Best Community Family Resources Near You

Venice Beach in Los Angeles (Image credit: oneinchpunch,) The second most significant city in the United States is filled with family-friendly activities. In fact, Los Angeles is home to over 90 museums, and the metropolitan area boasts around 15,000 dining establishments. Not surprising that L.A. is among the best places to check out in California with kids! Los Angeles also provides 24 miles (38.5 km) of sandy beaches along the California Coast.

Take in its distinct SoCal ambiance, an extensive skate park, and an outdoor gym with musclebound residents raising weights under the California sun. Olvera Street in Los Angeles (Picture credit: Colleen Lanin) The Getty Center is among the most popular destinations in the Los Angeles area. The museum is filled with art work by such artists as Van Gogh, Monet, and Cezanne.

Found on Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park, Griffith Observatory wows visitors with its planetarium, high-powered telescopes for public usage, and area exhibits. Families feel like they have actually crossed the border into Mexico on Olvera Street, also called El Pueblo Historic Monolith. This is the birthplace of Los Angeles. It includes 27 historic buildings and a main Mexican plaza.

Then, step method back in time at La Brea Tar Pits and Nature Museum. Kids might wonder if they have actually gotten in Jurassic Park as they gaze at life-sized statues of woolly mammoths, huge sloths, and other extinct animals in pools of gooey asphalt bubbling from the earth. Presenting at The Huntington (Image credit: Phil Journeys Between) An individual favorite, The Huntington Botanical Gardens stretches across 130 visitable acres (half a square kilometer).

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Kids especially delight in Helen and Peter Bing Kid's Garden, which features playful, hands-on elements such as tunnels, splash locations, fairy doors, and more. Cover a great deal of ground with a Los Angeles Go City All-Inclusive Pass for 40+ Attractions, including the Los Angeles Zoo, Knott's Berry Farm in neighboring Buena Park, and much more.

A residential area of Los Angeles, Burbank has hundreds of significant movie and tv studios. Of course, you will likewise want to see the renowned Hollywood Indication and stroll along the famous Hollywood Stroll of Popularity.

Yosemite National Park Valley landscape (Photo credit: haveseen,) Resplendent with treking tracks, waterfalls, and towering trees, Yosemite is a location of natural wonder. In 2024, a record-breaking 4.1 million visitors visited this beloved national forest. It covers almost 750,000 acres (3,035 sq km) and is home to wildlife like foxes, deer, cougars, and black bears.

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Yosemite opened in 1890 and remains one of the nation's finest examples of land preservation. Families seeking to explore California's natural appeal will like checking out Yosemite.

While in this desert sanctuary, don't miss out on a crave-worthy date shake made with fruits from the area's abundant palm trees. Households are enamored with The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. This remarkable zoo and botanical garden provides innovative play areas for kids and a fun model train exhibition. Giant spinning wind turbines in the Palm Springs area produce an electrifying 1.5 million megawatt-hours.

Soar from the desert valley to the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains via the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. The cars and truck's floor rotates throughout the ride, so travelers get a 360-degree view of the Coachella Valley. Fascinated? Discover more things to do in Palm Springs with kids. The Channel Islands in Ventura County (Photo credit: Colleen Lanin) For a special array of household activities, consider a Ventura County trip.

Families likewise take pleasure in strolling Ventura Harbor Town for ice cream and waterfront views, or investing an unwinded afternoon on the large, uncrowded beaches that define this coastal area. Discover more unique things to do in Ventura County with kids. Santa Monica Beach & Pier (Photo credit: oneinchpunch,) Santa Monica epitomizes Southern California with its surfable waves, beachy downtown, and seaside amusements.

Pacific Park on Santa Monica Pier features a dozen rides, including the 130-foot-tall Pacific Wheel and a full-sized roller rollercoaster. You'll also discover every treat your sweet teeth might long for and a myriad of game video games with rewards. Households also enjoy walking the Third Street Boardwalk for shopping, street performers, and easy dining just a couple of blocks from the beach.

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Adults and kids of all ages can't assist but feel awestruck by the huge sequoias in the Giant Forest. This nationwide park boasts the world's biggest tree, General Sherman.

Understood for its glacial-carved canyon, Kings Canyon, is among the deepest in North America. This park offers significant rock developments, rugged wilderness, and remote hiking tracks. Discover more about Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and other national forests in California, like Death Valley and Channel Islands, in my list of the best national forests in the U.S. Joshua Tree National Park (Picture credit: lunamarina,) Positioned about an hour from Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park is important for households who wish to explore natural marvels in California.

These unusual trees grow only in the Mojave Desert in the Southwestern U.S. Children will delight in rushing over the park's huge stones and checking out short, simple routes that display the desert's transcendent landscape. Reserve a directed Joshua Tree National forest tour with our relied on partner, GetYourGuide. Calico Mine Trip at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, a suburban area of Los Angeles (Image credit: Colleen Lanin) Just a short drive from Los Angeles, Buena Park is a dream for households who enjoy theme park, themed experiences, and simple holiday enjoyable.

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Summertime visitors can cool down at Soak City Water Park, while yearround home entertainment includes Medieval Times and Pirates Dinner Experience. It's an easy addon to any Southern California trip and a terrific online for checking out neighboring beaches, Orange County, and LA. Explore more in my guide to Buena Park with kids.