williamscb13

My 9 year old and I are coming to Los Angeles next week. We are spending 2 nights at Huntington Beach. (my son is in the food allergy program at the Southern California food allergy clinic so we've done this frequently and will continue to return to Long Beach.) After his second appointment which is in the morning, we are decamping for Los Angeles proper. We have another appointment Friday morning in Woodland Hills. After that appointment we will head to the airport and fly out. So what to do on our way from Huntington Beach/ Long Beach to the Woodland Hills area and the next day? We have approximately a day and a half. La Brea Tar pits is on the list. No museums with lots of reading. Our most recent visit to the Natural History Museum in NYC was a bust. We will have been to the beach at Huntington Beach and no Universal as we've just done that in Florida. any fun easy bike rides? tours? No food as we are not foodies except for finding Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream (see food allergies). Getty museum? I think the walk to the top of the Hollywood sign is too far.
We also need a decentish place to stay near Woodland Hills. I don't want to get stuck driving an hour to get there on a Friday morning.

I don't know why this day and a half is proving to be so challenging to me but it is.

Thanks for any help.

Jean

I can't quite make out your schedule and where you'll be when... Are you spending a night in LB or just driving through? Are you spending a night (or two?) in LA? If so, where in LA? What airport are you flying out of?

Several of the hotel chains have properties in the WH area. Marriott, Best Western, Holiday Inn, etc. If it's only for a night, I'd just find the brand or the rate that appeals to you.

Have you been to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach? I think it's great.

Is your son interested in cars? The Petersen Automotive Museum is near the Tar Pits. Advanced tickets require (capacity control).

There is also a Jeni's not far from the Tar Pits... https://jenis.com/scoop-shops/larchmont/

The Santa Monica Pier seems an obvious suggestion for a 9 y.o., but I'm not crazy about SM in general and esp. during the current homeless crisis.

Just so you know, masks are required in every indoor situation in L.A. County, regardless of your vaccination status.

mlgb

I also can't quite figure out your schedule. If the weather is good, what about a short whale watch excursion from Long Beach? They go daily on a comfortable catamaran, the noon cruise is usually the better one as far as calmer seas. Online tickets at a discount. You could do the Aquarium before or after.
Note: the tours from Long Beach cost more but the boats are better (and faster) than the ones from Newport of San Pedro. They don't guarantee whales but you will see dolphins. Bring a warm jacket, even if it's a hot day. Our water is cold!

https://2seewhales.com/

There is also a catamaran out of Dana Point but unless you go on Tuesday it's (too) expensive.

starrs

I really enjoyed the Warner Brothers studio tours -
https://www.wbstudiotour.com/

williamscb13

We are doing two days in Huntington Beach and then moving to LA proper and are going to need to be near Woodland Hills. I am not looking for things to do at Huntington Beach. I am looking for L.A. We will return multiple times to Huntington Beach but will probably not go to L.A. again and be tourists.

mlgb

"LA Proper" ?

Farmer's Market?
Peterson Museum I think was suggested above.

Griffith Park.
Griffith Park Observatory.

jamie99

Another vote for the Petersen Automotive Museum.

You can rent bikes in one of the South Bay cities like Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach or Manhattan Beach and ride the bike path (28 miles or so) for as far as you feel comfortable and then return, stopping for lunch someplace. If your son has food allergies, check out Good Stuff (the one in Hermosa Beach is right on The Strand) which has very good food including plenty of vegan, gluten free and others including power shakes.Wed usually ride as far as El Segundo from Redondo Beach then return and stop for a late breakfast or early lunch.

clarkgriswold

The Observatory is only open Fri Sat Sun so that may be a no-go.

You don't want to have to drive from L.A. to Woodland Hills for an early morning appt but you also don't want to drive to Woodland Hills between 3:30pm and 7:15pm any day, the traffic is unbearable. So if you head to L.A for the day around 10am.....plan to either head out by 2:45pm or stay through dinner.

The Reagan Library would be an easy drive from Woodland Hills. They have an Air Force One and you can walk onboard, and a replica of the Oval Office. I think the current "special exhibit" is all about the history of the FBI.

The Getty Center is pretty easy from Woodland Hills as long as you stay away from traffic hours.

Courtyard by Marriott is probably the best choice of the Woodland hills lodging options. The smaller Vantage Point Inn is just fine, and across the street from lots of outdoor dining.

williamscb13

thank you! this is exactly the info I was looking for. My son's appointment is at 10:20 in Signal Hill on Wednesday and should last an hour or so then we will grab lunch and drive to LaBrea Tarpits and then onto Woodland Hills. The next day either the Getty or the Reagan Library sounds perfect. I'm going to look at the Sheraton and Marriott in Woodland Hills as well especially at the pools.

My son's appointment in Woodland Hills on Friday is at 10 a.m. and I want to be close to there so it won't be so stressful before the appointment. The day will be long enough with flying home out of LAX afterwards.

Jean

According to the Tar Pits website, advanced tickets are recommended. General admission is just picking a date, but there's a 3-D movie that requires you select a time. The movie starts every 30 minutes, on the hour and on the half hour.

Echoing clark's suggestion, you might want to plan on having dinner on the L.A. side of the "hill" (Santa Monica Mtns.) before you drive to Woodland Hills. Signal Hill to the Tar Pits would probably take an hour. Tar Pits to Woodland Hills could be a real slog if you're still enjoying the Tar Pits at 3:00.

williamscb13

So then should we do Tar Pits, Natural History Museum and early dinner in the area before driving to Woodland Hills?

clarkgriswold

And next door to the Natural History Museum is the (free admission) California Science Center, so you could easily kill a couple of hours there, especially with a 9 year old.

Masks are required at all indoor public spaces in Los Angeles County.

Call any hotel you're interested in directly and ask about the pool situation. Some are still closed mostly because they can't find attendants/staffing. Warner Marriott states "limited pool service/indoor pool closed" which might mean early closing or something for the outdoor pool .

The Sheraton Agoura Hills might put you in a bit of a traffic mess at 9am in the morning depending on where in Woodland Hills you're going. There is always a slowdown between Agoura & Woodland Hills.

Jean

If you're going to be in Signal Hill until after lunch, I think attempting the Tar Pits, Natural History Museum and the Science Center in an afternoon is a bit ambitious if your son is really into any/all of this. But if that's what you want to do, it would make more sense logistically to head to the Natural History Museum and the Science Center (both in Exposition Park) before the Tar Pits. All three venues close at 5:00 p.m.

The Science Center requires timed entry tickets, a separate reservation for the special exhibit and separate reservation + ticket for the IMAX 3-D movie.

It could take as much as 40-45 minutes to drive from Signal Hill to Exposition Park. From there to the Tar Pits could take as much as 20-25 minutes.

mlgb

I think 25-30 minutes drive time Signal Hill to the NHM/Science Center parking structure or parking lot. But then more time to park and walk, etc. I would probably stick with just one. You will have more trouble getting to the Tar Pits and then "over the hill" during rush hour.

I don't think you can do all three, either. Maybe two of the three. Would the NHM be a little redundant with the Tar Pits (or maybe he's really into dinosaurs)? Maybe just the NHM and Cal Science Center would work better? Note, NHM closed Tuesday. CSC open daily.

I believe walk up tickets are available, assuming your times are open. I wouldn't think it's a problem on weekdays.

Jean

mlgb could be correct about the drive time SH to Expo Park, but it is about 20 miles. I always like to err on the side of it taking longer so that you're not late, esp. if you have timed entry tickets. FYI, there is a huge construction project ongoing very near the NHM, but I don't think it would affect your approach to the parking lot adjacent to the museum. It's the George Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, due to open in 2023.

Can you explain why the Natural History Museum in New York was a 'bust'?

Of the three attractions, which do you think your son would most enjoy?

williamscb13

I was thinking the natural history museum was attached to the Tar Pits. Is there a museum attached to the Tar Pits? or associated with it? I need to google it some more.

We've hit a hiccup with his appointments at the food allergy clinic so all plans are up in the air right now, but maybe we will make it to the Tar Pits at least.

Jean

The Tar Pits and Page Museum are near the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Petersen Automotive Museum, the Craft Contemporary Museum and the newly opened Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

The Natural History Museum is near the Science Center, and both are in Exposition Park. The Coliseum and Swim Stadium (1932 and 1984 Olympics) and the Banc of California Soccer Stadium are also in the Park. USC is across the street.

It's only about 8 miles between the two areas, but that works out to at least 20 minutes of driving.

If your son is into space stuff, the Science Center has the Endeavor shuttle on display inside and an (enormous) external fuel tank sitting outside.

maitaitom

here's some ideas ... lots of places in L.A. area included.

https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/california-dreaming-1/

williamscb13

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. We ended up not doing very much. We left Long Beach and just went to the hotel in West Hollywood where my son swam then ate at Jeni's splendid ice cream in Larchmont. The next day we checked out the LaBrea Tar pits, Hollywood walk of fame and drove up to the Observatory and drove right back down. then went to Woodland Hills where I had a conference call and we again went swimming. but we did manage to make it to 4 different Jeni's splendid ice creams.

Jean

Hey, sounds perfect to me, and I'm many multiples of 9 years old.