My younger step son and his girlfriend (both actors) are moving to LA in about a week. We are thinking that we may go see them at Spring Break, but I am wondering what we will do in LA other then visit wiht them when they aren't working. We tend to travel to places with gorgeous scenary and great walks. Somehow, LA doesn't strike me as that kind of place, but maybe I am wrong. I know tha area south of there around Laguna Beach is gorgeous because I have been there, but we will be pretty much right outside of the downtown area if we stay with them. Any suggestions of things to do?

Try either Griffith or Runyon parks. They are wonderful places to walk, hike and explore.

Assuming you are going to rent a car you can go over to the Santa Monica beach area or down to Hermosa/Redondo/Manhattan beach and walk the piers and promanade and enjoy the ocean. How about going up to the Getty Museum, the scenery/view is spectacular. Griffith Park is a good place for walking as well.

Yes, we will rent a car. We also have the option of going a little farther afield one or two nights and stay in a hotel. They have a pretty small place there and 2 dogs and 2 cats, so it may get a little claustrophobic after a couple of days. And what was it that Ben Franklin said about fish and company ?!

I just got back from there. The coast is beautiful.
Definitely rent a car or borrow theirs. We went to Santa Monica Beach, Venice Beach, drove along Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, Sunset Strip, Griffith Park (53 miles of hiking trails), Getty Center(amazing!), Hollywood, and the Hollywood Bowl. If you like to shop, I loved "It's a Wrap". They have 2 stores and sell clothes from movies and tv shows. Some still have the tags on and one jacket we bought had the script in the pocket. Very nice clothes and great discount.
We also took a day trip to Santa Barbara. I loved that.
We went to Palm Springs. The tram just outside the city takes you to Mt. San Jacinto State Park with 54 miles of hiking trails and is great for viewing some wildlife.
That was our week there. One cool thing we didn't do horse back ride through Griffith Park. Check out Sunset Ranch Hollywood Stables.

Thanks all! Now I am starting to feel better about going there. And at least it will be warmer than Chicago at that time of year !

Try the new Shade boutique hotel in Manhattan Beach for a gorgeous hotel and plenty to do. Check them out online for the best prices.

I was in their lounge a couple of weeks ago (which I saw is a place Any Roddick and Maria Sharipove were also hanging out at not long ago) chatting with a gentleman who thought the rooms were fantastic. He said he finds most places are disappointing in person after viewing them online but that the Shade rooms are better in person than online. Be forwarned that some can be noisy due to the shops and restaurants just below but those tend to close down before you'd go to bed anyway.

Borrow the hotel's bikes and pedal the strand north all the way up to Venice or Santa Monica if you are frisky but at least up to Marina Del Rey for sure. Walk the strand south to Hermosa Beach. Catch a show at the comedy club just off the pier street (can't remember any of the names of the streets tonight). I think it's called Comedy Store but not sure. You can walk up and buy tix the day before or even the same day. Lots of famous comedians there and even the unknowns are entertaining. Very small intimate venue. I went for an anniversary show with 20 comedians in one night and Robert Wuhl, the star of HBO's Arli$$ was one of the comedians.

Eat breakfast (or anything you want 24/7) at The Kettle near Shade. Have sushi at Octopus. Walk through the cute boutiques with your stepson's gf. Mandarine has two locations in MB with cute trendy clothes that don't break the budget but Wrights has killer casual clothes with high prices.

http://www.shadehotel.com/

http://www.comedyandmagicclub.com/

? If you go to Griffith Park, be aware the observatory is (?) closed for renovation - it was closed last year 'for 3 years'. (If you wanted to go to the observatory part of it).

Also, the Comedy Store in HB - if it's a big-name star, it will be sold out before the general public has a chance for tickets, I know, because I am on their automatic e-mail list, I called the day I got an e-mail re: a big-time star, and it was already sold out.

You could check out some of the botanic gardens, Descanso Gardens is not far from downtown. http://www.descansogardens.org/site
or the Huntington, in San Marino, http://www.huntington.org

Drive up to Santa Barbara for an overnighter. See if you can get into the lovely Harbor View Inn. Or, just south of SB in Montecito, the historic Montecito Inn usually has some great weeknight specials at that time of year. You'd probably only have to book it about a week or two in advance.
You might want two nights up there, with a drive one day up around the Santa Ynez Valley (have you seen the movie "Sideways"?)

My brother has relocated from MN to LA. I went last summer to see him thinking LA was not at the top of my destination list and he changed my mind! We drove the coast and had lunch right in the sand at Paradise Cove in Malibu; gorgeous! Watched the sun set from a hillside while we sipped drinks at an outdoor firepit at Castaway's in Burbank; fun! Shopped for handbags in the garment district and mexican trinkets on Olvera Street. Went to Pasadena where we lunched at a great Japanese restaurant and toured the Norton Simon museum; loved it! Hiked at Descanto (sp?) Gardens. Walked the pier at Santa Monica and strolled Venice Beach. Swam in his pool. Saw Hollywood, West Hollywood, Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills Hotel...it is a really spread out cluster of cities, so it is nice to stay with someone who knows where to go, which you will have! I think you will be pleasantly surprised. (and a trip OUT of the Midwest in winter is always a good idea!!) I have encouraged my parents to go out this winter since my trip was so much fun. (and I went in summer) Have fun!