THE GET DOWN
One thing I will always find mind-blowing about sunny LA, is just how close it is to Winter. Mt Baldy is a classic example of this. Just 45 minutes East of LA (less than an hour drive from the city), and a 20 min ski lift ride later, you will find yourself on top of an 8,000 ft. San Gabriel Mountain.
It is here, you’ll find fresh snow! For those who really like to live on the edge, you can hike a trail up 2,000 more feet! After all, cold is cold, there are no degrees of it.
I grew up in the Midwest, so I have definitely experienced my fare share of blizzard like conditions. But knowing you are one hour from a warmer Homeland, makes a visit to Mt. Baldy a blast!!
Mount Baldy offers skiing, and snowboarding, and plenty of hiking too. But an all age favorite (next to a good snowball fight that is) is tubing! You can reserve an hour and a half time slot and get your workout in for the day (heck, or year…wink wink).
The kids are guaranteed to have a good time and can even be worn out (before you) by the end of the day. Yes, you can finally put the tots in that cute winter get up you spontaneously purchased on an REI clearance rack to good use, and head to Mt. Baldy for the day!
Layers are the quintessential advice when packing for a quick trip to Mt. Baldy, since you have to be prepared for both the cold and the warmth. If you are a better lodger than skier, then a stop at Mt. Baldy Lodge on the way to or from a tubing adventure in the mountains is definitely in order.
What The Lodge lacks in food, it certainly makes up for in charm. The people are friendly, the warm drink list is extensive and you can always keep toasty warm by the fire, until you drive back to more bearable conditions (pardon the pun). Gotta love that Cali life!
DETAILS
(First timer? Scroll down to check out the rating system below.)
WHERE
The Outsirkts of LA (Mt. Baldy, CA)
GO FOR
A whiff of winter
SOCIAL SCENE
Domestic Imports, Homies, Multicultural
TODDLER RATING
Easily Forgiven
NEARBY
Mt. Baldy Lodge, LA Arboretum and Botanic Gardens
CONTACT INFO
Website: mtbaldylodge.com/index
Phone: (909) 982-1115
The Spotted Cloth
Rating System:
It’s our goal to make exploring LA either with the kids or with grown ups as easy as possible. Click through the tabs above to check out our rating system.
For those with little
runners & screamers:
Easily forgiven:
Here, you can forget the fact that it’s your rambunctious child that’s screaming and STILL enjoy most of your meal.
Not promoted, but you should take the chance:
If your toddler is at the stage when an iPad or some other colorful distraction can be used for an un-interrupted 20 minutes, then go for it.
Uh-uh, NO WAY, don’t even think about it!:
I don’t care how cute your toddler is. Pop your head in… turn around… walk away. PERIOD.
No contained area:
A place you cannot leave your toddler alone, not even for a second.
Enclosed, but space is tight:
If YOU can’t fit between the tables then you know you couldn’t catch your toddler if they tried – this isn’t Norm’s.
WHAT’S CLOSE
Click through the map below to find delicious places to eat and fun places to play nearby. (It’s completely clickable – go nuts!)
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