There are so many family-friendly places to see in Los Angeles, where do you begin? As the second-largest urban region in the United States, LA offers families more activities and adventures than many small countries, but that doesn’t mean they are all worth the time.
Los Angeles dazzles in every direction. To the north, Griffith Observatory offers a view of the entire Los Angeles basin, from downtown to Hollywood and the Pacific Ocean. Along the shore, coastal communities such as Santa Monica, Venice, and Malibu each offer their own take on surf culture. For families, this means there are things to do for every personality and interest, whether your kids want to catch some waves, walk with dinosaurs, or experience theme park thrills. When you’re ready to see the sights and soak up some sun in La La Land, here are seven Los Angeles family-vacation itineraries that are great for all ages.
While the weather is predominantly great, it’s important to note that traveling through Los Angeles with kids does pose some challenges and is not all sunshine. One big issue is the sprawling nature of the city. It’s a common misconception that many areas can be tackled in one day. Mix in heavy traffic and frequent congestion, especially when moving around with kids, and it can be a recipe for disaster. While the obvious answer would be to skip the car and use public transport, unfortunately, many areas lack efficient transport systems.
I’m sure you are just as bored as I am at seeing all these lists of things to do in a city that focus only on children’s museums and playgrounds! Please, there is so much more fun experiences to have as a family to really get to know what makes up the personality of a city.
There are oodles of things to do in Los Angeles with family, but here’s my pick of the best. It’s a mixture of must-dos plus a few hidden gems. Also see our guide to the best and coolest Los Angeles hotels for families.
1. Cayton Children’s Museum
If you’re looking for an activity that caters to even the youngest members of your family, the Cayton Children’s Museum is a great place to visit. With science exhibits, a real-life helicopter, a theater and a large art room, the downtown Santa Monica space excels in providing a range of different educational and interactive experiences to spark kids’ creativity and imagination. Little tots even have dedicated play areas to crawl and explore freely, with visitors up to 8 years old likely to have the most fun.
The center opened back in 2019, and parents and guardians were a big consideration. Family rest areas can be found throughout to recoup between play, and nursing and changing rooms are available.
2. Warner Bros Studio Tour
Warner Bros Studios tour was a treat for our budding actress, Kalyra and a fun place for kids in Los Angeles. IT was fascinating to see the behind the scenes of putting TV and movies together. Wearing the sorting hat in the Harry Potter archive section. Kalyra and Savannah got Gryffindor, I was Hufflepuff, and Craig was Slytherin. Holding a real OSCAR and sitting on the Friends couch (which was filmed here and not in New York City)! And Savannah got to stand on the steps of her favorite TV show house, the Fuller House.
Visiting the archive rooms to see costumes and props from Harry Potter and Batman films. Ellen is also filmed out here and The Big Bang Theory is in its last season. And even parts of Jurassic Park were filmed here. The studio tour is a more expensive attraction for ages 8 and over so, it’s an LA attraction for older kids. If you’re fascinated with the movie industry then you’ll find this tour worth it. If you’re tight on budget and nonplussed, I’d skip it.
3. California Science Center, Los Angeles
The California Science Center in Los Angeles is an innovative science and education complex combining exceptional exhibits and hands-on learning opportunities. Don’t overlook this institute as simply for children, it offers fun and wonderment for the entire family through the lens of science.
The California Science Center is open to the public 362 days a year and provides free admission to its 4 permanent exhibition galleries. Creative World showcases human’s use of technology in society, while the World of Life guides you through the interconnectedness of our planet. For a look into the world of ecology, Ecosystems has 11 immersive environments to explore, and the Air & Space exhibits take you deep into our galaxy. Along with a host of special exhibits, onsite dining, and outdoor gardens, you are in for a full weekend of fun at the California Science Center.
The main attraction of the California Science Center is the Endeavour space shuttle in the Air & Space exhibit area. Inside this retired orbiter from NASA’s Space Shuttle program, you can navigate and view unique artefacts such as the hilarious “space potty”. If marine life is more your speed, the Ecosystems exhibit is home to a gigantic 188,000-gallon kelp tank populated by live kelp, and other marine creatures.
The Science Center also hosts many educationally focused exhibits and movies in a 7-storey IMAX theatre. Bringing worlds to life on the screen, a 3D movie viewing is a must for all visitors. The final major highlight begins right at the parking garage, where gardens and exhibits take you on a journey through the ecosystems of Southern California, shrublands, forests, and high desert.
4. Hollywood Sign
You can’t get much more iconic then the Hollywood Sign! And hiking to the Hollywood sign is a great way to see it and to get a view of all of LA. You won’t be able to touch the sign but you can hike right up behind it. Take note this is a long hike – probably about 3 mile – 4 mile round trip hike from the Lake Hollywood park (where there is free public parking) and a lot of it is uphill. It isn’t easy, but our 6 year old did it with just being carried on our back a couple of times.
It is also very confusing. Some people were telling us you can’t hike up there and then we would see others that said you could . . . we kind of just kept following the signs and the people and we ended up going the right way. And no, we did not go in any of the no trespassing areas! If this sounds too confusing and stressful you can also check out this guided Hollywood Sign Hike. Once at the top you get an amazing view of LA with the Hollywood sign right below you. Also on the way up you get some pretty amazing views of the sign.
5. Disneyland
It’s not strictly in Los Angeles (it’s just outside in Anaheim), but what would a post about things to do in L.A. with kids be without a mention of Disneyland?! I dreamed of going there as a kid and then my kids did the same. Does any kid not dream of Disneyland? It’s one of the top family attractions in California, if not the world.
I got my wish age 7, and we we took Otis and Arlo, age 3 and 5. And it was everything we’d dreamed of. I’ve written a full guide on how to get the best of out Disneyland with toddlers and little kids, including how to reduce wait times and save money. It definitely requires a bit of planning to get it right. Disneyland is about 45 minutes from downtown L.A, so while you could do it as a day trip, we recommend staying in Anaheim. We chose the Howard Johnson Hotel, a cool mid-century retro hotel just an 8-minute walk from Disneyland.
More Places | Top 5 Most Beautiful Weekend Gateways From Los Angeles in 2024
