One Day in Los Angeles with Kids: Hollywood, the Observatory and the Beach

One day in Los Angeles with kids can feel like a puzzle: the sights are far apart and the traffic is real. The trick is to move west with the day: Hollywood early while it's quiet, Griffith Observatory when it opens, then a drive to the coast in the early afternoon, before the evening rush, so you're on the sand for sunset.

By Play Your Trip · Updated · 5 min read

The Play Your Trip card for Los Angeles

This plan skips the theme parks, which each need a full day of their own (see Disneyland or Universal?). Most of it is free. Check hours on the official websites before you go.

One day in Los Angeles

Stars on the sidewalk, the Hollywood Sign, a free observatory, and sunset on Santa Monica's beach.

  1. Morning

    Hollywood Walk of Fame and the handprints (opens Google Maps)

    Hunt for favourite characters' stars along Hollywood Boulevard, then match hands with the stars' prints in the forecourt of the TCL Chinese Theatre, which is free to walk into. Early morning is calmer; keep little ones close among the costumed characters and street sellers.

  2. Late morning

    Hollywood Sign view at Ovation Hollywood (opens Google Maps)

    The Hollywood Sign's own website lists this corner of Hollywood and Highland as a viewpoint for the Sign, right next to the handprints. A quick photo stop before you drive up the hill.

  3. Midday

    Griffith Observatory (opens Google Maps)

    Free admission, with exhibits kids can touch, huge views over the city and another look at the Hollywood Sign. It opens at noon on weekdays and at 10 a.m. on weekends, and is closed on Mondays. Planetarium shows are extra. Parking is paid and limited, busiest on weekends and holidays; the DASH Observatory bus runs from the Metro station at Vermont/Sunset.

    Official site

  4. Lunch

    Lunch at the Observatory (opens Google Maps)

    The Café at the End of the Universe is inside the building. Or eat before you come up, in Los Feliz at the bottom of the hill.

  5. Early afternoon

    Drive to the coast before the rush

    Leave by early afternoon. The drive west to Santa Monica can easily take an hour in traffic, and much longer in the weekday evening rush. Leaving early means you're on the beach while everyone else is stuck on the road.

  6. Afternoon

    Santa Monica Pier (opens Google Maps)

    Free to walk, with Pacific Park's Ferris wheel and rides (paid) and the historic carousel. The pier's bridge is being rebuilt through 2027, but the pier and its rides are open: walk in on the temporary footbridge or from the beach path. Some beach parking is taken by the works, so allow extra time. On weekend afternoons, the small Heal the Bay Aquarium under the pier has touch tanks.

    Official site

  7. Sunset

    Sunset on the beach (opens Google Maps)

    Dig in the sand, chase the waves and watch the sun drop into the Pacific. Swim only near a staffed lifeguard tower; the water is cool most of the year.

  8. Evening · Dinner

    Dinner in Santa Monica

    Eat near the beach and let the traffic thin out before you drive back.

Planning around traffic

  • Go one way across the city. Hollywood, then the hills, then the coast: no doubling back.
  • Avoid the weekday rush hours for the long drive. A midday crossing is usually the easiest.
  • Staying near the beach? Flip the day: the pier and the sand in the morning, Hollywood after lunch, and the Observatory for sunset and the city lights. Then drive back late, when the roads are quiet.
  • No car? Metro rail reaches Hollywood (Hollywood/Highland on the B Line) and Santa Monica (the E Line ends a short walk from the pier), and the DASH Observatory bus goes up the hill from the Vermont/Sunset station. It's slower than driving across the city, so keep the day simple.

Good to know

  • Monday? Griffith Observatory is closed. Swap in Griffith Park's trains and trails, or go straight to the beach.
  • Sun all year: hats, sunscreen and water, even on a grey morning at the coast.
  • Layers: the beach can be much cooler than Hollywood, especially in the evening.
  • Want more beach time? See our Santa Monica and Venice day.

Make it a game

A Play Your Trip book turns your day into an adventure: every stop a quest with a coin to collect, every place one tap from the map. Make your Los Angeles book or play the demo.

Questions

Can you see Los Angeles in one day with kids?

You can see a good slice of it: Hollywood's stars and handprints, the Hollywood Sign from Griffith Observatory, and the beach at Santa Monica. Plan the route in one direction to keep driving down.

Is Griffith Observatory free?

Yes, entry to the building and grounds is free. Planetarium shows cost extra, and parking nearby is paid. It's closed on Mondays.

Where can kids see the Hollywood Sign?

Two easy viewpoints are the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, by the handprints, and the terraces of Griffith Observatory.