View from Hyatt Regency Century Plaza

Lavyne also suggests Malibu beaches and star sightings at Zuma surf beach. Venice Beach has a boardwalk with affordable eats and treats. And, the nearby Channel Islands are a great adventure, too, for their wildlife. On Catalina Island, the Art Deco facade of the historic 1929 Casino in Avalon has been refurbished, and, of course, great shopping and dining are there, too, as well as inviting bed and breakfasts.

Back on the mainland, don’t miss the La Brea Tarpits where you can still see where animals from the last ice age roamed and died 9,000 years ago. The California Science Center features exhibits for children such as “Ecosystems” and “Mummies of the World.”

The Skirball Cultural Center has launched “Noah’s Ark” to teach concepts of environmental stewardship for ages 3–9: Everything is recycled and hands on. And, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is opening an exhibition this summer in July, “Age of Mammals,” which traces the history of evolution from dinosaurs to humans.

The Getty Center is open seven days a week with landscaped grounds for a family picnic and sight-seeing, and the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is another outdoor experience that the children, as well as mom and dad, will like.

Century City’s newly renovated Westfield Shopping Center offers new AMC theaters with stadium seating, an upscale dining terrace and retail stores that will also appeal to all family members.

“From easy-to-access beaches, famous outdoor theme parks, world-renowned shopping, spas, dining, arts and culture and Hollywood sightseeing, all ages will be entertained in LA,” Lavyne says. “Coupled with Southern California’s sunshine and breezy days by the seashore, Los Angeles is the perfect all-around family summer destination location.”