Our first trip of the year took us to LA . I was out there for our quarterly team offsite and the timing extended into the long weekend so we decided pretty last minute to have my family join me. We were able to fit in 3 full days together exploring and eating so sharing family friendly recommendations.
First off , I highly suggest renting a car. The places you'll want to visit are very spread apart so this gives you flexibility and convenience. This was extra handy for us since it rained 8 out of 9 days that I was there including the 3 days we were all together. If you're travelling with a family into LAX be prepared and add some extra time to take the shuttle bus for any ride share pick up or to get to the car rental counters . Since this was my first time to LAX it was confusing and it took quite some time to get out of the airport with the bad weather and terrible traffic. Alternatively you can opt for a rental service that does drop off and pick up from your hotel.
By the time I got in which was around 11:30pm I was hangry and my hotel had no late night room service. However Dream is located in walkable part of Hollywood and there were available options via Uber Eats. Tip- always add a note for utensils otherwise your food will be delivered without it and you'll be eating soup noodles with your fingers *thank me later*. One of my favorite experiences in Los Angeles was the food. The food was great everywhere we went. I was also lucky to have great recommendations from friends who had lived in or visited LA many times. Here is a MAP of all the spots that were recommended. We personally ate at the ones listed below and highly recommend.
Luv2Eat Thai Bistro was hands down the most delicious Thai we ate. Every dish we tried was scrumptious and a great lunch option. Try the Spicy basil fried rice with shrimp, Green Curry with chicken, a side of duck and the Papaya salad. Khloe had the asian broccoli with chicken and loved it. I ate here twice and loved it both times. If you are ordering delivery plan ahead as it may take 45 minutes to an hour.
Mr. Obanyaki for after dinner dessert. We has the vanilla bean ice cream and Nutella obanyaki which is like a stuffed pancake made fresh while you wait.
Leo's Taco Truck for Al pastor taco and carnitas for late night eats . This is a cash only spot we found on TikTok while searching for food because Khloe fell asleep on our way to dinner . We literally ate these in the car and went back for seconds. It lives up to the hype.
Oste for a nice dinner date. We ate outside at around 5:30pm in the covered patio area which was very cute and got the most exceptional service. We also missed the crowd that started pouring in around 7pm. Between the 3 of us we shared the Sofia Mussels, Arugula Salad, Burrata Al Pesto, Branzino and Papparadelle. For dessert we opted for Tiramisu and Ice Cream.
Blu Jam Cafe for an easy breakfast. We had the Crunchy French Toast which is a signature dish, Morning Hash- really large so we all 3 shared and a latte with art that reminded me of Louie. Not pictured is the entire glass of fresh apple juice I accidentally spilled on Khloe. oops
Malibu Farm Piers for a casual lunch with amazing views and delicious cocktails . Try the Crab Cake Sammy , Ice Cream and for Cocktails - a red Sangria and Spicy Marg
Izaka-ya by Katsu-ya for a sushi dinner . You must try the Crab hand roll! We also had yellow tail jalapeño sashimi, crispy rice with spicy salmon, shishito peppers and seared salmon. We arrived early in the area so we could watch the sunset at Manhattan Beach which was the highlight of my day
Grand Central Market has lots of options for the entire family and is a very convenient stop if you plan on attending a game at the Crypto Arena
Aside from eating our way through LA, we had a loose idea of what we wanted to do partially because it rained or was overcast most of the time. We are pretty easy going so that did not deter us from exploring.
Day 1- My favorite part and I think my family would agree was making our way up to Malibu Beach and Pier and taking in the ocean views. We stopped several times at various beaches to just sit, take in the sound of the ocean as the waves grew larger and larger , and watch the surfers enjoy being in their element. We love the beach, like LOVE LOVE so this was an exceptional day in spite of the rainy weather . My company Cabinet Health had a viewing party for our Shark Tank debut that night so we all spent time celebrating and bonding over food and drinks. You can watch the Shark Tank if you're curious. (S14:E11 on Youtube)
Day 2- We did some of the tourist sites- hey we're tourists in a different city so no judgement ha. I have to say this tho- the Hollywood Walk of Fame was so disappointing. I don't know what I was expecting but that was not it. There were countless tents scattered throughout the streets housing people who are displaced and an environment compounded by many people doing drugs out in the open. This is a larger conversation I won't get into here but please be mindful of your safety while also understanding that we have no idea what these people are facing everyday. After walking around, we made our way to Lake Hollywood Park which has great views of the Hollywood sign. This was a quick stop- 5 minutes max. After that we made our way down to Rodeo drive and did a little bit of shopping before making our way to Santa Monica Pier. We spent a few hours playing games and doing rides with Khloe. My child guys, she is a wild spirit- down for anything! Meanwhile my chicken self could not open my eyes on the 1 ride I did with her *insert shame here*. I can still hear her laughing hysterically while I made up songs out loud with my eyes closed to pass the time that felt like an eternity. We wrapped up our evening with some take out dinner and a movie once we checked in to our Airbnb.
Day 3- on our last day we had a casual morning walking around, picked up some Lakers shirts and grabbed a late lunch at Grand Central Market before heading to the Lakers vs 76ers game that night. We've created a tradition now of trying to see a live basketball game in every city we visit as long as the season is in session. Happy to report that the 9 year old can sit/dance/eat/snack her way through the entire game now and is even interested in learning the stats and numbers for each player . SCORE!
All in - we had a great time as a family and I am ever so grateful that I can bring them along on my work travel when time and school schedules permit without judgement. This is something I cherish in this season of my life.
Our next trip will be local and is a surprise - he doesn't read my blog but just incase, I will hold out on revealing until then. What's on your travel list this year? Inspire me.
Be back soon
xoxo Nalini