Los Angeles family guide
Things to Do in Highland Park with Kids
Curated by Simir Shah
Reviewed & updated August 2026 · we check listings regularly, but hours and prices change — confirm before you go.
Highland Park on the map
📍 Where Highland Park is
Highland Park sits in Los Angeles, Southern California. Nearest major airport: Hollywood Burbank (~11 mi / 18 km). It's roughly 5 mi (8 km) from Downtown LA and 114 mi (183 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 Highland Park
The closest kid-friendly attractions in neighboring towns — with driving distance from Highland Park.
Bob Baker Marionette Theater
Historic puppet theater delighting young kids with live marionette shows. Founded in 1963 by Bob Baker and Alton Wood, it's the longest continuously running puppet theater in the country and was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 2009. The theater relocated in 2019 into a converted 1920s silent-movie house in Highland Park, where the marionettes still perform live shows for young audiences.
~$18-20/person
Highland Park Bowl
LA'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/game
Heritage Square Museum
Open-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 6
Lower Arroyo Archery Range
A volunteer club runs free Saturday-morning beginner archery lessons in the Lower Arroyo with all equipment supplied. Under-18s must have a parent with them.
First lesson free, small donation after
Eagle Rock Recreation Center
Neighborhood park with playgrounds and sports courts below the namesake Eagle Rock formation. The recreation building itself is worth noticing — a 1953 pavilion by modernist architect Richard Neutra, with walls that hand-crank open like windows to blend indoors and outdoors. It was threatened with demolition in the 1980s but saved and designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, and today anchors 21.5 acres of park space.
Free
Arlington Garden
Pasadena's only free public garden — three acres of drought-tolerant Mediterranean planting, an olive allée and pollinator habitat. Open every day, no ticket, no gate.
FreeLocal restaurants in Highland Park
El Arco Iris
A four-generation, family-owned Highland Park Mexican restaurant pouring classic plates and margaritas — a true neighborhood institution full of regulars.
La Fuente
A tiny, time-warp Highland Park taqueria that's kept its late-'70s charm — cheap, fast, and a longtime local favorite for a quick family bite.
Fluffy McCloud's
Organic-dairy, low-stabilizer scoops including Italian pistachio and a grandmother's-recipe vanilla. A great kid stop on the York Blvd stroll.
Scoops
LA artisanal original (since 2005) with rotating experimental flavors like Almond Horchata and Banana Malt Burnt Sugar. Fun for adventurous kids.
Local shops in Highland Park
Galco's Soda Pop Stop
Old-world grocery turned soda mecca, stocking hundreds of hard-to-find and international sodas plus old-school candy bars. A blast with kids.
Permanent Records
Anchor of the Highland Park and Eagle Rock music scene, with new and used vinyl heavy on indie, punk, post-punk, and classic rock.
Gimme Gimme Records
Small York Boulevard shop known for a strong, well-curated selection of new and used records.
Shop Merci Milo
Handmade toys and accessories from local artisans and traditional toymakers.
Seasonal & outdoors near Highland Park
The closest splash pads, patches, lights and more — distances from Highland Park.
More Los Angeles family guides
Highland Park family FAQ
Where can families eat in Highland Park?
Local, family-friendly spots in Highland Park include El Arco Iris, La Fuente, Fluffy McCloud's and Scoops — independent, SoCal-only eateries, never national chains.
What does the YourSoCal Highland Park guide cover?
Our Highland Park family guide includes 4 local eats and 4 local shops — all hand-curated, locally owned, and sorted by distance from you.
Listings are curated and may change — confirm hours and details before you go.