You miss hopping on a plane to Europe, and exploring cities with your kids.  You’re not alone; everyone is itching to travel with family.  While the vaccine is in the works, you want to stick close to home.  So we have an idea for you; how about Los Angeles?  And even better, Beverly Hills.  It’s an easy weekend trip, and we have the hotel to stay for a family trip to Los Angeles.

Pretty Woman 

Location, location, location.  The Beverly Wilshire, which is part of the Four Seasons, is the epicenter of the family weekend, and gets you smack dab in the middle of the action.  It also gets you access to one of the best concierge teams, to arrange a seamless family weekend in Los Angeles.

You may remember that one of the claims to fame of the Beverly Wilshire was its prominent role in the classic Pretty Woman.  While the kids don’t need to know the premise of the movie, (billionaire meets woman of the night, falls in love and lives happily ever after) it adds to the cache of the Beverly Wilshire.  But even without that, you are a stone’s throw away from Rodeo Drive, and right down the street from Saks.  It’s also a car or Uber ride away for all weekend festivities.  For those who are comfortable leaving the kids in the hotel room at bedtime, the BLVD Bar and Wolgang Puck’s CUT are in residence at the hotel.

A Suite Affair 

While the decor has been updated from the 1990s, you too can have your Pretty Woman moment in the Wilshire Presidential Suite.  After all, if it’s good enough for Richard Gere.  The Wilshire Presidential Suite is set in the historic part of the building, and spans over 4,000 square feet.  It will set you back about $20,000 a night, but if you have the cash burn, it’s a fun way to set the stage for the weekend.

For those who want the modern day best, the Penthouse Suite is a 3 bedroom over 5,000 square feet.  This runs around $25,000 nightly in the Beverly Wing of the hotel.  Otherwise, the hotel has a myriad of suite options, from one bedrooms that can connect to a room for the kids.  We recommend the Beverly Wing of the hotel, as it’s in the same building as the pool.  At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how nice of a room you stay in.  The kids will spend more quality time at the pool than any place.

Rodeo, Baby

The appeal of basing at the Beverly Wilshire of course, is its proximity to the classic Rodeo Drive shopping experience.  Because your kids need to be clothed in Dior, Gucci and Ralph Lauren, which all have solid children’s selections.  Your kids after all, are better dressed than most adults.  You’re also close to Century City Mall for more reasonable and lower-key essentials.  Saks, while not on Rodeo, is a five-minute walk from the hotel.  The children’s department is housed on a full floor of the men’s building for a larger selection to shop til you drop.

A Day at the Beach

One of the prettier beaches is not in Los Angeles, but rather Manhattan Beach.  A small community about 15 minutes away from the airport, this seems a lot further from LA in terms of vibe.  This is as casual California as it gets, and where you can post up for a day of swimming and sun.  Neighborhood restaurants are also charming, where Fishing with Dynamite is a family-friendly option.

Other Pursuits

There is much more to do for a family trip to Los Angeles, than you can nearly fit into a weekend.  Here are a few highlights:

• Hollywood Sign & Walk of Fame
• Santa Monica & the ferris wheel
• Venice Beach
• Universal Studios
• Malibu
• Kids Space Museum
• Disneyland.  Yes, we have to put it out there.  It’s almost a fact if you don’t take your kids to Disney at least once in their lifetime, it will come up in therapy later.

So yes, a family trip to Los Angeles, can easily be your go-to, for many years to come.  Check out our additional recommendations here.