There are some excellent kid-friendly excursions for parents to know about when visiting Los Angeles and the surrounding area. LA is not exactly the first big city you may think of when you want to take the family somewhere kid-friendly but if you do find yourself visiting or even driving through here are some fresh ideas for things to do and places to consider.

Los Angeles is known for it bus and van tours of the Hollywood Hills (which are pretty fun even if you think the driver is making half of it up), and the Walk of Fame, Mann Theater and Rodeo Drive. But there are a plethora of family-friendly destinations that are fun, and worthy contenders. Whether it’s the Getty Center or the Skirball Cultural Center in the hills of Los Angeles or Kid’s Space or the Huntington Botanical Gardens in Pasadena there are some really great day trips right down the road.

HOLLYWOOD AND VINE: KID’S STYLE
Start your day with a legendary hot dog at Pink’s, before it gets too crowded and if it’s crowded don’t be scared - the line usually moves pretty fast. Watch any episode of anything — ever — at The Paley Center for Media. Ride the trolley at The Grove and stop into the Farmers Market and look for the old doughnut stand filled with cackles of seniors. I suspect they are drawn there for the coffee, for it is fresh, rich and piping hot, and the doughnuts are pretty good too. If the kids still have the energy, chase them around at the La Brea Tar Pits and let them soak up some local prehistoric history at the adjacent Page Musuem.

• Pink’s, 709 N. La Brea Ave. (323-931-4223)
• The Paley Center for Media, 465 North Beverly Dr. (310-786-1025)
• The Grove/Farmers Market, 6333 W. 3rd St. (323-933-9211)
• La Brea Tar Pits at The Page Musuem, 5801 Wilshire Blvd. (323) 934-PAGE (7243)

GETTIN’ DOWN WITH THE KIDS IN DOWNTOWN & GRIFFITH PARK
Griffith Park is a great excursion whether it be a quick trip to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city streets, or for a more extended adventure complete with horseback riding and pony rides to a mini-train and stagecoach. Hike up the hill, take in the breath-taking views of the city and ocean or continue up to the Observatory. For lunch, tumble down the hill and within a few minutes you will find yourself at Philippe’s where they serve up legendary sandwich dips. Or a few stride down the road is Olvera Street, (pictured above): the clamor can be deafening, but calm the tikes with an authentic Mexican fare (and free souvenir) at Las Anitas.

• Griffith Park, 4730 Crystal Springs Dr. (323-913-4688)
• Griffith Park Observatory, 2800 East Observatory Rd. (213-473-0800)
• Philippe the Original, 1001 N. Alameda St. (213-628-3781)
• Olvera Street, 845 N. Alameda St. (213-680-2525)
• Las Anitas, W-26 Olvera St. (213-623-1153)

SOUTH BAY & LONG BEACH
Both the Aquarium and The Queen Mary are a trip onto themselves, so when traveling with the little ones just choose one. There’s still fun to be had beyond those big ticket outlays at Shoreline Village’s shop-and-souvenir mecca and the newly-opened City Place mall a block away. Get more local color at nearby Belmont Shore’s 2nd Street, where kids can scribble on tabletops, eat ribs with their hands at Lucille’s Smokehouse, or feed their faces with the sweet treats at The Frosted Cupcakery.

• Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way (562-590-3100)
• The Queen Mary, 1126 Queen’s Highway (562-435-3511)
• Shoreline Village, 429 Shoreline Village Dr. (562-435-2668)
• City Place mall, 275 E. 4th St. (562-439-2221)
• Lucille’s Smokehouse, 4828 E. 2nd St. (562-434-7427)
• The Frosted Cupcakery, 195 Claremont Ave. (562-987-1080)

PEOPLE WATCHING IN VENICE, SANTA MONICA & MALIBU
At the Santa Monica Airport, watch small planes take off and land. Keep a watchful eye since it is a little known local fact that a lot of Hollywood stars fly in and out of this unassuming municiple airport. On your way to the beach stop at The Counter in Santa Monica (a favorite haunt of some very well-known movie stars, Brad Pitt) and elbow your way to a table to have what GQ Magazine deemed one of the “top ten burgers” in the country.

Then park it at the Santa Monica Pier, home to a carousel, debuting their new ferris wheel and every tourist trap imaginable. Up the ramp on Ocean Avenue, discover how to film without a camera (or even film) at Camera Obscura. Walk over and grab a NYC slice at Joe’s Pizza a block away, or walk further for Acadie’s for some great crepes. Check out Angelato for some rockin’ gelato, if that’s your thing.

• The Counter, 2901 Ocean Park Boulevard (310 399 8383)
• Santa Monica Pier and Amusement Park, 380 Santa Monica Pier, (310-260-8744)
• Camera Obscura, 1450 Ocean Ave. (310-458-8644)
• Joe’s Pizza, 111 Broadway (310-395-9222)
• Acadie, 213 Arizona Ave. (310-395-1120)
• Angelato Cafe, 301 Arizona Ave. (310-656-9999)