| With lots of exciting attractions and sunny weather | | | | 5. Kidspace Children's Museum is an interactive indoor |
| year round, Los Angeles is a great vacation destination | | | | and outdoor learning center offering exhibits like |
| for families. Where else can you step onto the set of | | | | Bugsy's Diner, where kids learn about mantids, |
| your favorite movie, relax on a sun-kissed beach, and | | | | cockroaches and more. Also, search for fossils in The |
| shop alongside celebs on Rodeo Drive? Here are | | | | Dig, create nature-inspired artwork in N'Art, or ride a |
| some family-friendly places to visit and things to do on | | | | tricycle through the Wisteria Courtyard. |
| your next trip to Los Angeles. | | | | 6. Golf N' Stuff Family Fun Center offers four |
| 1. Aquarium of the Pacific boasts more than 500 | | | | challenging miniature golf courses set against |
| species in 19 major habitats highlighting the marine life | | | | imaginative settings like a castle, a haunted house, an |
| of the Pacific Ocean. Explore sunny Southern | | | | old western ghost town, a Californian mission, a tree |
| California and Baja Pacific, the frigid waters of the | | | | house, and more. The park also offers exciting rides |
| North Pacific, and the colorful reefs of the Tropical | | | | including go-karts, bumper boats, bumper cars, and a |
| Pacific. The Southern California and Baja gallery | | | | kiddie train, plus arcade games and lazer tag. |
| showcases seals and sea lions in an up-close-and | | | | 7. Guinness World Records Museum in Hollywood |
| personal indoor/outdoor setting. The Northern Pacific | | | | chronicles record-breaking facts and feats ranging |
| gallery is home to puffins and other diving birds which | | | | from the Largest Work of Art to the Lowest Limbo. |
| nest overhead and "fly" underwater, while the sea | | | | You and your kids will experience racing at 240 mph in |
| otters frolic in a nearby habitat. The Tropical Reef | | | | the world's fastest Formula One car and explore the |
| Habitat, the aquarium's largest exhibit, introduces visitors | | | | world's most fascinating natural phenomena, human |
| to a coral lagoon with colorful fish, as well as sea | | | | feats, animal acts, and more. |
| horses, sea snakes and mysterious sea dragons. | | | | 8. Wild Rivers Waterpark is Southern California's |
| 2. The Sony Pictures Studios Tour offers a rare | | | | biggest waterpark with over 40 water rides and |
| glimpse of old Hollywood's glory days and an insider's | | | | attractions. It's the perfect place to "chill out" with the |
| view of a state-of-the-art motion picture studio where | | | | kids after a long day in the California sun. If you dare, |
| movies like The Wizard of Oz, Spiderman, and Men in | | | | go to the top of the seven-story Wild Rivers Mountain. |
| Black were filmed. Depending on availability, you may | | | | Relax on Explorers' Island with a lazy inner tube float |
| also get to visits the sets of shows such as | | | | down a warm river, refreshing spas, and scaled down |
| "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune." | | | | rides and wading pools for little adventurers. Open late |
| 3. The Zimmer Children's Museum encourages | | | | May through September. |
| interactive learning, creative self-expression, and | | | | 9. The Hollywood Museum features 10,000 artifacts |
| imaginative play through "please touch" exhibits and art | | | | and articles from Hollywood's past, including Rocky's |
| activities. Music Island introduces kids to music and lets | | | | boxing gloves, Marilyn Monroe's dresses, Indiana Jones' |
| them create a virtual drum loop and create their own | | | | whip, and more. Housed in the historic Max Factor |
| original music. Western Wall recreates the Western | | | | building, the museum pays homage to Hollywood's |
| Wall in Jerusalem (the Kotel) and invites visitors to | | | | Golden Era with a beautifully restored Art Deco |
| share their hopes for the future. Discovery Airplane | | | | exterior and opulent interiors. Newer additions to the |
| lets kids navigate a plane simulator as they fly over | | | | museum include Nicole Kidman's costumes from Moulin |
| distant destinations like Israel, Mexico, and more. | | | | Rouge and Paris Hilton's party dresses. |
| 4. The Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana | | | | 10. The Museum of Tolerance is a great way for older |
| houses 120 exciting hands-on science exhibits on two | | | | kids (some of the exhibits are recommended for 12+ |
| floors, including Dynamic Earth, Techno Arts, Discovery | | | | and others are for all ages) to explore issues of |
| Stadium and Quake Zone. Play a game of Virtual | | | | prejudice and discrimination through hands-on exhibits |
| Volleyball, make music on a Laser Beam Harp, climb a | | | | and role playing. The Children of the Holocaust exhibit |
| Rock Wall, watch an indoor Geyser erupt, ride out an | | | | brings the Holocaust to live as visitors walk through a |
| earthquake in the Shake Shack, and more. Visit the | | | | simulation with sound effects, photos, newscasts, and |
| life-size dinosaur exhibit featuring an interactive | | | | more. Finding Our Families, Finding Ourselves |
| walk-through Argentinosaur that explains life sciences. | | | | celebrates the multicultural diversity of several notable |
| The center hosts BubbleFest in April, Spooky Science | | | | Americans and encourages visitors to explore their |
| in October, and a new exhibit each summer. | | | | own heritage. |