Being the largest fair in the country, the Los Angeles County Fair can safely say that it has something to offer everyone. It's got carnival rides for the kids, photography, art exhibits and junk food for the teenagers, baking and cooking classes for parents and a classic car show for the men. Aside from all this, there is still tons of family-friendly activities that appeal to a broad spectrum of tastes and interests.
Begin your day at the Flower & Garden building, where a theme is brought to life every year with thousands of flowers and great designers. Stroll through the outside garden, and take a few pictures against the natural backdrops.
Walk over to the Bark Park where you can see and visit with a variety of puppies and training dogs. There are also many coupons available on dog food, as well as a variety of vendors who offer specialized dog products, such as customized dog collars and gourmet dog bones. Put your head or your hat under one of the two giant fire hydrants if you're feeling warm.
View the various entries in the photography competition, which is right next to the old fire station. The theme varies year to year, but still brings in a diverse group of entries, so it's worth seeing regardless of the theme.
Visit the Wally Parks NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Motorsports Museum where you can see classic cars and a variety of different racing vehicles. Museum entry is only $1 when the fair is in town, and it is located inside the fairplex, so no re-entry is required.
Eat lunch at one of Juicy's BBQ's two stands. The jumbo hot dogs are very good, as are the pulled pork sandwiches.
Attend a class or seminar at the Village on Broadway, where experts can show you how to cook or sew. View the winners of the various baking and sewing competitions. Walk a little farther into the facility to see the entries of the table setting competition. Walk through the room and into the next building to see some of the different kids' art competitions.
Walk up and down the aisles of the outdoor shopping plaza. The vendors sell sports merchandise, boutique clothing, household knick knacks, spas, watercrafts, electronics and billiard room accessories.
Grab a sweet snack that can only be found at most fairs, including deep-fried Twinkies, Texas donuts or cheesecake on a stick.
Visit the farm exhibits to interact with real farm animals. Children and adults can pet goats, pigs, sheep, chicks, dogs, rabbits and whatever else might be on display that day. There is also a nursery where you can watch the youngest animals get fed, and an arena where many different horse competitions take place.
Visit the Winter Wonderland exhibit and see how that year's sponsor is able to recreate a Christmastime village in the middle of 100-degree temperatures. There is sledding and ice skating, as well as vendors who specialize in Christmas ornaments and gifts. It also snows every half an hour, so this is a great exhibit for anyone who hasn't seen snow fall.
Pan for gold and learn about California's history in Heritage Square, which attempts to recreate life from the Gold Rush era.
Walk through the five shopping pavilions where you can find many products that are not available in stores. There are many cooking gadgets, cleaning gadgets and novelty furniture offered up, as well as some different vacation packages and other odds and ends.
Eat dinner at Hussong's Cantina and Taqueria, and then make your way next door where you can sample some of the winning entries in the olive oil, beer and wine categories.
Buy a wristband or a sheet or two of tickets, and head off to the carnival and midway area to play some carnival games and ride some rides.
Take in a free show at the fair's End of Summer Concert Series. Tickets are free to fair-goers if you line up early enough, or you can buy a guaranteed seat online.
