Los Angeles family guide
Things to Do in Silver Lake with Kids
Curated by Simir Shah
Reviewed & updated August 2026 · we check listings regularly, but hours and prices change — confirm before you go.
Silver Lake on the map
📍 Where Silver Lake is
Silver Lake sits in Los Angeles, Southern California. Nearest major airport: Hollywood Burbank (~9 mi / 15 km). It's roughly 115 mi (184 km) from San Diego — SoCal traffic can make a drive take far longer than the distance suggests, so plan around it.
Visiting? See SoCal at a glance, getting around and which airport.
🏡 New to Silver Lake? Start hereRec classes, library cards, school lookup, alerts and getting around.OpenClose
- Rec classes & camps: Silver Lake is part of LA City, so classes, day camps and pools are booked through LA Recreation and Parks.
- Rec center: Silver Lake Recreation Center at 1850 W. Silver Lake Dr. offers Tiny Tots classes, camps and youth sports; closed Sundays.
- Library card: Silver Lake is served by the Los Angeles Public Library; LA City residents can get an e-card online instantly.
- Library branch: Silver Lake Branch Library at 2411 Glendale Blvd. is closed Sundays and hosts kids' music programs and a teen gaming club.
- Find your school: Silver Lake's public schools are LAUSD; enter your address in the Resident School Identifier to see assigned schools.
- Alerts: Sign up for NotifyLA, the City of LA's emergency alert system, by phone, text or email for your address.
- Student bus passes: LAUSD and other participating students ride Metro free with a GoPass picked up at school; 2026-27 passes work through September 2027.
- Local insider: Silver Lake has no Metro rail station of its own; Metro buses, including Line 92 past the branch library, serve the neighborhood.
Things to do in Silver Lake
Music Box Steps
The public stairway off Vendome St where Laurel and Hardy filmed The Music Box, in which they haul a piano up the steps. The city's historic-resources survey notes it among Silver Lake's many public stairways. Kids who have seen the short love climbing it, and it's a quick, free bit of Hollywood history. The steps are in a residential area, so keep voices down.
Free
Silver Lake Branch Library (LAPL)
Los Angeles Public Library branch on Glendale Blvd with underground parking, which is rare in Silver Lake. It hosts kids' music programs such as Again Again: Music for Kids for babies and toddlers. It also runs a free weekly composition class, Musical Beginnings for Young Composers, for ages 6–18; email silver@lapl.org to register. It doesn't post a fixed weekly storytime, so check the branch calendar.
Free
Bellevue Recreation Center
A small city rec center on Lucile Ave in south Silver Lake, near Sunset Junction, known for its busy youth sports. It runs co-rec T-ball, coach-pitch baseball, Girls Play LA volleyball, soccer and flag football, plus summer basketball for pee-wees and rookies. It's a good place for newcomers to sign kids up for an inexpensive neighborhood league.
Free to visit; leagues have feesIvanhoe Reservoir Pathway
This LADWP path along the smaller Ivanhoe Reservoir, at the north end of the complex, is open to the public daily from dawn to dusk. It's a quieter add-on to the main reservoir loop, with good views back over the water. Waterbirds are often easy to spot for kids.
FreeSilver Lake Meadow
About 3 acres of open lawn with some shade trees on the east side of the reservoir, off Silver Lake Blvd near Armstrong Ave. LADWP leases the land to the city's Recreation and Parks department. It's the neighborhood's go-to spot for picnics, blanket time and toddler running room, but it has no playground, so pair it with the rec center play area at the south end.
FreeSilver Lake Recreation Center
City rec center on the south end of the reservoir, with a children's play area, picnic tables, a multipurpose field, outdoor basketball and an indoor gym. Toddlers 18–36 months can join the seasonal Little Explorers class of sensory play, music and art, which runs as six Monday sessions for $100. Tiny Tots classes, youth soccer and flag football are also offered.
Free to visit; classes and leagues have feesSilver Lake Reservoir Loop & South Dam Walkway
A roughly 2.2-mile loop around the fenced reservoir that is flat and stroller-friendly, and popular with walkers, joggers and scooter kids. Since 2018 the South Dam walkway has let walkers get closer to the water, running between gates at Silver Lake Blvd/Rockford Rd and W. Silver Lake Dr. Street parking fills by mid-morning on weekends, so go early.
Free
Sunset Triangle Plaza (Sunset Junction)
LA's first street-to-plaza conversion, installed in 2012 on Griffith Park Blvd between Edgecliffe Dr and Maltman Ave. It has movable tables, umbrellas and a colorful painted surface. It sits at the heart of Sunset Junction's cafes and shops and makes an easy snack-and-sit stop. Before the conversion, this stretch was regularly closed for farmers markets.
FreeLocal restaurants in Silver Lake
Cafe Tropical
A 50-year-old Cuban bakery-cafe on Sunset Blvd; order the cubano sandwich and guava-cheese pastelitos with a cafe con leche. Casual and easy with kids.
Pine & Crane
Fast-casual Taiwanese known for dan dan noodles, beef roll, and three-cup chicken. Counter-order format and quick service make it very family-doable.
Bacari
Venetian-style Mediterranean small plates; the truffle fries and crispy Brussels are crowd-pleasers.
Local shops in Silver Lake
Sunset Blvd Nursery
Family-run plant nursery with cacti, succulents, houseplants, and ferns.
Plant Material
Ecologically focused nursery specializing in California native plants, with garden sculptures, chimes, and sun catchers.
Potted
Well-known indie garden shop for pots, planters, and outdoor decor.
Seasonal & outdoors near Silver Lake
The closest splash pads, patches, lights and more — distances from Silver Lake.
More Los Angeles family guides
Silver Lake family FAQ
What are the best things to do in Silver Lake with kids?
Family favorites in and around Silver Lake include Music Box Steps, Silver Lake Branch Library (LAPL), Bellevue Recreation Center and Ivanhoe Reservoir Pathway, and more. Our guide lists 8 spots, each with a price note and practical tips where we have them.
Are there free things to do in Silver Lake?
Yes — free family spots near Silver Lake include Music Box Steps, Silver Lake Branch Library (LAPL), Bellevue Recreation Center and Ivanhoe Reservoir Pathway. Our free things to do page lists more across Southern California.
How can families spend a day in Silver Lake?
One easy plan: start outside at Music Box Steps while kids have the most energy, break for lunch at Cafe Tropical, then head indoors to Silver Lake Branch Library (LAPL) for the afternoon. Our guide has prices and tips for each stop, plus 6 more ideas to swap in.
Where can families eat in Silver Lake?
Local, family-friendly spots in Silver Lake include Cafe Tropical, Pine & Crane and Bacari — independent, SoCal-only eateries, never national chains.
What does the YourSoCal Silver Lake guide cover?
Our Silver Lake family guide includes 8 things to do, 3 local eats and 3 local shops — with independent, non-chain eats and shops.
Listings are curated and may change — confirm hours and details before you go.
Where to stay in Silver Lake
Hotels & rentals via Stay22 · we may earn a commissionCompare hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals near Silver Lake on one map — then book on your favorite site.