Los Angeles with dc? What was great fun and/or interesting, and what was underwhelming?

[Earlybird]

Thinking of visiting with dd (age 9), and would love to hear from those who have advice and experiences to share.

Thanks in advance.

Mine keep asking to go to LA - they are 10 and nearly 10 (ds's)

They would love to go to Hollywood...

DH and I went pre kids. We flew in to San Fransisco for a week then drove down to LA for two weeks.

We have done America the last 4 years so time for a change this year but we will maybe go next year.

A lot was underwhelming for us but we had come up from San Diego - totally lovely, and were on our way to San Francisco - my fave place. I would really recommend those two places.

We have also flown into LA previously. My memories of LA are lots of pale coloured concreted roads, quite stifling,and sort of polluted and foggy, we never saw the Hollywood sign from any distance! BUT the Disneyland in LA had the best ever fireworks and my children still talk about them!

What about San Francisco and go and see the seal lions, Muir Woods, China Town, all those mad bendy hilly roads and the Bridge - amazing!

I must say that when I first arrived in LA (albeit after two flghts to get there and late at night) I thought it was awful. However, I gave it a chance and have visited it subsequently. I do like LA but it is a huge sprall of a place and you certainly need a car to get around.

Have always enjoyed visiting Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park (one of many, many suburbs that make up the sprall that is LA). There is also a water park there now called Soak City.

Anaheim is where Disneyland is; there is also Calfornia Adventure (another Disney run park) which is opposite Disneyland.

Hollywood is actually a bit seedy and run down. The area around the Kodak theater where the Oscars are staged is not great at all particularly at night.

Another theme park we liked was Six Flags Magic Mountain at Valencia.

Thanks for feedback so far.

Based on what is written here, is LA mainly good for amusement parks? Somehow I hoped there would be some other interesting things to do.....

We'll have a car, though I don't relish driving on those 'wild west' California motorways!

As the song goes, "LA is a freeway". There are miles of them, its the major way to get around. There is not a great deal in terms of public transport although the city did build a light rail system (it does not extend as far as Anaheim though).

Thanks for advice Attila.

So, no not-to-be-missed museums with fab children's sections?

I know I would like to visit the Getty, but not sure it would appeal to dd.

We have taken the children (now 9 and 7) to LA on three different holidays now. Have stayed in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and last time Anaheim.

Always do Disneyland and California Adventure. They love those days. Universal Studios (which often has filming on at the time - Desperate Housewives last time we were there). Better than the one in Florida in my view, more about the making of the films and seeing the original sets. You do a proper studio tour on a tram car.

Santa Monica is good fun with the pier and the beach. Good shopping there too. Also Venice Beach during the day particularly at weekends is good. We have also been to Griffith's Observatory and LA Zoo all within Griffith Park. We hire a car - LA is such a big place - and go down to San Diego to SeaWorld. The children loved the water parks too - we went to the Knotts Berry one and also one in Irvine.

Hollywood is worth a visit for a few hours. The Chinese Theatre with the handprints, see the Kodak theatre where the Oscars are and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. There's other attractions there too - the Hollywood Waxwork Museum and Ripleys Believe it Or not.

We always run out of time tbh, but the Museum of Intolerance is a place I'd like to visit.

Can second Knots Berry Farm - we loved it - lovely atmosphere.