94 free things to do in SoCal

Heisler Park & Laguna Tide Pools · Laguna Beach

Clifftop gardens above protected coves with some of the most accessible tide pools in OC, plus a marine-life refuge.

Huntington Beach Pier & Pacific City · Huntington Beach

Walk the iconic pier to watch surfers, dig in the wide sand, and grab a bite at the bluff-top Pacific City shops.

San Clemente Pier & Beach Trail · San Clemente

A laid-back pier, a flat beachfront trail past the train tracks, and gentle sand — easy, free, and quintessentially SoCal.

Treasure Island Beach & Montage Tide Pools · Laguna Beach

Manicured bluff gardens and a ramp down to a gentle cove with rich tide pools — accessible, beautiful, and free to enjoy.

Newport Pier & McFadden Square · Newport Beach

Watch the dory fishing fleet, walk the pier, and rent bikes or surreys along the boardwalk — quintessential easygoing beach-town fun.

Manhattan Beach & Pier · Manhattan Beach

Wide sandy beach with a walkable pier, the small Roundhouse Aquarium, and a family-friendly downtown.

Hermosa Beach & Pier · Hermosa Beach

Lively beach with a long pier, The Strand bike path, and volleyball courts.

Redondo Beach Pier & King Harbor · Redondo Beach

Horseshoe-shaped pier with arcades, seafood, harbor boat rentals, and a small marina.

Venice Beach Boardwalk · Venice

Famous oceanfront boardwalk with street performers, the skate park, Muscle Beach, and bike paths.

Marina del Rey / Mother's Beach · Marina del Rey

Calm, lifeguarded harbor beach ideal for young kids, with kayak, paddleboard, and pedal-boat rentals.

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park · San Diego

Dramatic Point Loma sea cliffs famous for tide pools, sunset views, and coastal walking paths.

Ocean Beach Pier & Beach · San Diego

Laid-back beach with a wide sandy stretch and a long fishing pier (pier periodically closed for repairs).

Mission Beach Boardwalk · San Diego

Lively oceanfront boardwalk for biking, skating, and swimming along miles of sandy beach.

Pacific Beach · San Diego

Popular family beach with gentle surf, Crystal Pier, and a walkable boardwalk full of eateries.

La Jolla Shores Beach · La Jolla

Wide, gentle-surf beach ideal for young swimmers, sandcastles, kayaking, and beginner surfing.

Coronado Beach · Coronado

Wide, sparkling-sand beach beside the iconic Hotel del Coronado, great for swimming and sandcastles.

Oceanside Pier · Oceanside

One of the longest wooden piers on the West Coast, great for strolling, fishing, and beach play below.

Moonlight State Beach · Encinitas

Family-favorite cove beach with lifeguards, a playground, volleyball, fire pits, and easy facilities.

Del Mar Beach & Powerhouse Park · Del Mar

Calm family beach next to a grassy bluff-top park with a playground and ocean views.

Ventura Pier & Promenade · Ventura

California's longest wooden pier sits beside a beachfront promenade with a playground, wide sand, and Channel Islands views — easy, breezy, classic beach-town fun.

Channel Islands Harbor · Oxnard

A calm harbor with surrey and bike rentals, a Sunday farmers market, a maritime museum, and easy waterfront paths — laid-back coastal fun away from big surf.

Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park · Aliso Viejo

Wide, stroller-friendly canyon trails with shaded creek crossings and big oak meadows — an easy intro to hiking for kids.

Oso Creek Trail & Mission Viejo Library · Mission Viejo

A whimsical paved creek trail dotted with mosaics, gardens, and a koi pond — right next to the library's story-time programs.

Great Park Balloon & Carousel · Irvine

Ride a tethered helium balloon 400 feet up for skyline views, then a spin on the carousel and a romp at the huge play areas.

Bommer Canyon Trail · Irvine

A gentle former cattle-camp canyon with wide dirt paths and shady oaks — an easy, scenic hike that older kids can handle.

Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park · Lake Forest

Shady creekside singletrack leads to Red Rock Canyon's mini badlands — a payoff hike that feels like a desert adventure for kids.

Huntington Central Park & Shipley Nature Center · Huntington Beach

The county's largest city park: a free nature center, a fairy-tale-themed Adventure Playground, dog park, and a lakeside cafe.

Griffith Park Pony Rides & Merry-Go-Round · Los Angeles

Massive park with easy hikes, a historic carousel, and acres of picnic lawns.

Hollywood Sign Griffith Park Trails · Los Angeles

Family hikes with up-close Hollywood Sign views along marked Griffith Park trails.

Eagle Rock Recreation Center · Los Angeles

Neighborhood park with playgrounds and sports courts below the namesake Eagle Rock formation.

Brand Library & Art Center · Glendale

Hillside park with hiking trails, a Moorish-style library, and shady picnic spots.

Verdugo Mountains Family Trails · Glendale

Accessible foothill trails with shade and views, great for an easy family nature walk.

Hahamongna Watershed Park · Pasadena

Open-space park at the foot of the mountains with flat trails and a kids' nature stream.

Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area · Los Angeles

Sprawling hilltop park with lakes, picnic areas, easy trails, and panoramic views of the LA basin.

Balboa Park · San Diego

Sprawling 1,200-acre cultural park with gardens, fountains, Spanish-Revival architecture, and 17 museums.

Waterfront Park · San Diego

Downtown bayfront park with a huge interactive fountain kids splash in and big lawns for play.

Mission Trails Regional Park · San Diego

One of the largest urban parks in the U.S. with kid-friendly trails, a visitor center, and Lake Murray.

Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park · Carlsbad

Restored 1930s rancho with adobe buildings, free-roaming peacocks, and shaded picnic grounds.

Daley Ranch · Escondido

Over 3,000-acre conservation preserve with miles of hiking and mountain-bike trails and a historic ranch house.

Lake Miramar Reservoir · San Diego

Flat 5-mile paved loop around a reservoir, ideal for stroller walks, biking, and shoreline fishing.

Lake Hodges / Del Dios · Escondido

Reservoir with trails and the Lake Hodges pedestrian suspension bridge, good for easy family walks and birding.

California Citrus State Historic Park · Riverside

Living-history park among working orange groves with picnic lawns, trails, and a glimpse of SoCal's citrus heyday.

Oak Glen Preserve & Children's Forest · Oak Glen

A Wildlands Conservancy preserve with easy family loop trails, a pond, and a nature center amid apple country.

Lake Balboa / Anthony C. Beilenson Park · Lake Balboa

A swan-boat lake ringed by a flat 1.3-mile path and cherry trees that burst into pink blossom each spring — easy biking, ducks, and picnics in the heart of the Valley.

Stoney Point Park · Chatsworth

A dramatic cluster of sandstone boulders where legendary climbers learned the ropes — older kids love scrambling the rocks for big San Fernando Valley views.

Paramount Ranch · Agoura Hills

A historic Hollywood movie ranch and National Park land with flat, grassy, oak-lined loop trails — gentle enough for strollers and rich with film history.

Conejo Creek North Park · Thousand Oaks

Two duck ponds, a stream, big shaded playgrounds, and a footbridge to the library — a perennial Conejo Valley family favorite for an easy afternoon.

Wildwood Regional Park & Paradise Falls · Thousand Oaks

A roughly 2-mile round-trip hike past Lizard Rock to a 40-foot waterfall splashing into a shady canyon pool — best after winter rains and a hit with adventurous kids.

Libbey Park · Ojai

The leafy heart of downtown Ojai, with a big community-built playground, shaded lawns, and tennis courts steps from the pergola shops — easy small-town charm.

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park · Agua Dulce

Tilted sandstone slabs you've seen in a hundred movies — kids love scrambling the famous rocks, and there are easy self-guided trails and an interpretive center.

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve · Huntington Beach

Flat boardwalk loops over a coastal wetland alive with herons, egrets, and stingrays — bring binoculars and let kids spot wildlife.

Environmental Nature Center · Newport Beach

Native-habitat trails and a seasonal butterfly house tucked behind the city — a quiet, free nature fix close to the coast.

Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve · Newport Beach

A wide back-bay estuary with flat trails and kayak launches — paddle past egrets and learn at the interactive nature center.

Centennial Farm · Costa Mesa

A free working farm at the OC fairgrounds with pigs, goats, chickens, and crop rows — a quick, easy animal fix for little ones.

Eaton Canyon Nature Center · Pasadena

Nature center and easy trail to a seasonal waterfall, with live-animal exhibits for kids.

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium · San Pedro

Free aquarium focused on Southern California marine life with touch tanks and tide-pool programs.

Roundhouse Aquarium · Manhattan Beach

Tiny free aquarium at the end of the Manhattan Beach Pier with touch tanks and local sea life.

La Jolla Cove & Children's Pool · La Jolla

Scenic cove where families watch sea lions and harbor seals haul out on the rocks and beach.

Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve · Encino

A 225-acre river refuge with a bird-island lake and a 2.6-mile loop — some of the most accessible birdwatching in the Valley, with herons, egrets, and even pelicans.

Orcutt Ranch Horticulture Center · West Hills

A free 24-acre historic estate of rose gardens, a citrus orchard, and a 700-year-old oak — shady, calm, and toddler-paced, with seasonal u-pick citrus days.

Franklin Canyon Park · Beverly Hills

A hidden 605-acre canyon with a duck pond, a small lake loop, and the Sooky Goldman Nature Center — easy, shady, and a favorite for toddler nature walks.

Gardens of the World · Thousand Oaks

A free 4.5-acre garden tour of England, France, Italy, Japan, and a California mission courtyard — fountains, a pagoda, and bell tower delight little explorers.

Conejo Valley Botanic Garden & Kids' Adventure Garden · Thousand Oaks

A hillside garden whose Sunday Kids' Adventure Garden adds a treehouse, a pirate's cave, and a zoo garden — playful, free, and made for curious kids.

Placerita Canyon Nature Center · Newhall

A free foothill nature center with live-animal exhibits, oak-shaded creek trails, and Saturday family nature walks and animal presentations — a Santa Clarita staple.

William S. Hart Park & Museum · Newhall

A free 265-acre ranch park with a barnyard to feed animals, a roaming herd of bison, shaded picnic lawns, and a silent-film star's mansion to tour.

Griffith Observatory · Los Angeles

Iconic hilltop observatory with free space exhibits, public telescopes, and sweeping skyline views.

Travel Town Museum · Los Angeles

Outdoor railroad museum where kids climb vintage locomotives and ride a miniature train.

California Science Center · Los Angeles

Hands-on science museum home to the Space Shuttle Endeavour and a kids' Discovery Center.

Getty Villa · Pacific Palisades

Roman-inspired villa and gardens displaying ancient Greek and Roman art overlooking the ocean.

Old Town San Diego State Historic Park · San Diego

Living-history park recreating 1800s San Diego with restored buildings, museums, and Mexican restaurants.

Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center · Ventura

At the end of Ventura Harbor: a free national-park center with a living tide pool, a viewing tower, and exhibits on each island — kids love spotting the swell shark.

The Getty Center · Los Angeles

Hilltop art museum with a fun tram ride, sculpture gardens, and grassy lawns.

TCL Chinese Theatre & Hollywood Walk of Fame · Los Angeles

Famous movie palace and star-studded sidewalk where kids spot celebrity handprints.

Spanish Village Art Center · San Diego

Colorful Balboa Park courtyard of working artist studios where kids can watch artists create.

Old Town Temecula · Temecula

Walkable historic district with candy shops, a children's museum, splash fountains, and weekend events.

Ontario Mills · Ontario

Huge indoor outlet mall with Dave & Buster's, an arcade, a ropes course, and comedy — great for rainy days.

Old Towne Orange Plaza · Orange

A walkable historic circle of antique shops, candy stores, and old-fashioned soda fountains — a charming, free afternoon wander.

Outlets at San Clemente · San Clemente

An ocean-view outdoor mall with a kids' play zone and a small train — combine bargain shopping with a sea breeze and room to roam.

The Camp & The Lab · Costa Mesa

Two laid-back open-air courtyards of indie cafes, bookshops, and string-lit patios — an easy, free hangout with great snacks.

Old Pasadena · Pasadena

Walkable historic shopping district full of shops, ice cream, and family dining.

The Grove & Original Farmers Market · Los Angeles

Open-air shopping plaza with a trolley, fountain shows, and a classic food market.

Universal CityWalk · Universal City

Lively pedestrian promenade with candy shops, arcades, and family restaurants.

Third Street Promenade · Santa Monica

Pedestrian shopping street with street performers, dancing topiary fountains, shops, and treats.

Abbot Kinney Boulevard · Venice

Trendy walkable street lined with boutiques, ice-cream shops, cafes, and weekend food stalls.

Seaport Village · San Diego

Waterfront shopping and dining village on the Embarcadero with a vintage carousel and bayfront strolls.

Liberty Station / Liberty Public Market · San Diego

Former naval base turned arts district with a food hall, waterfront promenade, and open lawns.

Coronado Ferry Landing · Coronado

Bayfront shops and dining with skyline views, reached by a fun harbor ferry from downtown.

Carlsbad Village · Carlsbad

Walkable seaside downtown with ice cream, toy shops, cafes, and a weekly farmers market near the beach.

Carlsbad Premium Outlets · Carlsbad

Open-air shopping center with family dining, dessert spots, and easy stroller access.

Tom's Farms · Corona

Roadside marketplace with a fudge shop, weekend pony rides, a mini train, a petting corral, and burgers.

Victoria Gardens · Rancho Cucamonga

Open-air shopping town center with a cultural center, splash areas, and family events.

Westfield Topanga & The Village · Canoga Park

A huge indoor mall paired with the open-air, string-lit Village — splash fountains, kids' play areas, and a big food hall make it an easy hot- or rainy-day outing.

The Commons at Calabasas · Calabasas

A pretty open-air center built around a koi pond and fountains, with a classic movie theater and ice-cream stops — a relaxed evening stroll for families.

Idyllwild · Idyllwild

A cozy mountain arts town with pine forests, easy nature trails, a nature center, and a famous mascot (Mayor Max the dog).