SoCal: Non-Theme Park Family Activities?

[ikarcuaso]

We'll be in SoCal for over a week (visiting friends in Redondo Beach and San Diego). We all have kids in the 7-10 y/o age group. OK, we're going to Legoland for a day, but that's it! Looking for other suggestions that don't involve any roller coasters, captive animals, humans dressed as cartoon characters, etc. Thanks.

[Hugh R]

Griffith Observatory to the planetarium, it's currently the most modern one in the world.

Universal Studios City Walk is cool.

[TerryH]

http://local.yahoo.com/CA/Redondo+Beach

You can type in any city and may get ideas the fit your needs for fun and food.

[BeyGon]

The aquarium in San Pedro is really cool.

[artplumber]

Balboa park (park, museums, performing arts), beach, hiking (more inland), fishing (salt water or lakes), gaslight district, got to go to the Coronado, art in Laguna....

What does the family want to do?

[campbellcj]

A day trip over to Catalina could be fun. There are lots of things to see and do - it just depends what you are into...

[aigel]

Originally Posted by BeyGon

The aquarium in San Pedro is really cool.

Not your big show aquariums. But it has a lot of the local critters, which is nice.

George

[aigel]

You can go to the mountains too. Mt. Baldy area or Big Bear are nice in the summer.

George

[HardDrive]

Spend a day up at the Getty Museum? Fantastic art, and you can get lunch and just relax on the lawn out back. Beautiful views of LA as well.

[Hugh R]

Forgot the Getty, definitely excellent.

[rammstein]

A properly planned beach day would be an excellent time for grownups and kids alike, I think. Just fill the cooler with kiddie drinks and grownup drinks, and have some footballs and beach balls and sunscreen and an umbrella. Watch the sunset. Beautiful.

[red-beard]

If in San Diego, you can drive to the end of Point Loma at low tide and look for sea life in the tide pools.

[techweenie]

Presuming the kiddies have the Car Gene:

Cars and Coffee in Irvine Saturday mornings 7:30 - 8:30.

http://irvine.carsandcoffee.info/directions.php

[varmint]

friend used to run a one day teach kids to surf school out of santa monica.

search around. there has to be somebody running something like that now.

[widgeon13]

Mount Wilson

[techweenie]

Oh, and Barnsdall Art Park.

http://barnsdall.org/

[ossiblue]

As you can see, lots of stuff to do while in So Cal. June is not a beach friendly month in Southern Cal if you like lots of sunshine, but it's still a great experience in other ways. While in Redondo Beach, you may wish to check out the coastal bike path. It runs along the sand from Torrance Beach in the South, through Redondo, Hermosa, Manhattan, Playa Del Rey, Venice, and Santa Monica. You could rent bikes and ride along any stretch.

If you like Mexican food, try the Riveria Mexican Grille in Hollywood Rivera (part of Redondo)--outstanding!

If visiting San Pedro, as suggested, you may wish to drive there via the Palos Verdes Peninsula for spectacular vistas and maybe stop at the Wayfarers Chapel in Portuguese Bend for and inspirational view after passing Donald Trump's lavish golf course with sliding 18th green.

And there is the Train Musem in Lomita (close to Redondo), too.

[Radioactive]

In San Diego


http://www.midway.org/

[12own911]

Originally Posted by rammstein

A properly planned beach day would be an excellent time for grownups and kids alike, I think. Just fill the cooler with kiddie drinks and grownup drinks, and have some footballs and beach balls and sunscreen and an umbrella. Watch the sunset. Beautiful.

Hopefully it will be sunny when you come... it's been June Gloom at the beach...

[Cory M]

Balboa park in San Diego, lots of museums, IMAX, generally a nice place to walk around

San Diego Zoo is great

beaches

hiking