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A Kids’ Guide to Hollywood VC_Kidifornia_HollywoodGuide_WarnerBrosStudioTour_Supplied_The-Batman-Exhibit_2_1280x640
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood

A Kids’ Guide to Hollywood

A Kids’ Guide to Hollywood
Plan a family-friendly tour of Tinseltown

Take the kids to Los Angeles on your California family vacation, and you’ll likely hear one big request: Hollywood. After all, teens, tweens, and even smaller kids tend to be pretty pop-culture savvy, so this part of L.A. carries a lot of magic. Build your visit based on these family-friendly, don’t-miss Hollywood attractions—some related to TV shows and movie stars, and others offering just-for-fun museums and sweets.

 

Stroll the Walk of Fame

Kids can find their favourite celebrity’s star along the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located on Hollywood Boulevard between La Brea Avenue and Vine Street. Wander along the boulevard and see how many of the 2,500-plus names family members can identify, or use the StarFinder feature on the walk’s website to track down your favourite stars. Hollywood Boulevard can get bustling, especially on weekends, with street performers, costumed movie characters, and trinket sellers, but there’s also plenty of good people-watching.

 

Score Seats at a Live TV Show Taping

While many Hollywood-based television shows offer free seats to live tapings, the age minimum for most is 18. There are a few shows, however—such as Nickelodeon’s Figure it Out and The Thundermans, or game shows like Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune—that welcome kids as young as 8 or 10. Double-check age restrictions and request tickets online through a ticket broker such as Audiences Unlimited or On Camera Audiences. (One great ticket: Seeing the annual Kids’ Choice Awards, which limits audience members to ages 10–15.) Keep in mind that while tickets are free, they don’t actually guarantee admission, since shows often overbook for no-shows. Save a chunk of the day if you’re hoping to see a live taping: Waiting in line and the show taping itself can take from 3 to 6 hours.

 

Experience Universal Fun

Combining a studio tour with rides, restaurants, and shopping, Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk thrill kids and adults alike. Take the backlot tour of this working studio for a chance to see sets and soundstages from current movies and TV shows, then explore the rides, lives shows, and attractions featuring characters from Despicable Me, King KongThe Fast and the FuriousTransformersShrek, and more. Don’t miss the park’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter, with its motion-simulator ride through Hogwarts Castle, as well as the re-creation of Hogsmeade village, complete with a Honeydukes sweet shop. The most popular rides require that kids be at least 40 inches tall, so check height restrictions before you go.

 

Explore the Ultimate Hollywood Mall

More than just shops and restaurants, Hollywood & Highland Center includes a number of must-do Hollywood activities. Take a tour inside the Dolby Theatre, where the Academy Awards are held each year, or grab tickets to the TV festival PaleyFest, where you can see your favourite TV stars in person. Head up to the second level to create your own chocolate bar at the Chocolate Lab inside Sweet! Hollywood, then visit the fourth floor for a postcard-quality family shot with the iconic Hollywood sign in the background. Up for a friendly family competition? Prove your bowling prowess at the hip Lucky Strikes bowling lanes on the ground floor. (Just keep in mind that the alley becomes 21-and-up after 8 p.m.)

 

Spot a Few Celebrities

One sure-fire way to get a selfie with a star is to visit the L.A. branch of famed wax museum Madame Tussauds, which features famous faces such as Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Barack Obama, Kobe Bryant, Taylor Swift, and Shrek. If you’re set on seeing a star in person and don’t have luck at the local coffee shop or pressed juicery, check out Seeing Stars for a list of upcoming opportunities, including Walk of Fame unveilings, movie premieres, TCL Chinese Theatre footprint ceremonies, and more.

 

Visit a Working Movie Studio

Take the Warner Bros. Studio Tour—technically in neighbouring Burbank—for a serious show-biz fix. The two-hour guided tour includes visits to backlots and soundstages used for classic films and TV shows such as CasablancaGilmore Girls, and Friends, as well as current WB programs. The tour also includes special exhibits of props and costumes from the Harry Potter films (as well as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) and DC Universe, which features first-edition comics, DC video games, and even the actual Kryptonite used in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Don’t miss the chance to see all the Batmobiles ever used. (One hitch: The tours are for ages 8 and up.)

 

Take in an Old-Style Movie

A visit to the historic El Capitan Theatre includes much more than a movie. This Disney-owned theatre offers both new-release and classic films from Disney, Pixar, and Marvel. Besides seeing the gorgeous Art Deco interior, you can experience sing-alongs, live-action shows before the movie, prop and costume exhibits, or character meet-and-greets. Seats are first come, first served, or you can order VIP tickets online that include a reserved seat, popcorn, and a drink.

 

Break a Record

Know how many items are in the largest Star Wars memorabilia collection? Want to guess the record for the most hamburgers eaten in three minutes? If your kids love odd and unusual trivia, they’ll love the Hollywood Guinness World Records Museum. More than just looking at exhibits, kids can also attempt the world’s long jump record, compare their weights to the world’s heaviest person, and experience the feel of speed records in the Adrenaline Theater. If you have enough time to see them all, consider a combo ticket that also includes the Hollywood Wax Museum and Ripley’s Believe It or Not.

 

Make Dessert Like a Celebrity Chef

Fans of cooking reality shows will dig Duff’s Cakemix, owned by Food Network star Duff Goldman. Stop by and savour a premade cake or cupcake, or sign up for one of the bakery’s Drop-In and Decorate sessions that include prebaked goods, decorating supplies, and an hour of studio time. Weekends often fill up fast, so grab a reservation online.

 

Kate Bayless

 

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Photo by Ryan Killackey

Southern California

Discover Los Angeles County

See a movie star. Sip a cocktail on a rooftop bar at sunset. Slip on a pair of designer shoes in an ultra-luxurious boutique in Beverly Hills. Play at Universal Studios Hollywood theme park, explore world-class museums, or dance the night away in a starlet-filled club. Welcome to California’s liveliest city, entertainment capital of America, with megastar wattage and nonstop activities.

“You know, you’re really a nobody in L.A. unless you have a really big door.”  –comedian Steve Martin

The main hub is the City of Los Angeles, with legendary Hollywood northwest of downtown, the San Fernando Valley to the east, and the inviting beaches of Santa Monica and Malibu to the west.

Koreatown is just south of central Los Angeles
Courtesy of Sisilia Piring/The Line

Koreatown

This small area with 24-hour energy packs in some of the best restaurants and nightlife in Los Angeles

Just south of Hollywood and west of central Los Angeles lies...

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Courtesy of Stan Lee

California Questionnaire: Curtis Stone

The Australia native has planted his roots in Los Angeles, where he runs two acclaimed restaurants and lives the California dream

 

Award-winning chef Curtis Stone was born in Melbourne, established his culinary chops in London, and rose to fame on TV, appearing on...

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Courtesy of Gwen

Gwen Butcher Shop & Restaurant

Fire-based cooking techniques fuel the culinary innovation at Curtis Stone’s Hollywood hotspot

Curtis Stone and his brother Luke both began their culinary careers in an Australian butcher shop, so it makes sense that their joint venture,...

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Ian McDonnell/Getty Images

San Pedro

LA’s busiest port town is a haven for maritime enthusiasts and seafood lovers

Located at the southern point of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, between Manhattan Beach and Long Beach, is...

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Cara Robbins/Getty Images

CALIFORNIA QUESTIONNAIRE: ZOEY DEUTCH

The up-and-coming actress loves life in the Valley, road trips up the coast, and old-school deli food

For Zoey Deutch, movies are the family business. Her mom, Lea Thompson, starred in Back to the Future, and her dad, Howard Deutch,...

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Griffith Observatory

Spotlight: Los Angeles

A Kids’ Guide to Hollywood vca_maps_losangeles
Bright lights, A-list celebrities & diverse culture

Welcome to the bright lights and big-city allure of California’s largest metropolis. Here, A-list celebrities really do walk the sidewalks, triple...

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Zachary Miller/Getty Images

Angeles National Forest

Discover the wilder side of Los Angeles, just minutes from the city in the San Gabriel Mountains

Barely 30 minutes from the skyscrapers of downtown Los Angeles, and just north of Pasadena, the urban jungle gives way to the forests, rugged...

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Amanda Edwards/Getty Images

The California Questionnaire: Margaret Cho

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The Emmy- and Grammy-nominated stand-up comic, actress, and singer clues us into her love of Los Angeles and California culture

Margaret Cho has been doing stand-up since high school, and her ability to make audiences LOL has afforded her opportunities in all genres—from...

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Chris Putnam/Alamy

Burbank

The entertainment industry’s home base offers a microcosm of stars, shopping and cool tours

If you come to Los Angeles to see where movie magic happens, look to the other side of Hollywood—literally.

'I always...

Watch celebrity chefs in action at this annual event in downtown Los Angeles

If you’re a foodie, your definition of “celebrity sighting” in Los Angeles has little to do with movie stars. Instead, the annual All-...

A delicious snack prepared at the All-Star Chef Classic in Los Angeles
Bernstein Associates/Getty Images
A Kids’ Guide to Hollywood vca_maps_losangeles
SPECIAL FEATURE
All around L.A. County, shoppers can find today’s trends at amazing prices

Homegrown Los Angeles fashion runs the gamut from red-carpet-ready looks by Rodarte to slouchy, soft T-shirts by James Perse, which makes this county a ...

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Walter Bibikow/Getty Images

La Brea Tar Pits

Find fossils and family-friendly fun at this prehistoric excavation site

Your idea of old may be 100, but that will undoubtedly change after you spend several hours at the La Brea Tar Pits & Museum. You will learn...

January

The iconic Tournament of Roses in Pasadena is the city’s annual one-two punch: a parade and a football game. It’s California’s way of celebrating the New Year with a twin display of flower power...

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Photo by Pauline Cheng/Flickr
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Photo by Neil Kremer/Flickr

Spotlight: Hollywood

A Kids’ Guide to Hollywood vca_maps_losangeles
Showbiz, celebrities, & endless possibilities

Tinseltown, where starlets are discovered on every street corner (or at least we like to think they are), and the tinted windows of that...

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SoCal Drive by Laura Flippen

Celebrity Spotting

A Kids’ Guide to Hollywood vca_maps_losangeles
Where to see stars in Hollywood

Stargazing takes on a different meaning in Tinseltown. While there’s no guarantee you’ll spy a familiar face when you’re here, there are some...

A Kids’ Guide to Hollywood SunsetBlvd_WeHo_1280x642_0
Courtesy of West Hollywood

Sunset Strip Nightlife

Welcome to L.A.’s home of rock ‘n’ roll

Few roads have as much history as this 2-mile-/3.2-km-long section of Sunset Boulevard, bounded by Havenhurst Drive and Doheny Drive. In the 1960s...

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Courtesy of Chris Burden/Museum Associates/LACMA

LA Museums

See masterpieces and innovative contemporary works

With its diverse collection of museums, Los Angeles has grown into one of the world’s great cities for art lovers. From the dramatically modern...

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Rodeo Drive by Sharon Mollerus/Flickr

Los Angeles County Shopping

Go boutique to bargain in one of the world’s fashion (and shopping) capitals

You’ll definitely want to leave room in your suitcase for L.A. shopping.

If you’re ready to whip out the platinum card, head to Rodeo Drive...

SPECIAL FEATURE
Make memories at some of California's family-favorite beaches

Sand, water, and kids—it’s a natural combination for easy family fun. This sandy dozen offers appealing, family-friendly features, such as calm water for new swimmers, tide pools for intrepid...

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Alex Farnum
The Gamble House in Pasadena, California
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Pasadena

Tour an Arts and Crafts masterpiece and more in the home of the Rose Bowl

Set at the base of the towering San Gabriel Mountains, Pasadena is best known as the home of the annual Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose...

SPECIAL FEATURE
Farm-fresh produce, culinary adventures

Juicy heirloom tomatoes and just-picked strawberries. Super-sweet peaches shaped like mini UFOs. Artisanal cheeses, emerald-green olive oils, local wildflower honey—California’s farmers’ markets...

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Laura Flippen
SPECIAL FEATURE
Check these amazing experiences off your bucket list

Kiss a beluga, see cool movie props, and learn about Walt’s secret hideaway on exclusive and behind-the-scenes tours at California’s theme parks and attractions. Here’s a roundup of worth-the-...

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Photo by Michael Saechang/Flickr
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Beverly Hills

Peek into the land of the rich and famous

Opulent estates. Palm-lined Rodeo Drive. Lavish hotels and stretch limousines. Look around Beverly Hills, and it’s no wonder this city gets its...

SPECIAL FEATURE
World-class accommodations in world-class locations

Head to the heart of California’s cities for luxurious stays at world-class accommodations. From San Francisco’s historic hotels to celebrity hot spots in Hollywood and Beverly Hills, California’s...

A Kids’ Guide to Hollywood PalaceHotel_LynGateley_preview_686x885
Lynn Gately/Flickr
SPECIAL FEATURE
Where to release your inner fashionista

Shopping is an art form in California. Whether you are in search of the perfect cocktail dress or an authentic Mexican piñata, you will find it here. Want to...

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South Coast Plaza
SPECIAL FEATURE
Discover quintessential sun and fun at these coastal charmers

Take one part water, one part sand, one part sun-soaked coastal charm, and you have the recipe for some of California’s most appealing destinations. The Golden State’s beach towns stand out for...

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Lucas Himovitz
SPECIAL FEATURE
Taste the delicious dishes from these amazing California chefs

From a candy-colored pastry shop to Michelin-starred dining rooms, top restaurants run by celebrity chefs dot the Golden State. And even if you don’t know these chefs from the TV...

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Jen Judge

Venice

A Kids’ Guide to Hollywood vca_maps_losangeles
Surfers, skateboarders, and stars

Venice is the ultimate L.A. neighborhood where the surf meets the human circus. Spend a day along Venice’s palm-lined, beachfront boardwalk and...

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Aquarium of the Pacific by Harriot Manley

Long Beach

Experience the many sides of a dynamic coastal city

With beaches and marinas along its waterfront and a busy dining and shopping scene on downtown’s Pine Avenue, Long Beach blends big city...

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Disney Concert Hall by Jen Judge

L.A. Architecture

See eye-catching icons and stately landmarks

While Los Angeles is still a young city when compared to places like, say, Rome, it still boasts a unique architectural tradition that spans a...

SPECIAL FEATURE
Hands-on fun for all at farms, ranches, and fields statewide

 

From almonds and olives up north to avocados, oranges, and dates in the south, the Golden State has a crop (or 10) for nearly every stretch of terrain. After all, ...

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Tai Power Seeff
February or March

You certainly will not be the only one celebrating the Lunar New Year at this colourful event in L.A.’s Chinatown. Join thousands of revellers lining the parade route as lion dancers and giant...

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Jorge Gonzalez/Flickr
A Kids’ Guide to Hollywood vca_maps_losangeles
SPECIAL FEATURE
Unleash the children within at California’s ultimate play lands

From Disneyland classics to beachfront carousels, the Golden State’s best-in-class theme parks deliver something for everyone. Take a tram ride to tour film...

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Lucas Himovitz