Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest
When traveling to California, probably the most popular place to visit is the Los Angeles Area. In planning a trip with children, it is important to plan activities that will be safe and fun for the whole family. Below are many different types of activities for various ages and price ranges.
Beaches
- Santa Monica
For an exciting and eventful day at the beach, Santa Monica is a great place for families. Along the sunny, palm street lined streets, the beach stretches for about a mile, and in the middle is the pier, which holds Santa Monicas Pacific Park. Pacific Park is a boardwalk over the ocean, featuring midway games and rides, including a roller coaster with a wonderful ocean view. With a special area full of rides for the little ones, this is a perfect activity for families with older or younger children. Be prepared to pay for parking, games, and ride tickets.
- Malibu
If you are looking for a fun day at the beach to kick back, body surf, enjoy the sand and the sun, and mingle with the locals, then Malibu is definitely the place. Take a trip up Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy 1) and you will find a number of great beaches. Zuma, the most popular choice, has snack shops, volleyball courts, and decent waves. It is usually crowded in the summer, particularly on the weekends. Drive a little further up the coast, and you will find more private beaches with fewer crowds. There are too many great little beaches, but on the way, you may want to stop at Neptunes Net, a casual seafood joint across on the Los Angeles County/ Ventura County Border. Neptunes Net, where you can eat on a patio overlooking the ocean, is famous for their cheap and delicious seafood, as well as for its appearance in some movies.
Amusement Parks
Choosing which amusement parks you will visit can be a difficult task. With so many in Southern California, it can be hard to make a decision, below are some recommendations for deciding based on the specific needs of your family.
- Disneyland
Whether you have older or younger children, Disneyland is wonderful vacation destination. From a local who has been ever year of her life, as well as a season pass holder as an adult, you can take it from me; it really is the happiest place on earth. Disneyland is the best amusement park as it comes as a whole package. Its not just the rides, but also the shows, the food, the music, the setting, which creates such a wonderfully fun atmosphere. For your visit to Disneyland, you can now visit 2 parks, as there is also California Adventure. In between the two parks, Downtown Disney is a fun place for shopping and eating, as well as featuring ESPN Zone, a giant sports arcade. To make your trip complete, I recommend staying in one of the resort hotels at Disneyland, where your whole family can feel a bit more Disney. More information about ticket prices, attractions, and hotels can be found at Disneyland.com
- Knotts Berry Farm
If you really want to visit a unique park, different from all others and found nowhere else, Knotts Berry Farm features the Peanuts characters with a bunch of fun rides for the little ones in Camp Snoopy, but also has great attractions for the whole family. Fast roller coasters for older kids, water rides that all can enjoy, and unique shows and attractions such as a ghost town, western themed area, an Indian village, and of course, Snoopy on Ice. Discount tickets are often found at local stores, and kids tickets are always pretty cheap at Knotts. To finish off your day, do some shopping in the little shops outside the park, and dont forget to visit Mrs. Knotts Chicken Dinner Restaurant. Before there was ever a theme park, Knotts consisted of a simple berry farm and a chicken restaurant. Today, the chicken restaurant still serves the best fried chicken around, as well as yummy mashed potatoes and vegetables, delicious pies and other desserts, and all at reasonable prices. Knotts Berry Farm, which is usually not very crowded, makes a great day trip.
- Universal Studios
While definitely a place to get a feel for the Hollywood movie making scene, Universal would not be a great place to bring small children. Older kids, however, will definitely love going behind the scenes on the studio back lot tour, and will love the rides based on their favorite movies. Jurassic Park is featured in an exciting water ride, you can zip Back to the Future with a motion machine ride in a replica of the time machine from the movie, and the newest attraction based on The Mummy, is a roller coaster ride with effects like no other ride around. There are also a number of great shows and attractions, which change on a regular basis based on the popular movies of the time. After visiting the park, you can also mingle around CityWalk, a favorite for locals, with some of the best shopping and dining in town.
- Six Flags Magic Mountain
Magic Mountain has more roller coasters, and more exciting roller coasters, than probably any other park in the country, but is definitely not recommended for families with young children. Most rides have a minimum height requirement of 48 inches, and many rides would be inappropriate for children with a fear of heights. However, with teenagers, this is a great place to visit.
Other Places To Visit
- LA Zoo
The LA Zoo is great for families with young children, with fewer crowds than the San Diego Zoo, and just as many cute animals.
- Griffith Park
Located right next door to the zoo, Griffith Park features pony rides and train rides, as well as an old fashioned carousel. This is a fun short stop on your way to other locations.
- Mels Diner
For LA locals and visitors alike, Mels Diner is a definite favorite for any meal. There are 3 locations in the area: Hollywood, Sunset, and Sherman Oaks. All three of these locations feature an authentic 50s restaurant atmosphere, with a mini juke box at every table, and some of the best home style cooking around. Mels Diner is open 24 hours.
Places NOT to visit with kids
- Hollywood Blvd at Night
While the walk of fame and Manns Chinese Theater are popular attractions that can be a lot of fun, this is not a place to be at night. It is not a safe atmosphere, and is known more for its nightclubs and adult nightlife than for family fun. It has also become fairly run down over the years and is the dwelling place of many homeless people.
- Downtown Los Angeles
While in many major cities, the best attractions can be found downtown, Los Angeles is not really this way. Downtown Los Angeles features mainly large office buildings and bargain shopping, and would not be of much interest to children.
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