Suggestions for family's 2nd day in LA

Question

I've been following posts for a few months and have learned a lot already, thank you to those that contribute! I am trying to finish off our itinerary for our second full day in LA area.

We arrive in Santa Monica Wed. evening, coming from a couple days in Cayucos area and three days in Sequoia/Kings Canyon. We have teen boys 14 and 17. We like history, science, and cultural museums to an extent (if just a lot of words/videos less interesting) and interesting food, not interested in shopping or the really big amusement parks (we do those elsewhere). We have a rental car but can also use public transportation or Uber when it makes sense to do so. Hotels are not changing.

Thurs: Sony Tour in the morning and Santa Monica pier the rest of the day, staying in Santa Monica

Fri: Staying in West Hollywood, only must-dos are Walk of Fame and seeing the Hollywood sign which I know can be seen several ways, neither will make up much of a day. I am thinking the Walk of Fame could be good to do first thing as we can walk there from our hotel and it won't be as busy with tour groups, we do plan on it being a short and just a "now we've seen it" sort of stop.

Sat: fly home

So, what to do with Friday? I keep going over options and all sound like good options but not one plan standing out over others. We are content to see less, quality over quality, but if the best place to go is a ways from Hollywood that's okay if that's our one excursion.

Griffith Observatory - great view but for the observatory itself we went to one a year ago in London so may be repetitive unless we just go there for the view

La Brea/Peterson - We have a couple car fans but a couple who would find it boring. La Brea may appeal to everyone.

Getty - Cool view but since the only thing to do is walk around and look at art the teens may get bored

Neighborhood browsing - An interesting neighborhood to walk around with some really good food to try could be enough to keep us busy, as an alternative to trying to see a museum, or before/after seeing something that doesn't take a lot off time. We are not into designer shopping, just browsing interesting things, seeing a slice of LA life beyond just tourists, even better if there's history or nice views. I was looking at Echo Park as it has a really good taco truck and a weird little time travel store. Original Farmer's Market could be good but is it more on the polished/posh side? Chinatown? Thai town? A good Mexican or Central American neighborhood or street to browse?

Movie - Rather than just see TCL Chinese theater we could see a movie playing there and enjoy the inside of it. It could be a nice lazy way to cap off a good trip if combined with something else.

Again, we are not doing all of these, they are just the possible ideas I'm trying to work into a combination that we'd enjoy and appreciate your suggestions of a plan, and especially ideas for the neighborhood option. Whatever we don't do, we don't do.

Answer

For your second full day in LA, given your interests and your teens’ preferences, you can balance iconic sights with neighborhoods that offer culture, history, and good food without overloading on museums. Since you’re staying in West Hollywood, you have easy access to Hollywood and nearby neighborhoods, and a short drive can get you to some of LA’s other highlights.

Here’s a suggested plan for Friday:

Morning: Start with the Walk of Fame from your hotel. Since you plan to do a short walk, you can cover the main stars and maybe peek at TCL Chinese Theatre. If interested, catching a morning movie screening there is a nice experience without taking too much time.
Late Morning / Early Lunch: Head to Echo Park for neighborhood browsing. Echo Park offers a more authentic, local LA vibe with street food (like the famous taco trucks), quirky stores, and a scenic lake area. You can walk around, enjoy some street art, and grab an early lunch from a local eatery or food truck.
Afternoon: Option 1: La Brea Tar Pits – It’s educational and engaging for both adults and teens, especially with the outdoor tar pits and fossil excavations. Option 2: Griffith Observatory for a panoramic view of LA and the Hollywood sign. Even if you’ve visited an observatory elsewhere, the views and the surrounding trails offer a scenic stop.
Late Afternoon / Evening: Consider a relaxed neighborhood stroll or early dinner in a culturally rich area:
- Chinatown – fun, colorful, lots of interesting shops and unique food options.
- Thai Town – small but authentic, a glimpse of a different LA community.
- Original Farmers Market / The Grove – a mix of history, food, and casual browsing. It’s more polished but still fun for sampling a variety of foods and walking around.
Evening: If energy permits, cap off your day with a movie at TCL Chinese Theatre or another iconic theater in Hollywood. This gives a nice balance of sightseeing and downtime, and the teens might enjoy the classic theater experience.

Some additional neighborhood and food tips:

For Mexican food beyond Echo Park, check out East LA or Boyle Heights for authentic local taquerias.
For unique sweets or dessert stops, Donut Friend in Highland Park has fun options and is teen-friendly.
If you want a historical twist, take a short walk in the Los Angeles Historic Core downtown, which has murals, old architecture, and casual cafes.

This plan blends a light cultural/museum experience with neighborhood exploration, interesting food, and iconic views, without overloading the day. You can mix and match: for example, if La Brea feels like too much, spend more time in Echo Park or Chinatown, or swap Griffith Observatory for the Getty if you want a more scenic overlook. The goal is quality experiences rather than ticking off every spot.