"Visitors to this 16,000-square-foot saccharine spectacle can tour a dozen rooms filled with highly photographable (and hypothetically edible) art, like candy “paintings” of the Mona Lisa and a dragon sculpture made from 360-pounds of gummies. Don’t lick the walls: Instead, ticket holders feast on free samples from candy brands like Lindt, Nestle, and Tootsie. Tickets cost $34 for adults, $26 for kids 4-12 (free for children 3 and under). Candytopia is sold out for days to come and on most weekends during its run, which lasts through November. The Museum of Ice Cream, a similar romp through a Willy Wonka-inspired wonderland, has renewed its run several times and is still ushering customers into its sprinkle pit across the street from Candytopia. The Santa Monica run just wrapped up and its New York City exhibition just began. The business was co-founded by Jackie Sorkin and CEO John Goodman. Zac Hartog, a Hollywood set designer and fabricator, is behind Candytopia’s eye-catching installations. Highlights include a “marshmallow” pool and a see-saw version of the Golden Gate Bridge. Each piece lists the number of candies involved in its creation, the number of hours it took to build, and its sugar content." - Caleb Pershan
