Orange County family guide
Things to Do in Anaheim with Kids
Curated by Simir Shah
Reviewed & updated August 2026 · we check listings regularly, but hours and prices change — confirm before you go.
Anaheim on the map
📍 Where Anaheim is
Anaheim sits in Orange County, Southern California. Nearest major airport: John Wayne / Orange County (~11 mi / 18 km). It's roughly 25 mi (40 km) from Downtown LA and 88 mi (142 km) from San Diego — SoCal traffic can make a drive take far longer than the distance suggests, so plan around it.
Visiting? See SoCal at a glance, getting around and which airport.
Things to do in Anaheim
Disneyland Resort
The 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/day
Adventure City
A 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/person
MUZEO Museum and Cultural Center
A 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 free
Anaheim Packing House
A 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 stall
The Rinks – Anaheim ICE
A twin-surface indoor rink with daily public sessions on NHL and Olympic-sized ice and over a thousand pairs of rental skates. The $15/$6 figure quoted around the web is out of date.
$18 admission, $8 skate rental
Linbrook Bowl
A long-running West Anaheim bowling alley renting by the hour rather than by the game, with an on-site diner and genuinely late weekend hours.
$20–$42 per lane hour, $5 shoe rentalSeascape Kids Fun
An indoor playground in Anaheim Canyon with multi-storey slides, an inflatable obstacle course and ball pits. Their own site says weekends are private hire only, so this is a weekday option despite what listings suggest.
$12 per child, $5 additional adultFlightdeck Flight Simulation Center
Full-motion fighter jet and Boeing 737 cockpit simulators at GardenWalk, flown after an instructor briefing. Minimum age 10 to fly; younger children can ride on a parent's lap free.
$59 fighter jet, $109+ Boeing 737K1 Speed Anaheim
Indoor electric go-karting with junior karts for drivers at least 48 inches tall, plus an arcade and trackside lounge for whoever is not racing.
$31 per race, $8.50 annual licence
Anaheim Central Library
Anaheim's main library on Broadway, with a children's collection and free youth programming. Open seven days, which is rarer than it sounds among city libraries.
Free
Anaheim Heritage Center
A free local-history library and museum holding close to a million Anaheim photographs and documents, including a Disney Resort reading room. Shares the Muzeo complex. Weekdays only.
Free
Oak Canyon Nature Center
A 58-acre Anaheim Hills nature park with four miles of oak-woodland trails and an interpretive centre displaying live local animals. Shaded for most of its length, which matters here in summer.
Free; $5 donation suggested
Yorba Regional Park
A 140-acre county park along the Santa Ana River with four connected lakes, playgrounds, 400 picnic tables and paddle boat and bike rentals.
$3 weekdays, $5 weekends per vehiclePearson Park
Anaheim's oldest park, nineteen acres opened in 1927, with a children's play area, a public pool, a cactus garden and a Spanish-style amphitheatre.
FreeFounders' Park
A 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.
FreeAnaheim Coves
A 26-acre riverside nature park with 2.5 miles of accessible trail, observation areas and a nature play area with an archaeological dig and a zipline. Park at the Lincoln Avenue trailhead.
FreeBoysen Park
Locals call it Airplane Park: a Korean War-era Navy Cougar jet has served as its playground climbing structure since 1959. Twenty-four acres, free, and unlike anywhere else in the city.
FreeAnaheim GardenWalk
An 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 visitFarmers markets in Anaheim
Downtown Anaheim Certified Farmers' Market
On the Center Street Promenade with produce, food trucks, and live music; shifts to evenings in summer.
Kaiser Permanente Anaheim Certified Farmers' Market
Convenient weekday market with fresh produce and prepared foods.
Festivals & annual events in Anaheim
What Anaheim is known for — the events locals plan the year around.
Anaheim Fall Festival & Halloween Parade
A classic car show, fall festival, and a beloved nighttime Halloween parade through downtown Anaheim.
Free
Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort
A family-friendly seasonal celebration at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure with Halloween decor, themed attractions and treats, running through Oct 31, 2026 (Disney's official dates are Aug 21 to Oct 31). Tip: midweek visits are the lightest, and the separately ticketed Oogie Boogie Bash nights are a different event.
Requires park admission
Holidays at the Disneyland Resort (Holiday Time & Festival of Holidays)
Disneyland Resort's holiday season runs across both parks, Downtown Disney and the hotels, with festive decor, a giant Christmas tree, holiday ride overlays and Santa visits from Nov 13 to Dec 24. Disney California Adventure hosts a multicultural Festival of Holidays. Tip: weekdays in early December are the lightest, and the resort's official page lists the full entertainment schedule.
Requires park admission
Disney Festival of Holidays (Disney California Adventure)
Disney California Adventure's multicultural holiday festival celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali, Kwanzaa, Navidad and Three Kings Day with live performances, décor and specialty dishes. It is part of the resort-wide Holidays season. Tip: the festival food marketplaces have small tasting portions, so a family can share several dishes for less than a full meal.
Included with theme park admission (food and drink extra)
Anaheim Ducks Kids' Sock Sundays & Día de Muertos Night (Honda Center)
The first 1,000 children age 12 and under at select Sunday home games, starting with the Oct 4 home opener vs. Florida, receive kids' socks. The Nov 1 game is a Día de Muertos celebration with a Wild Wing sugar skull giveaway for up to 5,000 fans. Tip: arrive at gate opening to make sure your kids are among the first 1,000.
Game tickets required (prices vary)
Local restaurants in Anaheim
Sabrosada Fresh Mexican Food
Family-owned since 1995 serving fresh Mexican classics in a casual setting.
Taqueria De Anda
Beloved OC taco shop (SoCal-only) known for cheap, authentic street tacos.
Georgia's Restaurant
SoCal-born soul-food spot at the Packing House with Creole-inspired plates.
Out of the Park Pizza
Baseball-themed local pizza, wings, and salad — an easy casual family stop.
Hans' Homemade Ice Cream
Old-time parlor since 1972 making every flavor in-house, a nostalgic OC family destination.
Mama Cozza's Italian Restaurant
Family-owned Italian restaurant at 2170 W. Ball Rd., Anaheim, CA 92804, with handcrafted pizzas and hearty pastas. Offers takeout and banquet space for 25-85 guests. Closed Mondays.
Local shops in Anaheim
SEED People's Market
Packing House boutique blending home goods and artisanal products from local makers.
Eco Now
Sustainability-focused shop and artisan community selling eco-friendly, zero-waste goods.
The Untold Story Bookstore & Cafe
Independent bookstore and cafe built as a community hub, opened 2024.
RARE
Curated boutique-style thrift on Center Street Promenade with clothing, purses, and records.
Okayama Kobo
Bakery-maker that chose Anaheim for its first shop outside Japan, using Hokkaido flour.
Seasonal & outdoors near Anaheim
The closest splash pads, patches, lights and more — distances from Anaheim.
More Orange County family guides
Anaheim family FAQ
What are the best things to do in Anaheim with kids?
Family favorites in and around Anaheim include Disneyland Resort, Adventure City, MUZEO Museum and Cultural Center and Anaheim Packing House, and more. Our guide lists 18 spots, each with a price note and practical tips where we have them.
Are there free things to do in Anaheim?
Yes — free family spots near Anaheim include Anaheim Packing House, Anaheim Central Library, Anaheim Heritage Center and Oak Canyon Nature Center. Our free things to do page lists more across Southern California.
Where can families eat in Anaheim?
Local, family-friendly spots in Anaheim include Stadium Pepz Pizza, VIP Tacos, Sabrosada Fresh Mexican Food and Taqueria De Anda, and more — independent, SoCal-only eateries, never national chains.
What does the YourSoCal Anaheim guide cover?
Our Anaheim family guide includes 18 things to do, 8 local eats, 5 local shops and 2 farmers markets — with independent, non-chain eats and shops.
Listings are curated and may change — confirm hours and details before you go.
Where to stay in Anaheim
Hotels & rentals via Stay22 · we may earn a commissionCompare hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals near Anaheim on one map — then book on your favorite site.