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🧑 Ages 10+
Things to do with teens & tweens in SoCal
SoCal is genuinely good for this age — concerts and K-pop, beaches and surf, photo-worthy spots, food crawls and bucket-list days worth the drive. Most of what's below works whether you're planning it or being dragged along.
Curated by Simir Shah
Places that suit this age
401 spots from our catalog that suit ages 10+ — tap any for hours, cost and directions.
Parks & Hiking · Aliso ViejoAliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness ParkWide, stroller-friendly canyon trails with shaded creek crossings and big oak meadows — an easy intro to hiking for kids. The 4,500-acre wilderness park opened in 1990 and stretches across five South County cities, with more than 30 miles of trails for hikers, cyclists, and equestrians. It's one of the largest urban wilderness parks in California, so even a short walk in feels far from the surrounding neighborhoods.Free (street parking) / $3 lotParks & Hiking · Mission ViejoOso Creek Trail & Mission Viejo LibraryA whimsical paved creek trail dotted with mosaics, gardens, and a koi pond — right next to the library's story-time programs. Started by community volunteers in 1997, the trail winds past hand-tiled mosaic walls in the Character Garden and a Peace Obelisk memorial, then opens into Oso Viejo Park's pond with its fountain and footbridges. It's an easy, mostly flat stroll that turns a library trip into a small scavenger hunt of local public art.FreeParks & Hiking · IrvineGreat Park Balloon & CarouselRide a tethered helium balloon 400 feet up for skyline views, then a spin on the carousel and a romp at the huge play areas. At 118 feet tall and filled with 210,000 cubic feet of helium, it's one of the largest tethered helium balloons in the country and carries up to 16 passengers at a time. The Great Park Carousel nearby got a full repaint in 2021 and rides are free.Balloon free; carousel $4Beaches & Coast · Huntington BeachBolsa Chica State BeachA 3-mile stretch of sand with an 8.5-mile paved beach path for walking, biking, or a stroll — calmer and less crowded than Huntington City Beach just south of it. The state acquired and cleaned up the land in 1961, and today the beach borders the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, one of the largest remaining coastal wetlands in Southern California. More than 200 fire rings line the sand for evening bonfires.Free beach; $15 day-use parking (lower Oct–Mar)Beaches & Coast · Newport CoastCrystal Cove State ParkTide pools, a historic beach cottage district, and bluff trails. The district's 46 rustic cottages, built as a seaside colony around Los Trancos Creek in the 1920s-40s, earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, and several are now restored for public overnight stays. Time low tide and the kids will find crabs and anemones in the coves below the bluffs.Free walk-in; parking $15Beaches & Coast · Laguna BeachHeisler Park & Laguna Tide PoolsClifftop gardens above protected coves with some of the most accessible tide pools in OC, plus a marine-life refuge. The park is named for Howard Heisler, whose Laguna Company bought this stretch of coast from the Irvine Company in 1905, and it now sits within a protected marine reserve where touching or collecting sea life is prohibited. Look for hermit crabs, anemones, and the occasional octopus in the rocks below the bluffs.Free (paid street parking)Museums & Learning · Santa AnaDiscovery Cube OCHands-on science with more than 100 interactive exhibits, including a hurricane chamber that simulates real hurricane-force wind, a fossil-filled dino dig, and a rock-climbing wall — easily three hours of curious kid energy burned. Themed zones like Dynamic Earth, Quake Zone, and Air & Space rotate in new activities, so repeat visits don't feel repetitive.~$24.95 adult / $19.95 kidArts & Culture · San Juan CapistranoMission San Juan CapistranoCalifornia's storybook mission with koi ponds, gardens, and the famous returning swallows — a calm, photogenic history lesson. Founded in 1776 as the seventh of California's 21 missions, it's built around a ruined Great Stone Church and quiet courtyard gardens that still feel like a step back in time. The cliff swallows that made the mission famous traditionally return each spring around March 19, the Feast of St. Joseph, a migration later immortalized in song.~$14 adult / $10 kidTheme Parks & Rides · Buena ParkKnott's Berry FarmCoasters for the brave, Camp Snoopy for the small, and boysenberry everything — a hybrid Walter Knott grafted onto his family's Buena Park berry farm in the 1930s. What began as a roadside berry stand grew into what's billed as America's first theme park, and it's still cheaper and less crowded than its neighbor down the road.~$50–$99/personTheme Parks & Rides · AnaheimDisneyland ResortThe big one — Walt Disney's original park, opened in 1955 and still built around the hub-and-spoke layout he designed around Sleeping Beauty Castle. Pricey, magical, and exhausting in the best way, with nine themed lands to cover; best saved for a special day with an early start and good shoes.~$104+/person/dayTheme Parks & Rides · CarlsbadLEGOLAND CaliforniaAimed squarely at ages 2-10: gentle rides, a water park add-on that opened in 2010, and Miniland USA, built from more than 20 million LEGO bricks over three years. It opened in 1999 as the first LEGOLAND park outside Europe.~$99+/personIndoor Play · IrvineK1 Speed Indoor KartingElectric go-karts race on an indoor track, with junior karts (48-inch minimum height, capped around 20 mph) for younger racers and 20-horsepower adult karts for teens and grown-ups. Staff measure every junior driver on-site and reserve final say over who races, so it's worth confirming a first-timer's height before building a trip around it.~$25 per raceDay Trips · Dana Point → AvalonCatalina Island (Dana Point Express)Hop the ferry for a car-free island of glass-bottom boats, snorkeling, and golf-cart tours — a memorable big-day adventure. The Catalina Express crossing from Dana Point Harbor takes about 90 minutes and lands in Avalon, the island's Mediterranean-style harbor town just 22 miles offshore. Since regular cars are scarce on the island, getting around by golf cart, bike, or on foot is part of the experience.Ferry ~$80 adult round tripShopping & Treats · Costa MesaSouth Coast Plaza & Ice RinkWindow-shop the famous mall, watch koi in the carousel court, then lace up at the year-round ice rink for a treat-day combo.Skating ~$17 + rentalsBeaches & Coast · Huntington BeachHuntington Beach Pier & Pacific CityWalk the iconic pier to watch surfers, dig in the wide sand, and grab a bite at the bluff-top Pacific City shops. Today's 1,856-foot pier, rebuilt in 1992, is the longest recreational pier on the West Coast, following a line of piers here dating back to 1904. Hawaiian surf legend Duke Kahanamoku rode waves alongside an earlier version of it in the 1920s, helping cement Huntington's "Surf City" reputation.Free (paid parking)Animals & Nature · Newport BeachEnvironmental Nature CenterA 5-acre campus of trails winding through 15 California native plant communities, tucked behind the city for a quiet, free nature fix close to the coast. From May through September, docents open the seasonal Butterfly House to point out the host and nectar plants that draw local butterflies.Free (donation); butterfly house seasonalDay Trips · Newport CoastResort Day at Pelican HillFor a true splurge: the famed circular Coliseum Pool — 136 feet across, lined with more than a million hand-cut glass mosaic tiles, and ringed by Roman-inspired colonnades — plus ocean-view dining and gelato carts. A spendy but unforgettable treat day, with views that sweep from the fairways to the sea.Pool/dining day passes varyTheme Parks & Rides · IrvineBoomers! IrvineMini golf, go-karts, batting cages, and an arcade in one spot — the reliable birthday-party-energy outing for mixed ages.Attraction passes ~$30Arts & Culture · Mission ViejoColor Me Mine Pottery PaintingPaint-your-own pottery studio — calm, creative, air-conditioned, and you leave with a keepsake. Great for a rainy afternoon. Pick from hundreds of blank pieces — mugs, plates, figurines — paint them on the spot, and the studio kiln-fires your work so you come back a few days later to collect the finished piece.Studio fee + piece ($15–$40)Beaches & Coast · San ClementeSan Clemente Pier & Beach TrailA laid-back pier, a flat beachfront trail past the train tracks, and gentle sand — easy, free, and quintessentially SoCal. Built in 1928 by city founder Ole Hanson as part of his "Spanish Village by the Sea," the pier has been knocked down and rebuilt twice by major storms, most recently in 1985. The Beach Trail runs the length of town alongside the rail line, with a weekend Metrolink stop right at the pier, so a passing train is part of the scenery.Free (paid parking)Beaches & Coast · San ClementeSan Clemente State BeachA bluff-top state beach south of the pier with picnic areas overlooking the coast — cross under the active train tracks through a tunnel to reach the sand below. Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1934 and 1937, the park sits on bluffs roughly 150 feet above the water, with picnic areas taking in sweeping ocean views before the trail drops down through the tunnel to the beach.Day-use parking fee appliesBeaches & Coast · San DiegoThe EmbarcaderoA mile-long waterfront promenade along San Diego Bay, running past Seaport Village, the Maritime Museum, and the Broadway Pier, with the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina anchoring its northern end. Street performers and vendors cluster near Seaport Village, pedicabs run the length of the bayfront, and the view regularly includes yachts docked in the marina alongside Navy ships out on the bay — a legacy of Naval Base San Diego's presence just across the water.Free to walk; pedicab rides and vendor food extraTheme Parks & Rides · Newport BeachBalboa Fun Zone & Ferris WheelA pint-sized bayfront boardwalk built in 1936 by Al Anderson around a 45-foot Ferris wheel and a small beach — the same wheel, rebuilt over the decades, still lights up the peninsula at night today. After changing hands several times, it remains a nostalgic mix of arcade games, harbor cruises, and the original frozen-banana stand.Ferris wheel ~$5; arcade pay-per-playBeaches & Coast · Newport BeachBalboa Island Ferry & Frozen BananasRide the tiny three-car ferry across the harbor, then stroll Marine Ave for frozen bananas and Balboa bars. A classic cheap thrill. The ferry has run continuously since 1919, when the first car crossed for a dime, under a franchise granted to the Beek family in 1922 that still operates it today.Ferry ~$1.50/person; treats extraAnimals & Nature · Newport BeachUpper Newport Bay Nature PreserveA 1,000-acre back-bay estuary — the largest remaining natural estuary in Southern California — with flat trails along the 10.5-mile Back Bay Loop and kayak launches at Northstar Beach. Paddle past egrets and pelicans, then stop at the 10,000-square-foot Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center for hands-on exhibits on the wetland ecosystem.Free; kayak rentals extraBeaches & Coast · Newport BeachCorona del Mar State BeachSoft sand framed by rocky jetties and tide pools, with fire rings for a sunset cookout. One of OC's prettiest family beaches. The 1,673-foot east jetty, built in the 1930s to make Newport Harbor's entrance navigable, tames the swell here, while the tide pools around the point at "Little Corona" hold anemones, starfish, and the occasional octopus at low tide.Parking ~$15/dayBeaches & Coast · Dana PointSalt Creek BeachA grassy bluff-top park rolls down to a wide surf beach with tide pools — great for kite-flying, boogie boards, and picnics. Surfers have ridden the offshore reef here since the 1940s, and the beach only opened to the public in the 1970s after a hard-fought "Save Salt Creek" campaign against private development plans. Today the seven-acre bluff park anchors what's considered one of Orange County's best surf breaks.Parking ~$1/hrParks & Hiking · IrvineWilliam R. Mason Regional ParkA lake with turtles and ducks, bike paths, and huge picnic lawns — the easy, central Irvine park for a relaxed afternoon outside. The park opened in 1973 and grew to its current 339 acres by 1978, when the 9-acre lake most visitors remember was added. Across Culver Drive, an adjoining 123-acre wilderness area offers a quieter, undeveloped hike for families who want to extend the outing.Parking $3–$5Parks & Hiking · IrvineBommer Canyon TrailA gentle former cattle-camp canyon with wide dirt paths and shady oaks — an easy, scenic hike that older kids can handle. The canyon was a working headquarters for the Irvine Ranch's cattle operation for over a century, and the restored, sycamore-shaded Cattle Camp at its center still stands as a rustic waypoint. The Irvine Ranch Conservancy has managed the preserve since 2005, running it as open, self-guided trail land for hikers, bikers, and (seasonally) horseback riders.FreeParks & Hiking · OrangePeters Canyon Regional ParkLoop a reservoir alive with waterfowl on mostly flat trails — a satisfying nature outing close to town with real wildlife to spot. The 55-acre Upper Peters Canyon Reservoir anchors a 340-acre park where black willows and sycamores line the water and mule deer, bobcats, and red-tailed hawks are regularly seen along the trails. The East Ridge View Trail climbs just enough to open up a panoramic view over the whole canyon before looping back down.Parking $3–$5Parks & Hiking · Lake ForestWhiting Ranch Wilderness ParkShady creekside singletrack leads to Red Rock Canyon's mini badlands — a payoff hike that feels like a desert adventure for kids. The canyon's red-and-orange sandstone walls sit inside the 2,500-acre wilderness park, and the trail to them is gentle enough — under 100 feet of elevation gain — that most kids handle it easily. Rangers have since fenced off the base of the formations to stop erosion from scrambling, so plan on viewing rather than climbing once you arrive.FreeParks & Hiking · San Juan CapistranoCaspers Wilderness ParkOC's biggest wilderness park: oak-lined trails, a nature center, and campgrounds where kids can spot deer, hawks, and roadrunners. At 8,000 acres, it's by far the largest park in the OC Parks system, filling river terraces and sandstone canyons along San Juan and Bell creeks in the coastal Santa Ana Mountains. The small, volunteer-run nature center near the entrance has hands-on wildlife exhibits and a sand pit for making animal track castings, a good first stop before heading out on the trails.Parking ~$5/carMuseums & Learning · Santa AnaBowers MuseumWorld-art galleries spanning pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, Native American art, and Asian and African collections, built from a 1936 city museum that grew sixfold in a 1992 expansion. Its second campus, Kidseum, opened in 1994 two blocks away and focuses on hands-on art and archaeology just for kids, alongside family festivals and programs throughout the year.~$18 adultShopping & Treats · OrangeOld Towne Orange PlazaA walkable historic circle of antique shops, candy stores, and old-fashioned soda fountains, built around a traffic circle and park laid out in 1869 by attorneys mirroring William Penn's plan for Philadelphia. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1997, it's the largest such historic district in California, a charming, free afternoon wander.Free to strollShopping & Treats · IrvineIrvine Spectrum Center & Giant WheelAn open-air center anchored by a giant observation wheel, a hand-crafted Italian wheel that arrived in 2002 as the center's signature icon, one of only three fixed wheels in Southern California alongside Santa Monica Pier and Disney California Adventure. Carousel rides, splash fountains, and a big lawn round out easy evening fun with dinner options.Free entry; wheel/carousel ~$5Shopping & Treats · San ClementeOutlets at San ClementeAn ocean-view outdoor mall in a Spanish-style village setting, with dozens of stores, free parking with many ocean-view spots, and a kids' play zone. A small train ride and the free San Clemente Trolley, which stops right at the outlets, make it easy to combine bargain shopping with a sea breeze and room to roam.Free; ocean-view play areasBeaches & Coast · Laguna BeachAliso Beach ParkA flat, sandy cove with a creek mouth kids love to dam and splash in, plus fire rings and a playground steps from the water. Aliso Creek runs across the sand into the surf here, though the water can carry runoff after rain, so it's best for dam-building rather than swimming. The city added wood-burning fire rings on the sand in recent years, making it a popular sunset bonfire spot too.Metered parkingBeaches & Coast · Laguna BeachMain Beach ParkDowntown Laguna's central beach — sand volleyball courts, half basketball courts and a playground right on the boardwalk, steps from the shops and restaurants on Forest Ave. Since 1955, it's hosted the Laguna Open, the oldest beach volleyball tournament in the world, and the playground's climbing structure is modeled after the city's landmark lifeguard tower next door.Free beach; metered/paid parking nearbyBeaches & Coast · Laguna BeachTreasure Island Beach & Montage Tide PoolsManicured bluff gardens and a ramp down to a gentle cove with rich tide pools — accessible, beautiful, and free to enjoy. The beach takes its name from the 1934 film adaptation of "Treasure Island," which was filmed on this stretch of coast, and it now sits just below the Montage Laguna Beach resort. Tide pools here hold starfish, hermit crabs, and sea anemones, though collecting anything from them is prohibited.Free (paid garage)Theme Parks & Rides · IrvineWild Rivers WaterparkDozens of slides, a wave pool, and a sprawling kids' lagoon at the rebuilt Wild Rivers, which reopened in 2022 at Irvine's Great Park after an 11-year absence, nearly 50% bigger than the original 1986 park it replaced. The big summer splash-day splurge, open in the warm months.~$50+/person (seasonal)Shopping & Treats · Costa MesaThe Camp & The LabTwo laid-back open-air courtyards of indie cafes, bookshops, and string-lit patios, born when The LAB — "Little American Business" — was built in 1993 from a recycled night-vision-goggle factory as a deliberate answer to sterile corporate malls. The adjoining CAMP, from the same owner, leans into an eco-conscious, active-lifestyle theme — an easy, free hangout with great snacks.Free to wanderParks & Hiking · Fountain ValleyMile Square Regional ParkLakes for pedal boats and fishing, a nature area, and a big splash-friendly playground — a versatile park for a full day out. The 607-acre park sits on land the Navy first used for WWII-era airfields before Orange County leased it in 1967 to build the regional park in phases through the 1970s. Tucked inside is a 20-acre native-plant nature area, a quieter counterpoint to the ballfields and golf courses that fill most of the site.Parking $3–$5Beaches & Coast · Newport BeachNewport Pier & McFadden SquareWatch the dory fishing fleet, walk the pier, and rent bikes or surreys along the boardwalk — quintessential easygoing beach-town fun. Founded in 1891 at the base of the original McFadden Wharf, the Dory Fleet is the last beachside fishing cooperative of its kind in the country, with fishermen still rowing out each morning to sell their catch straight off the sand. The current pier dates to 1940, rebuilt after the original wharf was destroyed by a hurricane the year before.Free (paid parking)Theme Parks & Rides · AnaheimAdventure CityA tiny theme park built for ages 2-8 on just over two acres, opened in 1994 as an expansion of the neighboring Hobby City. Gentle coasters, a petting farm, and a play maze make up most of its rides and attractions, including a forward-and-reversing shuttle coaster that was the first of its kind in North America.~$25/personMuseums & Learning · Los AngelesGriffith ObservatoryIconic 1935 Art Deco observatory that's been free to the public since it opened, per the wishes of benefactor Griffith J. Griffith. Look through the same 12-inch Zeiss telescope that's logged more public viewings than any telescope in the world, watch the Foucault pendulum swing to prove the Earth's rotation, and take in sweeping skyline views.Free (planetarium ~$10)Parks & Hiking · Los AngelesGriffith ParkMassive park with easy hikes and acres of picnic lawns, one of the largest urban parks in the country. The hand-carved 1926 merry-go-round has spun in the park since 1937 — legend has it that watching his daughters ride it in the early 1950s helped inspire Walt Disney to build Disneyland — but the carousel has been closed since 2022 and the pony rides closed for good in December 2022, so check the park's site before planning a ride. The trails, playgrounds and picnic lawns are the reliable draw.FreeMuseums & Learning · Los AngelesCalifornia Science CenterHands-on science museum with a busy kids' Discovery Center, plus the Space Shuttle Endeavour — soon to be displayed in an entirely new way. The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, a purpose-built wing standing Endeavour upright in launch position with its full stack, opens November 2026 and will be the only place on Earth to see a complete shuttle system displayed that way.Free (Endeavour ticket extra)Museums & Learning · Los AngelesNatural History Museum of LA CountyDinosaurs, gems, a butterfly pavilion, and outdoor Nature Gardens to explore at one of LA's oldest cultural institutions. The transformed Dinosaur Hall holds the world's only T. rex growth series — a juvenile, teen, and adult skeleton together — plus a working Dino Lab where you can watch scientists prep real fossils.~$18 adult / $7 childMuseums & Learning · Los AngelesLa Brea Tar Pits & MuseumAn active Ice Age fossil site where mammoths and saber-tooth cats were once trapped in bubbling asphalt, and where paleontologists still dig today. The indoor museum building closed in July 2026 for a major renovation expected to last roughly two years, but the outdoor pits and the Project 23 excavation site remain open to the public, with occasional ticketed behind-the-scenes tours.~$18 adult / $7 childArts & Culture · Los AngelesThe Getty CenterHilltop art museum with a fun tram ride, sculpture gardens, and grassy lawns. Architect Richard Meier designed the whole hilltop campus around 16,000 tons of Italian travertine quarried from the same source ancient Romans used for the Colosseum, and the tram ride up is built into the visit as a deliberate, gradual reveal. True to J. Paul Getty's wishes, admission has been free since the center opened in 1997.Free (parking ~$25)Museums & Learning · Los AngelesThe Autry Museum of the American WestFamily-friendly Western history and Native American art museum founded in 1988 by actor and businessman Gene Autry to tell the full, many-sided story of the American West. It later absorbed the Southwest Museum's Native American collection, one of the largest of its kind in the country, and offers hands-on kids' areas alongside the galleries.~$14 adult / $6 childMuseums & Learning · Los AngelesHeritage Square MuseumOpen-air museum of eight Victorian-era buildings — including an octagon house and a mansion — rescued from demolition and relocated here since 1969, when preservationists banded together to save them from LA's rapid redevelopment. Costumed guides and living-history days bring the 1850s-1900s architecture and everyday life to life.~$12 adult / free under 6Shopping & Treats · PasadenaOld PasadenaWalkable historic shopping district built up between the 1880s and 1920s around Colorado Boulevard, once the wealthy winter-resort heart of Pasadena and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. After decades of decline, the century-old storefronts were revitalized in the 1980s-90s and are now full of shops, ice cream, and family dining.Free to strollShopping & Treats · Los AngelesThe Grove & Original Farmers MarketOpen-air shopping plaza built in 2002 behind the historic Original Farmers Market, which itself dates to 1934. Ride the trolley, built on a real 1950s Boston streetcar undercarriage, between the two, and catch the dancing fountain show — designed by the same firm behind the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas — set to music.Free (trolley rides)Shopping & Treats · Universal CityUniversal CityWalkLively three-block pedestrian promenade designed by architect Jon Jerde, opened in 1993 alongside Universal Studios Hollywood. It's grown to more than 30 restaurants, a large multiplex, and dozens of shops — an easy add-on before or after the theme park next door.Free entry (activities extra)Arts & Culture · Los AngelesTCL Chinese Theatre & Hollywood Walk of FameFamous movie palace and star-studded sidewalk where kids spot celebrity handprints. The theater opened in 1927 with the premiere of The King of Kings, and its forecourt now holds nearly 200 sets of celebrity hand- and footprints in concrete, starting with Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks that same year. Kids can hunt for specific prints — Harry Potter wands, Betty Grable's legs — that turn the sidewalk into an actual scavenger hunt.Free to walkParks & Hiking · Los AngelesHollywood Sign Griffith Park TrailsFamily hikes with up-close Hollywood Sign views along marked Griffith Park trails. The classic route, Brush Canyon Trail, starts from the north end of Canyon Drive and climbs about 1,050 feet over 6.4 miles round-trip to Mount Lee, directly behind the sign, with the final stretch on paved fire road. Note that the once-popular Hollyridge Trailhead was closed to the public in 2017, so Canyon Drive is now the main family-friendly access point.FreeIndoor Play · Los AngelesHighland Park BowlLA's oldest bowling alley opened in 1927 during Prohibition, when doctor's offices upstairs issued "medicinal" whiskey prescriptions patrons could fill at the bar below. After decades as the dive-bar music venue Mr. T's Bowl, it was restored in 2015 with its original eight wooden lanes intact and vintage pinsetters repurposed as chandeliers.~$7-9/gameArts & Culture · PasadenaStorrier Stearns Japanese GardenTranquil historic Japanese garden with koi ponds and a teahouse for a calm outing. Japanese landscape designer Kinzuchi Fujii built the hill-and-pond garden between 1935 and 1940, transforming what had been a pair of tennis courts into ponds, bridges, and paths. The original teahouse, Niko-an, burned down in 1981 and was later rebuilt to Fujii's exact original plans; the garden earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.~$12.50 adultParks & Hiking · GlendaleBrand Library & Art CenterHillside park with hiking trails, a Moorish-style library, and shady picnic spots. Built in 1904 as timber baron Leslie Brand's mansion, El Miradero, the building's domes and minarets were inspired by the East Indian Pavilion at Chicago's 1893 World's Fair. Brand left the estate to the city on the condition it become a public library and park, which happened in 1956, and the grounds still include a small Japanese garden, a restored Victorian house-museum, and a hiking loop into the Verdugo foothills.FreeParks & Hiking · GlendaleVerdugo Mountains Family TrailsAccessible foothill trails with shade and views, great for an easy family nature walk. The Catalina Verdugo Trail was purpose-built as a middle option — easier than the steep fire roads that lace the rest of the range, but with more elevation gain than a flat park path — a good next step for families ready to graduate from stroller-friendly trails. Trailheads at the base of the range in both Glendale and Burbank offer several starting points.FreeParks & Hiking · PasadenaHahamongna Watershed ParkOpen-space park at the foot of the mountains with flat trails and a kids' nature stream. The 1,300-acre park was previously known as Oak Grove Park until the city renamed and reimagined it as Hahamongna in the early 1990s — a word meaning "flowing waters, fruitful valley," fitting for where the Arroyo Seco watershed meets the flatlands. Beyond the streamside trails, it also holds a 24-hole disc golf course and wide-open fields for picnics.FreeMuseums & Learning · Los AngelesAcademy Museum of Motion PicturesThe Oscars' own museum — the history of filmmaking, rotating exhibitions on directors and world cinema, and the Dolby Family Terrace on the roof with sweeping views toward the Hollywood Sign.General admission ~$25 adult, free under 18Theme Parks & Rides · Santa MonicaSanta Monica Pier & Pacific ParkIconic oceanfront pier with a solar-powered Ferris wheel, roller coaster, midway games, and an aquarium.Pier free; ride wristbands ~$40Museums & Learning · Long BeachQueen MaryHistoric 1936 ocean liner turned floating hotel and museum, permanently docked in Long Beach since the 1960s. Self-guided tours and paranormal-themed experiences let you explore the ship's Art Deco decks, and the Queen Mary continues to host seasonal events like its long-running Dark Harbor Halloween happening each fall.~$40 self-guided tourAnimals & Nature · San PedroCabrillo Marine AquariumA free, 21,000-square-foot aquarium devoted entirely to Southern California marine life, housing the region's largest such collection. Exhibits recreate five regional habitats — from sandy beach to kelp forest to open ocean — and the Children's Exploration Center's touch tank lets kids handle sea stars, anemones, and urchins.Free (suggested donation)Museums & Learning · Pacific PalisadesGetty VillaRoman-inspired villa and gardens displaying ancient Greek and Roman art overlooking the ocean, modeled on an actual 1st-century Roman country house. The Villa came within reach of the January 2025 Palisades Fire — its buildings and collections escaped major damage, though its historic tree cover took a hit — and fully reopened to the public in mid-2025.Free (parking ~$25)Parks & Hiking · Los AngelesKenneth Hahn State Recreation AreaSprawling hilltop park with lakes, picnic areas, easy trails, and panoramic views of the LA basin. The 338-acre park was built on former oil-drilling land in the Baldwin Hills, a conversion championed by County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn starting in the late 1960s to bring green space to an underserved part of the city. It officially opened in 1984, and its elevated trails now offer some of the widest views anywhere in central LA.Free (~$6 parking weekends)Parks & Hiking · Pacific PalisadesWill Rogers State Historic ParkFormer ranch with a polo field, the historic Rogers home, and the popular Inspiration Point hike. Betty Rogers donated the family's working ranch to California State Parks in 1944, and the polo field Will Rogers designed here remains the only regulation-size outdoor polo field in Los Angeles County. From the ranch house, the Inspiration Point Trail climbs to 360-degree ocean views and links up with the Backbone Trail.~$12 parkingBeaches & Coast · Manhattan BeachManhattan Beach & PierWide sandy beach with a walkable pier, the small Roundhouse Aquarium, and a family-friendly downtown. Built by the city between 1917 and 1920 with an innovative rounded end designed to withstand pounding surf, it's Southern California's oldest surviving reinforced-concrete pier. The Roundhouse building at its tip opened in 1922 and became a marine-science aquarium in 1981, now run by a local nonprofit.Free; metered/paid parkingBeaches & Coast · Hermosa BeachHermosa Beach & PierLively beach with a long pier, The Strand bike path, and volleyball courts.Free; metered/paid parkingBeaches & Coast · Redondo BeachRedondo Beach Pier & King HarborHorseshoe-shaped pier with arcades, seafood, harbor boat rentals, and a small marina. Nicknamed the "Horseshoe Pier" for its distinctive shape, it's known as the largest "endless" pier on the California coast; the current concrete version opened in 1995 after fire destroyed its wooden predecessor in 1988. It anchors King Harbor, a roughly 150-acre harbor complex named for former congressman Cecil R. King.Free entry; paid parkingBeaches & Coast · VeniceVenice Beach BoardwalkFamous oceanfront boardwalk with street performers, the skate park, Muscle Beach, and bike paths. The boardwalk dates to 1905 and now draws an estimated 28,000-30,000 visitors a day, making it one of the most-visited attractions in Southern California. Muscle Beach, the outdoor gym that's operated here continuously since the 1950s, helped launch bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger and is considered the birthplace of outdoor gym culture.Free; paid parkingBeaches & Coast · Marina del ReyMarina del Rey / Mother's BeachCalm, lifeguarded harbor beach ideal for young kids, with kayak, paddleboard, and pedal-boat rentals. Tucked into a 12-acre lagoon inside the marina, it's been a family favorite since it was dedicated in 1965 — the fully enclosed setting means no ocean surf, which is exactly what earned it the "Mother's Beach" nickname.Free; paid parking; rentals varyBeaches & Coast · MalibuMalibu Lagoon & Surfrider BeachProtected lagoon and bird estuary beside a classic surf beach with boardwalk nature trails. Established as a state park in 1951, the lagoon is a resting and feeding stop for more than 200 species of migratory and native birds along the Pacific Flyway, and endangered snowy plovers nest right on the beach. Surfrider Beach next door was named the world's first World Surfing Reserve in 2010, honoring its role in California's early surf culture.~$12 parkingBeaches & Coast · MalibuPoint Dume State BeachScenic Malibu cove with a headland trail, tide pools, and seasonal whale and sea-lion viewing. The mile-long network of bluff trails climbs about 100 feet to an overlook platform, a good perch for spotting gray whales during their December-to-April migration past the point. The headland was sacred ground for the Chumash people long before it became a coastal landmark.~$12 parkingTheme Parks & Rides · Universal CityUniversal Studios HollywoodMajor movie-themed amusement park built around the real Universal backlot — its Studio Tour has run since 1964, when guests first rode candy-striped trams past sets like the Psycho house. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, opened in 2016, added Hogwarts Castle and the Flight of the Hippogriff family coaster.~$120+ per personShopping & Treats · Santa MonicaThird Street PromenadePedestrian shopping street built as the Santa Monica Mall in 1965 and reborn as the Third Street Promenade after a 1989 redesign. Its signature dinosaur-shaped topiary fountains — stainless-steel and copper sculptures up to 15 feet tall, with water spouting from their mouths — light up at night alongside street performers and shops.Free to strollShopping & Treats · VeniceAbbot Kinney BoulevardTrendy walkable street named for Abbot Kinney, the developer who built the original "Venice of America" — canals and all — starting in 1905. Today's boutiques, ice-cream shops, and weekend food stalls line what was once a working commercial strip in his planned beach town.Free to strollMuseums & Learning · San DiegoFleet Science CenterHands-on science museum in Balboa Park, opened in 1973 as the first science center in the world to pair interactive exhibits with a planetarium and dome theater — a format now standard at major science museums. Its giant-dome IMAX theater was the first of its kind anywhere.~$25 adult / ~$22 child (incl. IMAX)Museums & Learning · San DiegoSan Diego Natural History Museum"The Nat" traces its roots to 1874, making it the oldest scientific institution in Southern California, and moved to its current Balboa Park building in 1933. Beyond dinosaur fossils and a giant-screen theater, it runs ongoing field research across Southern California and Baja California.~$22 adult / ~$14 childMuseums & Learning · San DiegoSan Diego Air & Space MuseumIconic round Balboa Park museum housed in the 1935 Art Deco Ford Building, with a rotunda shaped like a giant gear at its center. The collection has grown from 25 aircraft when it moved in here in 1980 to more than 80 today, spanning early flight to the space age, alongside a flight simulator.~$24 adult / ~$15 childArts & Culture · San DiegoSan Diego Museum of ArtBalboa Park's premier art museum with family art-making activities and a sculpture garden. The adjoining May S. Marcy Sculpture Garden displays works by Rodin and Calder and is free to walk through even without a museum ticket. Kids 17 and under get in free year-round, and the museum runs Family Drop-In Days with gallery games and hands-on art-making.~$20 adult / under 17 freeShopping & Treats · San DiegoSeaport VillageWaterfront shopping and dining village on the Embarcadero, home to a hand-carved 1895 carousel by noted carver Charles I.D. Looff, the same craftsman behind the Santa Monica Pier carousel, that traveled through five cities before landing here in 2004. Fifty-four carved animals and two chariots still turn today alongside the bayfront strolls.Free to strollParks & Hiking · San DiegoCabrillo National MonumentPoint Loma landmark with sweeping bay views, a historic lighthouse, and tide pools at low tide. The monument marks the 1542 landing of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the first European to set foot on the West Coast, on land the Kumeyaay people had inhabited for thousands of years before him. The Old Point Loma Lighthouse, which guided ships from the bluff above until it was retired in 1891, still stands and can be toured, and low tide exposes some of the best-protected tide pools in the county.~$20 per vehicle (7-day)Beaches & Coast · San DiegoSunset Cliffs Natural ParkDramatic Point Loma sea cliffs famous for tide pools, sunset views, and coastal walking paths. The Kumeyaay people used this shoreline for food and medicine long before sports magnate Albert Spalding carved paths and stairways into the cliffs in 1915; the park wasn't formally dedicated until 1983. The sandstone cliffs themselves are around 120,000 years old and have even yielded fossils of ancient marine reptiles.FreeBeaches & Coast · San DiegoOcean Beach Pier & BeachLaid-back beach with a wide sandy stretch and a long fishing pier. Opened in 1966 as the longest concrete pier on the West Coast at nearly 2,000 feet, the pier has been closed since storm damage in late 2023 left it structurally unsafe; the city is now planning a full replacement rather than repairs, with construction not expected to start until around 2029. The beach itself remains open and popular for surfing and sunset walks even with the pier off-limits.FreeTheme Parks & Rides · San DiegoBelmont ParkMission Beach boardwalk amusement park built in 1925 by developer John D. Spreckels, anchored by the Giant Dipper — a wooden coaster built in just four weeks that's now a National Historic Landmark and one of only two vintage wooden coasters left in California. It closed for a stretch in the late 1970s-80s before reopening in 1990 and remains a beachfront classic today.Free entry; rides ~$6 eachBeaches & Coast · San DiegoMission Beach BoardwalkLively oceanfront boardwalk for biking, skating, and swimming along miles of sandy beach. The 3.5-mile boardwalk was built in 1925 alongside Belmont Park, developed by sugar magnate John D. Spreckels to help sell real estate in the new Mission Beach neighborhood. Belmont Park's wooden Giant Dipper roller coaster from that same era still operates today and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.FreeBeaches & Coast · San DiegoPacific BeachPopular family beach with gentle surf, Crystal Pier, and a walkable boardwalk full of eateries. Crystal Pier opened in 1927 and has offered overnight stays in cottages built right over the water since 1930, a rarity on the West Coast. The Allen family, who took over ownership in the 1960s, still runs the pier and its hotel today.FreeAnimals & Nature · La JollaLa Jolla Cove & Children's PoolSea lions haul out on the rocks at La Jolla Cove, while harbor seals gather about half a mile away at Children's Pool — a breakwater originally built to create a calm swimming spot for kids that a colony of seals unexpectedly claimed as a nursery in the 1990s. Keep a respectful distance; both species can bite if they feel crowded.FreeBeaches & Coast · La JollaLa Jolla Shores BeachWide, gentle-surf beach ideal for young swimmers, sandcastles, kayaking, and beginner surfing. The sandy bottom and mellow, rolling waves have made it a beginner surf spot since the 1920s and 30s, when it became one of San Diego's first surfing hubs. Kayak tours here also paddle out to sea caves carved into the sandstone cliffs toward La Jolla Cove.FreeMuseums & Learning · San DiegoOld Town San Diego State Historic ParkLiving-history park recreating 1800s San Diego with restored buildings, museums, and Mexican restaurants.Free entry; some attractions paidShopping & Treats · San DiegoLiberty Station / Liberty Public MarketFormer naval base turned arts district, built on the site of the Naval Training Center San Diego, which trained recruits from 1923 until it closed in 1997 and was handed to the city in 2000. The old mess hall is now Liberty Public Market, a food hall with more than 25 vendors, alongside a waterfront promenade and open lawns.Free entry; food/shops varyBeaches & Coast · CoronadoCoronado BeachWide, sparkling-sand beach beside the iconic Hotel del Coronado, great for swimming and sandcastles. The Victorian hotel opened in 1888, predates the City of Coronado itself, and is a National Historic Landmark and one of the last surviving wooden beach resorts of its era. Much of the beach's wide sand actually built up from material dredged from the San Diego Bay entrance channel in the 1930s.Free (paid parking)Shopping & Treats · CoronadoCoronado Ferry LandingBayfront shops and dining on the site of Coronado's original ferry terminal, where boats have carried passengers across the bay since 1886 — service that nearly vanished after the Coronado Bridge opened in 1969, until developers reimagined the old landing as a marketplace. Reach it today by the same fun harbor ferry route, now a 15-minute ride, with skyline views the whole way.Free; ferry ~$8 each wayArts & Culture · San DiegoSpanish Village Art CenterColorful Balboa Park courtyard of working artist studios where kids can watch artists create. The whitewashed, red-tile buildings were built quickly in 1935 as temporary exhibit space for a world's fair, never meant to last — but local artists talked the city into letting them move into the empty structures the following year. The buildings served as Army barracks during World War II before artists returned in 1947, and the Village now houses more than 200 working artisans in open studios.Free to browseParks & Hiking · San DiegoMission Trails Regional ParkOne of the largest urban parks in the U.S. with kid-friendly trails, a visitor center, and Lake Murray. At 5,800 acres and about 60 miles of trails, it's billed as the largest urban open-space park west of the Mississippi, and its Cowles Mountain trail climbs to the highest point in the city of San Diego at 1,592 feet. Lake Murray, a reservoir built in 1894 at the park's edge, adds flatter shoreline walking and boating for families who want an easier day.FreeParks & Hiking · San DiegoTorrey Pines State Natural ReserveCoastal bluff reserve with rare pines and easy trails leading to ocean overlooks and the beach below. The reserve protects the Torrey pine, one of the rarest pine species in North America — found naturally in only two spots on Earth, here and on Santa Rosa Island 175 miles up the coast. San Diego set the land aside as early as 1899, and philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps later donated key groves in 1936 before it became a state reserve.Free walk-in; parking ~$15-25Beaches & Coast · OceansideOceanside PierOne of the longest wooden piers on the West Coast, great for strolling, fishing, and beach play below. The current pier, dedicated in 1987 at just under 2,000 feet, is the sixth built at this spot since 1888 — each of its predecessors was eventually lost to storms or fire. A 2024 fire damaged the far west end, but about 90% of the pier remains open.Free; food and rentals extraBeaches & Coast · CarlsbadCarlsbad State Beach (Tamarack)Wide sandy beach with a seawall promenade, gentle surf, and tide pools at low tide. The paved promenade here is part of a roughly 4-mile seawall walkway running along Carlsbad's coastline from the village down to Cannon Park, popular with joggers and cyclists as much as beachgoers. Also known as Tamarack Beach, it's a longtime local spot for surfing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding.Free beach; metered/paid parkingBeaches & Coast · EncinitasMoonlight State BeachFamily-favorite cove beach with lifeguards, a playground, volleyball, fire pits, and easy facilities. The name dates back to early Encinitas residents who gathered here for moonlit picnics on the sand, and today it serves as headquarters for the city's year-round lifeguard service and Junior Lifeguard program. The coastal-themed playground includes climbing structures shaped like sails and surfboards.Free; lot parkingParks & Hiking · CarlsbadLeo Carrillo Ranch Historic ParkRestored 1930s rancho with adobe buildings, free-roaming peacocks, and shaded picnic grounds. Actor Leo Carrillo — best known as Pancho on TV's The Cisco Kid — built the 27-acre rancho starting in 1937, naming it "Rancho de los Quiotes." The dozens of peacocks that now roam the grounds are descendants of the original mating pairs Carrillo brought in when he built the place.Free admissionParks & Hiking · EscondidoDaley RanchOver 3,000-acre conservation preserve with miles of hiking and mountain-bike trails and a historic ranch house. English immigrant Robert Daley homesteaded the valley starting around 1869, building it into a working horse, cattle, and dairy ranch before the city acquired the 3,201-acre property for conservation in 1996. The 1925 ranch house still standing has a cobblestone fireplace reportedly built from ballast stones unloaded by old sailing ships at San Diego's Ballast Point.FreeParks & Hiking · San DiegoLake Miramar ReservoirFlat 5-mile paved loop around a reservoir, ideal for stroller walks, biking, and shoreline fishing. The paved service road that rings the lake is fully wheelchair accessible, running almost exactly 5 miles with steady water views the whole way. The reservoir is also open to kayaks, float tubes, and shore fishing, though it closes to visitors one day each month for maintenance.Free; boat rentals extraParks & Hiking · EscondidoLake Hodges / Del DiosReservoir with trails and the Lake Hodges pedestrian suspension bridge, good for easy family walks and birding. The bridge — officially the David Kreitzer Lake Hodges Bicycle Pedestrian Bridge — spans the San Dieguito River and is one of about 18 trails threading the lake's shoreline. Miles of open water and brush make it a genuinely good birding spot, with ducks and raptors regularly spotted along routes like the Turtle Head Mountain Trail.FreeMuseums & Learning · OceansideCalifornia Surf MuseumSmall museum tracing surfing history, founded in 1986 and settled in its current Oceanside pier-adjacent home since 1991. Vintage boards and memorabilia trace the sport's evolution, including a display on Bethany Hamilton, the pro surfer who lost an arm in a shark attack and returned to competition.~$10 adult, $8 seniors/students; kids freeArts & Culture · OceansideMission San Luis Rey"King of the Missions," a large 1798 Spanish mission with gardens, museum, and historic church to tour. Founded in 1798 as the 18th of California's 21 missions, it grew to become the largest and most prosperous of them all, with a population that topped 2,800 in 1825. It's also the only California mission built in a cruciform, cathedral-style layout, and the current church — completed in 1815 — still shows off that unusual design along with hand-carved doors and painted wall murals.~$8 adult / ~$5 childShopping & Treats · CarlsbadCarlsbad VillageWalkable seaside downtown that grew up around an 1880s mineral-water discovery that gave Carlsbad its name (after the springs of Karlsbad, Bohemia) and the arrival of the Santa Fe Railway. Its Wednesday State Street farmers market has run for roughly three decades and ranks among the largest in California, alongside ice cream, toy shops, and cafes near the beach.Free to strollShopping & Treats · CarlsbadCarlsbad Premium OutletsOpen-air shopping center with family dining, dessert spots, and easy stroller access.Free to browseBeaches & Coast · Del MarDel Mar Beach & Powerhouse ParkCalm family beach next to a grassy bluff-top park with a playground and ocean views. Powerhouse Park takes its name from a 1928 building that once supplied hot water to the grand Stratford Inn resort; the city bought the property in 1983 and restored the landmark smokestack as a centerpiece of the park. A playground sits at the park's south end, with a community center at the north.Free; metered parkingBeaches & Coast · Cardiff-by-the-SeaCardiff State BeachMellow beach known for beginner surf, tide pools, and the famous "Cardiff Kook" statue nearby. The bronze sculpture, officially titled "Magic Carpet Ride," was installed near Cardiff Reef in 2007 and quickly earned its nickname from local surfers who mocked its awkward pose; it's since become a favorite target for costume pranks, dressed up as everything from Zorro to Uncle Sam. The beach sits flanked by San Elijo State Beach to the north.Free beach; paid lotShopping & Treats · EscondidoStone Brewing World Bistro & GardensLush garden-patio restaurant built around a one-acre beer garden with koi ponds, bamboo, and hummingbirds, from a brewery founded in 1996 that grew into one of the largest craft brewers in the country. Bocce and lawn space let kids roam while families dine.Free entry; food/drink variesDay Trips · JulianJulianHistoric gold-rush mountain town famous for apple pie, fall apple picking, and a quaint Old West main street. Gold was discovered here in 1869 by Fred Coleman, a formerly enslaved man, and the town that grew up around the resulting mines was founded the following year; once the gold played out, local orchards turned Julian into an apple-growing hub instead. Its walkable Main Street, lined with pie shops and antique stores, remains the heart of a town designated a California Historical Landmark.Free town; pie/activities extraArts & Culture · RiversideMission Inn Hotel & SpaA historic landmark hotel with castle-like architecture, courtyards, and a famous holiday Festival of Lights families love to wander. The hotel grew in stages from a small 1876 boardinghouse into the block-spanning landmark it is today, with wings added by different architects between 1903 and 1924 — including the Alhambra Court, modeled on a Moorish palace in Granada, Spain. Each holiday season the property is strung with several million lights and hundreds of animated figures for its Festival of Lights, running for about six weeks starting the day after Thanksgiving.Free to stroll; tours ~$25Theme Parks & Rides · RiversideCastle ParkClassic family amusement park with more than 20 rides and four mini-golf courses, plus Buccaneer Cove, a seasonal water playground with water slides and spray features, and a full arcade. It hosts year-round themed events, from Mardi Gras to its Halloween happening, Castle Dark.~$30–40 ride wristbandParks & Hiking · RiversideCalifornia Citrus State Historic ParkLiving-history park among working orange groves with picnic lawns, trails, and a glimpse of SoCal's citrus heyday. Almost half of the 248-acre park is planted with more than 100 citrus varieties, tracing back to 1873, when the USDA sent Riverside resident Eliza Tibbets two of the first navel orange trees grown in California — trees that helped launch the state's entire citrus industry. Trails wind through the working groves past historic buildings and exhibits explaining how citrus reshaped the region.Free; parking ~$5Arts & Culture · RedlandsKimberly Crest House & GardensA French chateau-style 1897 mansion with terraced Italian gardens — a pretty, low-key outing for older kids. It was built for Redlands pioneer Cornelia Hill, modeled after a French castle she'd seen on a trip to Europe, before paper magnate John Alfred Kimberly — a co-founder of Kimberly-Clark — bought the estate in 1905 and added the terraced Italian gardens. The house is now a National Register-listed museum, small enough to tour in an hour.~$15 tour; gardens freeMuseums & Learning · RedlandsSan Bernardino County MuseumRegional museum with dinosaur fossils, an extensive bird-egg collection, and hands-on natural-history exhibits spanning anthropology, biology, paleontology, and geology. It's part of a small county-run museum system that also includes the Victor Valley Museum in Apple Valley.~$10 adult, kids lessTheme Parks & Rides · Big Bear LakeAlpine Slide at Magic MountainYear-round bobsled-style Alpine Slide billed as Southern California's only authentic bobsled experience, plus a mountain coaster, go-karts, and mini golf with scenic chairlift rides. Summer brings water-slide activities and winter brings snow play, so it runs as a genuine four-season mountain attraction.~$8–12 per rideDay Trips · Big Bear LakeBig Bear LakeAlpine lake getaway with boat rentals, fishing, swim beaches, hiking, and winter skiing, about 90 minutes up the mountain. The lake sits at more than 6,700 feet in the San Bernardino Mountains, and Bear Mountain's ski runs climb even higher, up to nearly 8,800 feet. Several marinas around the lake rent everything from kayaks to pontoon boats each spring through fall.Varies; rentals/marina feesTheme Parks & Rides · Lake ArrowheadSkyPark at Santa's VillageThis mountain adventure park has deep roots: the original Santa's Village opened here in May 1955, more than a month before Disneyland, as the first franchised amusement park in the country, before closing in 1998 and sitting derelict for years. It reopened in 2016 as SkyPark, now spanning 230 acres of mountain biking trails, archery, ziplines, and rock climbing, with the original log-cabin buildings repurposed as shops and restaurants and Santa still on hand seasonally.~$59 adult, ~$49 kidsShopping & Treats · Lake ArrowheadLake Arrowhead VillageLakeside shopping village that serves as the area's main commercial hub, with factory outlets, boutiques, and restaurants alongside sweet shops and a small arcade. It hosts a busy events calendar year-round, including a free summer concert series and the county's largest free Oktoberfest.Free to visit; boat tours ~$20Animals & Nature · Oak GlenRiley's FarmUp the hill in Oak Glen apple country, Riley's is a working orchard and living-history farm where kids can pick apples in fall, press cider and meet farm animals. The classic autumn family outing for Pass-area families, with cooler mountain air a bonus. Open Thursday through Saturday, and fall apple-picking weekends get busy, so arrive early.~$10–20 per activityShopping & Treats · Oak GlenLos Rios RanchoOak Glen's largest apple ranch with U-pick orchards, a bakery famous for apple pie, and a nature trail.Free entry; pay per poundDay Trips · CoronaGlen Ivy Hot SpringsA historic day spa with mineral pools and the famous red-clay "Club Mud," geared to teens and grown-ups. People have soaked in its naturally warm mineral springs since the 1800s, and Club Mud's California red clay — trucked in fresh daily from a mine a few miles away — has been a signature treatment for more than a century. The property spans about a dozen acres of gardens and pools in Temescal Valley.~$80–100 day passShopping & Treats · CoronaTom's FarmsRoadside marketplace that grew from a 3,500-square-foot produce stand in 1971 into a sprawling family destination, adding its hamburger stand in 1974. Today it's a fudge shop, weekend pony rides, a mini train and carousel, a petting corral, and burgers, all still built around the original farmers market.Free entry; food/rides extraArts & Culture · TemeculaOld Town TemeculaWalkable historic district with candy shops, a children's museum, splash fountains, and weekend events. The district dates back to the 1880s and was carefully restored starting in the 1980s, keeping its wooden boardwalks and false-front buildings intact alongside newer shops and restaurants. Kids can dive into hands-on exhibits at Pennypickle's Workshop children's museum, then cool off for free at the Old Town Splash Pad right on the main walking mall.Free to strollParks & Hiking · HemetDiamond Valley LakeLarge reservoir with shoreline trails, a marina, seasonal fishing, and an aquatic center for paddling. At more than 4,500 surface acres and up to 260 feet deep, it's one of the largest man-made reservoirs in Southern California, built to store imported water for the region. The separate Aquatic Center next to the lake has its own heated outdoor pool with a water slide and a zero-depth splash area for younger kids, distinct from the open-water lake itself.Day-use ~$10–15Parks & Hiking · San DimasFrank G. Bonelli Regional ParkBig regional park around Puddingstone Lake with picnic spots, boating, fishing, trails, and adjacent Raging Waters. The 250-acre reservoir was originally built between 1925 and 1928 purely for flood control, and only became a dedicated recreation area in 1953 once the county worked out a deal to keep water levels steady for boating and fishing. The park takes its name from Supervisor Frank Bonelli, who championed handing the site over to the county parks department in 1959.~$10 parkingParks & Hiking · OntarioCucamonga-Guasti Regional ParkFamily park with a splash pad, fishing lakes, and shaded picnic areas on the site of a former Cucamonga-area winery. Established in 1976, the park still keeps an old wooden wine vat on the grounds as a nod to its past, alongside two fishing lakes and wide picnic areas for groups.~$10 vehicle; pool extraArts & Culture · Rancho CucamongaMaloof Foundation for Arts & CraftsThe handcrafted home and gardens of famed woodworker Sam Maloof — a quiet arts outing for older kids and adults. Maloof was the first craftsperson ever awarded a MacArthur "genius" Fellowship, and the home he expanded by hand over decades was carefully relocated to its current 5.5-acre site in 2000 when a nearby freeway was built. His original workshop still stands on the property as a working woodshop, surrounded by drought-tolerant native gardens.~$10 tourArts & Culture · Los AngelesL.A. LIVE & Crypto.com ArenaDowntown LA's entertainment district around Crypto.com Arena — Star Plaza's statues of Lakers, Kings and Sparks legends, restaurants, and an atmosphere that peaks on game nights. The plaza's more than a dozen bronze statues range from Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Wayne Gretzky and Oscar De La Hoya, with a Kobe and Gianna Bryant memorial added in 2024 as the newest addition.Free to walk the plaza; game/event tickets extraShopping & Treats · Rancho CucamongaVictoria GardensOpen-air, two-level town center with a genuine Cultural Arts Center for performances alongside the retail, plus seasonal splash-fountain play. It's built as a walkable "town square," hosting community events year-round from live performances to holiday celebrations.Free; shops/dining extraIndoor Play · OntarioOntario MillsHuge indoor outlet mall anchored by Dave & Buster's arcade, an AMC 30 movie theater, and the Improv Comedy Club & Dinner Theatre — a reliable rainy-day plan with dining and entertainment under one roof.Free entry; attractions extraMuseums & Learning · HemetWestern Science CenterA compact paleontology museum starring "Max," the largest mastodon ever discovered in the western United States, alongside Ice Age fossils dug from Diamond Valley Lake during its construction. Opened in 2006 as a LEED Platinum building, the first museum in the U.S. to earn that distinction, it also holds Smithsonian affiliate status.~$8 adult, ~$6 kidsDay Trips · IdyllwildIdyllwildA cozy mountain arts town with pine forests, easy nature trails, a nature center, and a famous mascot (Mayor Max the dog). Idyllwild sits over a mile high in the San Jacinto Mountains, surrounded by Jeffrey pine and white fir forest that first drew loggers in the 1870s and health-seekers to its mountain-air sanatoriums by the turn of the century. The current Mayor Max, a Golden Retriever, is the third dog to hold the honorary title since the tradition began as a 2012 fundraiser.Free to visit; activities extraTheme Parks & Rides · MurrietaMulligan Family Fun CenterOutdoor family fun center with go-karts, bumper boats, mini golf, batting cages, and an arcade.~$25–35 attraction packsParks & Hiking · Lake BalboaLake Balboa / Anthony C. Beilenson ParkA 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. The 27-acre lake is filled with reclaimed water from the nearby Tillman Water Reclamation Plant and sits inside the much larger Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area, so there's room to wander well beyond the lake loop.Free; swan-boat rentals ~$18/hrAnimals & Nature · West HillsOrcutt Ranch Horticulture CenterThis free, 24-acre estate once belonged to William Warren Orcutt, an early California oil pioneer who discovered some of the first prehistoric skeletons at the La Brea Tar Pits — he built the Spanish Colonial Revival residence here around 1926, now a designated LA Historic-Cultural Monument. Rose gardens, a citrus orchard, and a 700-year-old oak make it shady, calm, and toddler-paced, with seasonal u-pick citrus days.FreeParks & Hiking · ChatsworthStoney Point ParkA dramatic cluster of sandstone boulders where legendary climbers learned the ropes — older kids love scrambling the rocks for big San Fernando Valley views. Climbers have been coming here since the 1930s, and by the 1950s the park was a training ground for future legends like Royal Robbins and Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard. Today the sandstone — formed roughly 68 million years ago — holds more than 150 mapped routes, though the soft rock means added caution is needed after rain.FreeShopping & Treats · Canoga ParkWestfield Topanga & The VillageA 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.Free entry; activities extraShopping & Treats · CalabasasThe Commons at CalabasasA pretty open-air center built around a koi pond and fountains, with ice-cream stops and casual dining — a relaxed evening stroll for families. The center is mid-redevelopment (the old cinema closed and was demolished), so expect construction and new shops arriving through 2026.Free to strollParks & Hiking · TopangaTopanga State Park (Trippet Ranch)Start at Trippet Ranch for gentle oak-shaded trails and grassy meadows with ocean views — an easy intro to the Santa Monica Mountains for families. The ranch was homesteaded in the 1890s and later became a private weekend retreat for the Trippet family before California bought the land with a 1964 park bond and opened it to the public in 1974. From the old ranch grounds, trails fan out across more than 36 miles of the park, including a stretch of the Backbone Trail.~$10 parkingParks & Hiking · CalabasasMalibu Creek State ParkFlat creekside trails lead to a scenic swimming pool, volcanic gorge, and the old M*A*S*H filming site — a wide, easy hike with a real payoff for kids. The exterior shots for M*A*S*H were filmed here every season from 1972 to 1983, standing in for Korea, and rusted set pieces still mark the spot along Crags Road, about 4.75 miles round trip with barely 200 feet of elevation gain. On the way, the creek has carved the volcanic Rock Pool, a natural swimming hole where wading and swimming are allowed (diving is not).~$12 parkingParks & Hiking · Agoura HillsParamount RanchA historic Hollywood movie ranch and National Park land with flat, grassy, oak-lined loop trails — gentle enough for strollers and dotted with film history. The 2018 Woolsey Fire destroyed most of the ranch's famous "Western Town" set, sparing only the HBO Westworld chapel and the Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman train depot; a roughly $26 million rebuild modeled on the ranch's 1920s-30s buildings was reported nearly complete as of September 2026. The oak-shaded loop trails themselves were unaffected by the fire and remain open for an easy family walk.FreeParks & Hiking · Thousand OaksWildwood Regional Park & Paradise FallsA 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. Paradise Falls and its pool sit inside the sprawling 1,765-acre Wildwood Regional Park, where sweeping grassland gives way to volcanic rock outcrops like Lizard Rock along Mount Clef Ridge. There's no fee or permit needed to hike here, and families who want a longer day can extend the loop past the falls to the rock formation and back.FreeMuseums & Learning · Simi ValleyRonald Reagan Presidential Library & MuseumWalk through the actual Air Force One jet (the Boeing 707 that flew seven presidents, including Reagan's 660,000-plus miles to 26 countries), see the real Marine One helicopter and a presidential limousine, and crawl through a mock Berlin Wall escape tunnel — a surprisingly kid-engaging history museum with hilltop Pacific views. The grounds also hold a full-size Oval Office replica, a WWII-through-9/11 gallery with a World Trade Center steel beam, a replica White House Rose Garden, and the Reagan gravesite overlooking the ocean, all included with admission. One detail almost nobody expects: the snack counter inside the Air Force One Pavilion is an actual Irish pub building, shipped over intact from Ballyporeen, Ireland, the town Reagan visited in 1984.General $16, senior $13, youth 11-17 $9, child 3-10 $6, under 2 free (through Nov 6, 2026 — jumps to ~$30/$27/$23/$20 when the next special exhibit opens Nov 7). No timed-entry reservation needed.Museums & Learning · CamarilloCamarillo Ranch HouseAn 1892 Queen Anne Victorian with a big red barn, gardens, and grassy grounds — docent house tours plus room to roam make for a gentle history outing.Tours ~$5–$10Beaches & Coast · VenturaVentura Pier & PromenadeCalifornia's longest wooden pier sits beside a beachfront promenade with a playground, wide sand, and Channel Islands views — easy, breezy, classic beach-town fun. Built in 1872, it's the oldest pier on the California coast, originally serving as a commercial wharf for shipping lumber and farm goods before becoming a recreational landmark; storm damage closed it for about a year and a half before it reopened in 2024. Today's promenade runs from the pier toward Surfers Point, a favorite for sunset walks and rides.Free; paid parking nearbyAnimals & Nature · VenturaVentura Botanical GardensThis 107-acre hillside garden above downtown Ventura showcases more than 120,000 plants representing all five Mediterranean climate zones of the world — California, Chile, South Africa's Cape, Australia, and the Mediterranean Basin. A stroller-friendly path leads to the first viewpoint with sweeping views of the Channel Islands and Topa Topa peak, while the full loop trail continues for those who want more.~$7 adult; under 18 freeBeaches & Coast · OxnardChannel Islands HarborA 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. The Channel Islands Maritime Museum, founded in 1991, houses a world-class collection of ship models and maritime art, including one of the largest bone-model collections outside the U.S. Naval Academy Museum. More than 30 vendors set up at the harbor's Sunday farmers market.Free; rentals & farmers market extraAnimals & Nature · NewhallPlacerita Canyon Nature CenterThis free foothill nature center features live-animal exhibits — birds of prey, tarantulas, snakes, and an active beehive — plus oak-shaded creek trails. It's also home to the historic "Oak of the Golden Dream," the site of California's first documented gold discovery in 1842, and hosts free Saturday family nature walks and animal presentations.FreeAnimals & Nature · NewhallWilliam S. Hart Park & MuseumThis free 265-acre ranch park traces its bison herd back to 1962, when Walt Disney donated eight buffalo — their descendants still roam a 22-acre pasture here, the only place in LA County to see bison this way. Beyond the barnyard and shaded picnic lawns, silent-film star William S. Hart's 10,000-square-foot mansion, "La Loma de Los Vientos," is open to tour, filled with Western art and Native American artifacts.Free (free parking & tours)Parks & Hiking · Agua DulceVasquez Rocks Natural Area ParkTilted 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. The park is named for 19th-century outlaw Tiburcio Vasquez, who used the rocks' hiding spots to evade capture in the 1870s, and its first film role came in 1928 — since then, nearly 200 productions have shot here, including numerous Star Trek episodes and movies starting with 1966's "Shore Leave."FreeTheme Parks & Rides · ValenciaSix Flags Magic MountainOne of the most coaster-dense theme parks in the country, plus the gentler Bugs Bunny World for little kids — a big-day outing for families with older thrill-seekers. The exact coaster lineup shifts over time as rides retire and new ones open, so it's worth a quick check of what's currently running before you go.~$70–$110/personArts & Culture · RiversideFox Performing Arts CenterA beautifully restored 1929 downtown theater — the Mission Revival landmark where Gone with the Wind was famously first previewed — now hosting concerts, comedy and family shows. Check the calendar for kid-friendly performances and pair it with a stroll to the nearby Mission Inn.Varies by showShopping & Treats · TemeculaVail HeadquartersRestored 1800s ranch buildings with the Cookhouse Food Hall and shops. Tuesday's market adds train rides and yard games; free parking.Free entry; pay for foodDay Trips · TemeculaTemecula Wine Country Hot-Air Balloon RidesThose colorful balloons drifting over the vineyards at dawn are a Temecula signature, and several operators fly family-friendly rides that lift off just after sunrise. Flights are weather-dependent and book up fast, so reserve ahead. (This note used to point at the Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival; Riverside County terminated the organisers' contract and there is no announced 2026 edition, so it was removed rather than left promising an event that is not happening.)Varies (dawn flights; book ahead)Arts & Culture · Lake ElsinoreStorm Stadium (Lake Elsinore Storm)Affordable Single-A ball in a ~7,800-seat park — look for fireworks nights. Cheap tickets and parking.Tickets ~$10–20Theme Parks & Rides · San BernardinoGlen Helen Regional ParkTwo fishing lakes plus dual waterslides and a zero-depth splash area for toddlers. Packed on hot summer weekends — arrive early.$10–15/vehicle; swim ~$15–20Arts & Culture · Rancho CucamongaLoanMart Field (Rancho Cucamonga Quakes)Single-A ball in a ~6,000-seat park — cheap tickets, fireworks nights and a very kid-friendly vibe with Tremor the mascot.Tickets from ~$10Day Trips · ArcadiaSanta Anita ParkA Family Fun Zone (jumpers, pony rides, face painting) runs on select race days with the San Gabriel Mountains as backdrop. Also hosts the 626 Night Market.Admission varies; many free-parking daysArts & Culture · San GabrielMission San Gabriel ArcángelReopened in 2023 after the 2020 fire — a restored church and a reimagined museum on Tongva history.Modest admissionDay Trips · Hacienda HeightsHsi Lai TempleOne of the largest Buddhist temples in the Western Hemisphere — ornate courtyards and a vegetarian cafeteria. Dress modestly.Free (donations)Shopping & Treats · Los AngelesOlvera Street (El Pueblo)The oldest part of LA — food stalls, folklorico and Mexican crafts, right by Union Station on the East-LA edge.Free to walkArts & Culture · Boyle HeightsMariachi PlazaMariachis gather here and there's a Metro stop right at the plaza — best as a self-guided walk past the neighborhood murals.FreeArts & Culture · PasadenaThe Gamble HouseThe Arts & Crafts landmark (and the 'Doc Brown' house from Back to the Future). Tours sell out — book ahead.~$17 adult, under 12 free; tours onlyArts & Culture · PasadenaRose Bowl Stadium & loopThe iconic stadium with a great family walk/bike loop around the Arroyo Seco — and the legendary monthly flea market.Free to loopDay Trips · BurbankWarner Bros. Studio TourBest for older kids and TV fans, not toddlers. Central Perk (Friends) and the DC/Superman stops are highlights — reserve ahead.~$76+ adult, timed ticketsArts & Culture · North HollywoodNoHo Arts DistrictA walkable square mile of small theaters, murals and restaurants — and the Metro B Line stops here for a rare car-free Valley outing.Free to strollDay Trips · Sherman OaksSherman Oaks Castle ParkThree 18-hole mini-golf courses plus arcade and batting cages — a Valley institution. Teen-heavy on weekend evenings.Mini golf $12 adult / $8 childArts & Culture · BurbankBob's Big Boy (Googie landmark)The historic 1949 Googie landmark and home of the original double-decker burger — kids love the Big Boy statue and the car shows.Free to visit; diner pricesTheme Parks & Rides · ValenciaSix Flags Hurricane Harbor LAThe water park next to Magic Mountain, better for younger kids. Arrive early to claim shade and chairs.Separate ticket; combo passesTheme Parks & Rides · Santa ClaritaMB2 Entertainment (formerly Mountasia)Mini golf, go-karts, bumper boats, laser tag, bowling and VR — locals still call it Mountasia.Per-attraction or wristbandArts & Culture · NewhallOld Town Newhall (Walk of Western Stars)A walkable arts district with bronze plaques honoring 187 Western film/TV legends, galleries and restaurants — near Hart Park.Free to strollShopping & Treats · LittlerockCharlie Brown FarmsAn AV institution since 1929 — famous date shakes, BBQ, a huge nostalgic-candy selection and quirky photo-op statues. Sensory overload in the best way.Free entry; pay for foodArts & Culture · Oro GrandeElmer's Bottle Tree RanchAn iconic Route 66 forest of welded glass-bottle 'trees' topped with vintage junk. Self-guided, ~15–30 min, no restrooms — bring water.Free (donation box)Theme Parks & Rides · VictorvilleScandia Family Fun CenterThe Victor Valley's main amusement spot — go-karts, bumper boats, two Scandinavian-themed mini-golf courses, batting cages and an arcade.Mini golf $12.50; wristband ~$35Day Trips · PomonaFairplex / LA County FairThe big annual anchor — rides, livestock and fried everything each May. Go a weekday or opening week, and bring hats (little shade in the inland heat).Fair tickets ~$20+; events varyTheme Parks & Rides · FontanaFontana Park Aquatic CenterSlides, pools and a splash pad next to Fontana Park — the way to beat a 100°F inland summer day.Low daily admissionArts & Culture · LancasterThe BLVD (Downtown Lancaster)A walkable downtown of locally owned restaurants, shops, murals, a cinema and bowling — no chains. MOAH and the aerospace monuments are right here on foot.Free to strollArts & Culture · LancasterAerospace Walk of HonorGranite monuments to legendary test pilots line The BLVD, anchored by Boeing Plaza and a restored F-4 Phantom kids can stand under.FreeDay Trips · LancasterAntelope Valley Fair & Event CenterThe big high-desert fair each fall — rides, livestock, concerts and fair food. Evenings beat the hot afternoons; check avfair.com for 2026 dates.Admission variesTheme Parks & Rides · PalmdaleDryTown Water ParkA Western-themed water park at Palmdale Oasis Park with slides, a lazy river and a kids' splash zone — the best high-desert summer cool-down.Paid admissionArts & Culture · VictorvilleOld Town Victorville (D Street)The original Route 66 stretch — murals, antique shops, local eateries, a vintage caboose and the 'End of the Trail' sign. Pair it with the Route 66 Museum.Free to strollDay Trips · VictorvilleSan Bernardino County FairThe county fair each spring — rides, livestock, concerts and fair food. The grounds also host swap meets and community events year-round.Fair admission ~$10–12; free events year-roundTheme Parks & Rides · PerrisDropZone WaterparkA city-run waterpark with slides, a lazy river, a FlowRider, and a shallow Lil' Jumpers area for little ones. It's seasonal and won't open if the weather turns cool, so check the hours calendar before you drive out. Twilight or weekday tickets are the budget-friendly move.Day tickets ~$25–35; season passes availableTheme Parks & Rides · San DimasRaging Waters Los AngelesCalifornia's largest water park sits right inside Bonelli Park with slides, a wave pool, and a kids' play area for the little ones. Buy tickets online in advance to save, and bring water shoes since the deck gets blazing hot in summer. Hours shift week to week, so check the calendar and arrive at opening to beat the crowds.~$40/person online in advance, up to ~$75 at the gate; parking ~$25Theme Parks & Rides · CarsonHemingway Park Aquatic CenterThis 13-acre park hides a genuine aquatic center with three pools and two tall curving water slides that land in a catch pool — a rare free-spirited splash spot in the South Bay. The 25-yard pool has lanes and a diving board for stronger swimmers, while little ones stick to the shallow end. Slide season is summer, so call to confirm open-swim hours before you load up the towels.VariesArts & Culture · Palm DesertThe Gardens on El PaseoThe open-air anchor of the El Paseo shopping district, with fountains, courtyards and shaded seating that make it an easy free wander even if you're not shopping. Kids like the fountains and the seasonal decor, and there are casual dining spots for a break. Come in the evening in summer when it cools and the courtyards light up.Free to strollArts & Culture · IndioShields Date GardenThis retro 1920s date farm on Highway 111 is a beloved local stop, and the walk through the 17-acre date grove is free. Splurge on the famous date shake at the old shake counter, then let the kids wander the shaded garden path. Go in the morning before the desert heat peaks.Free to enter; date shakes ~$10Day Trips · IndioRiverside County Fairgrounds (National Date Festival)Home of the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival, running since 1947 to celebrate the date harvest, with carnival rides, camel and ostrich races and a rodeo. The February–March festival is the classic family outing, but check the calendar for other events year-round. Buy tickets ahead and plan for parking crowds during festival weeks.VariesArts & Culture · CovinaDowntown Covina & Heritage PlazaHistoric downtown Covina centers on Citrus Ave, and on Friday nights Heritage Plaza hosts a farmers market and family night with live music, food and inflatables. There's a playground right there so little ones stay busy while you grab produce and dinner. Come hungry and park a block or two off Citrus to skip the closest crowds.Free to browse; bring cash for vendorsArts & Culture · CovinaCovina Center for the Performing ArtsThis downtown theater traces back to a 1920 movie house, rebuilt and reopened in 2007 and now city-owned as the anchor of Covina's shopping district. It hosts everything from children's recitals to concerts and family-friendly stage shows. Check the schedule ahead and pair a matinee with a stroll and a bite along Citrus Ave.VariesArts & Culture · RialtoBud Bender ParkBeyond the ball fields, playground and community garden on N Lilac Ave, this park holds Rialto's oldest structure: the Michael White Adobe, built in 1853 and cared for by the Rialto Historical Society. Pair playground time with a walk to the adobe for a little local-history lesson. The perimeter loop even has free exercise machines for parents.FreeArts & Culture · Jurupa ValleyFlabob AirportA historic little general-aviation airport (established 1925) where you can watch small planes and vintage aircraft take off and land right up close. The old-school Flabob Cafe serves a solid diner breakfast and burgers with a runway view, turning plane-watching into a real family outing. Grab a window table and let the kids count takeoffs.Free to visit; cafe meals varyArts & Culture · Baldwin ParkThe Original In-N-Out Replica (Company Store)A meticulous replica of the 100-square-foot 1948 stand where Harry and Esther Snyder started In-N-Out, built next to the original site on Francisquito Ave. It's a museum, not a working restaurant, so you can't order food, but the vintage neon sign, crossed palms and recreated kitchen make a fun quick photo stop. If you miss the Thu–Sun hours you can still snap pictures over the fence.FreeArts & Culture · Lake ArrowheadLake Arrowhead QueenThis paddlewheel boat runs a narrated 50-minute cruise around a private lake most people can't otherwise access — the easiest way for a family to actually get out on the water. Buy tickets dock-side at LeRoy's Board Shop in the Village. Kids love spotting the lakefront mansions, and the enclosed lower deck keeps little ones comfortable if it's breezy.$26.95 adults, $19.95 kids 2–11, infants freeArts & Culture · PowayOld Poway ParkA charming turn-of-the-century town square where kids can ride a real vintage train and a hand-car on weekends. Come Saturday morning to pair the train with the farmers market (8am–1pm) for produce, kettle corn and live music. The grassy grounds and historic buildings make an easy, low-cost outing even when the train isn't running.Free entry; train rides a few dollars per personArts & Culture · JulianEagle Mining CompanyJust up C Street at the edge of downtown, this genuine 1870s hard-rock gold mine gives a guided walk through about 1,000 feet of lantern-lit tunnels, and kids get to try gold panning. Bring a light jacket even in summer — the mine stays cool underground — and remember it's cash only.$10 adults, $5 kids (cash only)Theme Parks & Rides · CerritosCerritos Olympic Swim & Fitness CenterA city-run aquatic center on 166th Street with affordable recreational swim sessions — a bargain for a hot SoCal afternoon. Residents pay less than non-residents, so bring ID if you live in Cerritos. Call ahead to confirm the public swim schedule, since lap and class times can eat into open-swim hours.~$4–5 per recreational swimArts & Culture · CerritosCerritos Center for the Performing ArtsThis acclaimed Center Court Drive venue books Broadway touring shows, dance, comedy and family-friendly concerts, and parking is always free. Check the season calendar for kid-appropriate titles, since programming ranges from jazz to full musicals. Seats near the front put younger kids right in the action for lively shows.VariesArts & Culture · Twentynine PalmsOasis of MuralsMore than two dozen giant outdoor murals across downtown turn a walk into a free treasure hunt for families, telling the area's pioneer and Native history. Grab a free mural map at the visitor center and let kids race to spot each one.FreeArts & Culture · Twentynine PalmsSmith's Ranch Drive-InA classic single-screen drive-in running since 1956, where families tune the movie in on the car radio under a wide desert sky. Affordable and nostalgic, often showing current releases. Bring blankets and camp chairs for the truck bed, and arrive early since it fills up on weekends.~$10 admission; under 4 freeArts & Culture · BarstowCalico Ghost Town Regional ParkThis restored 1880s silver-mining boomtown just outside Barstow in Yermo is the area's marquee family day out, with a narrow-gauge train, a spooky mine tour and gunfight shows. Wear sturdy shoes for the dusty streets and bring water — the high-desert sun is intense most of the year.$8 adults, $5 kids 3–11Arts & Culture · Yucca ValleyPioneertownBuilt in 1946 as a working Old West movie set by Roy Rogers and Gene Autry, this dirt-street town lets families wander 1880s-style storefronts and catch free family-friendly mock gunfights on Mane Street most spring-to-fall weekends. Legendary Pappy & Harriet's is right there for a meal. Come earlier to beat the shadeless-street heat.Free to stroll (shops/food vary)Arts & Culture · IdyllwildIdyllwild Town Center & Mayor MaxThe walkable village core is full of art galleries, ice cream and toy shops, and it's home to Mayor Max — the golden retriever who's served as Idyllwild's honorary mayor since 2012. Kids adore meeting the current Mayor Max and his companion dogs most Thursday–Sunday afternoons. Check mayormax.com before you go.FreeTheme Parks & Rides · VistaThe Wave WaterparkThis city-run water park packs a flowrider surf simulator, a lazy river, slides and a gentle zero-depth area for the littlest swimmers into one friendly spot. Smaller and more manageable than the mega-parks — great for families with young kids. Check the seasonal calendar, as hours shift with the school year.VariesArts & Culture · VistaRancho Buena Vista AdobeOne of California's best-preserved land-grant adobes, this 1850s ranch house lets families step into early California history for free. The furnished period rooms and shady grounds make a quick, low-key outing. Call ahead to confirm, since it's staffed by volunteers a few days a week.FreeArts & Culture · Chino HillsThe Shoppes at Chino HillsAn open-air town center with 70+ shops and restaurants along walkable streets and fountains, easy to stroll with a stroller. Barnes & Noble is a reliable rainy-day stop for kids, with plenty of family dining. Come at dusk when the fountains and lights make it feel festive.Free (dining/shopping varies)Arts & Culture · Fountain ValleyHeritage ParkThis charming 2.3-acre park gathers historic Fountain Valley buildings — a replica firehouse, a Japanese bath house, and a reflecting pond — into a peaceful setting. A quiet, low-key outing where kids can wander among the old structures and feed off the gazebo-and-pond calm. Great paired with a picnic.FreeArts & Culture · StantonRodeo 39 Public MarketAn open-air food hall and market just off the 22 where each family member can chase a different craving, from tacos to boba to ice cream, plus retail shops and frequent weekend events. Come hungry and let the kids graze their way across the vendors.Free entry; food variesArts & Culture · La HabraLa Habra Depot TheatreThis restored historic train depot next to the Children's Museum runs as a 132-seat theater with family-friendly shows, including princess storytimes and youth productions. A lovely low-key outing to pair with a park or museum day on the same block. Parking is free; check the schedule since hours depend on what's staged.VariesArts & Culture · Cathedral CityMary Pickford TheatreThis landmark cinema in the downtown arts district shows first-run films with recliner seating, house-made ice cream and hand-crafted pizza. Tuesdays are the bargain day with most movies around $6.95. A perfect midday escape when triple-digit desert temps make an air-conditioned theater the smartest plan.Varies (Tue ~$6.95)Arts & Culture · La QuintaOld Town La QuintaA walkable, Spanish-style Main Street at the foot of the mountains lined with restaurants, boutiques and ice cream, plus a seasonal farmers market and family events. Fountains and shaded corridors make it pleasant for a stroll — come in the cooler evening in summer and grab a treat while you wander.Free to strollArts & Culture · CoachellaPueblo Viejo Historic District & Coachella WallsDowntown Coachella's historic Pueblo Viejo district is home to the Coachella Walls, a growing collection of vibrant murals honoring the valley's farmworker roots. Start near 6th Street and Vine and you'll spot several within a block — an easy self-guided walk with kids. Go in the cooler morning and grab tacos or paletas downtown afterward.FreeDay Trips · Ocean BeachDog BeachA leash-free stretch of sand at the north end of Ocean Beach where dogs have run since 1972 — one of the best free hours of entertainment for kids who love animals even if you don't own one. Park in the lot off Voltaire Street and bring a towel; the sand near the river mouth is damp and dogs shake off wherever they like.FreeDay Trips · Ocean BeachOcean Beach Tide PoolsBelow the bluffs at the south end of the beach, rocky shelves fill with anemones, crabs and sea stars at low tide. Go at a minus tide or there's genuinely nothing to see — and wear closed-toe shoes, because the rocks are slick.FreeShopping & Treats · Ocean BeachNewport Avenue Antique DistrictSeveral blocks of antique arcades and thrift shops that work surprisingly well as a rainy-day wander with kids old enough not to grab. Park in the free lot at the west end of Newport near the seawall and walk east — street parking is metered and scarce.Free to browseDay Trips · Ocean BeachOcean Beach Athletic Area PlaygroundA small grassy park with play equipment set back a block from the sand — useful when the beach wind gets to be too much for little kids. There's a public restroom here, worth knowing when the beach ones are jammed on a summer weekend.FreeDay Trips · Cardiff-by-the-SeaSan Elijo State BeachA long bluff-backed beach with reliably gentle surf at the south end, which makes it one of the better North County beaches for young swimmers. Day-use lots fill by 10am in summer — arrive early, or park free along Coast Highway 101 and take the stairs down.Day-use parking ~$10–15Day Trips · Cardiff-by-the-SeaSeaside MarketAn independent grocery known countywide for its marinated tri-tip, with a deli counter that makes the easiest beach picnic in North County. Order at the deli, then walk across Coast Highway to the sand rather than eating in the cramped lot.Sandwiches ~$12–16Arts & Culture · Cardiff-by-the-SeaCardiff Kook StatueA bronze surfer on Coast Highway that locals have been unofficially costuming for years — dinosaurs, holiday outfits, whatever's current. It's a two-minute photo stop, not a destination; pull into the small lot on the east side rather than stopping on the shoulder.FreeShopping & Treats · Rancho BernardoBernardo WineryOne of Southern California's oldest continuously operating wineries, now mostly a village of artisan shops, a coffee roaster and a casual Italian kitchen on shady grounds. Daytime is genuinely family-friendly — go for the shops and the outdoor tables, and skip the evening events, which skew adult.Free entry; food and shops varyDay Trips · Mount LagunaLaguna Mountain Visitor CenterA small volunteer-run center where kids can handle pelts, antlers and rocks, and where you buy the Adventure Pass required at most trailheads up here. Hours are genuinely limited and seasonal, so don't count on it for your parking pass without checking.Free; $5 Adventure Pass to parkDay Trips · Mount LagunaDesert View Picnic AreaPicnic tables on the edge of the escarpment with a straight drop-off view across the Anza-Borrego desert, plus a walkable section of the Pacific Crest Trail. It's windy and the drop is unfenced in places, so keep small children close to the tables.$5 Adventure Pass per vehicleDay Trips · Mount LagunaLaguna Mountain Lodge & StoreThe general store at the centre of town selling snacks, firewood, sleds in winter and basic supplies — and it's the last real supply point for miles. Cell service is patchy up here, so download your directions before you leave the interstate.Snacks $3–10Day Trips · Mount LagunaSunrise Highway Snow PlayAfter a winter storm the pullouts along Sunrise Highway become San Diego County's main sledding spot — the only place in the county that reliably gets snow. Strictly weather-dependent: check road conditions and chain requirements, and go the day after a storm rather than during one.$5 Adventure Pass per vehicleDay Trips · AlpineSky FalconryA licensed falconry school on a 40-acre ranch where you walk through oak groves flying a trained hawk to and from your glove. It's expensive and best for older kids with patience — the ranch is down a private dirt road, and the gate code arrives by email after booking.~$150 participant, ~$75 observerArts & Culture · Spring ValleyBancroft Ranch House MuseumAn 1856 adobe that was home to the historian Hubert Howe Bancroft, now a National Historic Landmark and small museum. It's a thirty-to-forty-five-minute visit and the volunteer docents are the real draw, so go when someone's on hand to talk.Free, donations welcomeDay Trips · La MesaCollier Park (La Mesa)La Mesa's oldest park reopened in 2024 after a full rebuild, with a brand-new playground, nature trails, shaded seating and shared tennis and pickleball courts. At under eight acres it's easy to keep eyes on younger kids while they roam.FreeArts & Culture · La MesaMcKinney House MuseumThe 1908 home of La Mesa's first mayor, furnished to show village life a century ago. A twenty-minute stop best combined with a walk through La Mesa Village.Free, donations welcomeArts & Culture · El CajonKnox House MuseumBuilt in 1876 and the oldest commercial building in El Cajon, covering the valley's ranching origins. It opens only two Saturdays a month, so pair it with the downtown farmers market rather than making a special trip.FreeArts & Culture · LakesideLakeside Historical Society MuseumHoused in the 1895 First Presbyterian Church, with a museum and archives covering Lakeside's ranching and rodeo history. Ask inside for the free self-guided historic walking tour — it turns a twenty-minute stop into a proper outing.Free, donations welcomeDay Trips · LakesideLakeside Rodeo GroundsAn eight-acre permanent rodeo facility run by volunteers, home to a long-running April rodeo that's the town's biggest annual event. Seating is open bleachers with little shade or wind protection, so bring cushions and layers for an evening show.Ticketed; varies by eventArts & Culture · National CityKimball House MuseumThe 1868 home of National City's founding family, open a narrow weekend window. Walk a block along A Avenue afterwards to see Brick Row, an 1887 terrace of ten attached Victorian townhomes — genuinely unusual for Southern California.Free, donations welcomeDay Trips · RamonaCollier County Park (Ramona)An eight-acre in-town park with three playgrounds, a lighted enclosed soccer field, courts, restrooms and a community garden. It's a block off Main Street, so it's the natural place to burn energy before or after anything else in town.FreeDay Trips · RamonaRamona RodeoA professionally sanctioned rodeo at the Fred Grand Arena and the town's biggest annual event. Evening performances are cooler and better for kids than the daytime heat, and the good seats go on sale in May.Ticketed — see official siteArts & Culture · FallbrookReche SchoolhouseAn 1896 one-room schoolhouse, fully restored, where kids can sit at the desks and see what a whole-town school looked like. It opens one afternoon a month — pair it with Live Oak County Park half a mile up the same road.Free, donations welcomeArts & Culture · FallbrookRailroad Heritage ParkA small trackside park in the village preserving Fallbrook's railroad past, with rolling stock and interpretive signs kids can walk right up to. A ten-minute stop, best combined with the Saturday farmers market two blocks away.FreeArts & Culture · FallbrookPalomares House & Sculpture GardenAn 1888 farmhouse, one of Fallbrook's oldest, with an arboretum, a memorial tile path and life-size wildlife sculptures scattered about for kids to hunt down. Flat, shaded and stroller-friendly — a gentler option than the preserves.FreeDay Trips · SanteeShadow Hill ParkOne of the few genuinely shaded playgrounds in Santee, with a gazebo holding six picnic tables, restrooms and courts. The shade makes this the reliable summer pick when the rest of East County's playgrounds are too hot to touch.FreeDay Trips · SanteeDeputy Ken Collier Neighborhood ParkA small tucked-away playground with a picnic shelter, half-court basketball, a walking path and adult exercise equipment. Genuinely a toddler park — the right size when a full regional park is more than you need.FreeDay Trips · SanteeCameron Family YMCA Aquatic CenterRun in partnership with the city and open to the public, with a 25-metre pool plus a separate shallow activity pool with a water play structure for little kids. Call ahead — lap swim, lessons and rec swim rotate, and the family pool isn't always open.Day pass; open to non-membersDay Trips · SanteeSportsplex USA SanteeA commercial sports complex next to Town Center with batting cages, courts and youth leagues — the practical rainy-day or hundred-degree-day option in Santee. It's pay-per-activity rather than open play, so check what's bookable before driving over.Varies by activityArts & Culture · VistaRancho Guajome AdobeOne of the finest surviving Anglo-American-era adobes in California, with self-guided tours through the courtyard rooms. It's a separate county park from Guajome Regional but a five-minute walk away, so most families do both in one trip.Small admissionArts & Culture · Huntington BeachHuntington Beach Art CenterCity-run contemporary gallery on Main Street with rotating exhibitions and youth and teen art classes year-round. The centre does not publish a gallery admission price; ticketed prices you may see quoted are for events.Gallery admission not publishedShopping & Treats · Huntington BeachOld World VillageA cobblestoned Bavarian-style village of shops and restaurants with free parking, and host of Orange County's biggest Oktoberfest since 1977.Free to visit; free parkingBeaches & Coast · Huntington BeachHuntington Dog BeachA mile and a half of off-leash dog beach on PCH between Goldenwest and Seapoint. The two parking lots are card-only.Free; metered beach parkingBeaches & Coast · Huntington BeachHuntington State BeachTwo miles of state beach with fire rings and a bike path, running from Beach Boulevard to the Santa Ana River. Parking is cashless — card only. The Magnolia and Brookhurst entrances are usually calmer than Beach Blvd.Free entry; parking $15 weekdays, $20 weekends and summerShopping & Treats · Huntington BeachBella TerraOpen-air lifestyle centre with fountains, a bookshop, a cinema and a free kids club. Handy as a rain-adjacent option since much of the walking is covered.Free to visitArts & Culture · Costa MesaUC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of ArtA modern art museum with 25,000 square feet of galleries focused on California art, plus free drop-in family art sessions. Admission is endowed free for at least a decade.FreeArts & Culture · Costa MesaSegerstrom Center for the ArtsOrange County's main performing arts campus, with Broadway tours, dance and family shows. The free outdoor events on Argyros Plaza are the low-commitment way in.Ticket prices vary by show; some plaza events are freeArts & Culture · Costa MesaSouth Coast RepertoryA Tony-winning professional theatre with a three-play Theatre for Young Audiences series and year-round acting classes for children and teens.Ticket prices vary by productionShopping & Treats · Costa MesaMitsuwa Marketplace Costa MesaA Japanese grocery and indoor food court with ramen, sushi and bento counters and free parking. Entirely indoors, which makes it a genuine wet-afternoon option, and walkable from The CAMP and The LAB.Free entry; free parkingArts & Culture · Costa MesaCalifornia Scenario (Noguchi Garden)Isamu Noguchi's 1.6-acre sculpture garden of six stylised California landscapes, tucked between office towers and free to walk into. It has no website of its own — it is privately maintained.FreeTheme Parks & Rides · Costa MesaGoathill Junction RailroadA volunteer-run miniature railway inside Fairview Park giving free 12–15 minute rides. Riders must be at least 31 inches and able to walk unaided. One weekend a month only.Free (donations welcome)Shopping & Treats · Costa MesaSOCO and The OC MixA design and food district whose Saturday farmers market runs a free crafts KidsZone alongside the produce stalls. Good for an hour rather than a day.Free to visitArts & Culture · AnaheimMUZEO Museum and Cultural CenterA downtown museum combining Anaheim's original Carnegie Library with modern galleries showing rotating art and history exhibitions. Pricing is per-exhibit, so check before you go.Varies by exhibition; the Carnegie Gallery is freeShopping & Treats · AnaheimAnaheim Packing HouseA restored 1919 citrus-packing warehouse turned two-level indoor food hall with dozens of independent stalls and regular live music. Entirely indoors and free to walk into.Free entry; pay per food stallArts & Culture · AnaheimFounders' ParkA heritage park preserving Anaheim's 1857 Mother Colony House, the Victorian Woelke-Stoffel House and a carriage-house museum. The grounds are open daily; the houses open one Saturday a month.FreeShopping & Treats · AnaheimAnaheim GardenWalkAn open-air dining and entertainment centre a short walk from Disneyland, with a cinema, bowling, flight simulators and restaurants. Useful as a lower-cost evening near the parks.Free to visitArts & Culture · Long BeachMuseum of Latin American ArtThe only US museum devoted to modern and contemporary Latin American and Latino art, with an outdoor sculpture garden. Free on Sundays, which is the way in with a family.$15 adults, $10 students and seniors, under 12 free; free SundaysArts & Culture · Long BeachLong Beach Museum of ArtAn ocean-front art museum showing American decorative arts, California Modernism and contemporary video, with a garden restaurant looking out to sea. Open Thursday to Sunday only.$12 adults, $10 students and seniors, under 12 free; half price FridaysArts & Culture · Long BeachPacific Island Ethnic Art MuseumA small downtown museum dedicated to Pacific Islands art and culture — Polynesian, Melanesian and Micronesian work. Cheap, quick and genuinely unusual.$5 general, $3 seniors and students, under 12 freeArts & Culture · Long BeachKleefeld Contemporary Art MuseumA free contemporary art museum on the Cal State Long Beach campus. Its Second Saturday Family Days with hands-on projects are the family draw — most other weekends it is closed.Free; campus parking $10–$15Shopping & Treats · Long BeachShoreline VillageA waterfront boardwalk of shops, casual restaurants and an antique carousel on Rainbow Harbour, with bike rentals and harbour cruises leaving from the dock.Free; parking $2 for 2 hours with validationBeaches & Coast · Long BeachMarine Park (Mother's Beach)A calm bayside beach in Alamitos Bay with shallow water and almost no waves — the reason locals bring toddlers here rather than to the open coast. Play equipment and grass behind the sand.FreeBeaches & Coast · Long BeachColorado LagoonA tidal saltwater lagoon with a sandy swimming beach, a playground for two to twelve and a marine science education centre. Check before promising a swim — the season is not published and there has been channel construction on site.FreeArts & Culture · Long BeachLong Beach PlayhouseA community theatre founded in 1929 with a 200-seat mainstage and a 98-seat studio, plus summer youth workshops. Children under five are not admitted.$27–$33 general, $20–$22 student and childShopping & Treats · Long BeachThe Pike OutletsA waterfront outlet centre beside Rainbow Harbour with around 37 stores and restaurants, within walking distance of the Aquarium of the Pacific.FreeArts & Culture · IrvineIrvine Fine Arts CenterAn 18,000-square-foot city art centre in Heritage Park with rotating local-artist exhibitions and ceramics, painting and printmaking studios. Free to walk into; the family art camps are charged.Free to visit; classes charged separatelyArts & Culture · IrvineGreat Park GalleryA free city gallery inside a restored El Toro air base building at Great Park, with rotating exhibitions and working artist studios alongside.FreeArts & Culture · IrvineIrvine Barclay TheatreA 750-seat theatre on the UC Irvine campus with a family performance series alongside dance, music and touring shows. Tickets are priced per production.Priced per showShopping & Treats · IrvineDiamond JamboreeAn Asian food and dessert plaza at Alton and Jamboree — bakeries, bubble tea, taiyaki and a karaoke lounge, with free structure parking. The individual shops are indoors even though the centre is open-air.Free to visit; free structure parkingArts & Culture · PasadenaArmory Center for the ArtsContemporary art galleries in Old Pasadena, always free, attached to a long-running community art school that runs toddler and family studio classes.FreeShopping & Treats · PasadenaVroman's BookstoreSouthern California's oldest independent bookstore, founded in 1894, with a large children's department and over 400 free community events a year including storytimes.FreeArts & Culture · PasadenaPasadena PlayhouseThe official State Theatre of California, founded 1917, staging plays and musicals in a Spanish Colonial courtyard just off Colorado Boulevard. Not every production suits young children.Priced per productionArts & Culture · PasadenaAmbassador AuditoriumA 1,200-seat hall known as the Carnegie Hall of the West, home to the Pasadena Symphony and the LA Chamber Orchestra. Each promoter sells its own tickets.Priced per performanceArts & Culture · PasadenaWilliamson Gallery, ArtCenterA free gallery on ArtCenter's hillside campus above the Rose Bowl, showing student and professional work in transportation, product and graphic design. Check the exhibitions page before driving up Lida Street.Free; free parkingShopping & Treats · PasadenaRose Bowl Flea MarketA monthly market of around 2,500 vendors circling the Rose Bowl, running over fifty years. Under-12s are free and so is parking. One Sunday a month only.$15.83 general, free under 12 with an adultTheme Parks & Rides · CarlsbadK1 Speed CarlsbadIndoor electric go-karting with adult and junior karts, plus an arcade and pit café. Entirely indoors, so weather is irrelevant.Race price not published on the location pageArts & Culture · CarlsbadCarlsbad Historical Society at the Magee HouseAn 1887 craftsman house furnished in turn-of-the-century style, holding Carlsbad's archives and set in a registered heritage rose garden. Opening hours are narrow and worth confirming by phone.FreeShopping & Treats · CarlsbadThe Shoppes at CarlsbadA fully enclosed mall with 120-plus retailers, food and a cinema — genuinely under cover, which makes it Carlsbad's default when the weather turns.Free entryBeaches & Coast · CarlsbadSouth Carlsbad State BeachThree miles of blufftop state beach south of the village, with stairway access down to the sand, a large campground, and tidepooling at low tide.$10 day-use parking, $20 peak, weekend and holidayShopping & Treats · TemeculaPromenade TemeculaAn enclosed regional mall with roughly 170 stores, a food court and an IMAX cinema under one roof — the obvious indoor fallback in the valley.Free entryArts & Culture · TemeculaOld Town Temecula Community TheaterA city-owned 354-seat theatre in Old Town, plus the 48-seat Merc next door, running family shows and youth productions.Priced per showDay Trips · AvalonGlass Bottom Boat VoyageA 45-minute cruise from the Green Pleasure Pier into Lover's Cove Marine Preserve, where kids press their faces to the glass to watch bright-orange garibaldi in the kelp. Best for kids 3 and up; reservations recommended, required for groups.From $29.95 (2026); ~$34 adult / ~$31 child 3–11 all-in via catalinatours.comDay Trips · AvalonUndersea Expedition (Sea Wolf Semi-Submersible)A climate-controlled cabin about five feet below the surface with individual seats and portholes — good for little ones who can't snorkel yet. Boarding involves stairs and ramps, and no food is allowed.From $49.95 (2026); ~$57 adult / ~$51 child 2–11 all-in via catalinatours.com; infants free but need a ticketBeaches & Coast · AvalonLover's Cove Marine PreserveA protected marine area and the island's best easy snorkeling. The entry is rocky, so bring water shoes; the Wet Spot rental booth is a three-minute walk away.Free (gear extra, e.g. snorkel set ~$15 for 2 hrs at Wet Spot)Beaches & Coast · AvalonDescanso Beach ClubA private beach facility just past the Casino with a full-service bar and restaurant, cabana rentals and calm water. Outside food and drink are prohibited.Reported small beach-access fee (~$2/day per Love Catalina); cabanas and lounges extraBeaches & Coast · AvalonDescanso Beach Ocean Sports (Kayak & SUP)At 5 Saint Catherine Way, the entrance to Descanso Beach Club: rent kayaks, paddleboards and snorkel gear, or join a guided paddle listed separately.Kayak from $40/hr single, $60/hr double; SUP from $40/hr; mask/snorkel/fins $30/day (2026)Day Trips · AvalonCatalina Zipline Eco TourFive zip lines at 35–40 mph over Descanso Canyon. Minimum age 10, weight 80–240 lb and height at least 55 in, weighed clothed at check-in; closed-toe shoes required. There is no refund if a child misses the limits.From $149.95 incl. tax/fees (2026)Day Trips · AvalonCatalina Aerial AdventureFive self-paced ropes courses (two beginner, two intermediate, one advanced) at 1 Saint Catherine Way. Minimum age 7, height at least 55 in and weight 50–270 lb, so it is not for younger siblings. Closed-toe shoes required.$69.95 incl. tax/fees (2026)Arts & Culture · AvalonCatalina Casino (Building & Tour)The round 1929 Art Deco landmark is a theater and ballroom — not gambling. General admission includes the Avalon Theatre, Marine Bar, Wrigley Ballroom and Ocean Promenade; the one-hour VIP tour involves 90+ steps. Wear comfortable shoes.General admission from $19.50; VIP Backstage Tour ~$42 adult / ~$40 child 2–11 (2026)Beaches & Coast · AvalonCasino Point Dive ParkA marine protected area off the Casino with marine-rich water right in town, better for confident swimmers. Rentals are available at Catalina Divers Supply.Free to snorkel; gear and guided tours extraBeaches & Coast · AvalonAvalon Beach & Green Pleasure PierAvalon's public beaches (South, Middle and Step Beach) run free along Crescent Ave; alcohol, animals and smoking are prohibited. The pier houses ticket booths for tours, parasailing and dive rentals.FreeDay Trips · AvalonGolf Cart Rentals (Avalon)Renting a golf cart is the classic Avalon adventure — putter up to the scenic overlooks and the Botanic Garden with kids riding open-air. Call ahead for rates and seating.Hourly; price not published — call Catalina Island Golf Carts 310-510-2550Day Trips · AvalonGolf Gardens Miniature GolfAn 18-hole, par-51 course on Sumner Ave across from the library, run by Catalina Island Company for nearly 50 years. It takes about an hour, and Glow Golf uses light-up balls after dark.From $15 (2026); Glow Golf at night from $20Day Trips · AvalonParasailing (IWC Parasail)Tandem parasailing from the Green Pleasure Pier (ticket office at 18 Green Pleasure Pier) with a dry launch and landing. Fliers must be 6 or older, ride-alongs 5, with combined-weight limits — confirm with the operator.600 ft $69, 800 ft $79, ride-along $25 (2026)Beaches & Coast · AvalonWet Spot Rentals (Snorkel & Kayak)A rental booth at the Boat Landing, a three-minute walk from Lover's Cove. All rentals include life vests and instruction; online bookings have a two-hour minimum.Single kayak $20/hr, double $30/hr, paddleboard $25/hr; snorkel gear $15 for 2 hrs or $30/dayDay Trips · AvalonSkate the Wrigley Ballroom (Casino)Roller skate on the Casino's circular ballroom floor for one session of about an hour. Socks are required and not included, so pack a pair; age limits aren't published.From $28.50 incl. Casino admission and a one-hour skate (2026)Arts & Culture · AvalonAvalon Theatre (Casino)A 1929 movie house with 1,184 seats, a 50-foot domed ceiling and Art Deco murals, one of the first theaters built for talkies. Films run from current to classic — check the rating before you go.Ticket price not publishedDay Trips · AvalonSpeed Boat & Sea Lion TourA high-speed Cyclone boat ride from the Green Pleasure Pier to Seal Rocks for seals, dolphins and seasonal whales; sightings aren't guaranteed. Minimum age 4; boarding involves steep steps and it's bumpy.From $49.95 (2026)Beaches & Coast · AvalonGuided Kayak Tours (Frog Rock & Willow Cove)Guided paddles from Descanso Beach Ocean Sports. Willow Cove is a half-day trip of about 2.5 miles each way with snorkel gear and lunch included — a long day for young kids; ask about age minimums when booking.Journey to Frog Rock from $79.95; Willow Cove Expedition from $159.95 (2026)Day Trips · AvalonCatalina's Adventure HQA locally owned hub at 1202 Avalon Canyon Rd (the old Nature Center building) with guided backcountry tours including a family-friendly Picnic Tour, snorkel rental and shuttle service. The former Nature Center no longer operates here.See site (prices not verified)Day Trips · AvalonAirport in the SkyA mountaintop airfield about 10 miles from Avalon with a restaurant known for buffalo burgers and cookies. Reach it on the Conservancy's Wildlands Express (advance reservations required), or by bike or hike. Plan a full half day.No admission listed; Wildlands Express fare extra; hiking permit freeDay Trips · AvalonCyclone Boat: Avalon to Two HarborsA quick way to spend a day in quiet Two Harbors without a long ferry from the mainland. Outside food and drink aren't allowed on Catalina Island Company tours; confirm the last return before you go.From $29 each way (2026)Day Trips · AvalonDiscover Avalon Motor TourA 7.5-mile narrated motor tour of the beachfront and hillsides with local history — the cheapest way to see town from a seat, which suits little ones and a hot afternoon.From $29.95 (2026)Day Trips · Two HarborsTwo Harbors VillageA tiny, quiet cove village on the island's far end — a mellow, crowd-free alternative for families wanting nature over bustle. Harbor Sands beach club offers palapa and lounge rentals; the Cyclone from Avalon runs May to early October.Free to walk around; ferry or Cyclone to reachBeaches & Coast · Two HarborsTwo Harbors Dive & Recreation CenterRents kayaks, SUPs, snorkel gear and mountain bikes (with helmet, map and permit) and hands out disc-golf discs; visibility is often 40–100 feet. Cashless.Snorkel package $40/24 hr; single kayak/SUP $27/hr; double kayak $39/hr; plus tax and eco fee (2026)Beaches & Coast · TorranceTorrance BeachCounty-run beach between Redondo Beach and Malaga Cove with restrooms, showers, a concession stand, volleyball nets and a bike-path connection. It has a beach access mat and beach wheelchairs, and ramps lead to the sand. The main lot is at 387 Paseo de la Playa.Free entry; paid parking in the county lotDay Trips · El SegundoEl Segundo-Wiseburn Aquatics CenterA city and school-district pool at 2240 E. Grand Ave with a 25-yard main pool and a warmer 25-yard instructional pool. Family recreation swim is limited to set windows, and the city says reservations are made at esrec.org or 310-524-2738, so book first.Public swim: youth (3–17) $3 resident / $6 non-resident; adult $5 / $8; age 2 and under free with a paid adultArts & Culture · HawthorneBeach Boys Historic LandmarkCalifornia Historical Landmark No. 1041 at 3701 W. 119th St, dedicated in 2005, marking where the Wilson brothers' childhood home stood and where they recorded 'Surfin'' in 1961. The house itself was demolished in the 1980s for the Century Freeway. It's a ten-minute stop for music fans, so pair it with a park visit.FreeArts & Culture · GlendoraRubel Castle ToursA hand-built folk-architecture castle at 844 N Live Oak Ave, shown on docent-led tours of about two hours over steps, tunnels and uneven ground. It is not fully ADA accessible and children under 8 are not permitted, so check ages before planning a family outing. Tours often sell out — book ahead.$25 adults; $15 ages 8–18; children under 8 not permittedArts & Culture · GlendoraCentennial Heritage ParkAt 725 E Mauna Loa Ave, a park recreating a late-1800s citrus ranch with the Hamilton House, a working print shop, antique farm implements and unpaved walking trails. The city lists no playground here, but it sits next to South Hills Park, so combine the two for history plus swings.No fee listed by the City of GlendoraDay Trips · AzusaSlauson Park & James Slauson Community PoolThe city pool at 501 E 5th St runs public rec swim in summer and a Red Cross learn-to-swim program, and the city's Slauson Park page lists a Dolphin Cove Kids Splash Zone. Deep-end use in the competition pool requires a swim test.Friday night swim $3 per person; other rec-swim fees not confirmedArts & Culture · La VerneLa Verne Heritage ParkA 1.5-acre historic site at 5001 Via De Mansion with one of the last working orange groves in the San Gabriel Valley and the Weber House. Highlights are January orange picking, a spring vendor faire and October pumpkin-patch field trips. It isn't a drop-in park, so watch the events page; the 2026 orange picking ended early and the foundation says to look for January 2027.Free public events such as summer concerts; tour pricing not publishedTheme Parks & Rides · La MiradaSplash! La Mirada Regional Aquatics Center (Buccaneer Bay)A pirate-themed waterpark with a lazy river, three slides, a six-lane mat racer, a zero-depth beach entry and two spray pads for little ones. Under-13s need an adult 18+ in the park, and anyone under 48 inches must wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket except on the slides. The wristband allows re-entry, so you can break for lunch.Buccaneer Bay day pass 2026: $27 Mon–Thu / $32 Fri–Sun & holidays (48"+); Junior (under 48") or Senior $22 / $27; age 2 and under freeArts & Culture · La MiradaLa Mirada Theatre for the Performing ArtsA 1,251-seat city theater at 14900 La Mirada Blvd with a Broadway series plus a children's series, Programs for Young Audiences. Filter to the family-marked shows on the ticket page, and call the box office at (714) 994-6310 about age suitability for a specific show.Ticketed by show (see box office)Arts & Culture · La MiradaNeff Park and Historic Neff EstateA 10-acre park at 14300 San Cristobal Dr with the 1890s Neff House, George House and Neff Barn, plus a playground and picnic areas. Volunteers run the estate tours, so check the city calendar the week before.Free (donations welcome for restoration)Day Trips · BellflowerBellflower Aquatic Center at T. Mayne Thompson ParkThe city pool complex at 14001 Bellflower Blvd, with indoor and outdoor pools and a playground at the park. The city announced an outdoor-pool renovation while keeping the indoor pool open, so confirm which pool is running. Swimmers under 45 inches must be accompanied in the water by an adult; call (562) 866-2015 first.$5 per person recreation swim (per the city aquatic center page; re-confirm)Arts & Culture · NorwalkD.D. Johnston-Hargitt House MuseumAn 1891 Eastlake Victorian home and water tower, and Norwalk's nationally registered landmark, with family heirlooms and local memorabilia at 12426 Mapledale St. It may close in bad weather, so call (562) 929-5521 if it's raining.Free (donations welcome)Day Trips · NorwalkDon Knabe Golf Center & Junior AcademyA 9-hole short-game course with holes of 50–100 yards, a double-deck driving range and putting and chipping greens at 13717 Shoemaker Ave, plus a junior academy for ages 5–17. The short holes suit beginner kids, and the lights let you play after school.Green and range fees vary; see playknabegolf.com or call (562) 921-7047Arts & Culture · Santa Fe SpringsClarke EstateA 1919–21 country home by architect Irving Gill, an 8,000 sq ft poured-concrete house built around a central courtyard, at 10211 Pioneer Blvd. It's also a wedding venue, so check events before a weekend visit; the first-Sunday tour is the only weekend option.Tour price not published; call (562) 863-4896Arts & Culture · San FernandoLopez Adobe (Casa de Lopez)A historic adobe home the City of San Fernando opens for free monthly tours, with activities and treats. It's only open on the scheduled dates, so check the city page or call (818) 898-1290 before driving over.FreeArts & Culture · Rancho Palos VerdesPalos Verdes Art CenterA nonprofit art center at 5504 Crestridge Rd with free galleries and a gift shop; its Studio School runs quarterly youth and adult classes in painting, ceramics, printmaking and more.Free gallery admission; classes priced separatelyArts & Culture · Palos Verdes EstatesMalaga Cove Plaza & Neptune FountainThe Spanish Revival plaza with red tile roofs, arcades and a Neptune fountain is the heart of Palos Verdes Estates, and its historic district joined the National Register of Historic Places in 2021. A pleasant 20-minute stop, easy to combine with a deli lunch on the plaza and a walk to the library next door.FreeBeaches & Coast · Palos Verdes EstatesMalaga Cove BeachThe southern end of the flat sand beach on Santa Monica Bay, reached by a trail from the free lot at the end of Paseo del Mar. The rocky beach continuing downcoast is difficult walking with some impassable spots, so check the tide before heading downcoast with kids.Free (free parking lot per the California Coastal Trail)Arts & Culture · NeedlesEl Garces Hotel and Santa Fe Depot (Harvey House)The city-owned 1908 Classical Revival landmark was restored for about $10M and reopened in 2014, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It's no longer a hotel or restaurant and has no formal museum inside, so book the tour ahead by phone and pair it with the Regional Museum next door.Tours by appointment; the city gives no price (call 760-326-2814)Beaches & Coast · NeedlesManny Morris Beachside ParkA small 1.4-acre park behind River's Edge Golf Course with two city-maintained beaches on the Colorado River, a parking lot, turf, shade structures and BBQ grills. Bring your own shade and water; the city lists no lifeguards or swim rules, so watch kids closely near the current.No fee listed by the cityArts & Culture · San JacintoEstudillo Mansion & Water Conservation GardenAn 1885 brick ranch mansion at 150 S Dillon Ave, restored by the city in 2009, with a demonstration garden of drought-tolerant and native plants grouped by climate region. Tours run Saturdays only; pair it with the San Jacinto Museum in the same heritage park.Admission not listed on the city site; call (951) 927-7367Arts & Culture · Santa PaulaSanta Paula Art MuseumExhibition space in the historic Limoneira building at 117 N. 10th St, plus the Cole Creativity Center next door. Kids and students are free, and Free Family Day on the first Sunday includes art activities with all materials provided. It also takes Museums for All (EBT) admission.$4 adults, $3 seniors, children and students free; free for everyone on first SundaysArts & Culture · BreaBrea GalleryA 6,500 sq ft city-run gallery on the plaza level of the Civic & Cultural Center with four major exhibitions a year plus workshops for all ages. Kids under 12 are free with parking in the structure beneath; check that an exhibition is up before you go.$3 general; children under 12 and Brea residents freeBeaches & Coast · Port HuenemeHueneme Beach ParkA 50-acre city beach park with sand, BBQ pits and picnic areas, sand volleyball, playground swings, restrooms and seasonal lifeguards. The Lighthouse Promenade walkway starts here and Surfside Seafood sits right on the sand. Parking is pay-by-machine, so bring a card or coins to avoid a ticket.Free entry; parking $2/hr or $8 all-day permitBeaches & Coast · Port HuenemePort Hueneme PierA 1,250-foot pier open to walkers and anglers, with restrooms at the entrance and in parking lot A. Surfside Seafood next door runs a bait and beach-supply store, so you can buy bait and grab lunch in one stop.Free (beach parking is paid)Arts & Culture · BrawleyCattle Call Arena (Brawley Cattle Call Rodeo)Cattle Call Arena at 550 Cattle Call Drive hosts a PRCA rodeo with mutton busting, a wild horse race and live music, and the official ticket site says Sunday is Family Day with pony rides and a petting zoo. Buy tickets only through the official SimpleTix site, which warns that other sources are not honored.Rodeo tickets about $10–$33 (official ticket site); other festival events priced separatelyDay Trips · CalipatriaCalipatria Flagpole at Rademacher ParkThe city's 184-foot flagpole stands in Rademacher Park at N Park Ave and Main St, dedicated to 'Good Neighborliness' in 1958. Calipatria sits about 184 feet below sea level, so the flag flies at sea level. A quick 15-minute stop on a Salton Sea drive; midday summer heat makes it a bad place to linger.FreeArts & Culture · CalexicoCalexico Carnegie Library (Carnegie Technology Center)This 1918 Spanish Colonial Revival building at 420 Heber Ave was Calexico's first library and is on the National Register of Historic Places (2005). It's now a library branch and public technology center — a quick 15–20 minute stop for older kids who like old buildings, near the Cultural Arts Center.FreeArts & Culture · CalexicoCarmen Durazo Cultural Arts CenterThe city's home for art exhibits, classes, workshops and cultural events, opened in 2008, which also runs mural and utility-box art projects. It's closed Friday through Sunday, so plan a weekday visit and call to see what's on the walls.Exhibits free; classes and workshops priced per programDay Trips · El CentroEl Centro Aquatic CenterA city-run pool complex at 540 Park Ave with a lazy river, a children's activity pool, an eight-lane competition pool and a warm-up pool. Only inner tubes handed out by city lifeguards are allowed in the lazy river, and swimmers must keep moving; leave personal tubes home.$5 El Centro residents, $8 non-residents, free ages 2 and underArts & Culture · FullertonMuckenthaler Cultural CenterA Fullerton arts center with a free Sculpture Garden, Sunset Garden and grounds that need no reservation, plus exhibitions, performances and seasonal events. It runs youth classes and camps including S.M.ART Sundays and parent-and-me art classes; call 714-738-6595 to confirm current hours and programs.Gardens free; event ticket prices vary (plus $2 convenience fee)Beaches & Coast · Seal BeachSeal Beach Pier and Main Street BeachThe wooden municipal pier and wide sandy beach sit at the foot of Main Street, with the Marine Safety headquarters at 888 Ocean Ave. The city runs a Junior Lifeguard program and lifeguard hours change by season, so swim near a tower.Free to enter; paid parking nearby (see city)Arts & Culture · ClaremontBenton Museum of Art at Pomona CollegeA free college art museum at 120 W Bonita Ave. Visitors of all ages are welcome, and the courtyard and outdoor public art installations are especially easy for families. It works as a short, no-cost stop while exploring the Village.FreeArts & Culture · ClaremontClaremont Lewis Museum of ArtAn art museum in the historic Claremont Depot at 200 W 1st St, beside the Metrolink station. Kids get in free, and free parking is available around the Village and in the Metrolink lot. The museum runs an education program called Project ARTstART, so call (909) 621-3200 for family workshops.Free for children under 18, students and members; free every Friday and first Sunday. Pay-what-you-wish July–September 2026, otherwise about $5 adultsArts & Culture · NorthridgeCSUN Art GalleriesFree university galleries in the Art & Design Center, off N University Dr. The site gives no family programming, so treat it as a short stop for older kids and call (818) 677-2156 to check the current show. Coordinates are the CSUN campus address (18111 Nordhoff St).Free; campus parking $10.45/day (Lot E6 is nearest)Arts & Culture · NorthridgeCSUN Campus Public Art and Orange GroveA self-guided stroll past outdoor sculptures such as the 'worms' CSUN sculpture at Zelzah and Nordhoff, George Rickey's 'Two Up, Two Down' in front of The Soraya, and Jan Peter Stern's steel sculpture group. The 6-acre orange grove is in the southeast corner of campus. The university article doesn't give orange grove visiting hours, so don't count on picking fruit. Coordinates are the campus address.Free; campus parking fee appliesShopping & Treats · MonroviaMonrovia Friday Night Street Fair & MarketThe Myrtle Ave street fair in Old Town Monrovia (700 S Myrtle) has a farmers market, flowers, treats and live music. The city says the first Friday of each month adds special entertainment for kids. Go on a first Friday with children.Free to attendTheme Parks & Rides · South PasadenaArroyo Seco Golf Course Mini GolfA renovated 9-hole miniature golf course at 1055 Lohman Ln in the Arroyo Seco, with a signature rotating Dutch windmill hole and a history in South Pasadena since the 1950s. The course's own site lists a minimum age of 6, so it suits school-age kids more than toddlers. A driving range and lit par-3 course are on site, and the city suggests going on a weekday before the after-work crowd.Price not published online; call (323) 255-1506Beaches & Coast · Solana BeachFletcher Cove Beach & ParkThe city's main beach access at the end of Lomas Santa Fe Blvd, with a ramp to the sand, showers, restrooms, picnic tables and a basketball court. It's a short walk from the Solana Beach Amtrak and Coaster station. Dogs aren't allowed and the city bars private events here. The park address is 111 S Sierra Ave.Free; public parking lot plus free street parkingBeaches & Coast · Solana BeachTide Beach Park (Table Tops tide pools)Public stairs at Solana Vista and Pacific lead to a big reef known as the Table Tops, with tide pools at the northern end. There are showers but no restrooms, and the city notes leashed dogs are allowed north of the stairs. Check a tide chart first, because the pools only show at low tide.Free; free street parking onlyBeaches & Coast · Solana BeachSeascape Surf BeachAlso called Cherry Hill, reached by a stairway at 501 S Sierra Ave. The city describes it as a wide sandy beach at low tide, good for walking, Frisbee, swimming and body-boarding. There are showers but no restrooms, and no dogs.Free; free street parking plus a public lot across from the entranceBeaches & Coast · GoletaGoleta Beach County ParkA 29-acre county beach park with a 1,500-foot fishing pier, wide lawns for picnics, a large modern playground, and a paved bike path — Goleta's main family beach and a calmer alternative to the busier Santa Barbara waterfront.Free entry and parkingBeaches & Coast · Santa BarbaraArroyo Burro Beach (Hendry's Beach)A sandy county beach with a big picnic lawn, an on-site restaurant, and a dedicated off-leash dog beach section at one end — a distinctly different, more local-feeling beach than the downtown waterfront strip.Free; on-site lotAnimals & Nature · GoletaCoal Oil Point Reserve (Sands Beach)A UC Santa Barbara natural reserve on the West Campus coastline with a self-guided wetland loop and docent-led viewings of nesting snowy plovers on Sands Beach — a real working research reserve that's also a quiet, easy family walk.Free; no reservation neededMuseums & Learning · Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara Historical MuseumA free downtown museum covering Santa Barbara's history from the Chumash era through the Old Spanish Days period — a quick, no-cost rainy-day complement to the paid Natural History Museum and MOXI.FreeParks & Hiking · CarpinteriaCarpinteria Bluffs Nature PreserveA bluff-top preserve and coastal trail directly above the harbor seal rookery, with a dedicated overlook for watching seals haul out below — a quieter, walkable counterpart to the main Carpinteria State Beach entry.FreeParks & Hiking · Santa BarbaraRattlesnake Canyon TrailA popular, easy-to-moderate roughly 2-mile family hike along a creek to a shaded meadow — a gentler, more forested alternative to the bouldering-and-scrambling terrain at Lizard's Mouth.FreeShopping & Treats · Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara Certified Farmers MarketThe city's flagship weekly farmers market, held downtown every Saturday morning with local produce, flowers, and food vendors — an easy, free way to start a Santa Barbara morning before the beach or Stearns Wharf.Free to browseParks & Hiking · Santa BarbaraElings ParkA 230-acre hilltop park with playgrounds, a free 9-hole disc golf course, and BMX and RC-car tracks — a bigger, more varied outdoor option than the standard beach or garden visit.Free; disc golf $6 weekendsMuseums & Learning · CarpinteriaCarpinteria Valley Museum of HistoryA small, free local-history museum covering the Carpinteria Valley's Chumash, rancho, and agricultural past — modest hours, but a genuine local-history stop for a rainy afternoon.FreeMuseums & Learning · LompocLa Purísima Mission State Historic ParkThe most fully restored Spanish mission in California, with walkable historic buildings, live farm animals, and hiking trails — a real, hands-on history lesson rather than a quick drive-by mission stop.$6/vehicle day-use; free guided toursArts & Culture · LompocLompoc Mural Society Walking TourA free, self-guided walking tour through Old Town Lompoc past roughly 30 large outdoor murals depicting local agriculture, space exploration, and Chumash heritage — an easy, stroller-friendly outdoor art walk.FreeMuseums & Learning · LompocLompoc MuseumA small city museum inside a 1910 Carnegie library building, with Chumash exhibits, a re-created old Lompoc storefront street, and pioneer history — a good short, rainy-day stop.$2 suggested donationMuseums & Learning · Santa YnezSanta Ynez Valley Historical Museum & Parks-Janeway Carriage HouseHome to the largest horse-drawn-vehicle collection west of the Mississippi, where kids can get close to — and in some cases climb into — real historic stagecoaches, alongside local Santa Ynez Valley history exhibits.$10 adult; 12 and under freeBeaches & Coast · GoletaEl Capitán State BeachA sandy Gaviota Coast beach with rocky tide pools and shady sycamore groves, plus the Bill Wallace Trail leading into 2,500 acres of backcountry. Free beach wheelchairs are available, and a camp store covers snacks and basics.$10/vehicle day-useBeaches & Coast · GoletaRefugio State BeachKnown for its unusually tropical-looking palm-lined creek mouth, with a playground, grassy picnic and BBQ area, and a camp store. Free beach wheelchairs are available on request.$10/vehicle day-useBeaches & Coast · GoletaGaviota State ParkThe northernmost and largest of the three Gaviota Coast state parks, with 2,000+ acres of oak-and-chaparral backcountry hiking to Gaviota Peak, wind caves, and hot springs, plus a striking 1900-era railroad trestle visible (but not approachable — it's an active line) from the park. The historic fishing pier has been closed since storm damage in 2014 with no repair timeline, so it's not a usable feature.$10/vehicle day-useBeaches & Coast · SummerlandSummerland Beach at Lookout ParkA county bluff-top park in the small town of Summerland with a playground, volleyball, picnic tables, a dog wash, and a paved path down to a calm, sandy beach — one of the few SoCal beaches where horseback riding is permitted.FreeParks & Hiking · Isla VistaSea Lookout ParkThe largest ocean-side park in Isla Vista, a grassy bluff-top green space with a volleyball court, benches, and a wooden staircase down to a rugged beach below.FreeBeaches & Coast · Isla VistaIsla Vista County ParkA narrow sandy beach below steep cliffs at Camino Corto and Del Playa Drive, with tide pools that appear at low tide.FreeParks & Hiking · OjaiOjai Valley TrailA flat, paved 9-mile bike-and-walk path running from Foster Park to Fox Street in Ojai, with a parallel unpaved side for horses — an easy, family-friendly way to cover ground on foot or by bike.FreeArts & Culture · OjaiOjai Post Office Tower & ArcadeA 1917 Mission-style tower and adjoining shopping arcade commissioned by glass magnate Edward Libbey, and the defining downtown landmark that gives Ojai's Spanish-village look its character.FreeMuseums & Learning · OjaiOjai Valley MuseumA small local-history and art museum inside a converted 1917 church — an easy rainy-day stop with rotating exhibits on the Ojai Valley's past.$5 adult / $1 child (6-18); free every 3rd FridayParks & Hiking · OjaiVentura River PreserveA roughly 1,600-acre land-conservancy preserve with 12 miles of easy, flat trails along the Ventura River, plus canyon routes with valley views — a genuinely low-effort family hike option.Free (donations welcome)Parks & Hiking · OjaiFox Canyon TrailA popular, roughly 1.75-mile beginner-to-moderate hike through Valley View Preserve with panoramic views of the Ojai Valley — a good first real hike for older kids.FreeParks & Hiking · OjaiRose Valley FallsA short, easy 0.8-mile round-trip forest walk in Los Padres National Forest to a seasonal waterfall — a gentle introductory hike for small children, though the falls run dry in summer and fall.$5 National Forest Adventure PassParks & Hiking · OjaiMeditation MountHilltop gardens known as the International Garden of Peace, with sweeping views across the Ojai Valley — a short, peaceful, self-guided visit rather than an active outing.$12/person, pre-registration requiredShopping & Treats · OjaiOjai Certified Farmers MarketA long-running Sunday-morning open-air market behind the historic Arcade, with local produce, flowers, live music, and — in season — Ojai's famous Pixie tangerines.Free to browseMuseums & Learning · VenturaMission Basilica San BuenaventuraThe 1782 Spanish mission that gave Ventura its name and founded the city, with a small museum and gift shop alongside the still-active basilica.$8 adult / $5 senior / $3 ages 5-17Museums & Learning · VenturaMuseum of Ventura CountyThe largest repository of regional history in the county, with rotating art and history exhibits in a downtown building — a solid rainy-day stop.~$5-10 adult; free 1st Sunday monthlyMuseums & Learning · VenturaOlivas Adobe Historical ParkAn 1840s Californio-era adobe ranch house and museum, with free grounds access daily and costumed docent tours on Sundays.Grounds free daily; Sunday tours $5 adult / $3 child-seniorShopping & Treats · VenturaVentura Harbor VillageA seaside village of 35-plus boutiques, galleries, and restaurants strung along a waterfront promenade — the natural hub for a Ventura Harbor day trip.Free to browseBeaches & Coast · VenturaVentura Boat RentalsHarbor-based kayak, paddleboard, pedal-boat, and electric-boat rentals for exploring the calm channels of Ventura Harbor and the Ventura Keys.Kayak, SUP, and pedal/electric boat rentals, priced hourlyBeaches & Coast · VenturaSan Buenaventura State BeachA 2-mile sandy state beach beside Ventura Pier with lifeguards, volleyball courts, and direct access to the oceanfront bike path.$10/vehicle day-useBeaches & Coast · VenturaVentura Promenade & Surfers PointA flat oceanfront walking-and-biking path running from the pier to the surf break at Surfers Point, connecting onward to the 15-mile Ventura River bike trail toward Ojai.FreeParks & Hiking · VenturaGrant Park & Serra CrossA hilltop park above downtown Ventura with the historic 1782 Serra Cross and panoramic views over the city, ocean, and Channel Islands — a moderate hike with easier route options too.FreeParks & Hiking · VenturaPlaza ParkVentura's oldest park, downtown, home to a giant Moreton Bay fig tree, a historic cannon, a gazebo, and a playground.FreeTheme Parks & Rides · VenturaVentura Aquatic CenterA city pool complex with a water-play pool and two waterslides alongside lap and recreational pools — a reliable hot-day option away from the beach.$11/person; free age 2 and underBeaches & Coast · OxnardMandalay BeachA natural, undeveloped state beach good for quiet walks and tide-pooling, with no facilities on site.Free, no lifeguardBeaches & Coast · OxnardSilver Strand BeachA popular surf and boogie-board beach with restrooms, showers, and a real parking lot, lifeguarded Memorial Day through Labor Day.Free; seasonal lifeguardsBeaches & Coast · OxnardHollywood BeachA 1-mile harbor-adjacent beach with restrooms and free volleyball courts, lifeguarded in summer.Free; seasonal lifeguardsBeaches & Coast · Oxnard'olołkoy Beach Park (formerly Oxnard Beach Park)A 62-acre beach park (formerly Oxnard Beach Park) with a pirate-ship playground, BBQ and picnic areas, and volleyball courts.FreeBeaches & Coast · OxnardChannel Islands Kayak CenterHarbor-based kayak and paddleboard rentals plus a guided family-oriented history-and-wildlife tour of Channel Islands Harbor.Rentals and guided tours, priced per activityMuseums & Learning · OxnardHeritage SquareFifteen relocated Victorian-era homes (built 1876-1912) preserved on a single downtown block, with guided exterior tours available.Grounds free; guided tours priced separatelyShopping & Treats · CamarilloCamarillo Premium OutletsA major outlet mall with roughly 150 stores — one of the larger outlet destinations in the region, easily worth a half-day.Free to browseBeaches & Coast · MontecitoMiramar BeachA gentle-slope public beach below the Rosewood Miramar resort, reached via a short walk-in near the south end of Eucalyptus Lane. There are no facilities or a formal parking lot, but the easy sand access makes it a favorite quick stop.Free; no formal lotParks & Hiking · Simi ValleyCorriganville ParkA free 246-acre former 1940s-50s movie ranch where Fort Apache, Bonanza, and The Lone Ranger were filmed, with five trails including an easy 1.2-mile loop and a 1.1-mile interpretive trail with 20 nature signs, sandstone outcrops, oak forest, and picnic areas.FreeMuseums & Learning · Simi ValleyStrathearn Historical Park & MuseumA free 6-acre pioneer history park with the Simi Adobe (the oldest structure in Simi Valley), a relocated 1890s church, and Ventura County's first public library building, with docent tours Friday through Sunday.FreeShopping & Treats · SolvangSolvangA storybook Danish village in the Santa Ynez Valley, about 45 minutes north of Santa Barbara, with windmills, half-timbered architecture, and bakeries on nearly every corner. Danish immigrants founded the town in 1911, and it still leans hard into the theme — horse-drawn trolley rides, a Hans Christian Andersen museum, and unique shops line the walkable downtown alongside places serving traditional sausage and schnitzel.Free to stroll; pastries and meals paid
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Tips for this age
- The outings that land are the ones picked by the person doing them — hand over the choice of concert, beach or food crawl.
- Pair the main event with a meal worth showing up for; the food is half the day.
- Many concerts and events are all-ages, but plenty are 16+ or 18+ — check the venue's age policy before buying tickets.
- Drop-off rules vary by venue: some trampoline parks, escape rooms and cinemas need an adult on site for under-16s. Call ahead if nobody's staying.
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