More like 3.5 stars. To be honest, I was expecting more from a 5 star luxury hotel. Not up to par with their other luxury hotels.

They are a relatively new hotel built up in the mountians above Northstar resort area. There is a gondola at the hotel that takes you right down to Northstar. It was a hit and miss when we visited a while back. I encountered the most helpful and friendly valet person but also encountered a very cold and unhelpful receptionist. Their ski area is great for skiers. If you have kids that do not ski, however, they don't really have an area where you can take them sledding though. Bummer because we really wanted to take our 3 year old sledding. They have a very big and relaxing lounge area where you can sit and relax after a long day out skiing or romping in the snow. The restaurant/food is ok -- not the best. Like I said earlier, service is a hit and miss. I had to wait forever for them to bring my bill to me after I was done eating in their lounge area.

As far as family friendly, I'd say they are 4 out of 5 stars. They seem to accomodate kids and families but honestly, didn't feel like they went out of their way. I've been to more family friendly luxury places.

They are worth a try, though. We may be back but won't go out of our way to visit with them.

We enjoyed the museum a lot. My son especially loved the train display. There are exhibits located in different buildings. There was also a seperate art area. They have a large outdoor activity center with slides, sand area, structure for cars, etc. I liked the fact that they have an area only for toddlers. This is a nice area where you can let your little toddler run and play without worrying about older/bigger kids around them. I think my only disappointment was the lack of a food area. I think there was a small cafe but it was not open when we were there. However, they do have plenty of benches and areas where you can bring your food and have a picnic. Overall decent childrens place.

This is a cute little mini museum/zoo in a nice Palo Alto neighborhood. The best thing about this place? It's free. There is, however, a donation bin, though. Suggested donation is $3 per person, which still is not bad.

This is a fun place because the kids can run around inside playing and experimenting with all the exhibits they have (which is also educational) and then go outside and check out all the animals. In front of the museum/zoo, there is an area where the kids can run around and play on tree stumps. This area is nice because they can run around and tire themselves out so that you can go home and put them down for a nap. I also noticed some areas where you can also have lunch outside.

It looked like this place hosts birthday parties and offers classes for kids. Registration is in front as you enter the museum.

This museum is beautiful! It's situated up in the hills off of 405 freeway in the bel-air/westwood area. There is a tram that takes you up there from the parking lot. The views from the museum are absolutely breathtaking. The gardens are stunning. When you go inside, there are tons of beautiful artwork and displays. Good educational experience for kids. Younger kids (toddlers) might get somewhat bored quickly but older kids should enjoy everything that the museum has to offer. The restaurants are also good.

The great thing about this place is that it is FREE to enter. You can take the entire family and it's free - you just pay for parking (which is $15, I believe). Definitely worth going to!

This is one of my favorite places in the west Los Angeles area. The Santa Monica area is beautiful. The pier is a really fun place to hang out with the family. They've got great rides and food. The pier is right next to a park that overlooks the ocean. The park has a long trail where you can go walking, biking or jogging. The best part, in my opinion, is that the pier is also right next to Third Street Promenade. This is a street where there are a lot of stores (a mall included), restaurants, and activities going on. I really enjoy going here with my family. There are stores and restaurants of all kind. Kids and adults will enjoy all the performers that perform on the streets.

It's just a fantastic place to go with the family, especially when the weather is beautiful.