Santa Monica, CA

Santa Monica Beach
DESCRIPTION: This beach is distinguished by its peer enabling more distant ocean views; a historic carousel, roller coaster, arcade, restaurants, knick-knack shops and coin-operated telescopes will occupy the kids for hours; you can always find people fishing, beach volleyball on one side, and swimmers on the other side of the pier; but be careful with the waves if you have visions of getting in the water; very popular during warm months

at the foot of Santa Monica Blvd

Manhattan Beach, CA

Manhattan Beach & Hermosa Beach
DESCRIPTION: Side-by-side, there beaches offer a pleasant place to kick your feet in the surf, relax, picnic, play volleyball; a few children play stations are sprinkled along beaches to signify the family-oriented setting; at the foot of Manhattan Beach Blvd is the Manhattan Beach Pier for viewing and fishing over the Pacific Ocean; the seamless beaches are several miles long from the edge of El Segundo to Redondo Beach

all-day parking costs $6

reach the beaches from El Segundo via Vista Del Mar, from Manhattan Beach Blvd going west, from Gould Ave going west off PCH and from Redondo Beach take 190th Street west

Los Angeles, CA

Venice Beach
DESCRIPTION: What a collection of humanity; the guy who juggles chain saws can often be spotted or is he keeping a low profile after an injury?  Street artists, magicians, gift shops and outdoor diversions crowd every corner on weekends, making this a feast for the eyes; if you want to get active, buff out with the weights on Muscle Beach, everyone is welcome for a small fee; lifeguards are on duty during warm weather; test your playground basketball, tennis, rollerblading and biking skills; the Venice Boardwalk is also one of the safest public places in Los Angeles, despite the crazy street performer who juggles chain saws; nearby Abbot Kinney Blvd is named after the Venice founder who hired African Americans in his amusement company, which led to an early 20th century African American community presence here

park early or catch a beach shuttle on Venice Blvd up to the beach

best reached from Venice Blvd

Leimert Park Plaza
DESCRIPTION: This small park serves as the cultural nexus of Black Los Angeles.  Recent landscaping, light treatment, and tables for dominoes add to the ambiance; Kwanzaa festivities, Jazz festivals, arts festivals occur here; bounded by Crenshaw Blvd, 43rd Street and Leimert Blvd

Griffith Park
DESCRIPTION: A top zoo, Greek Theatre, a world famous observatory & planetarium, the world famous Hollywood Sign, a bird sanctuary, rail transportation museum, a tiny train ride for kids and parents, two 18 hole golf courses, bicycle rentals, picnic grounds, baseball fields, equestrian center with pony rides for children, Museum of Western Heritage and tennis courts

Exposition Park
DESCRIPTION:The most public park in LA is host to the Olympic Coliseum (college football and track), The Rose Garden, The Natural History Museum, IMAX Theatre, California African American Museum, The Museum of Science and Industry, The Aerospace Museum; definitely a good place to take the kids between visiting Universal Studios and Disneyland; weekends and festivals can sometimes bring huge crowds

Figueroa Ave between Vernon and Exposition Blvd, next to the University of Southern California

Rancho Cienega Sports Park
DESCRIPTION: Every August to early September the African Marketplace is held here; it seems to get bigger each year drawing many tens of thousands to see the arts, crafts and culture of the African Diaspora; parking is easiest to reach off Farmdale Ave entrance

Kenneth Hahn State Recreational Area
DESCRIPTION: A major public effort reclaimed 315 acres once littered with bobbing oil rigs; now the park even features a stream, and two lakes with fish and many wildlife have returned; there is a hiking trail, plenty of ball fields and playgrounds; when the park was reclaimed, 140 different trees representing nations who competed in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, were planted

La Cienega Blvd and La Brea Blvd, north of Stocker Street

San Marino, CA

Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
DESCRIPTION: An under-appreciated treasure; if you life aromatherapy, check out nature’s version here; more about the gardens and less about the art museum, the grounds cover 150 immaculate acres

ADMISSION: $12.50 adults, $10 seniors (age 65+), $8.50 age 12-18 or with full-time student ID, $5 age 5-11, Free for children under age 5

DAYS & HOURS: Tue-Fri Noon-4:30p, Sat-Sun 10:30a-4:30p

ADDRESS: 1151 Oxford Road

PHONE: 626-405-2100

WEBSITE: http://www.huntington.org

Catalina Island, CA

Avalon, Catalina

DESCRIPTION: Is this the island, Gilligan menat to arrive at? Relax on an island beach, wetsuit snorkleing & diving, kayak, volleyball, sightseeing, hiking, horseback riding, golfing, miniature golfing, tennis, and biking; adults enjoy the harborside breakfast, seafood and steak restaurants and gift shops; Descanso Beach is a must visit for families; the Wrigley chewing gum magnate built an estate overlooking the harbor, a country club and a memorial worth seeing, but the best man-made structure is the Avalon Casino -- casino means "gathering place" and that's all it is here, not a gambling casino; the Casino hosts a large jazz festival here every October

ADMISSION: Free to enter; if you plan to stay overnight, consider booking a ferry and hotel package via one of the transit carriers listed below

DAYS & HOURS: High speed ferries leave daily; 1 hour 40 minute boat ride from Marina Del Rey or 1 hour 20 minutes from the ports of San Pedro or Long Beach

ADDRESS: Caltalina Island  MAP

TRANSIT: http://www.CatalinaExpress.com or http://www.catalinaferries.com

WEBSITE: http://www.visitcatalinaisland.com