Hellobee

We’re headed to Los Angeles in October for our longest visit yet, so I’ve been thinking about the places I want to take the kids. Even though we’ve visited my parents there many times (and I lived there for over 20 years), we haven’t done too much sightseeing because we’re usually busy hanging out with friends and family and Olive gets really car sick. We were able to plan our driving around naptimes when she was younger, but now that she no longer naps and really hates getting in the car, it’s getting trickier — she is used to subways and scooters!

Some of the places the kids have been to include Disneyland, Legoland, LA Zoo, Long Beach Aquarium, Irvine Spectrum, Pretend City, The Korean Friendship Bell/San Pedro Beach, and Newport Beach. There are so many more places I want to share with them that I went to often growing up, but I’ve focused on the more tourist-friendly destinations below so that this post is helpful to visitors to the Los Angeles area.

W H E R E  T O  S T A Y

Los Angeles is a huge city that requires a lot of driving, has an extensive freeway system, and a lot of traffic, so it can be a bit of a challenge to navigate as a tourist.

The Halloween Parade runs from September 20th. via disneytouristblog

If you’re going to Disneyland or California Adventure, which is located about an hour east of Los Angeles without traffic, I would spend a night or two in that area (Anaheim) to get an early start and not worry about having to drive far after a long day.

Though both the Hollywood and downtown areas have changed and improved immensely in recent years (they used to be areas locals avoided), I still don’t go to those neighborhoods often, I guess like I never went to Times Square when I lived in New York. Or perhaps it’s just because I’m getting old because my younger brother currently lives in downtown LA. When I was in my 20’s, Hollywood was really having a resurgence with the best clubs and bars there. Then downtown LA had its resurgence with its nightlife and sleek modern hotels. But for traveling with kids, I recommend a couple different neighborhoods below.

The Greater Wilshire area (or Beverly Grove), especially Hancock Park, is a historic residential neighborhood located in the center of Los Angeles close to Hollywood, Sunset, Beverly Hills, the Farmer’s Market, Westwood, downtown, and much more, making it an ideal starting point for many attractions. This is the area I’d stay if I were visiting Los Angeles to minimize driving. Larchmont Village, a charming street with restaurants and shops in the Hancock Park area, is one of my favorite places in Los Angeles. My brother even spotted Brad Pitt at nearby Pink’s Hot Dogs, which is a notorious celebrity spotting site.

via Discover Los Angeles

Beverly Hills/Century City, just to the west of the map above, is also a great location with lots of hotels, shopping, and restaurants. And if you want to spend a lot of time exploring beaches, Santa Monica is a great option with nearby Venice Beach and Malibu.

W H A T  T O  E A T

The food scene in New York is incredible, but I still prefer the food in Los Angeles due to the large number of ethnic neighborhoods where you can get truly authentic ethnic cuisine. It’s been over a decade since I lived in Los Angeles so any specific restaurant recommendations would be outdated. So instead I’ll share my favorite ethnic neighborhoods:

Ethiopian dinner at Meals by Genet via The Delicious Life

• Koreatown (bbq, karaoke bars, cheap spa treatments and much more!)
• Little Ethiopia (get the honey wine!)
• Thai Town (super duper spicy just how I like it!)
• East LA (Mexican… my favorite!)

I could eat spicy ethnic food every day of my life!

Of course you can’t miss In n Out (I like protein style aka wrapped in lettuce), and though I do think Shake Shack tastes better, I can eat In n Out more often because it is much lighter. I grew up on it and will always love it.

If you find yourself in downtown LA, there are a myriad of food options at Grand Central Market with Eggslut being the most popular stand.

Grand Central Market via Bon Apetit

W H E R E  T O  S H O P

I grew up hanging out at the mall with my friends when I was a kid. Even if we had no money we could spend the whole day there, usually looking at cassette tape singles at Sam Goody and Wherehouse. And if we did have money, we would eat lunch at Panda Express or S’barros and watch a movie. Ah the good old days!

Some of the most kid-friendly places to shop include:

The Grove

• The Grove/Original Farmer’s Market – a beautiful outdoor shopping center that is great for families. The famous Farmer’s Market is located adjacent, and you’ll find cute little shops in addition to food there.
• Old Town, Pasadena – a little bit out of the way, but this was always one of my favorite places to meet up with friends for dinner and do a little shopping.
• Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica – With the beach, the pier, and lots of shops, restaurants and street performers here, it’s a great place to squeeze in a little shopping while the kids can still have lots of fun.

Growing up in Los Angeles, my all time favorite places to shop were definitely the Beverly Center Mall and the shops that lined Melrose Avenue.

W H A T  T O  D O

Amusement Parks

Disneyland/California Adventure – I took Charlie and Olive to Disneyland when Olive was almost 2 (and still free!) and Charlie was 3 1/2. I think 4 is the perfect age to go for the first time when kids understand everything and it’s still so magical. But you’re never too old for Disneyland and I know we’ll be going again and again!

Harry Potter World via LA Times

Universal Studios/Universal Citywalk – Growing up my favorite amusement park to take visiting family was Universal Studios because there weren’t long lines like Disneyland or scary rides like Six Flags Magic Mountain, and there was something for all ages. They opened Harry Potter World last year and it’s at the top of my list of places to visit since I’ve never been! I also spent a lot of time at Universal Citywalk as a teenager (which you’ll walk through to get to Universal Studios) watching movies and hanging out, and it’s a fun, energetic place in the evenings.

Beaches

There are so many beaches in the Los Angeles/Orange County area, and I like different ones for different reasons.

Zuma Beach via California Beaches

Laguna Beach (Orange County) and Zuma Beach (Malibu) – Though they are both a bit far and on the opposite ends from LA, they’re my favorite Southern California beaches with the clearest water and least people. I grew up going to Zuma Beach with my family, but once we moved to Orange County, I went to Laguna Beach as often as I could during summer vacation.

via California Beaches

Venice Canals and Boardwalk – I like to park in Venice and explore the canals and walk around. Abbot Kinney Blvd. has lots of cool coffee shops, clothing stores, and restaurants. Then head to the Boardwalk, stopping to check out the guys working out at Muscle Beach. Rent a bike or rollerskates and head to Santa Monica. It’s not too far, and the people watching is the best.

via California Beaches

Santa Monica Pier/3rd Street Promenade – There is a wealth of things to do in this area including an amusement park on the pier, a mall, a promenade, a playground, and so much more.

via Catalina Chamber

Catalina Island – Just an hour ferry ride away from Long Beach or San Pedro, this island is one of my favorite destinations in southern California. Spend the day there or stay overnight. There are lots of water sports and nature activities to do. I went scuba diving my first time there when I was 15, and my life was changed! I went back many times in my early 20’s specifically to dive, and it is one of the best scuba sites in southern California.

via wedding-spot

Korean Bell of Friendship – The Friendship Bell was gifted to America from South Korea, so you can imagine that we pretty much brought every single one of our Korean relatives here. Situated at the top of a hill in San Pedro, the views of the Pacific Ocean are stunning (many weddings are held here) and you can even see Catalina Island on a clear day. Head to nearby Cabrillo Marine Aquarium for free and then to the marina to eat some dungeness crab. From January to April, you can also whale watch here. I did it on an elementary school field trip and have never forgotten the experience.

Parks

Griffith Park – Griffith Park is one of the largest parks in America and has so much to offer from the Griffith Observatory to train rides, horseback riding, train rides, the LA Zoo, golf, and so much more. I spent many weekends picnicking here in my childhood. It is truly an icon of Los Angeles.

Huntington Library via Stuff in LA

Huntington Library (Pasadena) – Even as a kid I loved going to these botanical gardens. Spend the day here and then have dinner in nearby Old Town!

Museums

via Edit Magazine

Getty Museum – If you can only make it to one museum, make it this one. Visually stunning, spectacular views, a beautiful garden, incredible artwork… and free! A can’t miss destination if you’re visiting Los Angeles.

LACMA via Art News

La Brea Tar Pits/LACMA – These two museums are adjacent to each other, and I probably went every year as a child on field trips. The LACMA has many child-friendly exhibits, and every kid will love exploring the dinosaurs at the Tar Pits. There are many other kids’ museums, but I haven’t mentioned them since there are so many outdoor spaces to explore in Los Angeles that are both adult and kid-friendly!

Shows

via Discover LA

Hollywood Bowl – Summertime shows at the Hollywood Bowl are the best. Some of them feature fireworks, and you can score very inexpensive seats towards the back. I tried to go every summer and have seen everything from concerts like Radiohead to the Los Angeles Philharmonic playing John Williams’ greatest hits.

T I P S

– The weather in LA from day to night can change dramatically (up to 40 degrees!) so bring layers.

– Download the WAZE app. When you live in LA, you know a bunch of different local and freeway routes to take to minimize travel time. WAZE can help you drive like a local.

– Give the Metro a chance. Its route has been expanded to include many popular tourist attractions including Santa Monica, Universal Studios, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, downtown, etc. I can’t speak for it firsthand since I’ve never taken it, but my mom takes it regularly to commute to work and avoid traffic and she’s a fan!

– Plan your trips around rush hour because the rumors are true… traffic is baaaad.

– You don’t have to fly into LAX. There’s also the Bob Hope Burbank Airport, the Ontario Airport in San Bernardino, and the John Wayne Airport in Orange Country.

via Hollywood Reporter

I haven’t mentioned things like the Hollywood Walk of Fame or the Mann Chinese Theater since I never take visitors there and it’s not really fun for kids, but feel free to check it them out if they’re on your list!

And if I think about day trips: Big Bear, Mountain High (skiing/snowboarding without mountain driving), Palm Springs, Solvang, Heart Castle, San Luis Obispo, Temecula, San Diego/La Jolla… there are so many more places to visit!

What are some of your must do/see/eat things in Los Angeles? And please feel free to ask me any questions about the Los Angeles/Orange Country area!