fun things to do with kids in santa monica and beach towns california    
  Travel for Kids
  | California
     
    Santa Monica and Beach Towns
Kids playing on Santa Monica Beach
Santa Monica is a great place for strolling and getting into the laid-back feeling of southern California. Marina del Rey is boat city – sail boats, motor boats, sport fishing and whale watching cruises. Kids prefer to stay on land? White sand Venice Beach extends for miles and Malibu is the perfect spot to catch the endless summer.
 

Santa Monica

    Marina del Rey
    Venice
    Malibu
Leo Carrillo State Beach
family hotels santa monica and beach towns california

Travel for Kids has so many fun things to do with kids in Santa Monica and the beach towns, but you'll need a fun place to stay.

Here's our own Travel for Kids hand-picked list of family hotels in Santa Monica and Marina del Rey, all styles and price ranges, in neighborhoods that are comfortable for families, and near to places you'll want to explore:

Santa Monica and Marina del Rey family hotels
kids books california
     
Rhinos Who Surf  
Rhinos Who Surf
Julie Mammano

"Rhinos who surf get up early, they grab their boards …" Dazzling, free-spirited ride with the surf rhinos, as they paddle out, go vertical, shoot the tube. Fabulous illustrations, plus hilarious surf lingo. (Picture book)

 

     
Disappearing Act
Sid Fleischman

Wacky adventures of twelve-year old Kevin Kidd, (a.k.a. Pep Gomez) and his opera singing sister on Venice Beach. Trying to escape the man in the white suit, the Kidds get help from Bumpy Rhoades, garbage juggler, and a movie star named Fiesta Foote. A hilarious read. (Chapter book)

 

 
Disappearing Act
     
Sea, Sand, Me!  
Sea, Sand, Me!
Patricia Hubbell, Lisa Campbell Ernst

Exuberant verses and illustrations bring back the joys of a beach day putting seaweed in your hair, playing with a beach ball, building sand castles, watching sail boats, "Sand in our belly buttons, sand in our pants." (Picture book)

 

     

A beach story with chunky press-out pieces a sandpapery sandcastle, silky kite, bumpy starfish, smooth shiny car, packed to go at the end of the day. Textured pieces will delight toddlers.
(Board book)

 

 
Fun on the Beach
     
The Undersea Treasure Hunt  
The Undersea Treasure Hunt
Stephanie Boey, Sue Harris

Lift the flaps to discover sparkling surprises in the ocean Little Fish and Dolphin search for hidden treasure, along with a bright purple starfish, ruby-red hermit crab, shiny shark, pink seahorses, and emerald green turtle. Enchanting illustrations, this is a gem. (Picture book)

 

(More children's books on other California pages)
travel for kids | united states | california | santa monica & beach towns