You’ve arrived in the City of Angels to discover, rather ironically, that it’s really no place for your little angels. With a focus on hedonism of the highest order – beaches flanked by those in barely-there swimwear, streets crowded by high-octane clubbing options and pavements lined with out-of-control celebrities – it can be hard to know what to do with the kids.
But hidden beneath its glitz and glamor are loads of great things to do with the family – particularly when the sun has got its hat on pretty much every day of the year. We’ve combed La-La Land to put together the ideal itinerary – all you have to do is load the kids in the car (and you’ll need a car – the city’s fairly spread out). Read more from A Hedonist’s Guide at www.hg2.com.
1. Check-in to Loews Hotel
With a tagline that reads ‘the family that plays together stays together’, you know that the Loews Hotel chain is family-friendly. And thank God – such hotels are few and far between in the city of original sin. Offering a variety of programs and services for the little ones during your stay – with a well-stocked library of board games, special kiddie menus, Fisher Price welcome gifts, Kidbanas by the pool – it’s the perfect place to hunker down as a family. The Santa Monica Beach outpost is right on the sand, too, meaning you can go straight from beach to bed – and bar, once the kids are safely snoozing.
2. Check out Santa Monica Pier
For now, forget Disneyland. Just a stone’s throw from the hotel is the legendary Santa Monica Pier, illuminated by night with its neon-lit Ferris wheel. As the West Coast’s only amusement park on a pier, Pacific Park is the best place to amuse the kids: comprising a dozen rides, games, ocean-front foods and seaside shopping, it’ll even put a smile on your face, too. Highly recommended is a trip on the Pacific Wheel – the world’s only solar-powered one – which hoovers up a panoramic view of the Southern Californian coastline 130 feet in the air. And if that’s too scary for the tiniest in your brood, check out the Frog Hopper; springing riders 18 feet in the air, it’s the ultimate feeling of weightlessness and excitement. Just make sure they don’t eat much beforehand.
3. Refuel at Giggles ‘n’ Hugs
For a fun, no-frills lunch, head to Giggles ‘n’ Hugs on Santa Monica Boulevard. Part restaurant, part playspace, it’s built specifically with youngsters in mind and contains a sunken pirate ship, dazzling princess castle and terrifying dragon for kids to play with. There’s a roster of regular local entertainment – scary clowns included – and there’s both adult and kid menus for satisfying both big and small bellies. And if it’s good enough for Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, then it’s certainly good enough for us.
4. Walk the walk of fame
You can’t come all the way to Los Angeles without padding down Hollywood Boulevard and checking out the official Walk of Fame, featuring the stars of more than 2,400 actors, directors, musicians and other artists.Then, continue your own personal walk of fame all the way up to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre – Hollywood’s ultimate icon and host to the famous celebrity hand print tradition (apparently, Norma Talmadge started the tradition with an accidental footprint on wet cement). Along the way, enjoy the vast array of celebrity impersonators who line the streets in the guise of everyone from Elmo to Captain Jack Sparrow.
5. Sit courtside
Finally, wrap up your day in Tinseltown with an evening courtside at the Staples Center. Home to five professional sports franchises – the Lakers and Clippers basketball teams, ice hockey team the Kings, the arena football team the Avengers, and the Sparks women’s basketball team – the Staples Center is also known for its rock concerts. This is where U2 and Madonna play when they play LA. And with five restaurants and a bevy of concession options, you’re guaranteed to find more than typical fan fare for the perfect family finale.
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(Images: Peter Gorges, Brian Gurrola, Blink, Tim Wang)
