Back in my freewheeling 20’s, I lived smack in the middle of Hollywood, California in a stucco two bedroom apartment with my sister and my cousin Cherry. There was no air conditioning and though those old, thick stucco walls kept some of the heat at bay, it got hot in there most days.

We were Washington girls, used to finding bodies of water around every corner, and since any beach was over an hour drive, we had to become creative with our cool down method and that’s when Universal Studios came to the rescue.

The three of us bought season passes to the theme park and would jump on the subway over to Universal City and beeline it to the Jurassic Park ride, where we would ride the coaster over and over till we were soaked through. Then we’d head back to the subway, our clothes steaming in the LA heat, but our bodies just a little bit cooler at least.

After I moved away and life got too complicated for weekday afternoon theme park trips, I forgot a little how fun that was and how something that become a tradition of sorts to me could be such a novelty to nearly everyone else I knew. So on a recent trip back to my old Hollywood stomping grounds, I decided that it was time to take the boys there and had I known this decision would elevate my cool mom status 1000 over times, I would have done it years ago.

Being a theme park, Universal Studios is always changing, staying updated on current trends and popular culture, so of course there were new rides there that I had never tried. The wizarding world of Harry Potter was a new favorite and it truly felt like stepping into a page of JK Rowling’s book as we roamed the cobblestone streets and gulped down butter beer.

Then it was off to the animated world of everyone’s favorite dysfunctional family, The Simpsons, where we had to convince Rio to go on the Krusty the Clown ride because…well..clowns hahaha. In the end though, he finally consented and when Maggie as a giant baby “spit” us out like a pacifier on the ride, there was peels of laughter all around.

Finally, it was time to make the downhill trek to Jurassic Park, which is located in the lower level of Universal Studios. I was almost giddy as we made our way there and though the lines were longer than I remembered, the theme park does a good job of keeping you entertained as there was plenty to look at while waiting in line.

Then it was our turn, and though they measured Rio twice just to make sure he was big enough, which he was, just barely, we were strapped in and rolling up towards the open mouth of the mosasaurus. Though there have been some updates to the ride, including a new Indominus Rex, it was still just as thrilling as I remembered and more importantly, I still got just as wet.

As we wandered back towards the entrance, the boys made one final run for just one more ride and they were off, squeezing in one more thrill, one more memory, one more magical moment of entertainment and as I sat back and watched them, I marveled at the captivating illusion that Universal Studios does so well and why they so aptly deserve the slogan “Entertainment Capital of LA”, because for the price of a ticket, you can live inside the magic of movies and feel that same thrill you did the first time you saw Harry Potter on screen flying after the golden snitch or felt the person next to you jump in their seat the first time the T-Rex roars in Jurassic Park. Movies create magic, another world which one can step into at the drop of a hat, and that, to me, is entertainment at its best.

Universal Studio Hollywood

100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608

Park hours vary but usually open 9am-7pm, 365 days a year

Tickets starting at $99.00 per person for a day pass