We vistied Candytopia back in December, right before they were set to open to the public. Unfortunately, something happened to a permit and they had to postpone. Great news for Santa Monica, Candytopia will be opening at Santa Monica place next Friday, March 2, and tickets go on sale today (Friday, February 23rd, at NOON!) We are so excited to see this amazing POP UP in Santa Monica and hope everyone has a chance to see it in the next four months, because after that, it is gone. Get your tickets HERE at Noon!
Anyway, enjoy the article and we will update it with any new photos and info as we get it.
If December gives you visions of sugarplums dancing in your head, then you are going to ❤️ 💜 💙 CANDYTOPIA! Think "Willy Wonka"! Think flying pigs and unicorns! Think giant marshmallows and enormous people-sized gumballs! Think cotton candy on a marshmallow-cloud beach and Pixie Sticks underwater with candy-covered sharks! A confectionery dream neatly packed into a dozen rooms in a warehouse in DTLA for the next three months and it's called Candytopia! It's unlike any other pop-up experience we have been to before and because dessert is the ultimate gratification, you should not deny yourself this SWEET TREAT!
When you first pull up to Candytopia, it looks like your average downtown LA warehouse that's been painted to resemble candy bins full of jelly beans, licorice, sours, and gummies. Flying pink pigs on lavender walls and giant lollipops flank the entrance to a magical candy escapade. When you enter, be sure to walk the hot pink carpet for photo ops and register your email at the hot dog cart. Read all the candy and chocolate-themed quotes on the wall as you wait to enter the giant clockwork door into Candy Land!
Your group will enter into a library room full of extremely long filing cabinets of chocolate candy. You are greeted with excitement, welcomed to the Candytopia factory and told to enjoy some chocolates...and don't be shy. While you're there you may as well eat some treats!
Next, you'll enter into a rainforest of candied flowers with a tiger, monkey, and iguana along the way for photo ops.
Once you're done looking around, head into the sandy, beachy, marshmallow-cloud room with a gumdrop castle, hammock, pool floats, and delicious cotton candy where you can have a rest for a minute and let all your worries float away.
Once you've had enough of the beach, dive into the underwater utopia next door with candied fish, lobsters, sharks, and a treasure chest full of Pixie Sticks. This multi-media mirage will make you feel like you're submerged in a sugary sea!
When you're done wading through the ocean, head into the TV (Teavee) room (think WONKA-VISION). You feel like a miniature version of yourself as you have a little swing on a licorice string or run for your life from a giant gumball, which looks like THIS!
"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with hot fudge..." reads the drawbridge over the mirrored moat into the candied gallery of art. Loved the modern art (candy style) everywhere, including works by da Vinci, Warhol, Munch, and Van Gogh. A magnificent mirrored throne to sit upon made this an overindulgence of opulence. As a former art historian, I've got to say this room had me at...hello dragons!
Next, take a walk on the wild side down a psychedelic hallway of lights and sound into a room appropriately titled, "When Unicorns and Pigs Fall In Love". This is no half-baked attempt at hallucinogenic, kaleidoscopic decor; it is just DOPE! While you are here, dance with flying pigs, fall down a psychedelic hole in the floor and watch out for the confetti-farting pig.
The man behind the Sugar Rush Boomerang experience was there to make sure everything went sweet not sour!
When you're done tripping, you find yourself taking a dip in a giant pool of marshmallows. Jump in, dive, float, glide, and paddle your way through fluffy, king-sized marshmallows that are literally impossible to get out of without a lifesaver (hint, hint). You won't want to leave (and you literally can't because you're stuck)! When you do make your way out, it's only to realize your time in Candytopia has come to an end. But first, the gift shop full of candy, and a slide, and candy, and flying pigs, and candy, and slot machines of candy. A friend of the family who came with me couldn't seem to get enough of the candy gift shop!
So, reluctantly I left Candytopia engaged, entertained, and enchanted! It was unlike any pop-up I had been to before as it was so interactive and beyond sweet! A sweet experience of pure imagination that was thoroughly enjoyable! Plus, many many photo ops make it an "insta-dream"!
Tickets for the new Santa Monica location can be purchased at CANDYTOPIA - $30 adults; $23 kids ages 4-13; Free for children 3 and under with paid adult. All tickets must be purchased in advance and there is a six ticket limit per person. Bring your family, your friends, and your sweet tooth for an amazing experience!
