From getting ready to host family, to preparing for my winter baby’s birthday and everything else in between, a little excursion for pure entertainment felt indulgent, but it was actually just what we needed. My husband and our two daughters, ages 2 and 6, visited Bubble Planet, DTLA’s newest immersive experience located inside Exhibition Hub Los Angeles Art Center where all four of us were whisked away to a magical world of bubbles.

Bubble Planet Experience first opened in 2023, and has visited over 20 cities across the globe, including Paris, Milan, Toronto and New York. The immersive universe returns to L.A. through the end of March, giving SoCal families another chance to play.

My ocean obsessed two-year-old could’ve spent her whole time in the first room, an underwater LED light experience where she chased sea turtles and baby sharks “swimming” beneath her feet. Both girls loved dancing and finding different shapes in the kaleidoscope room, while I particularly enjoyed the infinity room, a maze of dazzling lights and mirrors. A highlight for my whole family was the “bubble bath” room, where we swam through a giant pink ball pit.

Halfway through the exhibit, we stopped to do some activities: animating our own underwater character and getting plenty of whimsical pictures in the selfie room. At the end, we had the option of a VR experience, which I was wary of as virtual reality can make me feel uneasy. But after seeing the joy on my husband’s face as he traveled through imaginary worlds, I had to give it a try. The colorful, playful journey through all things bubbles—the bottom of a champagne glass at a party, soap suds escaping a bubble bath—was a welcome escape from my mounting responsibilities that week.

We left a little lighter (like a bubble!) and decided to extend our family outing into lunch at nearby Bike Shed Moto Co. Bubble Planet was a helpful reminder that sometimes an escape is the reset you need to tackle life’s day-to-day stresses.

Bubble Planet is $19.90 for adults; $14.90 for children; free for ages 2 and under. Open Monday through Sunday, closed on Tuesdays. Exhibition Hub Los Angeles Art Center is located at 634 Mateo St., Los Angeles, 90021.