10 BEST THINGS TO DO IN LOS ANGELES WITH KIDS

A FAMILY-FRIENDLY GUIDE TO LA, CALIFORNIA

Are you looking for ideas on things to do in Los Angeles with kids? You’re in the right place! We visited LA with our 3.5-year-old and 4-month-old boys. This was the last stop on our two-week California road trip. We found so many great things to do in LA with little kids which I shall share below.

We spent five nights in LA. This was a good amount of time but if you have longer, you could definitely find more things to do.

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best things to do in Los Angeles with kids

WHERE TO STAY IN LOS ANGELES WITH KIDS

Los Angeles is a large, spread-out city. The public transport system is not great so you really need a car to get around. We stayed in Downtown LA. This area seemed to be one of the most expensive to park in so look for a hotel or Air BnB with free parking. We were able to explore Downtown on foot and then drive to other areas.

THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN LOS ANGELES WITH LITTLE KIDS

1. RIDE ANGELS FLIGHT

AKA: the best $1 you’ll spend in LA! Angels Flight is the world’s shortest railway and a must-do for kids if you’re visiting Los Angeles. It is just a short ride but tickets are only $1 each way. Our 3-year-old and baby were free! This was a real highlight of the trip for our toddler!

You can take on a stroller (pushchair) but it will need to be quite a compact one. We used our Joolz Aer+ travel stroller on this trip and I would highly recommend it.

Taking Angels Flight can also save you walking up quite a steep hill, which when you’re pushing a stroller, is well worth $1.

2. VISIT SANTA MONICA

We loved visiting Santa Monica! It is less than a 20-minute drive (traffic dependent) from Downtown LA so we took a day trip here. We parked right by the pier, which cost $15 for the day. It’s a large car park but it does get busy later in the day.

First, we explored the pier which kids and adults will both enjoy. There is an arcade and lots of rides for toddlers and also older kids and adults. Don’t forget to take a photo by the iconic end of Route 66 sign.

On the day we visited, there was a stall giving out free ice cream which we all enjoyed.

Then we headed down to Venice beach, which is just next to the pier. It was fairly busy but it’s a nice sandy beach perfect for families, kids will enjoy playing in the sand and splashing in the sea in the sunshine.

3. EXPLORE THE VENICE CANALS

While you’re in Santa Monica, you should check out the Venice Canals. You’ll find them towards the end of Venice Beach, furthest from the pier.

Honestly, they’re nothing like the canals in Venice Italy but it’s still a beautiful area to explore when you need a break from the beach.

We left our car at Santa Monica Pier and walked to the canals, stopping for lunch en route. It’s a nice walk but did take around an hour, of course, driving would be much quicker!

4. CELEB SPOT IN BEVERLEY HILLS

Beverly Hill is a small city in Los Angeles County. It’s known for being home to the rich and famous. You’ll also find lots of designer stores and premium cafes, bakeries and resteraunts here.

There are a few streets in Beverley Hills where you can park for 2 hours for free. You can find a list of those here. 2 hours is long enough to have a quick wander and grab a coffee but you can easily spend longer.

Visiting Beverly Hills was more of a “me” activity rather than a kid’s activity. Saying that, my 3-year-old, ended up having the best time. He loved walking up Rodeo Drive and climbing on these steps. He was a prince and I was a princess. We ended up with some great photos together!

We then went to Chaumont Bakery for a coffee and spotted Kelly Rutherford. As we live on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, I was freaking out inside while my son was only interested in his pastry! Just around the corner is Reeves Park. It’s a very small playground but good enough to burn a bit of toddler energy.

5. WALK DOWN HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD

Hollywood is another famous area in Los Angeles. This is a very touristy activity but I still feel like it’s something to tick off your bucket list. Kids will enjoy looking for the names of their favourite celebrities. In my son’s case, Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse.

It gets very crowded here, there was also quite a lot of trash and dirt around. We didn’t end up walking the whole Boulevard. It is probably best to go early to avoid the crowds.

Mills is our family name so a star with THE MILLS BROS. on was just perfect for them!

6. SEE THE BEST VIEWS FROM CITY HALL

This is an amazing FREE activity for all the family. I love discovering a great free activity! Head to the visitor’s entrance on 201 N Main Street. You need to go through security, show your ID and get a visitor’s pass from the front desk.

With the stroller, we had to take three elevators to get to the top. Once you make it up there, you can see panoramic views over L.A. It’s hard to see in the photo but you can see the HOLLYWOOD sign in the distance!

Open Monday – Friday. Closed on the weekends.

7. SPLASH IN THE FOUNTAIN AT CIVIC CENTRE MALL

On a warm day, this is another fun (and free) activity. As you can see my toddler got soaked so pack a change of clothes!

8. SEE THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN

The best free place to see the Hollywood sign? Lake Hollywood Park. Parking is free but be prepared you might have to take a spot a little way down the hill and walk up.

There is also a small playground here that kids will love. After a run about we took our family selfies.

9. HAVE A TREAT AT SWEET LAUREL BAKERY

This one was another for me. I can’t resist a cute pink cafe! But my boys didn’t take much persuading when there was cake on offer. The aesthetic is beautiful and the treats were delicious.

Address: 5279 Sunset Blvd, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272

10. EAT AT IN-N-OUT BURGER

I’ve heard people rave about In-N-Out Burger. It’s a popular budget-friendly burger chain with outlets mainly in California. We tried it for the first time in Los Angeles. Honestly, we didn’t get the hype, yes it’s cheap but it wasn’t very good quality. In our opinion, Shake Shack is much better.

It is however a good place to eat with little kids. Service is quick and it’s busy and noisy, so it doesn’t matter if your kids are as well!

OTHER THINGS TO DO IN LOS ANGELES WITH KIDS

There are a few more things to do in LA that are great for kids, we didn’t do them but I’ll still list them below:

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS – one of the most popular attractions in LA. Our kids haven’t seen any of the Universal Movies, we took them to LEGOLAND California instead!
DISNEYLAND CALIFORNIA – another extremely popular attraction, located about an hour’s drive from LA. I’m sure our boys would have loved Disneyland but we couldn’t fit it in on this trip.
GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY – this is a great FREE activity located in East Hollywood, LA. Note: it is closed on Mondays which is why we didnt make it there!
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF LOS ANGELES – we visit the New York version often, so felt OK to skip this one, but it’s always a fun activity for kids!

That concludes our guide on the 10 best things to do in Los Angeles with kids, as a family! I hope it helps you plan your trip.