1. Griffith Observatory
Featuring an extensive space museum, several IMAX-style shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium, spacious grounds and, of course, telescopes, Griffith Observatory is one of Los Angeles's iconic family-friendly destinations. Make a day of it by hiking up to the building through Griffith Park and enjoying a picnic lunch beside the Astronomer's Monument before exploring the exhibits indoors -- or go at night, and look into the cosmos through one of the public telescopes. The Observatory also offers a gift shop, a café, and a truly spectacular view of Los Angeles and the Hollywood sign.
Admission is free, and tickets to the Planetarium shows range from $3-$7. The Observatory is open Wednesday-Friday from noon to 10:00 p.m., and weekends from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. For more information, visit griffithobservatory.org.
2. The La Brea Tar Pits
Centrally located in Los Angeles's Miracle Mile, the Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits showcases a wide variety of fossils from the last Ice Age. The fossils were recovered from the tar pits themselves, which bubble up in the middle of the city and continue to trap insects, lizards, and birds today. A visit to the museum paints a fascinating picture of what the Los Angeles Basin was like 40,000 years ago.
The Page Museum is open seven days a week from 9:30 a.m to 5:00 p.m, and admission ranges from $2-$7. For more information, visit tarpits.org.
3. LACMA
Right next door to the Tar Pits, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art includes seven buildings of paintings, sculptures, and artifacts from everywhere in the world and every point in history. With rotating exhibits, regular film screenings, an art research library, daily tours, and frequent lectures, LACMA draws almost a million visitors each year. After a morning at the Tar Pits, visit LACMA and explore the entire history of global art.
General admission is $15; students and seniors pay $10, and children enter for free. The museum also offers free admission on the second Tuesday of every month. Also on the grounds are two cafes and a gift shop. Visit www.lacma.org for more information and for museum hours.
4. Venice Beach
For those wonderful sunny days in southern California, Venice Beach is a vibrant and exciting tourist destination. Shop the Boardwalk for the best deals in town, catch a street performance or two, or join in a game of basketball on the nationally-renowned Venice Beach courts. For food, spectacular sunsets, and a glimpse into LA's modern hippie counterculture, there's no place like Venice.
For a list of the Boardwalk's stores and restaurants and more information about the history of Venice Beach, visit www.venicebeach.com.
5. San Diego
For tourists looking to escape the bustle of Los Angeles, San Diego is a great choice for a day trip. A scenic two-and-a-half-hour drive down the coast brings you to California's southern-most major city, where you will find fields of wildflowers, deserts, valleys, and mountains to hike or bike. The beaches off San Diego are famous for their fishing, sailing, and surfing opportunities, and for families with children, nothing in Southern California can top the excitement of Sea World.
From Los Angeles, San Diego is easily accessible by the I-5 freeway or by train. As listed at www.amtrack.com, a train ride from LA's Union Station to San Diego takes under three hours; tickets are $31. To help plan your day trip, visit www.sandiego.org.
Sources:
Griffith Observatory, www.griffithobservatory.org
The Page Museum, www.tarpits.org
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, www.lacma.org
Venice Beach, www.venicebeach.com
Amtrack schedule, tickets.amtrak.com/itd/amtrak
City of San Diego, www.sandiego.org
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