Wanting to plan the perfect LA holiday with kids? No, let’s be honest, the exchange rate isn’t fantastic, BUT, if it’s on your bucketlist, here’s how to save some serious bucks and bank some core family memories.
Someone asked me the other day what my hobbies are, which sent me into a mild panic (do I get through enough books to say reading is one? Does wrangling my children every day count?! My now-indepth knowledge of all the Pixar movie) until a realised, I have one: planning holidays.
Sometimes they’re fictional ones (I know, weird, but surely it beats a late-night Candy Crush addiction?), and sometimes, excitingly, they become actual real life plans. So, when my husband and I spotted a good deal and splurged on family flights to Los Angeles, my hobby was in full swing. I was ready. I already had my starred properties on Booking.com ready to go.
As part of our wider trip we landed on spending three nights in the thick of things in LA. As luck would have it, my brother-in-law also had a family trip planned, and we could organise our schedules so we overlapped in LA (this is an excellent strategy to justify the expense: we’re doing it for the kids! What cool memories for them! And as it turns out, it can also cut down your costs significantly).
Where to Stay
LA is large. Seriously large. A fact I forgot, thinking the holiday was probably off the cards when the horrendous fires broke out and our accommodation looked impossibly close to the danger zones on the maps. In reality they were far away and we never saw a single hint of trouble, smoke or concern that was so sadly terrorising other families.
But LA’s sheer size, and insane traffic, means you’ve got to plan carefully where you stay. There’s no quickly zipping across town – you want to stay close to the sights you most want to see. If that means splitting up your time across different areas, I’d do it. Holidays are too precious to spend the bulk of your time in traffic.
For us, this was easy. The purpose of our trip was a family day at Universal Studios, and then get as much of that Hollywood experience as we could.
North Hollywood makes sense if you want a real taste of that Hollywood aspect of LA – you’re around all the major film studios, including Universal, there’s plenty of choices for eating and drinking, plus the likes of Beverly Hills and Hollywood are just down the other side of the hill. It’s also where you’ll find lots of celebrities living (a fun game on the gridlocked freeway becomes guessing who is in the backseat of the chauffeur driven cars).
Many moons ago I’d added to my favourites list a home in North Hollywood – a pretty not-so-little four bedroom/three bathroom home with a covered outdoor patio filled with fairy lights and an outdoor kitchen overlooking a pool. It seemed… ridiculous? But then I remembered there were eight of us – four adults, four children. I spent several weeks on my hobby of researching hotels in the area and nothing was even comparable. Two rooms living on top of each other in a mid-range hotel would cost us the same as a fully decked out four-bedroom house. It looked like living like a local – and an A-list local at that! – was the way to go.
I’d highly, highly recommend hiring a house – and specifically the Noho Angel & Rose. Not only did we get to spend time as a family, sitting (or playing) in the different shared spaces that were well spread out across the house, but everyone could retreat to their own room for some quiet time whenever they wanted. We could do our washing. We could watch different things on the TV to the kids. And, the kindest part for our bank balances, was the money we saved on eating out.
Having a full kitchen means you’re not out for every meal and is a particular godsend when you have kids who could just do with a home-cooked meal. My husband is always saying ‘Let’s set ourselves up for success’ when we have a busy day ahead of us – and honestly, being able to cook your own breakfast at home is a great way to save money, and save your sanity later on, getting to avoid those hangry situations you can find yourselves in (a particularly gnarly space to be in with kids involved!). There was every appliance imaginable at this house – as well as a much appreciated, seriously amount of space dedicated to various different types of coffee.
Oh, and yes, we had our own pool, which has to be a major drawcard. Although, one catch – which I’d seen quite a lot of in holiday homes, so make sure you read the fine print – was that if you wanted the pool heated, you had to pay an eye-watering US$100 a day. When we did the maths and figured a round of Erewhon smoothies was still much cheaper than the pool, we said no thanks.
To immerse us in living like local LA celebrities, there was not one but two Wholefoods nearby, an Erewhon down the street (next to a Equinox where Jake Gylenhaal had allegedly just visited) and plenty of cafes and bars in between.
Where to Go
+ Immerse yourselves in Hollywood Magic at Universal Studios for a Day
This was one of the definite highlights of the trip. Even with eight of us, all spanning different ages, there was truly something for everyone. And yes, the goal of creating some epic family memories together, was certainly achieved.
The thrill seekers teens and tweens in our group loved The Revenge of the Mummy ride (a thrill ride in the dark, based on the films), while all of the adults were giddy in the Springfield area of the park, home to The Simpsons. There, you’ll find a virtual rollercoaster, but also a Kwik-e-Mart (where you can pick up merch, cans of Duff beer or a giant iconic Lard Lad Donut), a fully-functioning Krusty Burger (for delicious burgers and fries), Cletus’ Chicken Shack, Luigi’s Pizza, plus many of the famous landmarks from the show.
My favourite zone though was without a doubt the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Even if – like my husband and my toddler – you’re not familiar with the series, it’s still a breath taking experience walking into Hogsmeade. It feels like you’ve stepped into a whole new reality – into the movie itself – getting to walk along the cobbled road with intricately designed snow-covered shops. From famous Ollivanders wand shop, to the candy store Honeydukes or Three Broomsticks (where you can order an icy/frozen or hot cup of delicious Butterbeer), it’s simply spell-binding. It’s also home to two great rides – the Flight of the Hippogriff (a rollercoaster that’s kid – and scaredy-cat adult – friendly) and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (a VERY fun thrill ride that uses motion simulation and is a must for any die-hard Harry Potter Fan – you’ll explore Hogwarts, fly through a Quidditch match and try to escape dementors! You couldn’t wipe the smiles off the 10-year-old (or my!) face).
There’s also a Jurassic World zone (with a fab, stomach dropping ride, plus a cute zone for little kids), Transformers area, Minion Land, ‘Production Plaza’, plus Super Nintendo World – one of the newest offerings in the park. It’s huge – you don’t even have to go on a single ride to be fully immersed in the game world. We finished off our day with a Studio Tour – a roughly one hour journey through the backlots of the working studio, getting to see the sets of everything from Jaws and Psycho, to War of the Worlds and NOPE, riding on a studio cart. Despite some pretty intense 4D interactive scenes the toddler was a big fan – although his favourite ride was probably the Secret Life of Pets 2 ride (perfect for little people).
TIP: Mid-January on is a great time to visit because it’s much less crowded – the locals are at school or work and it’s cooler. We went on a Wednesday – I’d definitely recommend avoiding the weekends – and found the crowds to be totally manageable. Plus, despite it being January 23rd the Christmas decorations were still up, that really added to the magic. It was also a balmy 25 degrees by day, but a chilly 10 at night (it’s dark by 6pm, so be sure to bring warm clothing).
+ Pop into Erewhon for a famous ‘Hailey Bieber Smoothie’ and people watch
LA is one of the greatest cities to people watch, and there’s perhaps no greater spot than an Erewhon. They’re essentially a chic health food store (you’ll find all the organic veges and different plant-based milks you can dream of, plus various salves, potions and candles), with a fab café component. They’ve become famous for their smoothies – with one of their most iconic being ‘Hailey Bieber’s Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie’. Even though Kelly went a couple of years ago and wasn’t a fan AND they have a pricetag of US$20 (yes, that’s currently $35 for one SMOOTHIE), I figured it was my duty to try one for this story. And do you know what? I thought it was actually bloody good (I do have a sweet tooth though). So did all three of my boys. It’s made of (all organic) almond milk, banana, strawberries, avocado, dates, maple syrup, protein powder, collagen, stevia, SEA MOSS (?!) coconut cream and strawberry glaze. For added people watching, the Studio City branch is right next to an Equinox (a high-end gym chain).
+ Do a Celebrity Houses Tour
Yes, they’re cheesy, but, an open top bus tour taking in the major sites – as well as a peek at where the celebs live – is also often a lot of darn fun. You can definitely do a self-drive around Hollywood and then head into Beverly Hills and beyond to gawk at the palatial homes, but if you are feeling a bit nosy, it’s much more fun to have one of those super-enthusiastic (and knowledgeable) tour guides show you around.
Starline has been around for the longest (since 1935) and is the most famous – so it seemed like a sure bet to try. In a two-hour tour you’ll see the TCL Chinese Theatre, Mullholland Drive, Dolby Theatre (home to the Oscars), Rodeo Drive and more – all whilst your guide tells you behind the scenes stories and points out where certain movie scenes were filmed, or moments of Hollywood history were made.
You’ll slowly drive past the homes where the likes of Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and Lucille Ball lived, as well as the current homes of celebrities like Katy Perry and Elton John.
+ Go for a Shop at The Grove, with a Bite to Eat at The Farmer’s Market
The Grove is the place to find every American store imaginable – all in a very beautiful outdoor mall. There’s also a bunch of great restaurants (if you’re HUNGRY, then head to The Cheesecake Factory for outrageously sized meals – I highly recommend the Miso Salmon!) and a movie theatre. Plus, right smack bang next to it is the Farmer’s Market, where you’ll find lots of little shops and stalls full of character, as well as again, lots of great places to eat. My #1 recommendation has to be Trejo’s Tacos – owned by Danny Trejo, the actor. Holy smokes these tacos are good – particularly the spicy prawn.
How to Ensure a Good Family LA holiday!
Hire a car. If you’re going to live like a local in LA – and keep your sanity – I’d recommend a car. As mentioned, LA is vast. Public transport isn’t so great, and, no one walks anywhere. Ubers are great, but will quickly add up. Just make sure you have a good practice in the car park driving on the other side of the road before you start your adventure!
Get your head around sales tax and gratuity. Shopping or eating out in LA requires a bit of maths. If you’re doing any shopping, what you see on the price tag isn’t entirely accurate – when you get to the register, the statewide Sales & Use tax of 7.25% will be added to your bill. And then there’s the tipping situation. Generally it’s expected you’ll pay at least 15%, but really, 20% seems to be what’s considered normal. There’s a few grey areas – like when you order a takeout coffee from a café (generally $1-$2 tip is still expected?!), but you should be ready to tip people like anyone who helps you with your bags, or valets your car, or cleans your room.
Get your timing right. Yip, having a family holiday often means being at the mercy of school holidays. And that means a good portion of the folks who have LA on their list, will be aiming for the July-ish school holidays when we’re in the depths of winter, but LA is scorching. Yes, that means you’ll be able to spend a lot of time poolside, or at the beach or getting a tan while you explore. But, you’re also more likely to be met by crowds (you’ll be standing in queues with kids from across the US on school holidays), plus, peak priced air fares. If you’re open to it, our summer holidays are still a great time to visit. The queues are smaller, things are less hectic, the air fares are cheaper – and, it’s still sunny, because it’s LA. We were in California for nearly two weeks all up, and across that time most of Los Angeles enjoyed daytime temperature highs of about 24 degrees (there were a couple of 19 degree days, but also four days of 27 degrees!). You will need warm clothing though, because once that sun disappears, she’s down to 10 degrees most nights.
Alice was a guest of Booking.com at the Angel & Rose NoHo – all activities were organised and paid for personally.
