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Venice Beach in Los Angeles (Picture credit: oneinchpunch,) The second most significant city in the United States is filled with family-friendly activities. Los Angeles is home to over 90 museums, and the city boasts around 15,000 restaurants. No surprise L.A. is one of the very best places to check out in California with kids! Los Angeles likewise offers 24 miles (38.5 km) of sandy beaches along the California Coast.
Take in its unique SoCal vibe, an extensive skate park, and an outdoor gym with musclebound residents lifting weights under the California sun. The museum is filled with artwork by such artists as Van Gogh, Monet, and Cezanne.
Located on Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park, Griffith Observatory wows visitors with its planetarium, high-powered telescopes for public use, and area exhibits. Households seem like they have actually crossed the border into Mexico on Olvera Street, also referred to as El Pueblo Historic Monolith. This is the birthplace of Los Angeles. It includes 27 historical buildings and a central Mexican plaza.
Then, step way back in time at La Brea Tar Pits and Nature Museum. Kids might question if they've gone into Jurassic Park as they look at life-sized statues of woolly mammoths, enormous sloths, and other extinct animals in swimming pools of gooey asphalt bubbling from the earth. Posturing at The Huntington (Image credit: Phil Journeys Between) An individual favorite, The Huntington Botanical Gardens stretches across 130 visitable acres (half a square kilometer).
Kids specifically delight in Helen and Peter Bing Children's Garden, which includes lively, hands-on components such as tunnels, splash locations, fairy doors, and more. Cover a lot of ground with a Los Angeles Go City All-Inclusive Pass for 40+ Destinations, including the Los Angeles Zoo, Knott's Berry Farm in nearby Buena Park, and a lot more.
A suburb of Los Angeles, Burbank has hundreds of major film and tv studios. Of course, you will likewise desire to view the renowned Hollywood Sign and stroll along the well-known Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Yosemite National Park Valley landscape (Image credit: haveseen,) Resplendent with hiking routes, waterfalls, and towering trees, Yosemite is a place of natural wonder. In 2024, a record-breaking 4.1 million guests visited this beloved national forest. It covers nearly 750,000 acres (3,035 sq km) and is home to wildlife like foxes, deer, cougars, and black bears.
Yosemite opened in 1890 and stays one of the country's finest examples of land conservation. Carved by glaciers over 10s of thousands of years, Yosemite Valley includes granite giants El Capitan and Half Dome. Families looking for to explore California's natural charm will like checking out Yosemite. Strategy your trip with these Yosemite National Park suggestions.
While in this desert sanctuary, do not miss a crave-worthy date shake made with fruits from the location's plentiful palm trees. This outstanding zoo and botanical garden provides ingenious play spaces for kids and a fun design train exhibition.
Skyrocket from the desert valley to the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains via the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. The vehicle's floor rotates throughout the ride, so passengers get a 360-degree view of the Coachella Valley. Interested? Discover more things to do in Palm Springs with kids. The Channel Islands in Ventura County (Photo credit: Colleen Lanin) For an unique selection of family activities, think about a Ventura County holiday.
Families also take pleasure in strolling Ventura Harbor Village for ice cream and waterside views, or investing an unwinded afternoon on the wide, uncrowded beaches that define this seaside region.
Pacific Park on Santa Monica Pier features a lots rides, consisting of the 130-foot-tall Pacific Wheel and a full-sized roller coaster. You'll also discover every treat your sweet teeth could crave and a myriad of arcade video games with rewards. Households also delight in walking the Third Street Boardwalk for shopping, street performers, and simple dining simply a few blocks from the beach.
Grownups and kids of any ages can't help but feel awestruck by the huge sequoias in the Giant Forest. This nationwide park boasts the world's largest tree, General Sherman. You can even drive through another outstanding huge sequoia called the Tunnel Log. This gorgeous place offers a selection of excellent things to do in nature, like hiking, mountain biking, outdoor camping, and horseback riding.
Understood for its glacial-carved canyon, Kings Canyon, is among the deepest in North America. This park uses significant rock formations, rugged wilderness, and remote treking routes. Find out more about Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and other national parks in California, like Death Valley and Channel Islands, in my list of the finest nationwide parks in the U.S. Joshua Tree National Park (Image credit: lunamarina,) Positioned about an hour from Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National forest is important for families who want to check out natural marvels in California.
A Guide to 2026 Family Getaways Near Your RegionCalico Mine Trip at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, a suburb of Los Angeles (Image credit: Colleen Lanin) Simply a short drive from Los Angeles, Buena Park is a dream for households who love amusement parks, themed experiences, and simple holiday enjoyable.
Summer season visitors can cool off at Soak City Water Park, while yearround entertainment includes Medieval Times and Pirates Dinner Adventure. It's a simple addon to any Southern California journey and an excellent online for exploring nearby beaches, Orange County, and LA. Check out more in my guide to Buena Park with kids.
Discover SoCal's best-kept trick (shh!) with my La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club evaluation. Discover a concealed gem desert getaway area with these things to do in Borrego Springs. For much more California pail list concepts, check out this California roadway journey schedule, a list of national forests in California, and my extensive brochure of California vacations and pointers.
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