Help for tomorrow near LAX with kids
 

We are finishing up our CA trip and will be getting back to The LA area earlier than expected. We have an unplanned lunch date in Los Alomitos. We'll be leaving there around 230 and are looking for something to do with the kids....2 & 3 year old boys. Our hotel is in Hawthorne. Would Santa Monica be appropriate? Or is there a fun park area? Dinner recs would be great too....casual since the kids will be tired. Originally we were going to get there later and eat at The Kettle and walk on the beach.

Since you are coming from Los Alamitos, a stop at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach wouldn't be too far out of the way:
www.aquariumofpacific.org/visit

Some fun South Bay Parks:
Polliwog Park in Manhattan Beach:
www.ci.manhattan-beach.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=377
(you could still eat at the Kettle afterward)

Veteran's Park in Redondo is right beside the beach and Pier:
http://www.redondo.org/depts/public_...s/veterans.asp

Rocketship Park in Torrance has a giant rocketship to climb on and great views:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/los-arboles-...-park-torrance

Mama D's Pizza in Manhattan Beach or Hermosa is very casual, with very good food. Ruby's right in the Redondo Beach Marina is also very kid-friendly. You could also grab some picnic items from Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, etc. and have dinner at the park. :)

I don't think Santa Monica is worth the drive in this case.

No need to go the extra distance to Santa Monica. There are beaches closer to Hawthorne. Just drive west to the closest one. Kids that age love spending hours at the beach entertaining themselves with buckets and shovels, sand, water, wading, etc.

Awesome! I think we'll play at polliwog for a bit, and then head to manhattan beach.

Mama D's is great, especially if you have little ones, because it is loud and raucous! But it gets very busy, so get there early.