Los Angeles is glamour, film history, and some of the most iconic destinations in the United States all in one city. From world-famous theme parks and celebrity-spotting, to the Hollywood sign and the Pacific Coast at Santa Monica Pier. LA delivers something for every member of the family, and teens especially love it.
This was our third trip to Southern California and our most LA-focused visit yet. Our first trip was based in San Diego, our second included just one day in the city. By our third trip we were ready to slow down and actually explore. There were places we wanted to experience, not just drive by. The Hollywood Sign, two studio tours, the coast, and everything in between. If you have been to Southern California before and skipped LA, this itinerary is your sign to go back.
Our trips are always guided by theme parks and food, and this one was no different. We based ourselves in Burbank, a smart home base that puts you minutes from Universal Studios Hollywood and Warner Bros. Studio Tour without the chaos of staying in central Hollywood, and built four days around the best of what LA has to offer for families with teens.
Planning a bigger Southern California trip? Read our Southern California Theme Park Itinerary for three different detailed itineraries that have stops in Los Angeles, Disneyland, Universal Hollywood, and Carlsbad.
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Los Angeles Itinerary with Teens
When I first started researching this trip it was a challenge. There are so many things to do and my list kept getting longer and longer. Now that the kids are teens they were contributing to the list by sending ideas and I kept adding places to eat and see to our list.
It was a bit complicated, but once I had all the places we wanted to see I started to map them out. Los Angeles is a very large area with traffic that is infamous. Getting around is a lot of work and I we had to plan our day in clusters around specific areas.
Each day on our itinerary is a “mini day trip”, created to minimize the amount of driving we did while maximizing the attractions we got to experience. I did have to remove a few places from our list due to being closed on the day of our visit or time constraints, but I will mention them below as a few added options.
Why Los Angeles is a Great Destination for Teens
Los Angeles moves fast and that energy is exactly what makes it work so well for teens. There is always something happening, always somewhere new to explore, and the variety of experiences is unlike almost any other city in the country. Whether your teens are into film history, pop culture, theme parks, the outdoors, or just want to wander somewhere that feels genuinely exciting- LA delivers.
We are a theme park and pop culture family and LA felt like it was built for us. Where else can you tour two working Hollywood studios, ride world-class theme park attractions, stand in front of the Hollywood sign, and browse one of the largest Funko stores in the world all in the same trip?
The city rewards curious, engaged teens who want more than a beach vacation, and it gave us some of our most memorable family travel moments yet.
The Basics: What to Know Before You Arrive
Getting Around Los Angeles
There is no easy public transit option for Los Angeles to get to everywhere on this itinerary. It is best to rent a car if you are a family traveling. Ride share may work but it really depends where you stay and what you want to see. For this itinerary a car is required.
Where to Stay: Why We Chose Burbank
We chose Burbank because of its easy access to Universal Studios Hollywood and Warner Bros. Studio, as well as the LA area. The area is quieter than LA, has less traffic, and was a short drive to most attractions. I will be writing a full review of our stay at the Springhill Suites Downtown Burbank soon but I highly recommend it for families.
Best Time to Visit
LA is gorgeous year round and there isn’t a bad time to visit. If you are planning a trip around a specific event, the 2028 Olympics, World Cup, or a show at the Hollywood Bowl you should consider dates and work around them.
If you are not attending these events, you may want to avoid the time of the Olympics and World Cup. Crowds will be bad and hotel rates will be high.
We visited the location of where some of the Olympic games will be held and I think it is going to be a traffic nightmare. Be prepared for lots of traffic. You may want to book your hotel as early as possible and within walking distance to the events if possible.
Summer is busy and hotter than fall and winter. Spring break time is always busy, that is when we visited, it is unavoidable for a lot of families with teens. Prepare yourself for busier crowds and slightly higher hotel rates.
How to Get to LA (Airports)
Los Angeles has 4 airports to consider when planning your trip. LAX is the busiest but Long Beach, John Wayne, and Ontario are all options to be considered. I use the one that offers the best flight options. We have flown into or out of each one during different trips. Ontario is the furthest out but we didn’t find it to be difficult to get to our destination.
No Time to Read: Quick 4-Day Los Angeles Itinerary
Where to Stay: Springhill Suites Downtown Burbank
Transportation: Fly into Ontario, Out of Long Beach, Rented a Car
Itinerary:
Day 1-> Academy Museum of Motion Picture, La Brea Tar Pits, Hollywood Bowl
Day 2-> Griffith Observatory/Hollywood Sign, Neon Museum, Santa Monica Pier
Day 3-> Universal Studios Hollywood
Day 4-> Exposition Park, Grand Central Market, Warner Bros Studio Tour
4-Day Los Angeles Itinerary with Teens
Our Los Angeles itinerary really came together. Each day had something special to it and we got to see and do so many different things around LA.
Quick Tip: Consider purchasing a museum membership to a local (to you) museum that offers reciprocal admission to any destinations on your itinerary. We purchased a local art museum membership that allowed us to get into the Academy of Motion Pictures free and the Neon Museum at a discount. This saves a lot of money on admission fees. You can do this for zoos as well.
Day 1- Academy of Motion Pictures & Hollywood Bowl
- Breakfast at Mimi’s
- Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
- La Brea Tar Pits
- Check-In Springhill Suites Downtown Burbank
- Dinner at Jersey Mikes
- Hollywood Bowl
For our first LA day we had to check out of the Courtyard Marriott at Disneyland and start the 45 minute drive up to LA. We slept in a bit and then had brunch at Mimi’s. This is located in the parking lot of the hotel.
At noon we arrived at our first stop, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. This has rotating exhibits that feature behind the scenes breakdown of film making. We saw the Jaws exhibit and Barbie. Older kids and adults will enjoy seeing original scripts and reading about the sets and artwork that go into film making.
This museum is great for teen film buffs. There is not as much to do for young kids, although there is a arts and crafts station in the lower level. I recommend checking the website for current exhibits and museum hours.
Parking is located on the museum grounds for a daily fee. Within the complex of the museum there is also the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum.
Ever since Encino Man, yes I am a child of the 90’s, I have wanted to see the La Brea Tar Pits, it just felt like LA. So after the Academy of Motion Pictures we walked over. We did not go into the museum but we did walk the walking path around the Tar Pits.
Honestly-it is mid. Not a whole lot to see but it is very cool that these are actual digging sites that scientists still explore for fossils. If you have a dinosaur fan in your family you should explore the museum as well. We were short on time so we left to check into our hotel.
At this point it was around 2:00pm and we needed to check-in to our hotel for the LA portion of our trip. This is where we hit a bit of a bump in our itinerary.
The hotel we booked was located in Hollywood. Hollywood is a mixed bag when it comes to accommodations and every place is not the glamour you see on TV. I was aware of this but we found a good deal on a hotel that would fit our family of 5.
Sadly it was not a good choice for families and we left about 20 minutes after check-in. I want to be sensitive about this topic, but there were many people sleeping on the streets, even under our window, and it did not feel like a safe place to stay.
I wish I would have done a bit more research on the hotel before I booked it. It was a great location for everything we wanted to do and it fit the five of us but it really was not a good fit for families.
If you are staying in Hollywood consider the Loews Hollywood Hotel, we stayed there during our first visit to LA and it is great. If you don’t mind being outside of Hollywood I highly recommend the Springhill Suites Downtown Burbank.
I was lucky to find a room for us on short notice. The hotel is perfect for families. It has a full breakfast, popcorn in the lobby, easy parking, pool, and lawn games. Plus it is easy access to everything we wanted to do.
I initially thought Burbank would be too far but it was a really great option for the activities we had planned. When we go back to LA we would stay in Burbank again. I loved driving by all the Studios each day. It inspired us to add the Warner Bros. Studio tour to our itinerary. Overall a great choice for families.
After check-in we were exhausted with the derailed early hotel and having to move around but we had a show to look forward to at the Hollywood Bowl. To make our night easy we ended up ordering Jersey Mikes from around the corner to eat at the hotel before heading over to the show.
We are huge musical theater fans and the stars aligned for this trip. Ben Platt and Rachel Zeigler were performing a one night only show to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the musical The Last Five Years.
It was incredible to see them perform live and such a special unique moment during our trip. I suggest looking at the event line-up for the Hollywood Bowl because its a very cool venue that teens will enjoy. I recommend purchasing parking with your tickets to avoid the congestion and not have to worry about shuttles.
Day 2- Griffith Observatory & Santa Monica Pier
- Breakfast at Hotel
- Griffith Observatory
- In & Out Burger
- Neon Museum (Glendale)
- Funko Hollywood
- Hotel Break/Rest
- Tacos 1986
- Santa Monica Pier
This was a day that needed to be split because the coast was a little over a drive from where we were staying. We did 4 attractions in the morning/early afternoon half and then drove out to Santa Monica Pier for dinner and to walk to pier, which was nothing like we expected.
We started with breakfast at the hotel and I was really impressed. You never know what you will get with a free breakfast but this was perfect for families. Lots of options to fuel up before a busy day.
Our first stop was Griffith Observatory which is about 9 miles from the hotel. It took us 20 minutes. Parking is limited and if you arrive early enough you can park in the Greek parking for free. The map below shows the parking areas.
Once you park you will have to walk about half a mile uphill. If you have mobility issues you should check the website for best way to get to the observatory. Bring a water and wear sunscreen.
At the top you will have incredible views of Los Angeles and the Hollywood sign. There is also a free indoor museum that is perfect for guests that want to learn more about astronomy. Griffith Observatory is a popular spot and gets crowded so keep that in mind during your visit. The earlier you arrive the better.
A night visit is also something you may want to consider for a totally different view of the city landscape. There is also a hike to the Hollywood sign that starts here. The Hollywood sign does not have direct access at this time.
After our hike we headed to an LA staple- In-N-Out in Glendale. The reason behind visiting Glendale was to stop in at the Neon Museum. If planning this again I would skip the Neon Museum and find an In-N-Out closer to our hotel.
Lunch was good. In-N-Out is fine, it is fast food. I don’t mind it and enjoy having it during our trips to the west coast but I don’t love it either.
The Neon Museum was included in our reciprocal, which is why we included it in our trip, but it was only 1 room of neon signs. The artwork it had was really cool to see and learn more about but it is not worth going out of your way for.
Then we headed to the Funko Hollywood store. If you enjoy pop culture this place should be on your list. It has a Marvel room, Harry Potter, Horror, Stranger Things, and Disney, plus many more. You can also make your own Funko, which we did on our last visit. Read about the experience in the Southern California Itinerary post.
The Funko store is within walking distance of the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Chinese Theater. Take time to walk around this area if you want to see it. The Walk of Fame is all around and you will see it as soon as you start walking.
After that we took a quick break back at the hotel before we headed to Santa Monica for dinner and sunset.
Santa Monica Pier is about 25 miles from the Springhill Suite in Burbank. The drive can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 90 minutes with traffic. The traffic is not exaggerated, it will impact your day, so plan accordingly.
We parked at a parking garage and started walking to our dinner spot- Taco 1986. This is a casual dining location that is a budget friendly spot. There is not a lot of seating, consider taking your food to go and eating on the beach.
One of the big things we wanted to do on this trip was eat local and Taco 1986 delivered. I could eat Mexican food every day and this was a great spot for our trip.
As we were finishing up our meal we noticed a lot of people leaving the pier. It seemed odd but we headed that way until we were notified by police that there was a bomb threat on the pier and it needed to be evacuated.
In the moment we really didn’t know what to do because we were kind of stuck. The parking garage was going to be difficult to get out of so instead we decided to browse the shops in the village area of Santa Monica.
Our initial plan was to walk the pier and boardwalk to Venice beach, but we ended up not even stepping onto the pier. There are shops and restaurants to check out and the shopping area was actually pretty fun. After that we walked back to the shore line and watched the sunset before making the drive back to Burbank.
I am on the fence on if Santa Monica Pier is worth it. Locals would say don’t go but the amusement park on the pier and touristy vibe is sometimes what you are looking for.
If you want a beach day I would probably skip it. There are better beaches to visit that are quieter for a full beach day.
Unfortunately we didn’t get the full experience of the pier. We didn’t get to see the Route 66 sign. It put a damper on our day. Travel can be unpredictable at times and you have to roll with it but I am not sure I need to go back.
Day 3- Universal Studios Hollywood
We were so excited for our Universal Studios Hollywood day. I haven’t been there since before Super Nintendo World and I was looking forward to the Studio Tour.
Universal Studios Hollywood has a unique vibe to it. The park feels very relaxed and doesn’t have the same urgency of other theme parks. It is a smaller park but the attractions it has pack a real punch.
You want to include the Studio Tour, Revenge of the Mummy, Jurassic World, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter into your day. I also recommend Toadstool Cafe (make reservations on app), Three Broomsticks, or Minion Cafe for dining options.
Spending a full day at Universal Studios Hollywood? Read our complete Universal Studios Hollywood Guide & 1-Day Itinerary for Express Pass tips, Super Nintendo World strategy, and our exact day-by-day plan.
Day 4- California Science Center & Warner Bros Studio Tour
- Exposition Park: Rose Garden, California Science Center, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
- Grand Central Market (lunch)
- Quick Break at Hotel
- Warner Bros. Studio Tour
- Pizza and Pool Night at hotel
On our last full day in Los Angeles we packed a lot in. When we arrived in California I didn’t have this last day fully planned out but we decided to add Warner Bros. Studio Tour to our itinerary after driving by it so many times during our trip. (I am really happy we did!)
Our first stop was Exposition Park which has a campus of museums in downtown LA. We walked around the Rose Garden a few minutes before the California Science Center opened. The museum is free but some exhibits require a purchased ticket.
We did the free stuff starting with the Game On exhibit. This is the most popular exhibit and I would head here first. The museum has a lot of hands-on exhibits typical of a science center and is best for the 12 and under crowd.
My teens liked it but I don’t think we would visit again. We quickly toured it and then walked over to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. I had hoped we could get inside because it is usually open but preparations are already underway for the 2028 Olympics and we could only view from outside the gate.
If you have time- consider spending a full morning here. The National History Museum of Los Angeles County, California African American Museum, and The Lucas Museum of American Art (opening September 2026) are all here and some are free of charge.
After the museum we drove over to the Grand Central Market which has numerous vendors with all different types of food. This is a really nice clean market that reminded me of the Wellington market in Toronto.
We found a spot to eat and then everyone headed to different places to try. We got tacos, empanadas, chicken sandwiches, and subs. For dessert we got doughnuts from the Donut Man.
A quick note about parking. For this trip we didn’t want to stress about parking so we just paid the parking fees at the closest parking garage. It made navigating for this trip easier and most prices were reasonable, under $20.00.
After lunch we headed back to the hotel for about an hour. You need to purchase tickets for the Warner Bros Studio Tour and we had a 2:00pm reservation.
I honestly didn’t think I was going to care for this tour because I am not a huge Friends fan and we had already done the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour in London but I was totally surprised by it.
I was shocked by the amount of shows that film at the Studio and it is a working studio so you can see films being made and even a celebrity sighting at times. The tour is individually tailored to your group and it was so much fun. (A full post will be coming soon.)
I enjoyed walking around the town square that was used in Gilmore Girls as well as the self-guided props and costumes from Sinners. It was so much more than what I thought it would be.
After the tour we headed back to the hotel and ordered pizza from Ameci Pizza Kitchen to enjoy by the pool. We had to pack and wanted to have a quieter evening. The pool and hot tub was a great way to conclude our trip.
We also got to see a Starlink satellite launch that was really cool. The next day we had breakfast at the hotel and went to Long Beach airport for our flight home.
Best Things to Do in Los Angeles with Teens
I want to share a quick guide of the things I highly recommend to help you get started with your brainstorming list. Some of these things we did and some we didn’t get to but you might want to include. Almost all of these were on my initial brainstorming list before I narrowed down our itinerary.
- Universal Studios Hollywood
- Knotts Berry Farm
- Warner Bros Studio Tour
- Funko Hollywood Store
- The Last Bookstore
- Walt Disney Concert Hall
- The Broad
- Angels Flight (Incline Railway, Downtown LA)
- Attend a Sporting Event (Baseball, Basketball, Football, and Soccer all have professional teams)
- Griffith Observatory
- Disneyland (Stay in Anaheim if possible)
- Hollywood Bowl
- Grammy Museum
- Huntington Gardens
- Getty Center
Is Los Angeles Worth It with Teens?
This trip was so incredible and really special for us. As the kids are getting older taking the trip becomes even more important.
Los Angeles was a great place to explore because it had unique attractions and dining. Each day of this itinerary had a different aspect we were looking forward to which made it exciting for all of us.
Throughout the week there were places we really loved and places that were one and done. The Warner Bros. Studio Tour exceeded our expectations and that was something we would do on another trip. The California Science Center wasn’t really a hit. It is a nice science center but I don’t think we would visit again.
Traveling with teens is one of the best times to travel as a family. You feel a different sense of time because they are quickly headed out on their own and becoming more independent.
For us we will always travel together as much as we can and this trip to Los Angeles was totally worth it for our family.
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If your teens are Disney fans, read our Disney World with Teens guide for our complete breakdown of visiting Walt Disney World with older kids. You may also like our best theme park trips post.
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Leah has been traveling with her family of 5 since 2012 and sharing her expertise on planning family vacations and visiting theme parks since 2016. Leah has been featured in Visit Rochester, Undercover Tourist, and Home Publications. She has worked with brands like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Hersheypark, Toyota, and various Tourism boards and destinations. Leah creates family travel itineraries based on real trip experiences with her family. Her guides and tips help others plan great family vacations. Learn more about Leah and Five for the Road.