Visiting Olvera Street with Kids
Olvera Street is one of Los Angeles’ strongest points of Mexican history. Olvera Street dates back to the early 1800s and played a vital role in Los Angeles’ Mexican roots. In recent years, the area has been revitalized to have more history and culture from the past and honor those roots.
As California natives, Jon and I grew up visiting Olvera Street when it was mostly kitschy little stalls and music, but today there are art installments, museums and lots of restaurants.
We recently took our children and had an amazing day revisiting this fun spot tucked away in Downtown Los Angeles.
Shop Mexican Market Stalls at Olvera Street
One of our boys’ favorite things at Olvera Street, also known as Placita Olvera, were the Mexican market stalls. They loved seeing all of the colorful offerings and begged for more than a few little trinkets and toys.
Check out Mexican Culture and Goods
The stalls offer a range from kids toys to clothing, shoes, blankets, Mexican ponchos, Luchador masks and more. I loved the Mexican pottery and plates.
For the boys, we opted for a cute book that teaches anatomy words in Spanish using Luchadores, or Mexican wrestlers. Mexican wrestling is big business.
Luchadores are known for their colorful masks that are often made to resemble animals, gods and ancient heroes. The Luchador takes on a separate identity when he wrestles and they can get very famous in Mexico, all while concealing their true identity.
You can purchase Lucha Libre masks at Olvera Street along with futból jerseys and balls from all over Latin America.
Treat Your Kids to Mexican Candy on Olvera Street
One aspect of the stalls that you can’t pass up is trying Mexican candy! You can find lots of Mexican confections at most of the stalls and you’ll have to get a wide range to taste them all.
Beware, Mexican candy is not like American candy and is often covered in spices or salt. This is always a fun shock for little kids expecting a sweet treat!
There were a few that we loved, such as the Aldama milk candy wafer, which was two thin wafer cookies with a sweet milky caramel filling. We also loved the Pulparindo, which was a mango flavored fruit leather and the Rico Pepino, a pickle flavored sucker.
The boys were not fans of the Vero Mango, which is a sucker covered in chili powder or the Paleta Limón, but that has always been one of my favorites! It’s a lemon lollipop that you dip in salt and lemon powder. Delicious!
Tour the FREE Avila Adobe House in Olvera Street
The Avila Adobe is one of the main draws to Olvera Street. It’s an old house that dates back to the early 1800s and is the oldest currently standing home in Los Angeles. It’s a Mexican adobe home that was built as a vacation home for a rich Mexican cattle farmer named Don Francisco Avila.
The home has now been outfitted as a museum where you can see old Mexican pottery, furniture and artwork while learning about the way people lived in the 1800s.
The home is free to enter and you can do a self-guided tour or talk with a docent.
It was so interesting for the boys to see how the furniture and toys were vastly different than ours today. They also were fascinated by the stone fireplaces and kitchen tools.
There is also a small school room on the property where there are kids coloring pages and crayons for a fun kid-friendly activity to do at the home.
In addition to Avila Adobe, there are a plethora of free museums and art galleries located on and around Olvera Street. These include an old 20-room home that was built as a Victorian-Mexican fusion style, an old firehouse and Chinese American and Italian American history museums. For more, check out this list.
Take in the America Tropical Mural at Olvera Street
One of my favorite parts of Olvera Street is climbing up to see the refurbished American Tropical Mural. The mural was originally painted in 1932 by Mexican artist David Alfaro Siqueiros.
Siqueiros was a political refugee and was asked to create a mural for the Plaza Art Center that featured happy men and tropical trees and birds.
Instead, he painted in his own style what many thought to be a Mayan pyramid with an indigenous person being crucified in the middle.
The painting was covered up a year after it was completed because of political controversy and the representation of indigenous people.
It was uncovered decades later and restored and finally opened to the public in 2012. There is now a museum exhibit and special viewing platform where you can see the mural and learn more about the artist.
Eating at Olvera Street for Your Family
One of the best things to do at Olvera Street is eating traditional Mexican food. There are a ton of options for dining depending on how many people in your party and the scale of dining you are looking for!
Cielito Lindo
Cielito Lindo is our favorite places to get tamales and taquitos at Olvera Street. They have been in business since 1934 and serve up the most simple and delicious Mexican fare! The kids loved the taquitos and the Horchata (rice milk drink) and Jamaica (hibiscus water).
Juanita’s Cafe
Juanita’s Cafe is another casual and affordable option for families! It’s a small cafe right on the strip of market stalls that has open seating to continue to people wat
ch and take in the atmosphere of the stalls. A burrito at Juanita’s might feed a family of four as well, they are huge!
Casa La Golondrina
For a sit down meal and maybe a few margaritas, visit Casa La Golondrina. This restaurant serves traditional Mexican cuisine and has beautiful outdoor seating. Plus, there is usually a Mariachi band that will come play at your table. Don’t forget to tip them!
If you are looking for more to do in Los Angeles, check out my recommendations for things to do and see with kids here.
Or if you are looking for a day of games and adventure, head to Santa Monica Pier!
