Tongva Park

An eco-minded hotel steps from the pier with a solar-heated outdoor pool and requestable connecting rooms.

Touch tanks and 100 local species tucked under the Santa Monica Pier, small enough to do in an hour with a toddler.

Hands-on exhibits made for kids 0 to 8, from a real helicopter to a mini marketplace, plus art studios and nursing lounges.

A Cape Cod style resort right on the sand, with a pool and suites that fit the whole crew.

Rides on the pier, including the solar-powered Ferris wheel, with no admission fee to walk in and look around.

Grass-fed burgers just off the Promenade with a big outdoor patio and a kids' menu.