not only does it offer an extensive range of unique reads, such as the Portuguese tea magazine Eighty Degrees, but Now Serving regularly hosts book signings and guest speakers with many of the authors whose work lines the shelves. Follow them on Instagram (@nowservingLA) to stay up to date on upcoming events.

Olive Ateliers curates vintage home goods sourced from around the world—patinated pots, stone sinks, elm consoles, and so much more. They release new items on a first-come, first-serve basis; if you’re a serious shopper, get on their email list to know when new inventory drops.

Downtown's wholesale flower market (it takes up close to two city blocks) is a DIY goldmine. Yes, there are fresh flowers and succulents—both locally and globally grown—as far as the eye can see. But you can also come here to snag supplies like vases, gardening tools, and ribbon for a song. Pros get first dibs daily; the general public can pay a $2 admission fee during the week and $1 on weekends.

There’s no way to grasp the size and scope of ROW DTLA without seeing it in person, so we won’t attempt to describe this massive conglomerate of industrial structures as anything but WOW. What we can put into words is the impressive the curation of places to eat, shop, work, and just chill. A sampling of restaurants includes Japanese food at Hayato (order a bento box), and the flakiest, crunchiest Japanese fried chicken we’ve ever had at chef Kuniko Yagi’s Pikunico. Stores are focused on locally owned businesses, like Kinto and Bodega—arguably the most well-stocked sneaker store in the city. On weekends, the streets are closed off to cars, leaving ample space for kids to shake the willies out. On Sundays, Smorgasburg LA takes over ROW DTLA’a neighbor, the Alameda Produce Market.

Located on an unassuming street, this gallery-boutique hybrid is one of the most delightfully unexpected finds in LA. Owners Jodi and Stephen Zeigler had their first exhibit in 2014 and have since been featuring some of the most compelling works on display in the city. Hosted in a stellar light-filled room, the art covers a wide range, from nostalgic punk rock memorabilia to experimental photography ane mixed media pieces. On the other side of the space is the boutique, where the duo offer a well curated mix of wares, from indigo-dyed fabrics to Le Feu de L'eau candles to out-of-print photography books and zines, all of which make ideal gifts.

Kimm Birkicht is a beloved LA-based floral designer with deep industry roots, which translates to an innate understanding that every arrangement—whether it's for a wedding, family gathering, or work event—needs to speak to the client's individual aesthetic.

This makers market pops up at ROW DTLA one Saturday a month—see their website for their upcoming dates—and features local Asian artists and food stalls.

Until the opening of the Broad across the street, MOCA was LA's only museum wholly dedicated to contemporary art. As always, there's something great to see at their downtown location, their outpost in the Pacific Design Center, and the super rad Geffen Contemporary, housed in a former police car warehouse in Little Tokyo.

Since the early 1900s, L.A.'s Natural History Museum has been playing host to millions of artifacts from the past five or so billion years—and the collection keeps growing. (In 2011, they opened Dinosaur Hall.)

Perhaps one of the most significant things to come from the Ace Hotel's renovation of the United Artists building was the restoration of the original United Artists Theatre. Built in the 1920s and extravagantly decorated with Gothic design flourishes (including thousands of tiny mirrors in the ceiling), the three-story space is one of the city's most important architectural gems. Under the art direction of the Ace, it's also become a hotspot for some of coolest cultural activities in LA.

Designated for the 5 to 11 set, this LA Phil concert series at Walt Disney Hall touches on everything from Tchaikovsky to the incidence of repetition in minimalist music.

Brentwood Art Center’s classes cater to all kinds of artistic interest, from drawing techniques to comic book illustration. This summer, they’ve moved their popular art camp online. Options span learning the fundamentals of watercolors and pastels and the art of collage to fun painting and drawing classes for kids. All of this artsy activity for kids as young as five happens on Zoom. Choose whatever session suits your child and register online. For something special, the Art Center offers private tutorials across most mediums, which could be a smart solution for a virtual birthday party.

Is your family part of the 2020 class of new pet owners? If you have a new furry family member, are begged daily to adopt one by a persistent child, or simply have an animal-loving kid, PetSpace Kids Camp Online is the perfect combination of education and cuteness. A mix of games, activities, and demonstrations teach campers about grooming, animal behavior, nutrition, and more. There are plenty of virtual animal encounters, too. If a full week isn’t your jam, PetSpace also has a weekly Paws and Pages virtual story time and animal encounter, along with other online programming.

Indagare is known for curating the most adventurous trips in the travel biz, and this summer, the kids are getting a taste of Indagare-style globetrotting—from home. Camp Indagare ticks every summer camp box and then some, but online. Depending on the week’s programming, there are pizza-making classes, virtual expert-led tours through the Egyptian pyramids, painting lessons, wildlife photography classes, virtual safari drives led by real guides out in the bush, and even Greek mythology 101 live from an expert in Athens. The next camp takes place August 17 through the 21st, and there are two enrollment options: the Explorer program is $275 for complete access to all ten classes and the Adventurer option is the pay-per-class choice at $30 a pop. While the kids are occupied by, say, a savanna’s roaring lions, the grown-ups can do the adult iteration of armchair travel with Indagare founder Melissa Biggs Bradley’s new wanderlust-y podcast, Global Conversations.

Summer 2020’s stay-at-home orders can’t crush the spirit of Camp Lightbulb’s #rainbowtribe. The camp for LGBTQ+ kids typically has outposts in LA, NYC, and Provincetown, Massachusetts, all summer long. This year, it’s gone virtual. The weeklong themed camps are just as packed with activities, including short-movie making, music videos, and learning about LGBTQ+ history, intersectionality, and activism. If full days of camp don’t work with your family’s schedule, Camp Lightbulb also has free Instagram Live yoga and virtual events to keep kids connected and offer them a chance to make new friends while staying safe.

A social club for kids is a cute idea—but a social club for kids growing up bilingual (and their families) is brilliant—and much-needed in Los Angeles. Founder Lizet Alvarez wanted to create a community to support Spanish learning and a dual-language lifestyle for her own chiquitos.

For the stir-crazy, Frost Science is open for visits with limited ticketing and masks required, but where the museum shines this summer is with virtual camps and online content. If you’re looking for something to keep kids engaged—and out of the way—for a few hours a day at home, check out the virtual camps for kids in pre-K to fifth grade (August themes include weather and engineering). For shorter projects, check out Frost Science @ Home for activity toolkits that use free science apps and household items, live cams, behind-the-scenes online tours, and thirty-minute virtual science demonstrations. This site is a good one to keep bookmarked in case you’re homeschooling come fall and need a fresh take on science class (virtual demonstrations are STEM-focused and aligned with science learning standards).

For the virtual-camp inclined, Growing Gardens offers three ways to get kids excited about the natural world, all designed to keep them engaged for about four hours a day. Full Farmer camp pairs virtual programming with materials parents can pick up from the farm before the weeklong session begins (good for locals); Rustic Gardener sets parents up with the same programming and a supply list to prep before camp begins; and Bare Soil is a just-as-fun way to follow past curricula and spread the lessons and activities out over a longer time frame. Camp is led by Growing Gardens’ environmental educators, who have video calls with campers and supplement by video-based activities like crafts centered around gardening and growing, snack recipes, and games kids can get their families involved in. Image courtesy of Paul Hanaoka.

While the physical Kidspace property is closed due to current restrictions, the seriously robust online offering makes this temporary loss easier to handle. Kidspace-at-Home has a full online roster of creative programming tailored around arts-and-crafts, science, and animals for all age groups. The art projects are especially well conceived and involve the bits and pieces you probably already have at home: painting rocks from the garden, making rainbow popsicles to slurp outside, even homemade slime (parents, don’t panic—it’s an easy-to-contain mix of corn starch, dish soap, water, and food coloring).

Typically, Loot is a no-phone, no-website, no-email hangout for comic books, collaboration, and confidence-building, all in a space that looks like a mini museum. It’s the brainchild of Joseph Einhorn, father to three boys, founder of a social e-commerce platform, and a childhood beneficiary of the creativity boost that comic books offer. With the physical premises closed, Loot has pivoted online. Hit the site and find a series of free comic drawing tutorials and a registration link for the excellent eight-week camp. You can participate on a virtual drop-in, drop-out basis, and the camp is structured to build kids’ creative and expressive confidence. This is the perfect at-home activity to keep littles occupied for a few hours and pique their imaginations for hopefully a few hours more..

Learn how to pipe a buttercream rosette, smoosh icing over sponge, and make shell shapes under the watchful Zoom eye of NY Cake Academy instructors. The best part of this clever program is that once you’re registered, the academy mails you a full kit of everything you might need, saving you the hassle of finding (and going to the store and buying) a pastry bag or that offset spatula you swear you own but can never find. Set your kid up in the kitchen with their kit, hit play, and leave them to it for an hour.

Teacher, educator mentor, and curriculum designer Agata Young’s UK-based sensory learning center offers weekly sensory learning classes on YouTube, as well as a library of content on Facebook. While the classes are designed for babies up to thirteen months, sensory learning is all about exploring colors, textures, sound, and movement (and developing critical pathways in the brain), so it’s easy to get older kids involved, too. While you’re gathering the recommended props for a class, have toddlers pick out their own toys to use while following along.

Kids are tiny balls of energy. Yoga burns energy. Put the two together and you have Shorty Yoga. We love this cute but not cutesy space, with its La Colombe cappuccinos, free Wi-Fi, and stellar range of classes for littles of every age.

Flip your vacation on its head and give the kids a fun, safe camping experience without the sweaty sleeping bags and failed campfire. Nestled in a secluded corner of Dos Pueblos orchid farm, with easy beach access, Camp’d Out’s location gets campsite views right, but also sets you up with queen beds, lightweight linens, lanterns, umbrellas, chairs, and a shared bathroom. While smaller families will fit in one tent, there’s also a three-tent setup available for groups of up to ten.

First, pick a ceramic item to paint: It’s not just cups and plates here; there are also have figurines of dinosaurs, mermaids, and pets. The helpful and socially distant staff is on hand to supply paints, stencils, and sponges to make the plain white ceramics your own, no matter your painting skill. When you’re done, they take your work, glaze it, and fire it for you to collect a few days later. But these days we prefer the at-home option. For a special occasion, the team will set up at your home (ideally in the yard) for some messy, artsy fun. Otherwise, there’s an incredible Zoom option, where an experienced teacher will lead your child (or gang of kids) through a ceramic painting how-to. All instructions and a list of materials needed are emailed ahead of time.

This kids’ gym offers gymnastics classes for a range of age groups—beginning with the Jump Starters class for twelve-month-olds and expanding into more-advanced courses for tweens up to twelve. With current COVID restrictions in place, Dan the Man has gone virtual with a series of instructor-led warm-ups, gymnastics, and movement classes for children, from toddlers to kids ages five and older. Set up a cushioned space, press play, and let them work off their energy in the safety of home.

JAG Gym pays an incredible amount of care and attention to its students, and the range of classes tailored to different ages and skill levels proves it. The gym is strictly following CDC guidelines, and thanks to an expansive space, social distancing is easy. Class sizes have been reduced, and all staffers wear face coverings and undergo daily temperature checks. Throughout the summer and into the fall, JAG is running its usual volume of gymnastics classes, plus full- and half-day camps for children five and up.

When the Los Angeles sunshine starts to feel a little too hot, Pickwick Ice Center is an oasis of cool indoor activity.

This ranch, built in 1941 by famous horseman Egon Merz, is where Elizabeth Taylor trained for her role in National Velvet. Classes specializing in hunting, jumping, and dressage are available alongside general riding lessons. To enroll your child or book a session, the quickest way to get up-to-date programming is by contacting the ranch on WhatsApp at 310.503.6789.

Horseback riding is the perfect socially distanced outdoor activity. Sure, you can drive to the base of the Hollywood sign, but why not ride a horse around it instead? Located in Griffith Park, Sunset Ranch leads one- or two-hour trail rides, offering unparalleled vistas of Hollywood and the Los Angeles sprawl—at dusk, this experience is pure magic for kids with later bedtimes. All riders maintain a six-foot distance, and the ranch is open for riding parties starting at $100 a person.

COVID-19 update: Email to arrange a one-on-one class.

Forty minutes north of Los Angeles, this animal rescue and educational center has switched up its tour program and is now offering a drive-through experience that takes kids (and their chauffeurs) on a behind-the-scenes farm tour. Four-legged residents include cows, pigs, donkeys, sheep, emus, horses, chickens, and more. After their epic drive-through day trip, kids can check in with the animals on The Gentle Barn’s livestreams—and even sponsor an animal or send them some hay. The Gentle Barn also offers personalized virtual tours for a fun surprise without leaving home.

If you’ve got a little one obsessed with ice hockey, look no further: There are plenty of free skate and mini hockey league options here—and this is where the LA Kings (and their rivals) practice. Under current restrictions, locker rooms are closed, so ensure that your kid arrives dressed for skating with a mask on under their helmet. For children used to skating or ice hockey, you can reserve ice space, which is a fun (small) birthday or Saturday afternoon activity. The rink runs a series of day camps and activities, all of which need to be booked in advance. Click here for the full calendar.

Bring little kids for a weekend matinee or let teens do their own thing later in the evening (and rest easy—masks are required any time you leave the car and spaces are set six feet apart). This may be the perfect summer 2020 activity—the film curation is on point, social distancing is enforced, and snacks are (safely) for sale. Pro tip: Buy tickets online, but get there early, as spaces are assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis.

COVID-19 update: Open for small group socially distant classes outdoors and virtual sessions.

The museum’s virtual camp program is broken up into two options: Adventures in Science (for elementary school students) and Middle School Institutes (for middle school and junior high students). Weeklong sessions for younger children revolve around themes like Key to the Kingdoms of Life and Building Biodiversity. Meanwhile, older campers will dig into more advanced programming, like Coding Climbing Change. Each day lasts four hours, with a mix of live, educator-led discussion, guest scientist talks, animal encounters, and peeks behind the scenes at the museum, plus offline activities kids can work through on their own or with the support of an on-call educator. A fantastic way to support both your child’s interest in STEM and a museum losing IRL visitor support this summer.

Bridgehampton’s family-focused library has gone all in on online programming. From classic story time to Toddlers’ Twist and Shout to movie nights, there’s a packed schedule with plenty of recurring events to work into kids’ weekly schedules. For older children and teens, there are Netflix watch parties and virtual college prep sessions, not to mention conversational Spanish classes. And if you’re looking to get some fresh air and a change of scenery, the library yard is open to the public for socially distanced strolling. In the library yard, masks are required, and social distancing precautions are in place. The library building is open by appointment only—call for an appointment and fill out this form. Image courtesy of Jerry Wang.

Much of Chelsea Piers is closed this summer, but the golfing range is in full...swing with an excellent day camp for kids ages six to twelve. There’s a weekly camp option running into September or full- or half-day sessions for kids looking to work on their swing over the Hudson. (There are both a sibling and multiweek discount on offer.) Camp days run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and are broken into blocks with regular handwashing breaks in between, and all coaches are PGA-certified.

This one goes out to all the teens enduring a cooped-up summer with few options for socializing. The movies here start late, giving older kids an opportunity to do something special that keeps them socially distanced at the same time. Set some ground rules, decide whether or not it’s okay to hit the on-site food trucks, and send them off to catch a movie that, let’s be honest, will likely not be the one you approved. Bonus points for killer views of the Manhattan skyline.

This Sagaponack gem, along with its sister organization The Green School, is offering safe, socially distanced versions of watersports and pony camps, plus boat charters, riding lessons, and other activities on the farm. Camp sizes are limited, watersports are taught with no contact, masks are required, and all equipment is fully sanitized between uses. The Art Farm is also a great place for a memorable summer birthday celebration—get the family and a few close friends together for a private day at the farm learning the ropes and spending time with the animals.

The New York Botanical Garden is one of the most expansive—and immersive—green spaces in the city. Spanning 250 acres in the Bronx, it's the perfect place to go when you want to be fully outside and feel like you've actually left the city. It brings together formal gardens, curated plant collections, and a 50-acre old-growth forest—the last of its kind in New York. At its center is the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, a landmark glasshouse with climate-specific environments and rotating exhibitions often worth the trip alone.

For parents looking for a camp experience that keeps kids in a fixed group for a full week (versus one-day-at-a-time camps, where new kids may participate each day), Ajax has five-day camp programs for ages six through fifteen. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure situation: Each day kids are presented with around twenty of the camp’s hundreds of activities—think paddleboards, rafting, archery, animal experiences, cooking adventures—and encouraged to participate in what interests them most. If your goal is to keep the kids occupied for one day, check out their laser tag, rafting, and horseback riding day trips.

Big mountain adventure is up and running in Aspen this year, with program modifications for safety. Kids from three to fifteen years old can pop into camp for the day for age-appropriate activities like biking, fishing, rock climbing, arts and crafts—even an alpine coaster. Two- and three-day camps focused on science and rocket building are available through August, and for parents who prefer to pull together their own group of kids, there are full- and half-day private camp options. Also clutch for family time on the mountain: drive-in movie nights at Buttermilk Mountain and exploring the ropes course at Lost Forest. Image courtesy of Greg Rosenke.

Kids Ranch Grand Adventure Camp caters to kids between the ages of three and twelve, and the best thing about it—other than your kiddo coming home happily exhausted—is that you can purchase a single day if you’re visiting or a discounted ten-day pass if you’re on an extended trip. This camp is a tiny thrill-seeker’s dream: bungee trampoline, climbing, gondola rides, and water fun are among the rotating activities. Every Thursday, campers hike to the top of the mountain for lunch. Private guides are also available to take small groups biking, hiking, and hitting the climbing wall. Face coverings are required, only attending kids and staff are allowed in the camp facilities, and activity and lunch tables have been reconfigured for social distancing. And for parents: Outdoor yoga classes and other grown-up activities are also on this year at Teton Village. Image courtesy of Rafaela Biazi.

The Teton Junior Science School is an education camp focused on science, creativity, and nature play for grades one through four. Each session is five days of fun and learning led by passionate educators on the 900-acre campus. The school also offers private tours of Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone, and it offers online classes for elementary- and middle-school kids that cover ecological, cultural, and economic topics (current offerings include Health, Not Hunger and Poverty and Wealth).

Camp at Craft Haus means a full week of mixed-media exploration: clay, mosaic making, painting, and more, with a different theme each week. Class sizes are limited, temperatures are checked before camp starts each day, and instructors wear masks (children are not required to, though it’s recommended). But what we really love are the Art-to-Go kits—a genius way to keep kids busy in your own backyard. Let your budding artist pick a project from the shop, choose colors, and then have the goods delivered locally or opt for contactless pickup at the store.

Satisfy young adventurers and appease older kids and teens craving an adrenaline rush with an afternoon on the water. Jupiter Outdoor Center will deliver canoes and kayaks and take your crew on a tour of Jupiter Inlet to check out alligators, turtles, bald eagles, and fish while staying cool. (This also makes a great fun, safe, and socially distanced summer birthday party.)

Get the kids in the water for a full day of camp, or go all in on a weeklong program. Either way, Viking keeps the student-to-master-shredder ratio at seven campers per instructor and is following CDC safety protocols all summer. Children as young as five are welcome to join camp sessions, and kids and teens who have outgrown the basics can opt for advanced coaching, or get together in a small group for private lessons—all set on the white-sand shores between Miami and West Palm Beach.