The 18 Best Things to Do with Kids in LA: Fun-Filled Adventures for Every Family
Los Angeles with children is a wonderful kind of chaos: one morning you are gazing at the stars, by afternoon you are on a beach ferris wheel, and by evening someone has declared the trip the best ever. The best things to do with kids in la span world-class museums, iconic beaches, zoos, aquariums, and theme parks — and the city is so spread out that planning a little really pays off. Pick a base, group nearby sights together, and build in downtime, because LA rewards families who pace themselves.
Think of the city in clusters: Griffith Park and Hollywood in the north, Santa Monica and Venice on the westside, Exposition Park and the museums in the center, and Long Beach to the south. The best things to do with kids in la are rarely next door to each other, so a car, a loose plan, and snacks in the bag make everything easier.
Best Things to Do with Kids in LA: The Icons
Start with the classics — the places kids picture when they hear “Los Angeles” — and you will already have a trip worth remembering.
1. Griffith Observatory & Park
Griffith Observatory is free to enter and endlessly fascinating: planetarium shows, science exhibits, telescopes on the lawn, and one of the great views in California, with the Hollywood Sign on one side and the city grid on the other. The surrounding park adds hiking trails, pony rides, and picnic spots, so one visit can stretch happily across a whole morning.
2. Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica Pier is LA childhood in miniature: rides at Pacific Park, the ferris wheel glowing over the ocean, arcade games, and ice cream on the boardwalk, with a wide sandy beach steps away. Go in the late afternoon when the light turns golden and the crowds thin a little, and let the kids run off the sugar on the sand afterwards.
3. Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens
The LA Zoo, in Griffith Park, is a full-day family favorite: elephants, giraffes, koalas, and a strong conservation story told through keeper talks and exhibits. The botanical gardens woven through the grounds give parents a shady breather between animal houses, and the whole site is stroller-friendly.
4. California Science Center
The California Science Center is one of the best things to do with kids in la on any budget — general admission is free, and the hands-on exhibits are superb. Children can explore ecosystems, build and test contraptions, and stand beneath the space shuttle Endeavour, which never fails to impress even the most screen-hardened teenager.
5. Kidspace Children’s Museum
In Pasadena, Kidspace Children’s Museum is built for younger children: outdoor climbing structures, water play, nature exploration, and art projects, all designed to be touched, climbed, and splashed. It is the right pick when your kids need to move rather than look, and it pairs nicely with a wander around Old Pasadena afterwards.
6. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
Next door to the Science Center in Exposition Park, the Natural History Museum brings dinosaurs to life — literally, with towering skeletons in a grand hall — plus gem halls, dioramas, and a Discovery Center where children can handle fossils and meet live insects. Two museums in one park make for an easy, high-value day.
Best Things to Do with Kids in LA: Beaches, Parks, and Outdoors
LA’s outdoors are free, sunny, and gloriously varied — from a skatepark on the sand to a rose garden in the middle of the city.
7. Venice Beach Boardwalk & Skatepark
Venice Beach is loud, colorful, and unforgettable: street performers, murals, muscle beach, and the famous skatepark where older kids can watch skaters fly. Rent bikes and ride the coastal path to Santa Monica for a classic LA afternoon, and keep younger children close — the boardwalk is lively in every sense.
8. Runyon Canyon Park
Runyon Canyon, right in Hollywood, offers easy trails, off-leash areas, and panoramic city views that make the climb feel worthwhile. It suits families with older kids who want a real walk without leaving the city, and early mornings are best before the heat and the crowds arrive.
9. Echo Park Lake
Echo Park Lake is a gentle, lovely break: pedal boats shaped like swans, lotus flowers in summer, ducks on the water, and a playground plus picnic lawns around the shore. It is the kind of low-key stop that resets tired children — and tired parents — between bigger sights.
10. Exposition Park Rose Garden
Beside the museums, the Exposition Park Rose Garden is a free, fragrant pause: thousands of roses in bloom, paths to wander, and space for a picnic between the Science Center and the Natural History Museum. It is small, beautiful, and exactly the breather a museum-heavy day needs.
Best Things to Do with Kids in LA: Museums and Movie Magic
From Ice Age fossils to a historic movie palace, this section covers LA’s stranger and more wonderful indoor days.
11. La Brea Tar Pits and Museum
The La Brea Tar Pits are wonderfully weird: bubbling asphalt pools in the middle of the city, mammoth skeletons inside, and scientists visible at work in the fossil lab. Children love the “gross and cool” combination, and the park outside is perfect for a picnic after the museum.
12. Petersen Automotive Museum
Car-loving kids will be in heaven at the Petersen Automotive Museum: gleaming vintage cars, futuristic concepts, and a hands-on area where children can design their own vehicles. Even non-car fans enjoy the sheer spectacle of the collection, and the building itself is a landmark on Wilshire Boulevard.
13. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
In San Marino, The Huntington is a day in itself: art galleries, a rare-books library, and 120 acres of gardens including a magical Children’s Garden with misters, tunnels, and water play. It suits families who like to wander slowly, and it is one of the most beautiful places in greater LA.
14. Discovery Cube Los Angeles
Discovery Cube, in the San Fernando Valley, is aimed at younger children and built around doing: a helicopter simulator, a water conservation lab, a pretend grocery store, and plenty of climbing and building. It is a strong rainy-day or hot-day pick when outdoor plans need a backup.
15. El Capitan Theatre
For a movie night with extra magic, take the kids to the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, a lovingly restored 1920s palace that shows family films with live pre-show entertainment and occasional character appearances. It turns a simple cinema trip into an event children will talk about for weeks.
16. Aquarium of the Pacific
Down in Long Beach, the Aquarium of the Pacific holds more than 12,000 ocean animals, from sharks and sea otters to tropical reefs — and the touch pools, where children can gently meet rays and small sharks, are the highlight. Combine it with a waterfront lunch and a stroll around Rainbow Harbor for a full south-bay day.
Best Things to Do with Kids in LA: Food, Shopping, and the Big Finale
End with LA’s tastiest market, its most photogenic mall, and the theme park that needs no introduction.
17. The Original Farmers Market & The Grove
The Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax has fed Angelenos since 1934: stalls of fresh produce, kid-friendly treats, and casual counters where everyone can pick their own lunch. Next door, The Grove adds a dancing fountain, a trolley, and open-air shopping — an easy, low-stress afternoon that pleases every age.
18. Universal Studios Hollywood
Save a full day for Universal Studios Hollywood: movie-themed rides, the Wizarding World, the behind-the-scenes Studio Tour, and shows that bring Hollywood to life. It is the priciest day on this list, so arrive at opening, use the app for wait times, and let each child pick one must-do ride first.
Practical Tips for a Family Trip to LA
A few practical notes make the trip smoother. A car is almost essential: the best things to do with kids in la are spread across a huge city, and buses eat into precious family time. Book the big-ticket parks and timed museum entries ahead, carry water and sunscreen everywhere, and plan one big sight plus one low-key stop per day rather than three big ones. For official planning help, Griffith Observatory’s official site and Santa Monica Pier’s official site are useful places to check hours before you go. If you love family road trips too, these fun things to do in Las Vegas with kids and best things to do in upstate are worth saving for a future trip, and the best things to do in Vermont are a good pick if your next adventure is in New England.
Best Things to Do with Kids in LA FAQs
How many days do you need in LA with kids?
Four to five days cover the highlights without rushing: one day each for Griffith Park and Hollywood, the westside beaches, Exposition Park’s museums, and a theme park day, plus a flexible day for Long Beach or Pasadena.
Is LA good for toddlers?
Yes — many of the best things to do with kids in la suit toddlers well. Kidspace, the zoo, the aquarium touch pools, Echo Park Lake, and the beaches all welcome little ones, and most museums have stroller access and family restrooms.
Is Griffith Observatory free for kids?
Yes, admission to Griffith Observatory’s exhibits is free for everyone, including children. Planetarium shows are ticketed and inexpensive, so book those ahead if your kids want the full star-show experience.
What is the best beach in LA for kids?
Santa Monica Beach is the easiest family pick: gentle waves, a wide sandy shore, lifeguards, and the pier’s rides right there. For a quieter day, try the beaches north of the pier or the calm shores around Long Beach.
Do you need a car in LA with kids?
Almost certainly yes. LA’s family sights are spread across dozens of miles, and a car — with car seats sorted before you arrive — saves hours compared with buses and rideshares, especially with tired children in tow.
However you build your days, LA with kids works best as a mix: one wow moment, one outdoor hour, and one unhurried meal, repeated across a few sunny days. Pack sunscreen, keep the plan loose, and let the kids pick at least one adventure each day.
Emily Carter is the founder and editor of Her Everyday Nest. After nine years of renting in five apartments across three cities, she's learned how to make any rental feel like home.
