There is so much more to Los Angeles besides the fabulous weather, amazing beaches, and Hollywood. Well, there is Disneyland, Universal Studios, Knott’s Berry Farms, and Legoland for the kids too. But bringing your family to the City of Angels can also be about culture, the arts, science, history, and nature.
There are more than 800 art galleries and museums in Los Angeles and there are also over 200 parks to enjoy and countless beaches. Whether you want to play indoors or out, learn some new things, or just have fun, drop off your souvenir shopping and backpacks at a Los Angeles bag storage site to see the sights hands-free.
Theme Parks
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Disneyland
You cannot bring the kids to LA and not visit Disneyland so bring your walking shoes because it has nine theme lands with 55 attractions to enjoy. Your kids can also meet some of the Disney characters and go to one of the 21 shows. Don’t worry about getting hungry because they have 46 awesome eateries too.
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Knott’s Berry Farm
With 40 attractions featuring 10 roller coasters, what started as a berry farm in the 1920s is now 56 acres of fun and entertainment. Ghost Town is full of old-time crafts and rides, Fiesta Village has eight exciting rides, the Boardwalk has rides and games, and the little ones will love Camp Snoopy.
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Universal Studios
Universal Studios is not just a theme park, it is also a film studio where you can see some unique entertainment. See the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, watch an animal show, and enjoy some rides like the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem or Silly Swirly Fun Ride. And the lower lot has Jurassic World and the Transformers.
Animal Parks and Aquariums
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Los Angeles Zoo
Gather the kids and head to the LA Zoo, where they have more than 1,500 animals in over 270 species on 133 acres. From the addax to the yellow-footed rock wallaby, there are a plethora of cute critters to see. They also have eight eateries to keep you fed and gift shops so you can get some unique souvenirs.
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Aquarium of the Pacific
On Rainbow Harbor across the street from the convention center, the Aquarium of the Pacific boasts over 11,000 marine animals in 500 different species. They have six exhibits including the favorites, which are the lorikeet forest and shark lagoon as well as the penguin habitat with Magellanic penguins.
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Montebello Barnyard Zoo
This is a very cool way to get up close and personal to a bunch of animals without having to fight the crowds or walk all over the zoo. Montebello Barnyard Zoo has a fun playground, a petting zoo, train rides, and pony rides. They even have a merry-go-round, or the kids can go mining for gems or ride on a John Deere.
Outdoor Fun
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Santa Monica Pier
Opened in 1909, the Santa Monica Pier is over a quarter of a mile long and has all sorts of fun things like a carousel, arcade, aquarium, and Pacific Park, which has 12 rides of its own. Ride a roller coaster that seems to take you out over the water or the Ferris wheel where you can get a stunning view of the whole area.
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Griffith Park
When it comes to parks, Griffith has way more than most packed into its 4,300+ acres. It is the home of the LA Zoo, Autry Museum, Travel Town Museum, LA Railroad Museum, Griffith Observatory, and the Hollywood Sign. You can also see the Bronson Canyon where over 100 movies were filmed.
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Adventure Park
Adventure Park has several playgrounds, fitness zones, gardens, hiking, basketball courts, and ball fields. You can even have a picnic or fire up a BBQ pit for some food while you are there. They even have a gymnasium and a community center with children’s programs, crafts, and a variety of other amenities.
Museums
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Hollywood Wax Museum
If you have not seen any movie stars or other famous people yet, don’t worry, you can always see them at the Hollywood Wax Museum. This is the longest-running wax museum in the US, and you can get selfies with Tom Cruise, Jude Law, Angelina Jolie, and Robert Downey Junior. Or pose in your favorite movie scene.
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Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
With over 35 million artifacts spanning 4.5 billion years of history, this museum is one where you and the kids can spend the whole day. See dinosaurs, mummies, and spiders as well as a variety of other insects and creepy crawlies. The marine zoology collection is the largest in the world with more than 30 million pieces.
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California Science Center
Right by the history museum, the California Science Center has dozens of exhibits like the Space Shuttle Endeavour and other spacecraft as well as other cool items. You can also visit the IMAX theater for special movies you have never seen. They also have a high-wire bike, motion simulator, and climbing wall.
Major Attractions
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Ripley’s Believe it or Not
See a cyclops lamb, shrunken heads, and other oddities at Ripley’s Believe it or Not. Get some selfies with a prehistoric cave bear, the tallest man on earth, and 296 more weird and bizarre exhibits. There are 15 galleries on two floors with a mix of strange and unique items. You can even see an original vampire killing kit.
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Hollywood Walk of Fame
Another way to see the stars is to go see the Hollywood Walk of Fame. There is nothing like it anywhere else, so you ought to do it while you are in LA. There are more than 2,690 stars along 15 blocks of sidewalks on Hollywood Boulevard. See the stars of Charlie Chaplin, the Beatles, and Pink to name a few.
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World of Illusions
You and the kids can get all sorts of Instagram-worthy pics at World of Illusions like the Upside-Down House, Giant’s House, and more than 30 3D illusion rooms. And if you have had a stressful day or just want to have some more fun, smash some stuff in the Smash It exhibit. Don’t forget to get some cool souvenirs.
You gotta eat so you need to know the family-friendly eateries. Try Myungrang Hot Dogs for a variety of hot dogs on a stick or Crack Shack for the best-fried chicken. And get dessert at Salt & Straw where they have unique flavors of ice cream like honey lavender, hibiscus & coconut, and jasmine milk tea with chocolate.
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