This post has been sponsored by the LA Watefront, however all opinions here are my own.
The funky sound of good ol’ Rock n Roll, the smell of tasty food truck food in the air, and the magnificent colors flashing from the 1960s car show that was unveiled in front of our eyes: we were at the LA Waterfront! A couple of days ago, my husband, sister-in-law, and I decided to go on a fun family outing with my toddler to the “11th Annual Cars & Stripes Forever” event at the LA Waterfront.
The event is an annual tradition at the LA Waterfront that is usually celebrated near the Santa Catalina and the general cruise ship lots at the Port of Los Angeles. It hosts car enthusiasts along with their classic vehicles, food trucks, and a few musicians and bands that play American classics and new music. And after having spent the entire evening there I can tell you it’s a must for a family outing! I think the more than 17,000 people who attended the event this year thought the same!
When you think of the LA Waterfront it may seem it’s only a place to dock commercial boats or to arrive on a cruise. One rarely hears about all the exciting things happening down there but there are plenty! We weren’t sure at first if an event this big was going to be too much for our little baby girl (she’s only 18 months!) but I think she even enjoyed it more than the adults.
We got there early in the afternoon and already there was a full lineup of Mustangs, Thunderbirds and Mercury Cyclones from the 50s, 60s and 70s that would be a dream of anyone slightly interested in cars. To everyone’s wonder, there was one of us who had a really hard time separating from the cars… that was Isabelita!
This was partly our fault, since we’d been the ones who had asked the owner of a beautiful red Thunderbird if it was OK to let our daughter inside just to take a photo. Isa, of course, got very excited behind the wheel and when it was time to let go, she threw the biggest of tantrum! Hilariously, she thought she could “keep” the car to herself. After that incident, we had to be very careful whenever we got near other cars because all she wanted to do was to get inside (she managed to “test” two more thanks to some other generous owners!).
We decided to redirect her attention to the fun group that was playing at one of the stages. They sang good ol’ Rock and Roll covers from the 1950s and onward with a band that was fully dressed in that era’s fashion. Isabelita felt the guitar and saxophone groove and started dancing just as we tried our best swing moves (though probably we looked like fools, our daughter was having the time of her life). We also walked to another stage right next to the food area which had a radio playing more upbeat modern songs. Isabelita danced it all! After almost an hour of dancing, we had to recharge batteries so it was time to hit the food truck scene.
I appreciated that the food truck area was separated from the cars and music scene because it made everything much more organized and cleaner. My husband and sister-in-law got Japanese food and I went with an American classic: a chili dog from Nathan’s Hot Dogs. After our meals, we were surprised to find that Tillamook, the renowned dairy and ice cream brand, was handing out free ice cream! They gave us each 4 flavors to try and I even let Isabelita try their vanilla flavor (yeah, it’s OK to give in for special occasions!). This charming touch was exactly what we needed to re-energize!
After eating, we danced a bit more, played around with a few dogs that people had brought to the event and we spent some time next to the water fountains. Our toddler was mesmerized by the music and the rhythm of the fountains, and of course, tried as hard as she could to get in the water. By her fifth (failed) attempt, we decided it was time to distract her and walk around, see some more cars and for the beautiful fireworks show that started around 9pm-ish. It was definitely worth staying past her bedtime!
After the event, our Isa fell asleep almost as soon as we put her in the car. It had been a fun-packed evening! My sister-in-law who’s visiting us from Spain was really excited about the grand American experience she had witnessed and we all agreed that it was surprising that it was free! That goes to show you don’t need to spend much to have lots of family fun, you just need to go to the LA Waterfront!
Anyone can attend events and experience the LA Waterfront in real life, 365 days a year! With a place this big and diverse, you are bound to find something fun that excites every member of your family. There are attractions for foodies, adventure seekers, history buffs, and pretty much any personality, be it on weekdays or weekends. Just check out the hashtag (and use it!) #LAWaterfrontIRL or visit their website, to discover all that it has to offer.
Other events happening this summer at the LA Waterfront that you should definitely consider attending are the 4th of July celebration and the LA Fleet Week 2019 (Aug. 30 – Sep. 2). Here’s also a list of other activities you could do at the LA Waterfront with your family this summer:
- Outdoor summer concerts
- Outdoor movies at the LA Waterfront (August 12th)
And available at the waterfront all year round you have all sorts of attractions and places to visit like:
- The Battleship Iowa Museum (which caught Isabelita’s eye and will probably be our next thing to visit!)
- The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
- Drum Barracks Civil War Museum
- A crafts market of local artists
- The historic Banning House, of the “Father of the Port of Los Angeles”
- And many more!
I hope you get a chance to visit this magical place with your family because there is true fun every direction you look in. If you have been to the LA Waterfront already, comment below with your favorite activity and things that we should try! Happy summer!
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