Southern California Requesting Ideas for Spring Break Activities in the LA Area

[Wiltony]

Hi All!

Requesting some fun things to do in the LA area that is *not* a theme park. We're mid-range price conscious, mostly due to the fact that there are so many of us (7)! So I'm looking to keep my spending to between $10 and $25 per person on a few activities. (Free is fine also, of course.)

Family of 7: Mom & Dad and 5 kids, ages range from 10-16 years old. All fully vaccinated and happy to wear masks where needed.

Heading to LA area for spring break near the end of March. We have 3 full days (and 2 half days due to flights). We'll have a rental car.

We do want to visit the beach for most of one of those days, depending on weather. Which beach would you recommend?

I've done some searching and was thinking the Getty Museum and/or the Griffith Observatory would be good candidates, but I don't want to be too "museum heavy" if you know what I mean, so need some other ideas also!

Thank you!

 

[PHXscuba]

Griffith is free and there is hiking nearby. California Science Center is cheap and has a Space Shuttle! I'd consider both above the Getty with that age range of kids.

I'm partial to the Orange County beaches since I grew up there but that may be farther than you want to drive.

 

[oakleycat]

My boys are 13 and 15. Their favorite beaches are Newport, Corona del Mar and Huntington in Orange County, which are classic California beaches and in my opinion better than any in LA County. The water will still be very cold but the weather should be nice (it's already in the 80s this week). Newport is my favorite because it has lots of great restaurants and a farmer's market on the weekend, and also a harbor side if you get tired of the waves or want to check out the boats/yachts.

For free/affordable activities in LA, mine enjoy hiking in Griffith Park (especially the Old Zoo) and there's also the carousel and Travel Town there; the Observatory for a short visit and hiking in the Hollywood hills up near the Hollywood sign; the museums in Exposition Park (California Science Center is free and awesome and Natural History museum is reasonably priced); Hollywood for a movie at the El Capitan, the Chinese theatre, Peterson Automotive Museum and especially the Funko Pop store. I love all the art museums (Getty, Huntington, LACMA, etc) and could spend the day there but the teenage boys not so much.