ALONG COMES MARY

The Getty Center will always hold a special place in my heart. I’ve loved museums since I was little, yet, oddly, never explored the Getty until 2013. I’d been seeing Mike for about a month and he asked if I’d like to go over the Thanksgiving weekend. It turned out to be the first time we held hands and began to solidify our relationship. Fast forward to 2015, Mike orchestrated a “double date” with friends to return to the Getty. My suspicions proved to be true and we left engaged. Needless to say, the Getty has been good to me!

As Los Angeles begins to safely reopen more exhibits, I was thrilled when we headed for a morning at the Getty with Mabel. I’m determined to make her an explorer, and the Getty seemed like a perfect spot for us all.

Planning an outing with a wee one is still new territory for me. These are a few tidbits I think would prove helpful to know. As safety regulations change, some of these tips may be obsolete shortly. Visit Getty’s website when planning your day.

Reservations

One of my favorite things about the Getty is that admission is free. Granted, you do need to pay $20 for parking. When you think about it, that’s not a bad deal. Our family of three or a large carpool party is all the same price.

Due to current health rules, a reservation is required to visit. I was pleased that we were able to grab tickets over Memorial Day weekend just a day before. Once you arrive at your reserved time, you can stay for as long as you like.

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Go Early

We arrived at 10:30 am and it was serene. We’d never been when it was so quiet. We walked right up to bag check and made our way almost instantly to the tram. By the time we headed out for lunch around 12:30, it had picked up. The security line was wrapping around, and many folks were at the tram queue.

Visit the Gardens First

My favorite element at the Getty is their gardens. The views of the city are lush and vibrant, and there’s always something new in bloom. I could spend my entire visit here and be happy. It usually piles up with visitors quickly, so I always recommend starting here before the exhibits.

With little ones in tow, you could take the opportunity to sit and relax on the grass with a book or snacks. It’s also a great Instagram spot!

Speaking of Snacks….

The restaurant and cafe are temporarily closed. You can get grab ‘n go box lunches at their Garden Terrace Cafe as well as the coffee cart. Although food options are currently limited, the Getty has an abundance of tables and chairs available to utilize. This came in handy for feeding time for Mabel.

Security Check

It was my first time going through a checkpoint with Mabel and all of her gear: stroller, diaper bag. I was nervous about how detailed the check would be but it was painless. They did a quick look through at her bag and mine, and we were on our way. We also had water bottles and some snacks of our own on us and it was not a problem.

Visit the Getty Center

I envision many return trips to the Getty with Mabel. With summer upon us, make sure to pay a visit if you’re in LA. We felt very safe, masks were enforced, and there were hand sanitizer stations throughout the grounds. xo