santa monica | travelforkids

Pacific Park amusement park - Soar five stories above the waves on solar-powered Pacific Wheel, teens can enjoy thrilling roller coasters, and drive electric bumper cars. For little ones, Inkie's Wave Jumper or Sea Planes is fun. Play midway games like Whac-a-Mole, Mini Hoops, Water Race, and there's lots of snack stands for hot dogs, pizza and cotton candy.

Carousel - Kids can ride a carousel here since 1916, with beautiful hand-carved animals.

Carousel Park - Next to the carousel is a playground with a sea dragon, your own wooden ship to climb on, sand to play in, swings to swing on, all with a view of the Pacific Ocean.

Heal the Bay Aquarium, underneath the carousel, is an aquarium and learning center oriented completely towards kids. It's well worth the time you'll spend exploring interactive displays (such as touch-tanks) about Santa Monica Bay.

Palisades Park - The long narrow Park sits right on the cliffs over looking the Pacific, with one of the best views you can find in Los Angeles County: from Palos Verdes in the south to Malibu in the north. It's a great place for a picnic or taking a stroll with the kids. From the park, there are pedestrian walkways to the beach below.

Santa Monica State Beach - Santa Monica has miles of sandy beach good for swimming - little kids can jump in the waves here. Lifeguards are on duty during the summer. Pick up towels and beach toys or rent boogie boards, chairs and umbrellas at Perry's Beach Cafe and Rentals on Ocean Front Walk (near Ocean Park Blvd.) Fly kites on the beach too - stop into stands on Santa Monica Pier.

Learn to surf - Santa Monica has great beaches to ride the waves, and if kids are going to learn to surf, this is the place. Lessons include surf boards and wetsuits.

Marvin Braude Bike Trail - This wide concrete bike trail goes for miles, all the way from Will Rogers State Beach (just north of Santa Monica) down to Torrance. Rent bikes at stands all along the beach front walk.

Museum of Flying - Zoom over to the Museum of Flying at the Santa Monica Municipal Airport. It has vintage Douglas and World War II era aircraft, (including the Douglas World Cruiseter: first plane to fly around the world) as well as tons of aviation artifacts and photography. In the AirVenture part of the Museum you'll find interactive exhibits and a flight simulator. The museum is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.