Is LA worth it for a four year old?

[hollingbury]

Trying to decide where to holiday. We have been asked to join friends in LA. I love the US - we've had a great time in NY with son last year - but I'm not sure about LA. The accommodation will be pricey - they want to stay near Venice Beach or Santa Monica - and we'll have to have a car. Is there lots for his age group to benefit from?

There's lots of EVERYTHING for all ages in LA and Santa Monica, Venice Beach less so. If he coped fine with NY then I would go for it. I'm an urban girl though and love people watching and don't love country walks and isolation. Just hit the web to plan some specific things for him in advance

Venice Beach vibe is less family orientated. I took my teenagers in 2013 and within 30 mins we'd witnessed up close a homophobic mugging then three couples having sex on the beach separately and not together. Fortunately the mugging wasn't violent and didn't cause nightmares just incessant questions as literally we were witness to the beginning, middle and end.

However it's your holiday too so everyone can be accommodated.

We lived in LA when my son was 4 and loved it. Definitely stay in Santa Monica rather than Venice Beach though - I didn't think VB was at all nice. Westwood and Brentwood are also nice areas.

There are some amazing places to go - the Getty museum had great activities for kids and gardens to wander round. We also loved the huge Noah's Ark at the Skirball and a train museum (sorry can't remember the name) where you could climb inside these huge American steam trains. I remember taking DS to loads of great playgrounds in Westwood and Pacific Palisades and walking the mountain trails in Temescal Canyon and Malibu. And of course there's the beach and Santa Monica pier. The one place we never went was Downtown LA - just once to Beverley Hills to say we'd seen it! You'll find the Santa Monica/Malibu area much nicer for a holiday, plus the Orange County towns like Laguna Beach.

When we planned a big trip the weather in Santa monica was a bit chilly (June) so we ended up diverting instead to Palm springs/desert for a few days and a hotel with a big pool etc complex.
We've been with younger children/babies and alone a few times: It wouldn't be my first choice to be honest, other than Disneyland at Anaheim.

What loops says

We live in LA with our 3&6yr olds and been here since the youngest was newborn. There is TONS to do - Santa Monica is generally more family than Venice but you could stay at the marina del Ray end of Venice which has tons of expat Brits families, great coffee shop called The Cows End on Washington does kids drop in music sessions, mothers beach is round the corner with the Cheesecake Factory on it, and the canals are right there too.

Getty is great, my 3yr old also loves LAMCA, tons of parks and playgrounds everywhere, farmers markets are great for children too.

I love downtown (need to get an urban fix occasionally) and they often have events on at Pershing Square for DC. The architecture down there is superb

Millions of beaches of all sorts of character all up the PCH to Malibu - some are tiny and have rock and tidal pools, some are celeb clean sand heaven

Damn I even have LA versions of soft play recommendations if you need them

Loved Santa Monica when we stand for a few nights with our children. Stayed at a lovely little hotel overlooking the beach just a short walk from the beach. The beach, pier, Santa Monica centre are all great.

Anaheim of course :)