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Things to Do in Los Angeles with Kids: 50+ Fun Ideas for Families

Things to Do in Los Angeles with Kids: 50+ Fun Ideas for Families

Written by

Heather Shorr

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Last updated: October 2, 2026 · By Heather Shorr

Los Angeles is an incredible place to be a kid, but figuring out what to actually do with your kids can sometimes feel harder than it should. There are world-class museums, beaches, gardens, amusement parks, hiking trails, farms, playgrounds and attractions spread across an enormous area, and the best choice for a Saturday with a four-year-old probably isn’t the same choice you’d make with a ten-year-old.

That’s why this isn’t meant to be another generic list of Los Angeles tourist attractions. We wanted to put together a genuinely useful guide to things to do in Los Angeles with kids, including the famous places that really are worth visiting, local favorites, inexpensive outings, outdoor adventures and a few places families sometimes overlook.

We’ve included options from Downtown Los Angeles and the Westside to the San Fernando Valley, South Bay and surrounding communities. For each, we’ve also tried to explain why kids actually like it, rather than simply telling you that it’s “family-friendly.”

One important Los Angeles parenting rule applies to this entire list: check the drive before you promise anything to your kids. A fantastic activity can become considerably less fantastic after 75 minutes on the 405.

Quick Picks

  • Toddlers and preschoolers: Travel Town, Cayton Children's Museum, Descanso Gardens, Mother's Beach and the LA Zoo
  • Elementary-age kids: California Science Center, Natural History Museum, Discovery Cube, Aquarium of the Pacific and Griffith Observatory
  • Older kids and teens: Universal Studios, the Petersen, the Academy Museum, a pro game and the Hollywood Bowl
  • Free or low-cost days: The Getty Center, Griffith Observatory, Ferndell, the beach, the Venice Canals and Lake Balboa

Museums and Indoor Activities

For more, see our guide to the best indoor activities for kids in Los Angeles.

1. California Science Center

  • Best for: Ages 3–12+
  • Location: Exposition Park
  • Cost: General admission to permanent galleries is free; parking, IMAX and special exhibitions cost extra.

The California Science Center is one of the easiest recommendations for families in Los Angeles because it works for an unusually wide range of ages. Kids can explore interactive exhibits covering ecosystems, the human body, engineering, air and space, while parents don’t have to spend a fortune just to get everyone through the door.

The permanent galleries have free general admission, which also makes this a great place to visit for only a couple of hours without feeling obligated to stay all day to justify expensive tickets. One thing families should know before visiting is that Space Shuttle Endeavour is currently off exhibit while the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center is being developed.

2. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

  • Best for: Ages 3–12
  • Location: Exposition Park
  • Cost: Paid admission; children 2 and under are free.

If your kid is going through a dinosaur phase, start here. The Natural History Museum combines enormous dinosaur skeletons with mammals, gems, minerals and exhibits covering the natural history of Southern California.

This is also an easy attraction to combine with the California Science Center because they’re both in Exposition Park. As of September 2026, regular admission is $18 for adults and $7 for children ages 3–12, although special experiences cost extra.

3. La Brea Tar Pits

  • Best for: Ages 4–12
  • Location: Mid-Wilshire

There aren’t many major cities where you can take your kids to see an active Ice Age fossil site in the middle of town. That’s what makes the La Brea Tar Pits such a uniquely Los Angeles outing.

Kids can see the famous bubbling asphalt, learn about mammoths, saber-toothed cats and dire wolves, and visit the museum containing fossils recovered from the site. It’s especially good for elementary-school-age kids who have started becoming interested in prehistoric animals but are ready for something beyond dinosaurs.

4. Cayton Children’s Museum

  • Best for: Ages 1–8
  • Location: Santa Monica

The Cayton is one of the better choices on this list when you have younger children who need to do something rather than quietly look at something. It’s designed around hands-on play, imagination, movement and exploration.

As of 2026, the museum is open Wednesday through Monday and charges $16 for general admission purchased online or $18 for walk-ins. Children under one are free. Advance reservations are recommended because capacity is limited.

This is also easy to pair with lunch in Downtown Santa Monica or a trip to the beach afterward.

5. Discovery Cube Los Angeles

  • Best for: Ages 2–10
  • Location: Sylmar

For families in the Valley, Discovery Cube is worth knowing about. It has more than 50 interactive, science-based exhibits covering subjects like the environment, physics and engineering, but the experience feels much more like playing than sitting through a science lesson.

This is an especially useful option for extremely hot Valley days, rainy days or those weekends when your kids clearly need to leave the house but you don’t want to commit to driving across Los Angeles.

6. Petersen Automotive Museum

  • Best for: Ages 5–teenagers
  • Location: Miracle Mile

You don’t need a kid who can identify every Lamborghini from a block away to enjoy the Petersen. The museum is filled with race cars, movie vehicles, exotic cars and historically important automobiles, and the sheer variety makes it visually interesting even for children who aren’t obsessed with cars.

For serious young car enthusiasts, however, this can easily become one of their favorite museums in Los Angeles.

7. The Autry Museum of the American West

  • Best for: Ages 4–12
  • Location: Griffith Park

The Autry can get overlooked because Griffith Park has so many other family attractions, but it’s worth considering, particularly for kids interested in horses, cowboys, Western history and California.

The museum currently has a Family Play Space, Toddler Tuesdays and weekend museum tours. As of September 2026, admission is $20 for adults and $9 for children ages 3–12, with children 2 and under admitted free.

8. Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

  • Best for: Ages 7+
  • Location: Miracle Mile

Los Angeles is the movie capital of the world, so introducing kids to how movies are actually made feels particularly appropriate here. The Academy Museum isn’t exclusively a children’s museum, and younger kids may not have the patience for every gallery, but movie-loving older children and teenagers can get much more out of it.

Pair it with the Petersen across the street and you can turn the area into a full museum day.

9. Bob Baker Marionette Theater

  • Best for: Ages 2–8
  • Location: Highland Park

This is the kind of place that gives Los Angeles personality. Bob Baker Marionette Theater has been introducing generations of children to puppetry, and seeing a live marionette show feels completely different from another afternoon spent staring at screens.

For younger kids in particular, this can be a wonderful first live-theater experience.

10. Griffith Observatory

  • Best for: Ages 5+
  • Location: Griffith Park
  • Cost: Admission to the building and grounds is free.

The Griffith Observatory belongs on almost every Los Angeles family bucket list. You get astronomy, science, telescopes and one of the best views of Los Angeles in a single outing.

Go in the late afternoon and you can explore before watching the city change as the sun goes down. Older kids who are beginning to understand planets, stars and space tend to get the most out of the exhibits, but even younger children can appreciate the building, views and experience of being there.

Animals, Nature and Gardens

11. Los Angeles Zoo

  • Best for: Ages 2–10
  • Location: Griffith Park

The LA Zoo is a classic for a reason. It gives younger kids enough animals to keep them interested while providing plenty of room to walk around and burn energy.

Don’t try to see every single animal just because you paid admission. With young kids, choosing several favorites and leaving while everyone is still happy is often a much better strategy.

12. Aquarium of the Pacific

  • Best for: Ages 2–12
  • Location: Long Beach

Technically Long Beach rather than the City of Los Angeles, but it’s too useful for LA families to leave off this list. Sharks, rays, sea otters, colorful fish and interactive areas make the Aquarium of the Pacific particularly good for preschool and elementary-school children.

It can easily fill several hours, and the waterfront location gives you plenty of options if you want to make a day of it.

13. Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

  • Best for: Ages 3–10
  • Location: San Pedro

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is a great alternative when you want marine life without committing to a major aquarium day. The aquarium focuses heavily on Southern California’s marine environment and sits beside Cabrillo Beach, so you can combine indoor exhibits with actual exploration outside.

Nearby tidepools can reveal sea stars, anemones, crabs and snails at low tide, making this one of those outings where the real environment becomes part of the lesson.

14. Descanso Gardens

  • Best for: All ages
  • Location: La Cañada Flintridge

Descanso is one of our favorite recommendations for families who want an outing that doesn’t feel like a traditional children’s attraction. Kids can wander through gardens, look for fish and birds around Mulberry Pond and Lakeside Lookout, explore the Rose Garden’s kid-height hedge maze and stretch out under enormous trees in the Oak Grove.

There are also family programs and seasonal events throughout the year. Parking is free, and as of September 2026, regular admission is $20 for adults, $8 for children 3–12 and free for children 2 and under.

15. The Huntington

  • Best for: Ages 3+
  • Location: San Marino

Parents sometimes assume botanical gardens are better suited to adults, but The Huntington is surprisingly good with kids. Its 130 acres provide plenty of room to explore, and families can visit the Children’s Garden, Conservatory, Chinese Garden, Japanese Garden and numerous other spaces.

The Huntington also offers family programming and hands-on activity carts on select days. It’s a particularly good choice when grandparents are coming along because it’s genuinely enjoyable across generations.

16. Los Angeles County Arboretum

  • Best for: All ages
  • Location: Arcadia

The Arboretum gives families 127 acres to wander, with gardens, ponds, historic structures and its famously visible peafowl. It’s another good answer when you want your kids outside without necessarily taking them on a hike.

As of September 2026, admission is $18 for adults and $8 for children 3–12, while children 2 and under are free.

17. South Coast Botanic Garden

  • Best for: All ages
  • Location: Palos Verdes Peninsula

Families in the South Bay don’t need to drive all the way to Pasadena or La Cañada for a great garden day. South Coast Botanic Garden covers 87 acres and regularly hosts family and seasonal experiences.

It’s currently open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., although families should check the site for temporary garden-area closures before visiting.

18. Underwood Family Farms

  • Best for: Ages 1–10
  • Location: Moorpark

This one is outside LA proper, but it’s worth the drive for many families, especially in the Valley. Kids can interact with farm animals, and depending on the season, families can pick their own produce.

Underwood also offers seasonal festivals, educational experiences, farm camp and birthday parties.

Classic Los Angeles Adventures

19. Santa Monica Pier

  • Best for: All ages
  • Location: Santa Monica

Yes, it’s touristy. Take your kids anyway.

The Santa Monica Pier gives families something that’s surprisingly difficult to find in one place: beach, rides, games, food, people-watching and an ocean sunset.

You don’t have to turn it into an expensive amusement-park day either. Walking the pier itself is an experience. Families who want rides can head to Pacific Park for the Pacific Wheel, West Coaster and other attractions.

20. Pacific Park

  • Best for: Ages 3+
  • Location: Santa Monica Pier

Pacific Park is LA’s oceanfront amusement park, with 12 rides including the Pacific Wheel and West Coaster. There’s no general admission charge to enter the amusement park itself; you pay for rides and attractions.

That makes it easy to tailor the day. Ride everything, ride one thing or just walk through on your way to the beach.

21. Travel Town Museum

  • Best for: Ages 2–7
  • Location: Griffith Park

If your child is in the train phase, this is an easy win. Travel Town displays historic locomotives and railroad equipment and is much more manageable with a toddler or preschooler than a huge museum.

Pack snacks, let them look at trains, take some pictures and don’t overcomplicate it.

22. Angels Flight Railway

  • Best for: Ages 3+
  • Location: Downtown Los Angeles

The ride is short. That’s part of the charm.

Angels Flight is the tiny orange funicular connecting Hill Street and California Plaza. For an adult, it’s transportation and LA history. For a young child, it’s a strange little train climbing a very steep hill.

Combine it with Grand Central Market and you’ve turned a tiny ride into a memorable Downtown adventure.

23. Grand Central Market

  • Best for: Ages 4+
  • Location: Downtown Los Angeles

This isn’t a children’s attraction, and that’s precisely why it belongs here. Taking kids somewhere filled with different foods, smells, languages and people is its own kind of experience.

Give everyone permission to choose something different for lunch. Then walk over to Angels Flight afterward.

24. Echo Park Lake Swan Boats

  • Best for: Ages 3+
  • Location: Echo Park

Sometimes kids don’t need a $200 family excursion. They need to climb into a giant swan and pedal around a lake.

Echo Park Lake makes for an easy outing with the skyline in the background, and you can combine the boats with a walk, picnic or playground stop.

25. Hollywood Walk of Fame and TCL Chinese Theatre

  • Best for: Ages 7+
  • Location: Hollywood

This will probably mean more to visiting families than to kids who have grown up in LA, but older children who recognize actors, musicians and movie characters can have fun searching for names on the Walk of Fame and comparing their hands to the prints outside the Chinese Theatre.

Keep expectations realistic. Hollywood Boulevard is busy, crowded and very urban. Treat this as a short LA experience rather than an all-day children’s destination.

Beaches and Water Days

26. Santa Monica State Beach

  • Best for: All ages

For a quintessential LA family beach day, Santa Monica is hard to beat. You have a huge stretch of sand plus the pier, bike path, food and plenty of other attractions nearby. The city maintains extensive beach amenities and programs.

The downside is obvious: crowds and parking. Earlier is generally easier.

27. Marina “Mother’s” Beach

  • Best for: Babies through about age 7
  • Location: Marina del Rey

This is one of the most useful beaches for parents of young children because the designated swimming area has no ocean surf. The nearly half-mile sandy beach also has a playground, picnic areas, barbecue grills, showers and restrooms.

That doesn’t eliminate the need for constant water supervision, but it makes the experience very different from chasing a preschooler near breaking waves.

28. Manhattan Beach

  • Best for: All ages

Manhattan Beach is an excellent family beach when you want the complete package: sand, swimming, pier, walking, restaurants and a pleasant area to explore afterward.

LA County lists more than two miles of ocean frontage along with the 900-foot pier.

29. Zuma Beach

  • Best for: All ages
  • Location: Malibu

Zuma is a good choice when the objective is simply go to the beach. It’s broad, scenic and feels less urban than Santa Monica.

Bring the chairs, umbrella, snacks and enough supplies that you don’t need to keep leaving the sand. As with every Southern California beach, pay attention to lifeguards and ocean conditions rather than assuming calm-looking water is safe for young swimmers.

30. Cabrillo Beach and Tidepools

  • Best for: Ages 3+
  • Location: San Pedro

Cabrillo gives you a beach, fishing pier, children’s play area and the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium right behind it.

But the tidepools are what can turn the outing into something special. Check the tide schedule and try to arrive around a good low tide, when kids may be able to observe marine life normally hidden underwater. Look, don’t collect.

Outdoor Adventures and Hikes

For more, see our guide to the 10 best hikes for kids in Los Angeles.

31. Ferndell Nature Trail

  • Best for: Ages 2+
  • Location: Griffith Park

Ferndell is one of our favorite introductions to hiking for little kids because it doesn’t really feel like a hike. The shaded path follows a small stream through ferns and tropical-looking plants, giving children plenty to inspect along the way.

If everyone still has energy, you can continue farther into Griffith Park. If not, you’ve still gotten outside without turning Saturday into an endurance event.

32. Franklin Canyon Park

  • Best for: Ages 3+
  • Location: Between Beverly Hills and Studio City

Franklin Canyon feels remarkably removed from the city considering where it sits. Families can walk around the reservoir, explore short trails and look for birds and wildlife without committing to a difficult mountain hike.

It’s especially useful for families introducing younger children to hiking.

33. Vasquez Rocks

  • Best for: Ages 4+
  • Location: Agua Dulce

Few places around Los Angeles deliver a bigger visual payoff with so little effort. The enormous angled rock formations make children feel like they’ve landed on another planet.

The 945-acre natural area also includes an interpretive center, picnic tables, educational programs and multiple trails.

This is a particularly fun destination for kids who like climbing and exploring, although parents should establish very clear boundaries around steep rock faces.

34. Malibu Creek State Park

  • Best for: Ages 5+
  • Location: Calabasas

Malibu Creek is a place families can return to as their kids get older. You can take an easy walk with younger children, explore longer trails with older ones, visit the historic M*A*S*H filming area or eventually camp.

The visitor center also has a Children’s Nature Room. As of 2026, the main gates are open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and all-day parking is $12.

35. Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area

  • Best for: All ages
  • Location: Baldwin Hills

Kenneth Hahn gives families playgrounds, lawns, picnic areas, walking trails and impressive city views without requiring a serious wilderness excursion.

This is a good option when different members of the family want different things. One child can run around the playground while another wants to walk a trail, and everyone can meet back at the picnic table.

36. Will Rogers State Historic Park

  • Best for: Ages 5+
  • Location: Pacific Palisades

Will Rogers combines history, open space and hiking in one beautiful setting. The park has traditionally been a great jumping-off point for family hikes, including routes toward Inspiration Point.

Because wildfire recovery and trail conditions can change in this part of Los Angeles, check the official California State Parks page for current access and trail closures before going.

Theme Parks and Big Days Out

37. Universal Studios Hollywood

  • Best for: Ages 5+
  • Location: Universal City

Universal is expensive enough that you probably don’t need us to tell you to go casually, but for the right kid it’s a phenomenal day. The combination of rides, characters, movie-making history and themed environments gives it an advantage over a traditional amusement park.

Height requirements matter considerably when you’re bringing younger children, so check them before buying tickets and promising specific rides.

38. Disneyland

  • Best for: All ages
  • Location: Anaheim

No, Anaheim isn’t Los Angeles. Yes, we’re still including Disneyland.

For many families visiting Southern California, it’s the single activity their children care about most. Local families have the luxury of deciding whether the cost and drive are worth it, but there’s no question it belongs in a broad guide to family activities around LA.

39. Knott’s Berry Farm

  • Best for: Ages 3+
  • Location: Buena Park

Knott’s can be a good alternative to Disneyland, particularly for families with older kids who care more about roller coasters than princesses.

Families with younger children can focus more heavily on Camp Snoopy, while teenagers can spend the day hunting for thrill rides.

Great Low-Cost and Free Family Days

For more, see our guide to the 10 best parks in Los Angeles for kids.

40. Getty Center

  • Best for: Ages 4+
  • Location: Brentwood
  • Cost: Free admission; parking fee applies.

Don’t assume your children need to be art lovers. The tram ride up the hill is part of the fun, the architecture is interesting, and the gardens and outdoor spaces give children a break from galleries.

The Getty specifically encourages family visits, and admission is free with a timed reservation.

41. Venice Canals

  • Best for: Ages 4+
  • Location: Venice

Walking around the Venice Canals is simple, free and surprisingly interesting to kids. There are bridges to cross, ducks to spot, unusual houses to inspect and enough variety to make it feel like an exploration rather than a walk around the block.

Pair it with Venice Beach or lunch nearby instead of treating the canals as a standalone half-day attraction.

42. Lake Balboa / Anthony C. Beilenson Park

  • Best for: All ages
  • Location: Encino

For Valley families, Lake Balboa is one of those places worth having in your back pocket when nobody has a plan. Bring bikes or scooters, walk around the lake, have a picnic or simply let the kids spend time outside.

It’s especially beautiful when the cherry blossoms are blooming, although that also means considerably larger crowds.

43. Korean Bell of Friendship

  • Best for: Ages 4+
  • Location: San Pedro

The Korean Bell is beautiful, free and surrounded by open space with expansive ocean views. Kids may not initially understand why you’re taking them to see a bell, but the combination of the structure, grassy setting and coastline makes this an easy stop.

Combine it with Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, Cabrillo Beach or another San Pedro destination.

44. Exposition Park Rose Garden

  • Best for: All ages
  • Location: Exposition Park

If you’re already visiting the Science Center or Natural History Museum, don’t rush directly back to the car. The Rose Garden gives families a chance to slow down, eat a snack and let kids decompress outside.

Sometimes the best part of a museum day is the hour when you’re no longer in the museum.

Experiences Kids Remember

45. Attend a Dodgers Game

  • Best for: Ages 4+
  • Location: Dodger Stadium

Your child doesn’t need to understand baseball strategy to enjoy a Dodgers game. The stadium, crowd, food, music and excitement make the experience bigger than the sport itself.

For a first game with young kids, don’t make nine innings the standard for success. If they make it through five innings and leave happy, you won.

46. See the Lakers, Clippers or Kings

  • Best for: Ages 5+

Taking kids to a professional basketball or hockey game can be one of those experiences they talk about long after they’ve forgotten the score.

Tickets can obviously get expensive, so look beyond marquee games. A random weeknight against a less glamorous opponent may give a young child essentially the same experience for substantially less money.

47. See a Show at the Hollywood Bowl

  • Best for: Ages 5+
  • Location: Hollywood Hills

The Hollywood Bowl can be an amazing introduction to live music because the environment itself feels like an event. For the right performance, you get music, a picnic and a summer night outdoors.

Check the specific show’s age suitability rather than assuming every concert will work for every child.

48. Go to a Farmers Market and Let the Kids Pick Lunch

  • Best for: All ages

This sounds almost too ordinary to put on a list, but that’s the point. Family activities don’t always need admission tickets.

Give each child a small budget and let them choose a fruit they’ve never tried, a snack for the family or something for lunch. The Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax is particularly easy to turn into an outing because there are so many choices in one place.

49. Ride Bikes Along the Beach

  • Best for: Ages 5+ or younger kids riding with parents

Rent bikes or bring your own and ride a manageable portion of the Marvin Braude Bike Trail. Don’t turn it into a mileage competition. With kids, the better version might be riding for 30 minutes, stopping for lunch or ice cream, playing on the sand and riding back.

That combination of movement and destination tends to work much better than announcing that the family is going on a 15-mile bike ride.

50. Have a Beach Bonfire at Dockweiler

  • Best for: Older kids and teenagers
  • Location: Playa del Rey

A nighttime beach fire feels like an adventure even when you’re only a few miles from home. Dockweiler is particularly known for its beach fire rings, along with 3.7 miles of beach and the coastal bike path.

Fire rings are popular and rules can change, so check current county regulations before loading up the car.

How to Choose What to Do With Your Kids in Los Angeles

With this many options, the challenge isn’t finding things to do in Los Angeles with kids. It’s choosing something that fits your particular family that day.

Start with age and energy level. A toddler who skipped a nap probably doesn’t need an ambitious museum itinerary. An energetic seven-year-old may have a much better day climbing around Vasquez Rocks than being told not to touch anything in an art gallery.

Then think about geography. Los Angeles families can dramatically improve their weekends by grouping activities geographically. If you’re going to Exposition Park, combine the Science Center, Natural History Museum and Rose Garden. If you’re going to San Pedro, combine Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, the beach and Korean Bell. If you’re going to Griffith Park, choose from the Observatory, Zoo, Autry, Travel Town and Ferndell rather than driving across town for activity number two.

Weather matters too. Save Discovery Cube, the museums and indoor attractions for very hot or rainy days. Take advantage of beautiful winter days for hiking. On hot summer weekends, start outdoor activities early and consider ending at the beach.

Most importantly, you don’t need to do everything.

Growing up in Los Angeles gives kids something visitors don’t have: time. You don’t have to cram Griffith Observatory, Santa Monica Pier, the Science Center and the Zoo into one weekend. Pick one place. Let the kids explore it properly. Stop somewhere for food. Go home before everyone melts down.

There will always be another Saturday.

A Few of Our Favorite Picks by Age

If you’re overwhelmed by 50+ choices, here’s an easier starting point.

For toddlers and preschoolers, we’d start with Travel Town, Cayton Children’s Museum, Descanso Gardens, Mother’s Beach, Underwood Family Farms and the LA Zoo.

For elementary-school kids, try the California Science Center, Natural History Museum, Discovery Cube, Aquarium of the Pacific, Vasquez Rocks, Griffith Observatory and Malibu Creek State Park.

For older kids and teenagers, consider Universal Studios, Petersen Automotive Museum, Academy Museum, a Dodgers/Lakers/Kings/Clippers game, the Hollywood Bowl, beach biking and some of the longer hikes around Los Angeles.

And when you don’t want to spend much money, start with the Getty Center, Griffith Observatory, Ferndell, the beach, Venice Canals, Lake Balboa or simply exploring a neighborhood you’ve never visited together.

The best family outing in Los Angeles isn’t necessarily the most expensive or famous one. It’s the one your particular kid wants to talk about on the drive home.

Keep Exploring

Heather Shorr

About the author: Heather Shorr

Heather is Ford's mom, born and raised in Calabasas and now living in Sherman Oaks. From preschool tours to speech lessons, music classes and sports leagues, she's done the research LA parents know all too well, and she co-founded AfterschoolSearch to make it easier for everyone else.

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