Another activity we did as a family last Friday after the Observatory was the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad and Pony Rides. Both rides are located near the Los Feliz entrance section of Griffith Park. This is a spot we’ve taken T to since he was about one-and-a-half years old, and it remains one of his favorite outings to date.

The train is similar to most riding trains you come across in public parks all across this great country of ours. You hop on board behind a gasoline-powered, steam-looking engine, and the conductor welcomes you and tells you today’s destination (today it was Chicago, which was funny because T’s grandma just got back from Chicago, and he shouted as much).

The train ride rambles along for about five to eight minutes through a nicely landscaped portion of the park, complete with a “stream” meandering throughout the train route, trestle-styled bridges, and tunnels. We pass houses and barns along the way, and even go by a cactus garden.

After the train ride, we headed to the pony portion of the park. This isn’t your average pony ride though, folks. Here the ponies walk and trot freely – yes, not tied around a wheel – around an oval track with three concentric tracks dedicated to three different speeds of ponies depending on age and/or height.

The slow ponies are for kids one and up; the medium-paced ponies are for ages three and up; and the fast ponies are for the most mature of riders at ages seven and up. Maximum weight on all ponies is 100 pounds, and I do not think there’s a maximum height on any of the ponies.

Each of the above rides costs anywhere from $2 to $3 per rider, depending on age.

Happy riding, whether it be by train and/or by pony!