📍Los Angeles, California

The pier wakes up slowly — wooden planks creaking underfoot, gulls circling for dropped churro crumbs, and the century-old carousel just beginning to spin its painted horses. Arrive by 9am and you'll have the whole boardwalk to yourselves before school groups and tour buses roll in around 11. Little ones can wave to the Ferris wheel lights, still dim in morning sun, while older kids chase the shadow of the pier's iconic sign.

Just below the pier, the sand stretches wide and flat — easy for little feet and easier for stroller wheels along the paved edge. Let the kids dig, chase gentle waves near the lifeguard tower, and collect shells while the marine layer starts to burn off. Sticking close to a staffed lifeguard station keeps swimming safe and simple.

Venice wakes up colorful and loose-limbed — street performers setting up, skaters gliding past murals, and the smell of fresh coffee mixing with sea salt. Morning is the calmest window before the boardwalk's energy ramps up, making it easy to push a stroller past the mosaic benches and watch early joggers and cyclists coast by. Kids will love spotting the painted walls and the occasional roller-skating dancer warming up for the day.

South of the boardwalk, the sand opens into a quieter stretch perfect for tide-pool curiosity at low tide — tiny crabs skittering sideways, kids crouched low with cupped hands, the hush of waves rolling back before the next small surge. It's unhurried, tactile, and endlessly fascinating for little explorers who love getting their hands (and knees) sandy.