During May half term, we’re heading to Las Vegas and Los Angeles. I’ve been to both places before, but that was pre-kids. Recently we’ve been doing some research on some of the best attractions and places to visit with kids. Here’s a roundup of things to do in Los Angeles with kids.

Things to do in Los Angeles with kids

Hollywood Walk of Fame

I know that Hollywood can be a bit dodgy, but no trip to Los Angeles would be complete without a trip to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. When we visited previously, we parked at the Chinese Theatre, which is perfectly located for having a wander along Hollywood Boulevard. You can see the stars hand and foot prints at the Chinese Theatre, before gazing at the stars on Hollywood Boulevard. There are over 2,500 stars in the sidewalk and it stretches for 16 blocks.

When we visit we’re planning to eat at the icon Mel’s Diner, which is located in the historic Max-Factor building and shares space with the Hollywood Museum, home of 10,000 Hollywood exhibits and artifacts from classic Hollywood to present day. I’m really looking forward to having a proper American burger and milkshake.

OUE Skyspace

Looking for a one of a kind experience in Los Angeles? Look no further than OUE Skyspace in Downtown Los Angeles.

As the tallest open air observation deck in Los Angeles, visitors can expect to see stunning views over the city, ocean and hills, but the real highlight is the glass slide on the outside of the skyscraper. Yes, you read that correctly!

The fully enclosed glass slide is located on the 70^th floor and zooms visitors down to the open air deck on the floor below. It’s an exhilarating experience like no other and you’ll witness some amazing views – if you can keep your eyes open, that is!

The glass slide is a fun experience for adults and children over the age of 5 and definitely one that you’ll remember for a long time.

The observation deck is open to all ages and features both indoor and outdoor areas over two floors, interactive displays to discover more about the city, fun murals and a bar.

OUE Skyspace is located at 633 West 5^th Street in Downtown Los Angeles.

Recommended by Sally at www.littlehiccups.net

Warner Brothers Studios

Sally who blogs at Our Three Kids V The World recommends taking the kids to Warner Brothers Studios.

Los Angeles is an amazing place to visit with kids. We visited Los Angeles in December and we visited the Warner Brothers Studios in Hollywood. The studios run hourly tours and when you book, you select a date and time. I highly recommend visiting on a Sunday morning as parking is plentiful with timed meters. We parked right out the front and there was barely anyone in sight.

When you tour beings, you will be ushered into a theatre where you’ll watch a short program about the history of Warner Brothers Studios. You will then be put on to tour tram and driven through the studio grounds. We were taken to the props and costume studios where they keep all the furniture for sets, there was every sort to telephone you can imagine in stock!

We had a guided tour of the Ellen set, you’d be surprised how small the sets actually are. We went though the Warner Brothers Backlot sets a number of Hollywood movies have been filmed, such as Casablanca, Batman, Gilmore Girls and Friends. One looks just like a New York block.  Studio 48 is an interactive set where we were able to participate in a role play on the Friends set. I was Rachel of course, hubby was my Ross and the kids were Monica and Joey. Lots of good fun to see ourselves on the big screen.

Read more about their visit here.

The Grammy Museum

The Grammy Museum is one of those places in Los Angeles that the entire family will love, particularly music loving families!.

This iconic museum lets you explore the history and cultural significance of American music and see some amazing artefacts from music history such as precious manuscripts, costumes, ornaments, and commemorative short films. And if you are a Michael Jackson fan, you’ll love the display showing some of his most famous costumes.

There is plenty of interactive exhibits for the kids, including play a range of musical instruments and recording your own music. For Mum and Dad there is a huge range of music exhibits rock and hip-hop to country, classical, Latin, R&B, and jazz.

A family could spend 2 hours or more exploring the museum, especially if you had a go at the various interactive exhibits. The tickets are super-cheap too, so it’s an easy and inexpensive way to spend a few hours.

Recommended by Melissa who Thrifty Family Travels. Read more of Melissa’s LA tips here

The Getty Center

Catherine D’Cruz who blogs at We Go With Kids recommends the Getty Centre.

When my nine year old son and I spent two days in Los Angeles, a visit to the Getty Center was at the top of our must-see list because it offers both a fantastic art collection and an amazing view.  As added bonuses, a funicular transports visitors between the parking area and the museum, and there is no admission fee. Our visit coincided with the daily impressionist tour was scheduled to begin in 15 minutes, which provided an informative overview of our favorite part of the collection and culminated with Vincent Van Gogh’s Irises, one of the Getty’s most notable paintings.

No trip to the Getty is complete without fully exploring the museum’s gardens, including the Central Garden, which is a work of art in its own right and the cactus garden that overlooks Los Angeles.  We also spent at least 10 minutes enjoying in the view of the surrounding valley from the various balconies after our tour.  We are glad we included the Getty Center in our quick trip to Los Angeles.

Find out more from Catherine about visiting Los Angeles with kids.

Santa Monica

We’ve visited Santa Monica a couple of times and are actually staying there for a few days this time.

There’s a great beach (the famous Baywatch beach) as well as the pier, which features a range of rides, family-friendly restaurants and the Santa Monica Aquarium.

There is also the Museum of Flying, which has a flight simulator that little ones will love.

Third Street Promenade is also worth a visit. There are street musicians and performers, giant dinosaur fountains and array of shops and restaurants. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, it’s also home to the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market.

I’m also keen to check out The Bungalow, which is supposed to be a fab beach front cocktail bar. I’m just not sure whether kids are allowed, but will report back.

The Los Angeles Farmer’s Market/The Grove

We discovered the Los Angeles Farmer’s Market 10 years ago and it’s such a cool place. As you’d expect there’s lots of food related stalls and lots of places to grab a whole array of different snacks, meals and drinks.

Situated near to the Farmer’s Market is The Grove, which is an upmarket shopping and leisure complex. I’m looking forward to treating to Heidi in the American Girl shop and also going back to the shop where I bought Oscar’s very first baby gro (I was 10 weeks pregnant last time we were there). There’s also a range of places to eat, including and American Girl café and The Cheesecake Factory, which is perfect for kids.

Once you’ve finished browsing, shopping and eating, there is also cinemas if you fancy taking in a film.

Universal Studios

Universal Studios in Los Angeles is a combination of a working television and movie studio and a movie-based theme park. It’s perfect for the whole family and will provide a fun filled day.

There’s lots of immersive environments like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Springfield, from The Simpsons. As well as rides such as Jurassic Park and ET.

I remember doing the studio tram tour when I visited as a child and I’m excited about doing it again with my own children.

Have you got any tips for things to do in Los Angeles with kids?

Jemma