Orange County family guide
Things to Do in Fullerton with Kids
Curated by Simir Shah
Reviewed & updated August 2026 · we check listings regularly, but hours and prices change — confirm before you go.
Fullerton on the map
📍 Where Fullerton is
Fullerton sits in Orange County, Southern California. Nearest major airport: Long Beach (~14 mi / 22 km). It's roughly 22 mi (36 km) from Downtown LA and 91 mi (147 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.
Family attractions near Fullerton
The closest kid-friendly attractions in neighboring towns — with driving distance from Fullerton.
Pearson 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.
Free
Founders' 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.
Free
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 The $15/$6 figure quoted around the web is out of date.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 rentalMUZEO 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 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
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 stallFree days in Fullerton
Free or free-on-certain-days admission. Rules change and some are residents-only — confirm with the venue before you go.
Muckenthaler Cultural Center
Gardens & grounds always free (galleries ticketed)
A 1924 mansion on 8.5 hilltop acres with a free sculpture garden and grounds; indoor gallery shows may be ticketed. A relaxed free outdoor stop for families.
Farmers markets in Fullerton
Fullerton Certified Farmers' Market
Year-round morning market at Independence Park with produce, flowers, and prepared foods.
Fullerton Free Certified Farmers' Market
Friendly neighborhood Saturday market with seasonal produce and hot food, easy for families.
Festivals & annual events in Fullerton
What Fullerton is known for — the events locals plan the year around.
Day of Music Fullerton
A free all-ages music day across roughly 60 Fullerton venues, from Museum Plaza and the Fox Theatre to Hillcrest Park. The downtown hub has a Kidz Korner and spray pool, so it works for families despite the sprawl.
Free
Be You Pride Fest (Fullerton)
OC's largest Pride Month celebration — a community bike parade, vendors, art activities, and two stages, all-ages and free.
Local restaurants in Fullerton
Miss Donuts & Bagel
Local 24-hour donut-and-bagel shop with breakfast sandwiches.
Donut Star
Around-the-clock independent donut shop on Yorba Linda Blvd.
Kimmie's Coffee Cup
Family-owned since 2001 diner with hearty Southern-comfort breakfasts.
Taqueria de Anda
OC family-owned taqueria since the '90s serving finely-chopped carne asada street tacos 24 hours.
Golden Ox Burger
Old-school mom-and-pop burger stand and one of OC's best-loved classic griddle spots.
Heroes
Downtown Fullerton flagship pub-restaurant with a huge menu and loyal local crowd, fun for family dinners.
Local shops in Fullerton
Half Off Books
Cozy independent used bookstore in Downtown Fullerton with rare and out-of-print titles.
Aladdin Books
General used bookstore founded 1982 with a strong film and movie-book emphasis.
Stitch & Feather
Downtown Fullerton women's boutique with a laid-back, polished SoCal clothing mix.
The Potting Shed
Home-and-garden boutique with indoor plants, handmade planters, and garden decor.
The Brick Basement
Downtown Fullerton vintage mall (1998) with ~35 dealers of antiques and one-of-a-kind finds.
Mustard Market
Downtown Fullerton vintage and secondhand shop refurbishing furniture and stocking housewares.
White Rabbit Records
All-genre vinyl, tape, and CD shop with rare, new, and used records plus posters.
Allison's Goods
Downtown Fullerton maker of cruelty-free, hand-poured vegan soy candles in recycled glass.
Stray Cat Vintage & Costumes
Long-running vintage and costume clothing shop on Harbor Blvd.
Past Times Collectibles
Independent shop packed with sports memorabilia, cards, and nostalgic collectibles.
Seasonal & outdoors near Fullerton
The closest splash pads, patches, lights and more — distances from Fullerton.
More Orange County family guides
Fullerton family FAQ
Where can families eat in Fullerton?
Local, family-friendly spots in Fullerton include Combo's Pizza, Miss Donuts & Bagel, Donut Star and Kimmie's Coffee Cup, and more — independent, SoCal-only eateries, never national chains.
What does the YourSoCal Fullerton guide cover?
Our Fullerton family guide includes 7 local eats, 10 local shops and 2 farmers markets — all hand-curated, locally owned, and sorted by distance from you.
Listings are curated and may change — confirm hours and details before you go.