Griffith Park / Ferndell Trail

Griffith Park is said to be one of the largest urban parks in North America sit at the foot of the Griffith Observatory, one of the most visited Observatories in the world. As urban nature explorers, we thought we thought we should pay a visit.

There are many hiking trails to the Observatory, and we took the Ferndell Trail recommended by some of Humble-Bee team members who had been there. Because we left a little late and the traffic was worse than initially anticipated, we Googled the time it would take for the hike. One page that we landed said it was $15-minute one way, but that is NOT TRUE AT ALL!

We started from the bottom of the trail with a 5-year-old and a 10-year-old, and it took roughly 35~40 minutes on the way up, and around 20 minutes on the way down. The truth is, we wouldn't recommend this particular trail if you have children younger than five because, even though the path is wide and safe, the slope is a bit steep and slippery.

The lawn right in front of the Griffith Observatory made it all worth it, though. There were many hobby astronomists with their giant telescopes pointing at various spots in the sky. You can see the world-famous Hollywood sign on the hill, and also a good view of the Downtown Los Angeles. 

The Observatory was very fun for young kids because it exhibits everyday earth phenomena, such as season and moon, in simple ways (except the Foucault Pendulum below). A family can probably spend 3~5 hours in the building.

If you do decide to come with younger kids, we would suggest driving all the way up to the Observatory parking, enjoy the sight and the monument, learn some easy-to-understand astronomical facts. And, if you still have more time and energy, you can hit a bit of the trail.