Located just above the Hollywood Reservoir is the famous Griffith Park, home of the Griffith Observatory and the Griffith & Southern Railway. The railway in the park is one of the most well-loved attractions among Los Angeles families. The one-mile ride in a mini-train loops around the park, passing an Old West town and an 80-foot tunnel. Also part of the park is the not-to-be-missed Los Angeles Zoo, as well as a carousel, pony rides and many areas for setting up an afternoon picnic. Also worth a look is the Autry Western Heritage Museum, filled with buckskin relics from the Old West days.
It's hard to come to Hollywood and not do at least a bit of "star gazing." Older kids will enjoy cruising the Hollywood Walk of Fame and looking for their favorite movie star's name on the sidewalk. Use the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce's "Hollywood Walk of Fame" web page to locate the stars whose names you want to see on the sidewalk before you go, or check out the website's "Upcoming Star Ceremonies" to attend one of the "starring" ceremonies that might take place during your visit. For a longer adventure, simply walk the 2.4-mile stretch along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street to see the names of all the stars at once.
Kids will also get a kick out of taking photos with their favorite stars -- in wax. Madame Tussauds opened another branch of the famous wax museum in 2009, right along Hollywood Boulevard and the Walk of Fame. Depending on your kids' styles, they may enjoy the Sports Pavilion with sports legends like Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant and Lance Armstrong, or the A-List Pavilion featuring replicas of Brad Pitt, Justin Timberlake, Penelope Cruz, and many more.
Once again, one of the biggest attractions for families is film-related: Universal Studios Hollywood. Despite its name, Universal Studios is actually in Universal City, just north of Hollywood. Think of it as part amusement park, part glimpse into the life of the entertainment industry. Action-packed adventure rides include The Simpsons virtual roller coaster, the Shrek 4-D ride, and the House of Horrors, rated the Best Year-Round Haunted Attraction in America by HauntWorld Magazine. Younger kids will enjoy having their pictures taken with famous movie characters, including Dora the Explorer, Shrek, Scooby Doo and Curious George. Universal Studios Hollywood offers so much to see and do that you may want to break the visit into several days.
