10 Family Friendly Destinations In Los Angeles

With spring break in the very near horizon and summer months lurking not too far behind, we are thinking vacations and what families with kids can be doing. If you are thinking about a trip to Cali (we've just returned from a fun-filled six-day trip there and are bubbling with excitement about sharing our must-sees) you can go way beyond Disneyland and Universal.

While we are not poo-pooing anything (those are "musts" when traveling with the little ones) there are a number of other destinations -- shopping for you with fun stuff for the kids to do, dining, museums and more--worth looking into next time you find yourself out West. Here are some of our favorites.

1. Santa Monica Place

2. Surf Museum in Huntington Beach

3. South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa

4. FIDM Museum in Downtown L.A.

5. Yummy Cupcakes in Santa Monica (they've got cupcakes in a jar!)

6. Umami Burger

7. Opening Ceremony in West Hollywood (make sure to hit all of their boutiques as they are all equally dazzling in decor)

8. First Fridays in Venice

9. Manhattan Beach

10. Abbot Kinney in Venice