Where to go in Los Angeles With Kids

Jade Broadus is one third of the adventure family blog, Vagabond3. Along with her husband and 4-year old daughter, they hope to encourage families to know that not only is adventure travel with kids possible, it’s fun! Jade has also written for National Geographic and Parents Magazine, and has photos in in-flight magazines that circle the globe.

If ever there was a city that wears a lot of hats it’d be Los Angeles, and they’d range from floppy sun shield to a Dodger’s baseball hat. The City of Angels is equal parts laid back, SoCal surfers paradise and bustling, trendy cultural hub. With new restaurants opening up every day, hundreds of different museums and art galleries catered to just as many interests, 320 days of sunshine a year and the prettiest winter sunsets, Los Angeles is bound to draw you in and not let you go.

The Best Things About Los Angeles with Kids

There is always something going on – whether it’s a Laker’s Game in DTLA, a surf competition in Manhattan Beach, wine tasting in Malibu, a comedy show in Silverlake or a new restaurant opening in Santa Monica, there is something for everyone here.
From Griffith Park to Runyon Canyon, Point Dume to the Santa Monica Mountains, there are dozens of amazing hiking trails that take you from the city to complete nature within 15 minutes of parking.
LA has cornered the idea of casual Fridays. Flip flops and white jeans are always appropriate no matter the day of the week.
It’s a melting pot of cultures, and while they’ve blended together to create Los Angeles as a whole, each one still has definitive parts of the city where they thrive on their own, allowing visitors to experience Koreatown, Japantown, Little Ethiopia, Chinatown, and more, through museums, restaurants and shopping.

What to do in Los Angeles with Kids

Sounds of LA, Free Music Series at the Getty Center throughout the Spring
L.A.’s Festival of Colors, March 7th, bringing India’s traditional Holi festival to Southern California
Catch a theater show at Hollywood’s Pantage Theatre
Smorgasburg at The Row DTLA is the Sunday afternoon treat everyone will love – half food market, half shopping experience, free parking
Join the regular family events at Griffith Observatory
First Time Fridays are a once a month opportunity to see amazing exhibits at LACMA for free.

Things to Know About Visiting LA with Kids

Los Angeles is best explored through its neighborhoods, as the rumors about traffic in LA are true. Sticking with one neighborhood a day is your best bet for having an amazing experience and getting the most out of each day.
While most days are warm and sunny, late spring can be cold and gloomy in Los Angeles. If you want a surefire hot day at the beach, plan a trip for late August through November.
Want to see Griffith Park, The Observatory, The Hollywood Sign and Train Town all in one day? No worries- take the Griffith Park Trolley. It’s a great way to park once and see several sights within one afternoon.
The Walk of Fame isn’t ideal for young kids as there are tons of people and it’s on busy streets. If you want to see some stars, get movie tickets for a show at Disney’s El Capitan Theatre and ride the subway in and out of the area so you don’t pay expensive parking fees.

Tips For Traveling To Los Angeles With Kids

Los Angeles is very much a driving city, and while you can use a stroller at one of the many outdoor malls, you won’t find it super easy at any of the major tourist attractions. We’d suggest baby wearing or a toddler hiking backpack for kids who don’t want to walk.
It is best to rent a car and drive in Los Angeles, as the subway doesn’t provide enough spots within each neighborhood to get where you might want to go.
Instead of renting a car at a lot near LAX, we suggest bringing your own car seat and taking a taxi or UBER to a car rental location a bit further away. The lines will be significantly less and you’ll be in and out a lot quicker.
Most restaurants are open until 10pm or later on the weekends but Sunday through Wednesday expect them to start closing the kitchens around 9:00pm.
For any baby gear you may have forgotten, no worries, there are plenty of chain stores to pick up diapers, baby food and formula.
From LAX to Disneyland it’s about 2 hours on the freeway. If you want to visit the park, it’s best to plan an overnight down there and another stay in LA proper.
To feel like “you’ve seen Los Angeles” plan a full week trip staying in different parts of the city. You’ll be able to feel like a local by walking to many of the most popular attractions and restaurants and you’ll find which neighborhood is your vibe.

A Mom’s Guide to Neighborhoods in LA

1. Glendale

Most people will talk about Glendale in relation to it’s proximity to DTLA, Hollywood, and the Studios, but Glendale has become a retreat in its own right. Compared to the rest of Los Angles, Glendale developed at a different pace and kept its distinct culture and style. Walking through the town, you’ll find unique Armenian bakeries mixed with some of the top restaurants and stores in Los Angeles. Back at your accommodations, the design will feel more palatial with a wink back to Golden Era of Hollywood Hills home life.

2. Malibu

Malibu stands apart from every other beach city in Los Angeles because of its high end feel organically blended with the rugged natural landscape. Unlike Santa Monica or the Beach Cities, shopping and dining is limited here, leaving room only for the best options. Staying here, the focus is on high-end outdoor life: beautiful beaches, great pools, and champagne sunsets. For everything else, the PCH quickly connects you to Santa Monica.

3. Santa Monica

LA’s original, and still best, beach city. Born out of pleasure piers and street racing, Santa Monica was the first beach resort to grow into a full city. With 150+ years of refinement, it’s now the ideal mix of beach and city. Staying here, every amenity a family needs is within walking distance, while all the unique shops and dining that make LA a brag-worthy vacation spot are equally close. The cherry on top is that you’re never more than twenty minutes from the beach.

4. Highland Park

Highland Park is the most recent area of the LA to get a major facelift. All along York Blvd and Figueroa St, there is an ever evolving mix of generational storefronts and modern boutique shops. Overall, the standout star here is dining. Aside from downtown, Highland Park is home to the most exciting food scene in LA and (better than downtown) it’s all walkable.

5. Hollywood Hills

A vacation in the Hollywood Hills is an escape. Tucked into one of the rolling canyon walls, the view from this area of LA is yellow-green flora and blue skies. Making reservations to stay here is committing a serene, sequestered lifestyle – great for relaxing or for hosting multi-family or multi-generational holiday. When going out, this area is convenient to Hollywood, WeHo, and the Valley.

6. Hancock Park

Hancock Park is a feeling as much as a destination. Located in the heart of the city, the tree lines streets and their thick shade signal that this is apart of LA and a part from LA. Staying here is one of the most central locations, giving easy access to Hollywood, West Hollywood, and DTLA, while maintaining the exclusive and high-end vibe of the Hollywood Hills.

7. Playa del Rey

Playa del Rey is the best vacation spot in LA if you’re looking for a beach destination that feels remote while still being relatively close to the city’s other attractions. While ‘Silicone Beach’ has grown up all around it, Playa Del Rey has managed to maintain is surfer-town vibe, having only a handful of dining options and ultra wide beaches. Reconnecting with the rest of Los Angeles is just a short walk or bike ride away – which will take you to Venice and Santa Monica – while it’s proximity to the lesser traveled 90 freeway puts you in the heart of Culver City in about twenty minutes.

8. Los Feliz

Los Feliz is the high end section of LA’s last re-beatification phase. A stay here is pinned between two bookends, the sprawling Griffith Park and the complex landscape of dining and attractions in the Los Feliz / Silverlake / Echo Park triangle. To start with Griffith Park is home to an amazing collection of LA’s best sights, from the year round Zoo, Observatory, hiking, and Greek Theater to the seasonal Shakespeare in the Park, Haunted Hayride, and horseback riding. With the outdoors covered, the next step is to fill your insides, which Los Feliz more than manages by overwhelming visitors with a variable landscape of old and new dining options stretching on for miles.

9. West Hollywood

WeHo is where to stay if you want to experience a bit of everything LA has to offer. Over its lifetime, West Hollywood has been known for many things – Melrose Blvd Shopping, LGBT nightlife, Sunset Strip Venues, and the immersive ‘The Grove’. Now, all the different sides of the city are overlapping with exciting shops, dining and attractions happing from Sunset to the very North all the way down to the Southern reach of Museum Row. Staying here gives families quick access to so many of LA’s best attractions – it’s a city vacation where you actually live and breath the city.

10. Manhattan Beach

Manhattan Beach strikes a balance between fun-in-the-sun beach living and the upscale amenities of highly reviewed dining and boutique shopping. Here you’re never very far from the beach, whether you’re lounging on the patio or chowing down on an LA Eater top pick. For exploration, Manhattan Beach is part of the ‘Beach Cities’ of Los Angeles, all of which are easily accessible via the shoreline bike path – stretching from Santa Monica all the way through Redondo Beach. Staying here makes the rest of LA feel far away, and that’s what brings vacations here time and time again.

11. Pasadena

Over the past few decades, Pasadena has quietly become a safer, more accessible alternative to exploring downtown Los Angeles. The city is overflowing with museums, fresh dining, modern art galleries, and shopping, all while maintaining its light airy outdoor focused vibe that lets visitors stroll from end to end all day and into the night. While it’s a quick drive from Pasadena to LA proper and The Studios, vacationing here is best suited for those wanting to stay and play in Pasadena.

12. Venice Beach

Venice Beach is where art and culture meet luxury living. Even as recent as a decade ago, Venice was still one of the grittier cities in LA, but that’s different now. While the boardwalk has maintained it’s somewhat wild vibe, the rest of the area has embraced the emerging artists and makers. The Venice of today is a great place to shop for art and design all while wearing a bikini.

Booking Your Family-Friendly Stay in Los Angeles

Whether you’re looking for a beach break in Santa Monica or a cultural break with kids in the city, you’ll find the perfect family-friendly LA vacation rental on Kid & Coe.

Where to go in Los Angeles with Kids: A Mom’s Guide