Guidebook for Los Angeles
Arts & Culture
LACMA is the top contemporary art museum in California, and it's full of art that kids recognize and can relate to, like the iconic Warhols. With kids, art is really about exposure. Some things they might love, some they might hate, but if they see something when they’re young they’ll remember it and might love it later in life.
We like to make a day of it and get lunch at the cafe, which is outside under a tent. The kids are crazy about the Margarita pizza.
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Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire BlvdLACMA is the top contemporary art museum in California, and it's full of art that kids recognize and can relate to, like the iconic Warhols. With kids, art is really about exposure. Some things they might love, some they might hate, but if they see something when they’re young they’ll remember it and might love it later in life.
We like to make a day of it and get lunch at the cafe, which is outside under a tent. The kids are crazy about the Margarita pizza.
Shopping
Record stores are a dying breed—many kids have never even seen vinyl—so this is a real time warp. When we go, we let our kids choose one album to buy. They love old-school music—one might grab a Michael Jackson, another Led Zeppelin. It’s a fun way of talking to them about music. And it’s so tactile—even the art on the album covers is so cool.
Amoeba hosts signings and shows with cool musicians—check the listings. Our kids recently got to meet Jackson Browne. The kids always have such great questions, and they feel privileged that real live musicians would actually speak to them.
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Amoeba Music
6200 Hollywood BlvdRecord stores are a dying breed—many kids have never even seen vinyl—so this is a real time warp. When we go, we let our kids choose one album to buy. They love old-school music—one might grab a Michael Jackson, another Led Zeppelin. It’s a fun way of talking to them about music. And it’s so tactile—even the art on the album covers is so cool.
Amoeba hosts signings and shows with cool musicians—check the listings. Our kids recently got to meet Jackson Browne. The kids always have such great questions, and they feel privileged that real live musicians would actually speak to them.
You’ll feel very California when you’re shopping for clothes here. It always has items from great designers, some of whom you'll know, some you won't. Our teenage daughters are always game to come, but because it’s a fun vibe and the people are nice, even our younger boys are happy in here for a while.
It has a fun little cafe, Mauro's, that’s one of our favorites in LA. It’s great for people watching. Just be careful not to drink too much rosé before shopping—you might regret it.
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Fred Segal
8500 Sunset BlvdYou’ll feel very California when you’re shopping for clothes here. It always has items from great designers, some of whom you'll know, some you won't. Our teenage daughters are always game to come, but because it’s a fun vibe and the people are nice, even our younger boys are happy in here for a while.
It has a fun little cafe, Mauro's, that’s one of our favorites in LA. It’s great for people watching. Just be careful not to drink too much rosé before shopping—you might regret it.
Many of LA’s flea markets only happen once a month, so they can get crazy. This place is open every day—you don’t have to show up at the crack of dawn. It’s indoors, so perfect for a rainy day. A lot of designers think it’s better than the Rose Bowl, with more antiques, fewer tchotchke. We’ve scored so many things here—paintings, vintage lighting.
It’s a lot of fun to give each kid $10–$20 and let them shop for anything they want. Our 7 kids all have their own little collections—one collects comic-book memorabilia, another old dolls.
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Pasadena Antique Mall
309 E Green StMany of LA’s flea markets only happen once a month, so they can get crazy. This place is open every day—you don’t have to show up at the crack of dawn. It’s indoors, so perfect for a rainy day. A lot of designers think it’s better than the Rose Bowl, with more antiques, fewer tchotchke. We’ve scored so many things here—paintings, vintage lighting.
It’s a lot of fun to give each kid $10–$20 and let them shop for anything they want. Our 7 kids all have their own little collections—one collects comic-book memorabilia, another old dolls.
Entertainment & Activities
This is not a typical movie theater. It shows mainstream movies, but also art-house, foreign, and cult flicks. It’s a little old school: The old Cinerama Dome is part of it, the popcorn’s great, there are no commercials, and an usher comes in to introduce the movie. And you never know who you're going to run into—our 7-year-old spotted Chevy Chase.
They let you reserve specific seats, so you don’t have to show up early. For opening nights, it’s important to buy your tickets early so you can get great seats.
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Pacific Cinerama Dome
6360 Sunset BlvdThis is not a typical movie theater. It shows mainstream movies, but also art-house, foreign, and cult flicks. It’s a little old school: The old Cinerama Dome is part of it, the popcorn’s great, there are no commercials, and an usher comes in to introduce the movie. And you never know who you're going to run into—our 7-year-old spotted Chevy Chase.
They let you reserve specific seats, so you don’t have to show up early. For opening nights, it’s important to buy your tickets early so you can get great seats.
This is the most beautiful bowling alley you’ll ever see. It looks like a film set. It’s a 1920s building that’s been refurbished. The eight lanes have leather couches at the end instead of the usual plastic seats. And, believe it or not, they actually serve terrific bar food at a good price: great pizza, great burgers, great beer.
It’s fun for kids, but it’s not created around kids in the way so many bowling alleys are—there are no neon lights. Family hours are until 8pm–after that it’s 21 and over.
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Highland Park Bowl
5621 N Figueroa StThis is the most beautiful bowling alley you’ll ever see. It looks like a film set. It’s a 1920s building that’s been refurbished. The eight lanes have leather couches at the end instead of the usual plastic seats. And, believe it or not, they actually serve terrific bar food at a good price: great pizza, great burgers, great beer.
It’s fun for kids, but it’s not created around kids in the way so many bowling alleys are—there are no neon lights. Family hours are until 8pm–after that it’s 21 and over.
Sightseeing
Because of its hilltop site, you see the observatory from everywhere, so it’s a real icon. We love hiking up there even when it's not a typically sunny LA day. The Observatory has one of the best planetariums in the world, and I don’t think people realize that!
Movie buffs will remember James Dean roaming around the Observatory in Rebel Without a Cause.
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Griffithin observatorio
2800 E Observatory RdBecause of its hilltop site, you see the observatory from everywhere, so it’s a real icon. We love hiking up there even when it's not a typically sunny LA day. The Observatory has one of the best planetariums in the world, and I don’t think people realize that!
Movie buffs will remember James Dean roaming around the Observatory in Rebel Without a Cause.
Food Scene
There are a ton of food vendors under one roof here. It’s a great place to eat different things: bento boxes, oysters, Thai street food, barbecue, tostadas, ramen.
Coming here is a very LA thing to do, so we take our out-of-town guests and try to steer them toward foods the city is really known for, like Mexican.
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Grand Central Market
317 S BroadwayThere are a ton of food vendors under one roof here. It’s a great place to eat different things: bento boxes, oysters, Thai street food, barbecue, tostadas, ramen.
Coming here is a very LA thing to do, so we take our out-of-town guests and try to steer them toward foods the city is really known for, like Mexican.