Rainy-Day Indoor Activities in Orange County
By Punita Patel
A wet day doesn't have to mean screen time. Every place on this list keeps the family busy under a roof.
88 places · distances from Mission Viejo (92692)
Pump It Up / Indoor Bounce
Lake Forest · Indoor Play
Wall-to-wall inflatables for open-jump sessions — the go-to when little ones need to burn energy and it's too hot outside.
Open-jump ~$12–$15
Color Me Mine Pottery Painting
Mission Viejo · Arts & Culture
Paint-your-own pottery studio — calm, creative, air-conditioned, and you leave with a keepsake. Great for a rainy afternoon.
Studio fee + piece ($15–$40)
Great Park Ice Public Skate
Irvine · Indoor Play
The Ducks' practice facility opens its rinks for public skating — a cool, indoor energy-burner on a hot OC afternoon.
~$15 admission + skate rental
Pretend City Children's Museum
Irvine · Indoor Play
A miniature city where kids run the grocery store, fire truck, and farm. Built for ages 0–10 and a lifesaver on hot or rainy days.
~$18.50/person
Ocean Institute
Dana Point · Museums & Learning
Touch tanks, tall ships, and marine labs right on the Dana Point harbor. Pair it with a harbor walk and ice cream.
~$12.50/person weekends
K1 Speed Indoor Karting
Irvine · Indoor Play
Electric go-karts on an indoor track with junior karts for kids 48"+. A great rainy-day adrenaline hit for older kids and teens.
~$25 per race
South Coast Plaza & Ice Rink
Costa Mesa · Shopping & Treats
Window-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 + rentals
Discovery Cube OC
Santa Ana · Museums & Learning
Hands-on science with a hurricane chamber, dino dig, and rock-climbing wall — easily three hours of curious kid energy burned.
~$24.95 adult / $19.95 kid
Bowers Museum & Kidseum
Santa Ana · Museums & Learning
World-art galleries next door to the hands-on Kidseum, where kids try costumes, masks, and crafts from cultures around the globe.
~$18 adult; Kidseum ~$8
Southern California Railway Museum
Perris · Museums & Learning
California's largest railway museum (formerly Orange Empire) — admission and parking are free, and weekends you can ride real trolleys all day.
Grounds free; ride tickets ~$8–13
Eastvale Library
Eastvale · Museums & Learning
Eastvale's Riverside County branch sits on the Eleanor Roosevelt High School campus, so plan around its afternoon-heavy hours. It runs free kids' story times and is a reliable cool, quiet escape on triple-digit afternoons. Saturday mornings are the easiest window for a relaxed visit with little ones.
Free
Southern California Railway Museum
Perris · Museums & Learning
The West Coast's biggest railway museum, where kids can actually ride restored trolleys and trains on weekends. Walking the grounds and climbing aboard parked locomotives is free any open day, so you can come just to explore. Bring hats and water in summer since most of the yard is in full sun.
Free admission & parking; train/trolley rides ~$12–14
Planes of Fame Air Museum
Chino · Museums & Learning
Nearly 100 aircraft, many still airworthy — weekends you can climb inside the B-17. Pair it with Yanks Air Museum next door for an aviation day.
~$16 adult; kids discounted
Cesar E. Chavez Library
Perris · Museums & Learning
Freshly renovated in late 2024, this downtown branch of the Riverside County library is a cool, free indoor option with kids' programs and story times. A reliable midday escape from the heat when outdoor parks get too hot. Parking is easy in the downtown civic area right nearby.
Free
March Field Air Museum
Riverside · Museums & Learning
100+ aircraft, mostly on an outdoor flight line — the closest big attraction for Moreno Valley families. The tarmac bakes by midday.
~$15 adult, ~$6 kids
Pennypickle's Workshop (Temecula Children's Museum)
Temecula · Museums & Learning
A whimsical interactive children's museum themed as a mad inventor's lab full of gadgets and experiments.
~$5–6 per person
Pennypickle's Workshop (Temecula Children's Museum)
Temecula · Museums & Learning
Whimsical inventor-themed interactive museum, best for ages ~4–10. Timed 2-hour sessions sell out — buy online ahead.
~$6/person
The Cheech (Riverside Art Museum)
Riverside · Museums & Learning
The country's premier Chicano art museum — kids love the giant lenticular 'Lock & Key' piece. First Sundays (Oct–May) are free with a reservation.
~$18 adult; under 12 free
Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center
Eastvale · Museums & Learning
About 15 minutes from Eastvale in the Jurupa Valley, this beloved nonprofit nature museum has life-sized dinosaur sculptures, fossils, rocks and gems, and live reptiles kids can meet. Admission is free but parking is $10 cash per car, so bring cash. Weekends only for the public, and the gift shop and nursery are worth a stroll before you leave.
Admission free; parking $10/car
Pomona Public Library
Pomona · Museums & Learning
A free, air-conditioned refuge with a solid youth section and toddler story times — a smart weekday stop when the heat is brutal.
Free
American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA)
Pomona · Museums & Learning
A surprisingly hands-on art museum in the downtown Arts Colony — time it to the free Second Saturday ArtWalk outside.
~$14 adult, under 12 free; pay-what-you-can first Friday
Ontario Mills
Ontario · Indoor Play
Huge indoor outlet mall with Dave & Buster's, an arcade, a ropes course, and comedy — great for rainy days.
Free entry; attractions extra
California Surf Museum
Oceanside · Museums & Learning
Small museum tracing surfing history with vintage boards and the story of Bethany Hamilton.
~$5 adult; kids low/free
Ontario Mills
Ontario · Shopping & Treats
California's largest outlet mall (200+ stores) with AMC 30, the Improv and Dave & Buster's — a solid rainy/hot-day fallback. Note your entrance door.
Free entry; attractions ticketed
Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum
Pomona · Museums & Learning
Hot rods and dragsters at the Fairplex, next to the historic Pomona drag strip — a quick, kid-pleasing stop.
~$12 adult, ~$10 kids 6–15, under 6 free
Queen Mary
Long Beach · Museums & Learning
Historic ocean liner turned floating museum and hotel with guided tours and seasonal events.
~$40 self-guided tour
Victoria Gardens
Rancho Cucamonga · Shopping & Treats
Open-air 'main street' mall with the Cultural Center, a library and the Lewis Family Playhouse (strong kids' theater series). Easy free parking.
Free entry
Aquarium of the Pacific
Long Beach · Animals & Nature
Sea otters, a shark lagoon, and a lorikeet aviary. One of SoCal's best rainy-day-proof outings for animal-loving kids.
~$44.95 adult / $29.95 kid
Lewis Library & Technology Center
Fontana · Museums & Learning
A large, modern county library with a kids' area and free tech access — a cool, free indoor refuge with regular children's programs.
Free
Hurst Ranch Historical Center
West Covina · Museums & Learning
A 3-acre slice of San Gabriel Valley pioneer history founded by the Hurst family in 1906, with a restored barn, pump house, and home from the area's walnut- and orange-growing days. A genuinely kid-friendly little museum showing early-1900s ranch life before the orchards became neighborhoods. Public hours are limited and it's volunteer-run, so call ahead to confirm an open day.
Free (donations welcome)
San Dimas Historical Society (Walker House)
San Dimas · Museums & Learning
Housed in the 1880s Walker House in San Dimas's walkable old downtown, this small museum tells the story of the town's railroad and citrus roots. A short, easy visit you can pair with a stroll and a treat along Bonita Avenue. For the full house tour, reserve ahead for the third-Saturday guided visit, as space is limited.
Free (donations welcome)
Pacific Railroad Museum (San Dimas Depot)
San Dimas · Museums & Learning
Run by the Pacific Railroad Society in a historic depot, this free little museum is a train-lover kid's dream with model layouts and rail memorabilia. Friendly docents give tours, so don't be shy about asking questions. It's staffed by volunteers and only open most Saturdays, so call before driving out to make sure they're open.
Free
Western Science Center
Hemet · Museums & Learning
A compact paleontology museum starring 'Max' the mastodon and Ice Age fossils dug from Diamond Valley Lake.
~$8 adult, ~$6 kids
West Covina Library (LA County)
West Covina · Museums & Learning
Part of the LA County Library system and a reliable rainy-day or beat-the-heat option right by the Civic Center, with a children's section and regular kids' programming. Note the unusual schedule — noon opens on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, closed Sundays and Mondays — so check before you go. A free card unlocks story times and the county's digital catalog.
Free
American Military Museum (Tankland)
South El Monte · Museums & Learning
180+ tanks and military vehicles outdoors — the standout El Monte-area spot. Weather-dependent.
Modest admission
Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum
Carson · Museums & Learning
One of the oldest Spanish land-grant adobes in LA County, with shady gardens and a quiet glimpse of early California history just over the Carson line in Rancho Dominguez. Tours are donation-based, which makes it an easy free outing, but Sunday visits require booking three days ahead. GPS may label the address as Compton, so don't second-guess your map.
Donation-based
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
San Pedro · Animals & Nature
Free aquarium focused on Southern California marine life with touch tanks and tide-pool programs.
Free (suggested donation)
Original McDonald's Site & Museum
San Bernardino · Museums & Learning
On the site of the world's first McDonald's (1940) — a quirky free memorabilia museum and fun Route 66 photo stop.
Free (donations)
El Monte Historical Museum
El Monte · Museums & Learning
A surprisingly deep little community museum with everything from pioneer-era artifacts to relics of the old Gay's Lion Farm that once roared on the edge of town. It's free and rarely crowded, so kids can wander the period room displays at their own pace. Go on a weekday morning, since it's closed Friday through Sunday.
Free
A.K. Smiley Library & Lincoln Shrine
Redlands · Museums & Learning
A storybook 1898 Moorish-style library beside Smiley Park, with the only Lincoln/Civil War museum west of the Mississippi next door — free.
Free
El Monte Library (LA County)
El Monte · Museums & Learning
A reliable rainy-day or beat-the-heat stop with a kids' section and regular free story times and programs through the LA County Library system. A library card is free for residents and unlocks both books and digital extras like Kanopy and Libby. Check the branch calendar before you go — craft and storytime sessions fill the kids' area on certain afternoons.
Free
International Printing Museum
Carson · Museums & Learning
A working museum of antique presses where docents actually ink up and run the machines, so kids see how books and newspapers were made by hand. Go on a Saturday and ask about the Ben Franklin live demonstration, where a costumed printer lets children pull a real print to take home. Parking is free in the lot out front.
$10 adults, $8 students/seniors
Montebello Library (LA County)
Montebello · Museums & Learning
A friendly LA County branch with a kids' area, story times and free family programming, plus blessed air conditioning on hot valley days. A great free rainy-day or heat-wave backup when the parks are too warm. Check the events calendar before you go — story time fills up fast with local families.
Free
San Bernardino County Museum
Redlands · Museums & Learning
Regional museum with dinosaurs, a huge bird-egg collection, fossils, and hands-on natural-history exhibits.
~$10 adult, kids less
San Bernardino County Museum
Redlands · Museums & Learning
Dinosaurs, a huge bird-egg collection, and the Exploration Station STEAM lab — a great beat-the-heat stop right off I-10.
~$10 adult
Carson Library (LA County)
Carson · Museums & Learning
Fully renovated in 2023, this branch has a bright, welcoming children's area stocked with picture books, toys, and toddler-friendly nooks. Baby and toddler storytimes make it a reliable free morning out when the weather won't cooperate. Double-check the day — it's closed Sundays and Mondays and opens at noon on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Free
Beaumont Library District
Beaumont · Museums & Learning
The charming downtown library on E 8th Street is a reliable rainy-day or beat-the-heat stop with a dedicated kids' area and regular story times. It's an independent district library, so check their online calendar for children's programs before you head over. Easy free parking and a quick walk to old-town Beaumont.
Free
Edward-Dean Museum & Gardens
Beaumont · Museums & Learning
Tucked in Cherry Valley, this small decorative-arts museum is surrounded by lovely landscaped gardens kids can wander while you take in the collection. The grounds are the real draw for families — great for a slow stroll and photos. It's only open Thursday through Saturday, so plan around that, and the last tour starts at 4:15.
$10 adults, $5 youth 5–12, under 5 free
Children's Discovery Museum of North County
Escondido · Museums & Learning
Hands-on museum for young kids with art studios, a toddler area, water play, and rotating exhibits.
~$12-14 per person
The Huntington Library, Art & Gardens
San Marino · Museums & Learning
120 acres — pick 2–3 gardens. The Children's Garden and Chinese Garden are family favorites; the free day books out fast.
~$25–29 adult; one free day/month
California Science Center
Los Angeles · Museums & Learning
Hands-on science museum home to the Space Shuttle Endeavour and a kids' Discovery Center.
Free (Endeavour ticket extra)
Natural History Museum of LA County
Los Angeles · Museums & Learning
Dinosaurs, gems, a butterfly pavilion, and outdoor Nature Gardens to explore.
~$18 adult / $7 child
USC Pacific Asia Museum
Pasadena · Museums & Learning
A Chinese imperial-palace-style building — the courtyard alone is worth a peek. Compact, good for a short family visit.
~$10 adult, under 11 free; free 2nd Sun
Highland Park Bowl
Los Angeles · Indoor Play
LA's oldest bowling alley, beautifully restored, fun for older kids and families.
~$7-9/game
Bob Baker Marionette Theater
Los Angeles · Arts & Culture
Historic puppet theater delighting young kids with live marionette shows.
~$18-20/person
Norton Simon Museum
Pasadena · Museums & Learning
World-class art plus a sculpture garden and pond — a manageable size for kids.
~$20 adult, under 18 free; free first-Fri evenings
Kidspace Children's Museum
Pasadena · Museums & Learning
Outdoor-heavy campus next to the Rose Bowl, ideal for under-10s. Bring sun protection — most of it is outside.
~$15.50/person
Inglewood Public Library
Inglewood · Museums & Learning
The civic-center main library has a dedicated children's services desk and is a classic free rainy-day or hot-afternoon option for story time and picture books. Note the main branch has been temporarily closed for work, so call or check the library site for current hours and any interim location before heading over.
Free
Rose Bowl Aquatics Center
Pasadena · Indoor Play
Family pools and splash play near the Rose Bowl, great for hot-day water fun.
~$8-10 day pass
Centinela Adobe
Inglewood · Museums & Learning
Step back to 1834 inside this restored adobe ranch house, furnished with period pieces and run by volunteer docents who clearly love the place. The grounds include the old Freeman land office that helped found Inglewood — a real surprise just off the 405. It's only open Sunday afternoons, so plan around that narrow window and call ahead to confirm a docent is on hand.
Free (donations welcome)
Roundhouse Aquarium
Manhattan Beach · Animals & Nature
Tiny free aquarium at the end of the Manhattan Beach Pier with touch tanks and local sea life.
Free (suggested donation)
Griffith Observatory
Los Angeles · Museums & Learning
Iconic hilltop observatory with free space exhibits, public telescopes, and sweeping skyline views.
Free (planetarium ~$10)
La Brea Tar Pits & Museum
Los Angeles · Museums & Learning
Active Ice Age fossil site with mammoths, saber-tooth cats, and bubbling tar pits.
~$18 adult / $7 child
Cabazon Dinosaurs
Beaumont · Museums & Learning
About 15 minutes east off the I-10, the giant roadside Dinny and Mr. Rex are a guaranteed kid hit and an Inland Empire icon. Snap photos of the big dinosaurs free from the parking lot, or pay to go inside with the smaller animatronic dinos and a dino-dig area. A great quick stop on the way to or from Palm Springs.
$15 adults, $13 kids, under 3 free (outside photos free)
The Autry Museum of the American West
Los Angeles · Museums & Learning
Family-friendly Western history and Native American art museum with hands-on kids' areas.
~$14 adult / $6 child
Travel Town Museum
Los Angeles (Griffith Park) · Museums & Learning
An outdoor railroad museum where toddlers climb on real locomotives — the ride-on train is the kid magnet. Free parking.
Free; mini-train ride ~$5
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
La Jolla · Animals & Nature
La Jolla aquarium overlooking the ocean with kelp tanks, a seahorse exhibit, and tide-pool touch experiences.
~$25 adult / ~$20 child
Heal the Bay Aquarium
Santa Monica · Animals & Nature
Small hands-on aquarium tucked beneath the Santa Monica Pier with local sea creatures and touch tanks.
~$5 suggested; kids under 12 free
Cayton Children's Museum
Santa Monica · Indoor Play
Large hands-on children's museum at Santa Monica Place with imaginative play zones for young kids.
~$20 per person
The Getty Center
Los Angeles · Arts & Culture
Hilltop art museum with a fun tram ride, sculpture gardens, and grassy lawns.
Free (parking ~$25)
Skirball Cultural Center & Noah's Ark
Los Angeles · Museums & Learning
Noah's Ark is a magical, hand-built menagerie of puppet animals where little ones climb aboard a giant ark, ring bells, and slide down the gangplank. One of LA's best indoor destinations for under-10s.
~$18 adult / $12 kid; free parking
Victorville City Library
Victorville · Museums & Learning
A welcoming community library with kids' storytimes and free California State Parks day-use passes you can check out — and a cool refuge on a hot day.
Free
California Route 66 Museum
Victorville · Museums & Learning
All-volunteer run, so hours can flex — call before a long drive. Anchors Old Town Victorville on historic D Street.
Free; donations welcome
San Diego Natural History Museum
San Diego · Museums & Learning
"The Nat" features dinosaur fossils, a giant-screen theater, and kid-friendly nature exhibits.
~$22 adult / ~$14 child
San Diego Museum of Art
San Diego · Arts & Culture
Balboa Park's premier art museum with family art-making activities and a sculpture garden.
~$20 adult / under 17 free
San Diego Model Railroad Museum
San Diego · Museums & Learning
Largest indoor model railroad museum in North America, with elaborate miniature SoCal landscapes.
~$15 adult / kids free
Fleet Science Center
San Diego · Museums & Learning
Hands-on science museum in Balboa Park with interactive exhibits and a giant-dome IMAX theater.
~$25 adult / ~$22 child (incl. IMAX)
San Diego Air & Space Museum
San Diego · Museums & Learning
Iconic round Balboa Park museum packed with real aircraft, spacecraft, and a flight simulator.
~$24 adult / ~$15 child
The New Children's Museum
San Diego · Indoor Play
Downtown interactive art museum built for kids, with climbing installations and hands-on art studios.
~$15 per person
Westfield Topanga & The Village
Canoga Park · Shopping & Treats
A huge indoor mall paired with the open-air, string-lit Village — splash fountains, kids' play areas, and a big food hall make it an easy hot- or rainy-day outing.
Free entry; activities extra
Palmdale Playhouse
Palmdale · Museums & Learning
A cozy city-run theater hosting live theatre, music and dance — including family-friendly shows — plus classes for kids and teens.
Ticketed (varies)
Joe Davies Heritage Airpark
Palmdale · Museums & Learning
An outdoor display of aircraft built or tested at neighboring Plant 42 — pairs with the Blackbird Airpark next door. Bring water and a hat in summer.
Free
William S. Hart Park & Museum
Newhall · Museums & Learning
Free barnyard animals plus descendants of buffalo Walt Disney donated in 1962. The hilltop silent-film-star mansion reopened in 2026.
Free admission & parking
Blackbird Airpark
Palmdale · Museums & Learning
A rare lineup of the SR-71 Blackbird, A-12, D-21 drone and U-2 in one spot — walkable to the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark next door. Docents are former aerospace workers.
Free
Lancaster Museum of Art & History (MOAH)
Lancaster · Museums & Learning
A free, air-conditioned anchor of The BLVD downtown — an easy hot-day stop with rotating exhibits and weekend family activities.
Free admission
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum
Simi Valley · Museums & Learning
Walk aboard the real Air Force One jet, see a piece of the Berlin Wall and a full-size Marine One — a surprisingly kid-engaging history museum with hilltop views.
~$31 adult / $19 kid
Carnegie Art Museum
Oxnard · Arts & Culture
A small, welcoming art museum in a 1907 Neo-Classical former library — quick, low-cost, and a nice indoor stop paired with a downtown Oxnard wander.
Low admission; check hours
Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center
Ventura · Museums & Learning
At the end of Ventura Harbor: a free national-park center with a living tide pool, a viewing tower, and exhibits on each island — kids love spotting the swell shark.
Free; free parking
Get more guides like this
One weekly email with the best family things to do near you — free outings, weekend picks and local tips. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.