193 Reviews
245 Reviews
66 ReviewsLos Angeles Family Attractions
Disneyland Note: In case you're planning a visit to Disneyland and are looking for a deal, you should know that you may find a better lodging deal by staying somewhere other than a Disney property. Disneyland is literally surrounded by hotels and motels, many right across the street from the park's main entrance. Check what Disney offers then check rates elsewhere. The AAA guide is an excellent resource in this regard. Also note that Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel (the cheapest of the Disney properties), while very nice, was originally built by someone else as an off-site hotel; Disney bought the property later. The point is that the Paradise Pier, while technically onsite, is actually further away from the main entrance than some of the off-site hotels right across the street.
Even though Los Angeles is known for its amusement parks such as Disneyland, it's not the only place you would want to take the kids to. Other places to consider:
Huntington Museum & Garden in San Marino (next to Pasadena)
Beautiful grounds including extensive gardens. Lots and lots of running around room for kids with gorgeous landscaping for you. See especially the Japanese Garden which has an arched bridge, although nobody is allowed to walk on it, as well as a splendid bonsai exhibit. Also see the cactus display -- who know that cacti could be arranged in such a magnificent manner -- as well as the Children's garden, which features touchable plants, whimsical water features, a playhouse covered in vines and other charming attractions.
The museum is a good regional art museum (few important paintings) but one of the worlds great libraries with lots of extraordinary stuff on display ( eg, Ben Franklins autobiography in his own hand, a Gutenberg bible; the display changes from time to time but it's all world-class). It also has objects of interest to fans of the Arts and Crafts movement. While much of this won't be interesting to younger kids, if your kid is in middle or high school and needs to knock out a report of something they did over the summer this is grist for the mill! College kids too should like this.
Interactive museum with plenty to explore for the kids. Combine with a visit to the Huntington or Old Town Pasadena
View can't be beat, it's free, and the kid likes the novel tram ride, the garden and some of the water features. In the summer, there are free family concert sin the gardens. Also, throughout the year, the Getty offers Family Art Stops and special programs at the museum. Lastly, check out the Family Room where kids can experience art, dress up in period clothing and more. The museum is very stroller friendly.
Balboa Island
Lined with funky shops and restaurants, it's a good place to stroll around. There's a little amusement park there and also a ferry.
Without doubt, one of the top things to do in with kids Santa Monica -- in no small part because it's right on a wonderful beach. Good for people watching and there's also an amusement park at the end of the pier. Note the carousel at the beginning of the pier, it was famously featured in several movies including The Sting and They Shoot Horses, Don't They.
For a change of pace, go to Tudor House near 3rd street for British afternoon tea (only if your kid is well behaved). A caveat - there are some homeless people around the beach area. This isn't Disneyland, after all.
For the Active Family
Further down the coast is Marina del Rey for those families that are a little more active and want to "do." Get out on the calm harbor waters of the marina by renting a kayak or sail boat from one of the companies in the Fisherman's Village (end of Fiji Way; validated parking.) Or rent a bike and enjoy the more than 20 miles of the South Bay Bike Path, which runs from Santa Monica north to Torrance south. The paved path runs along the beaches and is a fairly flat and easy ride for the entire family, with many rest stops and food concessions along the route.
Very Early In The Morning
If you're visiting from the East Coast or Europe you may find yourself in this situation: you and your kids are still on home time but this translates into being wide awake at 5:00 or 6:00 am. What do you do? The answer, of course, is to go to the beach and look for shells! The beaches all along the coast are beautiful and while the water may be too cold for swimming it won't be too cold to get your feet wet. To find the best shells, go at low tide and look between where the waves end and the area above that marking the high water mark (usually demarcated by a line of seaweed). Sometimes there will be a lot of shells, other times not much, and it can vary from beach to beach due to local conditions. You'll probably see some people out with metal detectors looking to find some money, perhaps some lifeguards getting ready for the day, and big county government tractors raking the sand for junk. If you're lucky and find yourself in an el nino you may even see a pod of dolphins frolicking just beyond the waves. A great beach to do this on is Venice Beach, especially around Muscle Beach (see below).
Yet another thing you can do very early in the morning is go the the LA Flower District. They have to be open extremely early in order to service flower shops around the city. Check their website for the hours as they aren't open to the public all the time. There is a modest ($2.00) admission good for all parts of the Flower District. It's really very interesting to walk among the wholesale vendors, seeing the usual and unusual flowers and plants they have on display. Though it's a wholesale market, some vendors will sell you stuff.
And, if you're looking for a place to get breakfast at that hour, try the local chain, Norms, (see below) which has outstanding pancakes and is open 24 hours. If you're around downtown go to The Original Pantry (see below), open continuously, 24 hours/day, since 1924!!! They have a cheap (sometimes free) parking lot right across the street but be advised that The Pantry is cash only -- no credit cards
If in town during the Bowl season (summer - June-September) - make sure to get tickets. An outdoor concert complete with fireworks under the stars is something to be experience at least once. The Bugs Bunny on Broadway show and the Disney show are family favorites. Note: only some shows include fireworks.
Go behind the scenes at this movie studio to see how some of your big screen favorites were made. Your kids also have the chance to participate in some "re-makes" of television shows and movies. Note: Best for ages 8 and above.
California Science Center and Natural History Museum
Just south of downtown in Exposition Park, site of the 1932 Olympics, these are two separate attractions within a short walk of one another (and the Science Center includes an aerospace museum too). Lots of running around room, an IMAX theater as well as a wonderful garden round out the offerings. Discount admissions for teachers, too. An outstanding set of dioramas in the Natural History museum showing animals in their native surroundings and a very good dinosaur fossil exhibit also (with a wonderful T.Rex skull at eye level). Natural History also has a childrens discovery room that is very hands on and includs a stuffed polar bear standing on its hind feed (about 7 or 8 feet tall!)
Griffith Park and here
One of the greatest urban park complexes in the USA and comprising over 4,000 acres, Griffith Park is home to a number of wonderful family-friendly attractions. Also, if you're from out of state, it may be your only chance to see the natural chapparal which covered most of California's hills and valleys before they were built over.
Foremost among the attractions is the Los Angeles Zoo . Get there right when it opens if the day will be warm; the zoo requires a lot of walking and can be difficult on a hot day. The gift shops are great. You can buy food or bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at the children's playground, which is very well designed and a lot of fun for the kids. If you're a member of your local zoo be sure to bring your membership card because they honor many, but not all, in a reciprocal agreement.
For the locomotive buffs among you there's Travel Town which has literally dozens of old steam locomotives, diesel locomotives, train cars, trolleys as well as some other forms of mechanical transportation. There is even a small train you can ride for a small fee; entrance to Travel Town is free. Also check out L.A. Live Steamers which offers lots of scale model trains, including one you can get a ride on (must be 36"), it's next door to Travel Town. The Live Steamers are only open to the public on Sundays.
Then there is the great Griffith Observatory, nestled high in the Hollywood Hills and recently reopened after an extensive expansion. Built in the 1930s, the building is one of the finest examples of art deco architecture in the world and the walkways on top offer what are among the very best views of Los Angeles (the building has been featured in a number of movies including Rebel Without A cause and The Terminator). Inside is a wonderful museum of astronomy and planetary science with many well thought out displays and exhibits. Though the exhibits are highly accessible to the general public this is not "dummed down" science! Among the the attractions and exhibits are:
- 12 inch refracting telescope on the roof, open nightly, with a staff member telling you what you're seeing. There may also be smaller but just as powerfull telescopes outside, on the surrounding grounds, with museum staff explaining everything.
- Explanations of our sun and all the planets
- Meteor exhibit including real meteors as well as some great motion pictures of meteors streaking across the sky (reality TV indeed!)
- Seismology exhibit including a working seismograph (kids love jumping up and down to make the graph jiggle)
- Brand new planetarium with a live lecture/presentation by a member of the staff (Zeiss Universarium Mark IX star projector -- one of only 4 in the world at this writing, as well as the Digistar-3 laser projection system)
- Main rotunda at the entrance with a fabulous mural by Hugo Ballin (painted in the 1930s) depicting "The March Of Science Through The Ages"
- Tesla coil (500,000 volts of sparking electricity-- a most spectacular exhibit, you will have to ask an attendant to turn it on) . This particular exhibit has nothing to do with astronomy but was a favorite with the public in the decades preceding the renovation so they kept it
- Truly spectacular views of Los Angeles. The best views are to be had at dusk so you can see the city come alive at night. On a clear day you can see all the way to Catalina Island. If possible, go right after a rain so the air will be clear.
- A nice cafe with better than average food and a patio you can eat on while savoring the view!
Griffith Park also has pony rides, horseback riding, a carousel, a little train ride, and much more.
Note also that directly across from the zoo is the Gene Autry Museum of the Southwest.
La Brea Tar Pits (part of Museum Row, on Wilshire near Fairfax)
The world's richest site for ice age fossils and I believe the only source for saber tooth cat fossils. If you or your kids like science this is a must see. The oil rich landscape created tar lakes (still there, bubbling away, but fenced in) that get covered with water during rains. The animals would go down to get a drink and get trapped, then predators would attack the already trapped animals and become trapped themselves. It is, as a result, one of the only sites in the world where predator fossils outnumber prey! There are still small animals and birds that get trapped in the tar.
Although there are no dinosaurs at La Brea (the last ice age occurred thousands of years ago but dinosaurs lived millions of years ago) there are fossils of giant wooly mammoths, saber toothed cats (not really tigers, as the guides like to point out), North American lions(!), miniature horses and much more. Go into The Page Museum, on the grounds, and be sure to take the guided tour. Kids will enjoy the tour because it explains what the exhibits mean in a way that is not condescending but which is still fun. Here's a link to a picture of one of the tar lakes with a model of a wooly mammoth trapped in the gooey mess, in the background is the Page Museum.
Petersen Automotive Museum (part of Museum Row, on Wilshire near Fairfax)
Do you like cars? No? Wouldn't you like to see cars that were custom built for Kings, Presidents or Popes? How about exotic European Sports cars that are more like sculptures than mechanical devices? Maybe Hollywood Star Cars are you cup of tea, or maybe full scale, working versions of matchbox cars? Perhaps classic hot rods or early motorcycles or "Guitars and Cars"? You get the idea. Across the street from the LA County Museum of Art.
Los Angeles County Museum Of Art -- Children's Gallery (part of Museum Row, on Wilshire near Fairfax)
Closed until sometime in 2007, the Children's Gallery has had, in the past, a mixed bag of stuff, sometimes wonderfull (e.g., huge mounds of clay that kids can climb on, psychedelic rooms kids can help paint) and sometimes not so great. Check what's there before going in. Across the street from the Peterson Automotive Museum (above)
Are you coming to Los Angeles for a few days and want to try it all? The Go Los Angeles Card is a budget-friendly way to see all the famous Los Angeles attractions without breaking your wallet at the seams. The Go Los Angeles Card includes tickets to Universal Studios, Aquarium of the Pacific, California Science Musuem, Golf N' Stuff, Kidspace Children's Museum, Zimmer Children's Museum , Bike Rentals, Hollywood Wax Museum,and the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens (plus many more attractions more Adult and Teen friendly like Hollywood Tours and Museums.) Great deal on Universal Studios and other Family-Oriented Los Angles Attractions for the Budget minded. Includes some San Diego Attractions, too.
Cabrillo Marine Museum (San Pedro, next door to Palos Verdes)
A small gem of a museum -- designed by Frank Gehry -- showcasing the marine environment of southern California. This museum is designed for school age kids and if you go during the week it will be full of school kids (or campers, during the summer). Many small exhibits that kids can get up close to showing how tides work, what the inter-tidal zone is, a wonderfull jellyfish tank, how shellfish eat and get eaten, etc. In the new building they also have an exhibit of microscopic sea life with real microscopes set up for you to look in. They also have a great touch tank with frequent shows.
Be sure to check out their web site in advance to find out when they do tidal walks --- usually early in the morning (perfect for visting Easter Coasters still on Eastern time). They take you out over a very rocky area -- not suitable for very little kids -- and you get to explore the tidal pools with a guide. You'll find live star fish, anemones, see cucumbers, crabs, etc.
The museum is right next to a beach area and playground. The only problem is that it's a bit out of the way in San Pedro, about 40-60 min from downtown LA, but worth the trip. If you go, be sure to take the short drive to the see the Korean Friendship Bell , an absolutely beautiful bell signifying friendship between the Korean and American peoples (lots of running around room for kids). Also right nearby is the Marine Animal Sanctuary for sick and injured marine animals like sea lions and seals. The holding pens are viewable to the public and they also have a small exhibit area. Warning: the animals can be smelly!
Star Eco Station (in Culver City, not far from Beverly Hills)
A very unusual place -- an environmental science and animal rescue site. Open to the public for guided tours (check the web site for times) and well worth your while if your kids worry about abandoned animal, natural habitats, etc. All the animals there -- and they're pretty much all exotic animals -- were abandoned by someone, usually some fool who thought that an exotic baby animal would make a good pet and then couldn't handle it when it grew up. Eco Station is a government designated wildlife rescue site and has the animals in very nicely displayed cages, terariums, etc. They run a lot of school programs and the tours are heavy on education but fascinating.
This Disney owned movie theater is a throwback to another era, when movies and live acts coexisted, for with every show comes a live stage performance by singers, dancers and an organist! On Hollywood Blvd. A real movie theater palace from the old days. Only Disney movies. Very reasonably priced for what you get.
Geffen Theater's Staturday Kids Show
The Geffen Theater in Westwood has inexpensive Saturday plays for kids and family. This is a great way to introduce your kids to live theater through age appropriate productions by seasoned, professional actors.
Glendale Centre Theater's Kids Shows
The Glendale Centre Theater, in Glendale (of course) has live Saturday shows for children and families. This intimate, semi-professional theater has low ticket prices and fun productions for their kids shows.
Whether you should take your kids to Hollywood Blvd depends on what you like and who you talk to. The street had long ago fallen into the depths of tawdriness, and years ago it was widely known as a place where teen runaways were at risk of being picked up by hustlers. A few years ago it underwent a huge resurgence, largely due to Disney money, and today is a major tourist destination. The stores are now just like the stores you find in any mall, the "gift" stores sell the same trinkets you can find anywhere else in LA, and Fredericks Of Hollywood (which used to be a destination for local strippers) is just a pale version of Victoria's Secret.
On the other hand, it has the El Capitan theater (above), the Chinese Theater (the one with footprints & signatures in concrete) and the sidewalk of stars (if you love old movies you'll probably like these -- but your kids won't have heard of most of the people on the sidewalk or at the Chinese Theater), and a number of other attractions. See the above link for more details and judge for yourself. If you have a reason to go to something on Hollywood Blvd (like a show at the El Capitan) then by all means walk around, but you may not think it otherwise a destination in itself
. Catalina Island
A short one hour ferry ride from Long Beach (or Dana Point in Orange County), Catalina Island is a fun one or two day excursion to explore with kids. The ferry drops you right in the main town where you can walk to numerous restaurants, shops, amusements (i.e., miniature golf) and other sites.
For the more adventurous, try one of the submarine rides that takes you to explore the marine life in the bay (note: although you are submerged in the sub, the sub never actually drops below the water line) or take a hike on the roads to explore the outskirts of the town. The roads skirt the mountainous sea shore which makes for very scenic (and aerobic) hiking.
PLAYGROUNDS
If you've got little kids you may need some playground time during your stay in LA (slides, sand boxes, swings, etc., that kind of playground). Here are several excellent playgounds which will be crawling with kids after school and after camp during the summers. Note that most playgounds in Southern California use sand in the play area, not wood chips or shredded tires as is common in other parts of the country.
Muscle Beach / Venice Beach: Part of Venice and adjacent to and just north of muscle beach -- itself a great people watching spot -- is a wonderful little playground right on the beach and not far from the bathrooms. By 10:00 am this starts filling up with kids & their parents or nannies. Take Venice Blvd all the way to the ocean and find a place a park. It will be just a couple of blocks north of Venice on Ocean Front Walk (around 19th Place). Here's a picture, taken in February at around 10:00 AM
Roxbury Park on the West Side. Part of the Beverly Hills parks department. Olympic and Roxbury (a little east of Century City). One of the most elegant municipal parks you'll ever find -- read this review. Two playgrounds, one for very little kids, one for slightly bigger kids (8 and under). They also have a misting device going on hot days.
La Cienega Park On the West Side, On La Cienega between Olympic & Wilshire. Also run by the Beverly Hills Parks department. Don't let the mediocre picture on their web site fool you, this is a beautiful park and playground. Wonderfull and somewhat unusual slide (instead of a smooth surface, the slide is made of rolling pins). Kids love this playground. Two sections, one for little kids and another for older ones. Good people watching too as they have set up outdoor chess boards.
Cheviot Hills Park (in West LA)
A HUGE complex with play areas, a public pool, baseball diamonds and a par 3 golf course. On Motor Avenue just south of Pico Blvd.
A charming park with a play area for the little kids as well as a public pool. Just off Melrose at 647 N. San Vicente Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069. Across from the magnificent Pacific Design center
Family Restaurants and Family Dining
1) Ruby's
Many locations, but the one at Newport Beach Pier has nicer views. Basic American food. Good burgers, fries, malts. Kid's menu has many choices. Best of all, a little toy with the kid menu.
2) Ever dependable CPK (California Pizza Kitchen)
Quality is pretty consistent for the chain. Kid's menu, crayons, activity book. Don't miss the kid's hot fudge sundae - it's actually pretty good. Wolfgang Puck's Pizza Kitchen is also pretty good without being fussy -- I really like the goat cheese and prosciutto pizza.
3) In-N-Out
Fast food hamburgers at their best! They brag about how they don't even own heat lamps because everything is cooked to order. Ask for sticker books for the (younger) kids to occupy them with while you wait for the made to order burgers
4) Any Asian restaurants. Honestly - nobody minds if your child makes a mess, has no table manners or talks too loud. The best ones are usually located in the San Gabriel Valley (Monterey Park, Arcadia, etc.)
5) Hometown Buffet
All you can eat buffet place - the kids seems to like the choice of food, including mac-n-cheese, tacos, pizza, etc. Thursday there's a person dressed up in a bee costume handling out balloons.
6) Campanile
Have to throw in something for the parents who want a good meal, but want to take the kid along. No children menu but seen plenty of kids with strollers, etc. The seating area at the front of the restaurant is very casual, with tiled floors, and wicker chairs. Not a problem if you kid makes a mess. La Brea Bakery is next door.
7) Farmer's Market at 3rd and Fairfax
Outstanding choice of food for all ages -- it's in the spirit of a street fair with many food and souvenir vendors. An especially good place to go to if you are in the Fairfax/CBS Studios area or want to go to The Grove (outdoor shopping mall) -- or just for some great people watching. Note that the Farmer's Market is really 2 things, the original Farmer's Market with its outdoor eating and shopping area, and The Grove which is an open air, upscale mall. Most people love one or the other, some even love both. Note that this is very near the CBS studios.
8) Afloat Sushi at Old Town Pasadena
A fun and lowkey restaurant where sushi and appetizers float in little boats down a canal built into the bar, right in front of you. Good for the novelty factor. You can order standard hot food like tempura too, and for unadventurous kids you can always just get plain rice. They'll still love seeing the food float by.
Downtown Disney has a lot of child friendly restaurants that caters to the tourists. A good restaurant nearby, especially for breakfast is Jaegarhaus (German, on Ball Road exit near fwy 57, Anaheim).
Fortunately rainy days are rare here. If you must, there are plenty of kid museums that can entertain them (Santa Ana Discovery Musuem, Children's Museum at La Habra). There are always malls with children activities and rides. South Coast Plaza even has a museum.
Arguably the most famous restaurant in LA, and located a very short distance from the Staples Center, The Original Pantry has been open 24 hours/day since 1924 -- and it has never been remodeled. It's like walking into a Bogart movie from the 30s . Huge portions & cheaply priced. Note: The Pantry does not accept credit cards or checks. You might wonder who you would see there at, say, 5:00 am on a Sunday morning. The answer is (a) men with guns ( policeman in street clothes going on or off shift -- the place is near police HQ), (b) tourists and convention goers still on East Coast or European time zones, (c) laborers & truckers looking for a huge, cheap breakfast, (d) twenty-somethings who have been out all night, etc.
If you're there for breakfast, when they ask what kind of bread you want, be sure to say you want the Sourdough. Slathered in butter and toasted on the griddle, these huge, 1-2 inch thick slabs of fresh sourdough will be the equal or better of anything you can find in San Francisco. You can just place an order of the bread, if you want.
Directions: 877 S. Figueroa , off ot the 110 N freeway at 9th (eg, Santa Monica Fwy East to the 110 N to 9th and you're there!)
Warnings: Cash only, no credit cards, and on a Saturday or Sunday morning the line outside starts at around 8:00 am. There may be lengthy waits by around 10:00 am.
A well known Southern California chain, most or all restaurants are open 24 hours. Justifiably famous for their buttermilk pancakes (and outstanding hash brown potatoes, a delicacy generally not found in the Northeastern U.S.). Norms is what people on the East Coast would call a diner, but here is referred to as a "coffee shop" (not to be confused with Starbucks-like places). Cheap food -- good if you set your expections right.
El Coyote On the West side, a well known Mexican restaurant, beautifully decorated in a Mexican motif. The waitresses all wear colorful Mexican dresses. Large portions. Inexpensive. Large rooms. Expect to wait on a Friday or Saturday night. This is classic LA Mexican food of a type also known in other parts of the country as Tex Mex. Some people don't care for this style of Mexican, and some have even argued that it's not authentic -- but neither are most Chinese restaurants in America authentic, but that doesn't keep them from bing wonderul.
Del Taco Surprisingly good Mexican fast food, much better than other chains. All over Southern California
Canter's Deli On the West Side, on Fairfax, not too far from Museum Row. Outstanding deli and very tolerant of kids. Unbelievable bakery at the front of the store -- your kids will pester you to get some cookies or cake on the way out. Open 24 hours. Free validated parking. If you're from an area without a sizeable Jewish poplulation then you probably haven't had good Jewish deli and owe it to yourself to come here and get a corned beef or pastrami sandwhich (luscious and succulent, ready to melt in your mouth -- be sure to get them on rye). Chicken soup is sublime and may transport you to another dimension. Bean soup has a transcendent quality to it. Stuffed cabbage liable to make you think you're in Lithuania. Good hot dogs and burgers for you-know-who!
