Playing in the Dark
The sun has set but there’s no school, so there’s no rush to head home. Los Angeles offers a wide range of sporting and recreational activities that continue long after dark. Here’s where you can play the night away:
Slamo Baseball Batting Cages, 5750 Mesmer Ave., Culver City, (310) 398-5050, or 5221 Florence Blvd., Bell, (323) 771-7960. Slamo offers softball and baseball pitches: slow, fast and drop pitches as fast as 80 mph. The Culver City location also features instructional pitching and batting. Prices: 20 pitches for $1; 30 minutes for $11; 1 hour, $20. Open Monday through Friday until 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday until 9 p.m.
Glendale Batting Cage, 620 E. Colorado St., Glendale, (818) 243-2363. Pretend you’re facing Chuck Finley as the machines crank out pitches of up to 80 mph. Slow-pitch and fast-pitch softball and baseball are available. Prices: 10 minutes, $5.50; 20 minutes, $9; 30 minutes, $11.50; 1 hour, $19.50.
Wilson/Harding (Griffith Park) Municipal Golf Course in L.A.’s Griffith Park, (323) 664-2255. The two 18-hole golf courses shut down at sunset, but you can practice all you want on the driving range until 10:30 p.m., rain or shine. There are nearly 30 uncovered and more than 20 covered stalls. Shell out $7.50 for a full bucket of balls (100 to 110 balls) or $3.75 for half that amount.
Studio City Golf, 4141 Whitsett Ave., Studio City, (323) 877-3777. This Studio City range features 20 stalls that are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. A bucket of balls runs $3, $6 or $8.50 for a small, medium or large bucket, respectively. Tennis is available on the adjacent 20 courts.
Sunset Ranch Hollywood Stables, 3400 N. Beachwood Drive, Hollywood, (323) 464-9612. Night rides in Griffith Park have been held by this horse ranch since 1954. The ride includes dinner at a Mexican restaurant and an-hour-and-40-minute ride in the hills in Griffith Park. Private rides for groups of 10 or more may be arranged nightly. Friday rides are held on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign-ups begin at 5 p.m.; ride leaves at 6 p.m. Cost: Friday, $35 per person; private rides, $30 per person. Price does not include food.
Horseback Riding with Bar S Stables, 1850 Riverside Drive, Glendale, (818) 242-8443. Since 1965, this horse stable has been hosting sunset guided trots through the Valley side of Griffith Park. Summertime rides are from 7 to 9 nightly. Reservations are required. Price: $25 per person for a group of five or more; $35 for smaller groups. Dinner at a local restaurant is available at an extra cost.
Malibu Castle Park Miniature Golf & Arcade, 2410 Marine Ave., Redondo Beach, (310) 643-5166. Open for more than 15 years, this South Bay mini-amusement park features an 18-hole course, batting cage and video arcade. The batting cage features baseball pitches from 40 mph to 80 mph. Slow-pitch, fast-pitch and high-arc softball pitches are also available. Cost is $2 for 30 pitches. Ages 8 and older. Batting cages are open until 10 p.m. on weeknights and 11 p.m. on weekends. The rest of the park is open until midnight Friday and Saturday, and until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. Miniature golf prices: Adults, $6.25; children younger than 13, $5.25.
Laser Storm, 22535 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance, (310) 373-8470, or 20929 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, (818) 999-3150. Call it the ultimate game of chase. This laser tag venue lets you shoot at one another or at electronic objects in an arena filled with black and neon lights. Everything glows in the dark. Open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. weeknights; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekends. Each game is $3.50. Ages 3 and older.
Go-Kart World, 21830 Recreation Road, Carson, (310) 834-3800. The closest thing to the Indianapolis 500 for amateurs. This fun-filled race track has four courses, including a mini-Indy track for people 45 inches and taller and a slick track for folks 54 inches and taller. It also features an advanced slick track and turbo road course with underpasses, overpasses and banked turns. Open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, ages 3 and older, only. All rides are $3.50.
World on Wheels, 4645 1/2 Venice Blvd., mid-Wilshire, (323) 933-5170. Yes, there is still a roller rink in town. This one seems to be the rink of choice, with theme nights, skate slumber parties, late-night skates, etc. Skate rentals available. Price varies.