Last weekend, I think it was the thrill of being back home in L.A., or maybe heatstroke, but we ventured to Griffith Observatory for a little family outing. Summer tourists and extreme heat didn’t deter us.

Honestly, it’s been on my list of places to get to this summer, and since it’s August I suddenly find myself looking back over the past few months thinking, “What happened?” It has absolutely flown by! Since the observatory was high on the list, it seemed worth giving priority and fitting it in these last few weeks.

I’m so glad I waited till Jonathan could come with us! The place was packed even though we arrived only minutes after it officially opened. Rookie mistake, I guess. The small parking lot was full and we were forced to hunt for a spot along the winding switchback roads of Griffith Park. Thankfully, Jonathan played chauffeur so we didn’t have to make the long uphill trek with two boys in tow.

Once he arrived, we braved the multi-language-speaking crowds and entered the iconic building. It really is a gem! The displays were great for answering common astronomy questions with demonstrations we all enjoyed. From eclipses to seasons to a stunning display of the huge quantity and variety of space objects adorning the night sky in just the tiny strip you could cover with your finger about an arm’s length from your face! Incredible!

Eddie was thrilled to find his favorite planet, Saturn, in the room focused on our solar system. And he thoroughly enjoyed weighing himself on each planet.

We didn’t brave the planetarium since it can be disorienting to little kids, and in the daylight there wasn’t much to see through the telescope, but we’ll definitely be back! It’s a treasure for all ages and stages!

The long walk in the hot sun down the hill to the car was made more bearable by the beautiful views of the city and even the Hollywood sign. The traffic on the way home was also classic L.A. Gotta love our city!