Things to do in California with kids
50 attractions • Updated May 2026
Looking for things to do in California with kids? You are spoiled for choice. From Disneyland Park to family days out in Anaheim and the best theme parks in California, California packs more family days out into one trip than almost any other state. We have pulled together 50 of the best places to visit in California, each with addresses, opening times and what to expect with kids in tow. Filter by category or browse by city below.
Published May 2026. Editorial oversight by James Morgan. AI-assisted, human-edited. Our editorial standards
Working out when you can actually go? Our California school holiday calendar lists first day, last day and every break for the state's biggest districts.
Family attractions in California
50 of 50 attractions
Theme Parks
Disneyland Park
Anaheim, California
The original 1955 Disney park, where Sleeping Beauty Castle, themed lands, and nightly fireworks create the Happiest Place On Earth.
Theme Parks
Disney California Adventure Park
Anaheim, California
Disney's California park where Pixar and Hollywood worlds come to life next door to Disneyland.
Theme Parks
Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal City, California
Race through SUPER NINTENDO WORLD and ride the famous Studio Tour in one LA park.
Theme Parks
Knott's Berry Farm
Buena Park, California
Roar through an authentic 1800s Ghost Town and ride mammoth coasters near Anaheim.
Zoos Wildlife
San Diego Zoo
San Diego, California
A world-famous Balboa Park zoo where giant pandas are back on view.
Theme Parks
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Santa Clarita, California
Some of the tallest, fastest, and steepest roller coasters on the planet, plus a Looney Tunes land for the kids.
Aquariums
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Monterey, California
Stand inside a towering Kelp Forest and watch playful sea otters off Monterey Bay.
Theme Parks
LEGOLAND California Resort
Carlsbad, California
A LEGO theme park, water park, and aquarium rolled into one multi-day Carlsbad resort.
Art Museums
The Getty Center
Los Angeles, California
A hilltop LA art campus pairing Old Masters with sweeping city and ocean views.
Science Museums
California Science Center
Los Angeles, California
Explore free hands-on science galleries, from GAME ON! to a living LA ecosystems garden, plus a giant-screen IMAX.
Theme Parks
SeaWorld San Diego
San Diego, California
Meet orcas, dolphins, and sea lions, then plunge down Emperor, California's tallest and fastest dive coaster.
Science Museums
Griffith Observatory
Los Angeles, California
Peer through free public telescopes and catch a planetarium show high above Los Angeles.
Aquariums
Aquarium of the Pacific
Long Beach, California
Drift past glowing jellies and head out on a whale-watching boat to meet the Pacific up close in Long Beach.
Science Museums
California Academy of Sciences
San Francisco, California
Journey from deep sea to deep space under one living roof, with an aquarium, planetarium, and four-story rainforest.
Zoos Wildlife
Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens
Los Angeles, California
Meet newborn gorillas and orangutans and ride a carousel of 64 hand-carved animals.
Zoos Wildlife
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Escondido, California
Open-range safaris in Escondido where you watch African and Asian wildlife roam vast enclosures.
Science Museums
Exploratorium
San Francisco, California
Touch, tinker, and experiment at San Francisco's hands-on laboratory of science, art, and human perception.
Historic Sites
Alcatraz Island (Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing)
San Francisco, California
Board a ferry across the bay to walk the cell blocks of America's most infamous federal prison, perched on a windswept island.
History Museums
USS Midway Museum
San Diego, California
Walk the decks of a storied aircraft carrier packed with real planes in San Diego Bay.
Parks Gardens
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, California
Roam one of America's most-visited urban parks, packed with gardens, lakes, and museums.
Historic Sites
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
San Diego, California
Walk through five original adobe buildings and living-history demos in San Diego's birthplace.
Theme Parks
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Santa Cruz, California
A century-old beachfront amusement park where the wooden Giant Dipper still rattles above the Pacific.
Theme Parks
Santa Monica Pier & Pacific Park
Santa Monica, California
An admission-free amusement park perched over the ocean on the famous Santa Monica Pier.
Parks Gardens
Balboa Park
San Diego, California
Pack museums, gardens, and theaters into one sprawling San Diego cultural park.
History Museums
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Los Angeles, California
Come face to face with multiple T. rex skeletons and life-sized dinosaur puppets in LA.
History Museums
Petersen Automotive Museum
Los Angeles, California
From classic cars to Hollywood movie machines, an LA shrine to the automobile.
Art Museums
The Getty Villa
Los Angeles, California
Wander a recreated first-century Roman villa filled with Greek and Roman antiquities.
Theme Parks
Belmont Park
San Diego, California
Ride classic coasters steps from the sand at San Diego's beachfront amusement park, open since 1925.
History Museums
La Brea Tar Pits and Museum
Los Angeles, California
Watch paleontologists pull saber-toothed cats from bubbling asphalt in the middle of LA.
Zoos Wildlife
Oakland Zoo
Oakland, California
Ride the gondola up to the California Trail and meet native wildlife above the Bay.
Water Parks
Knott's Soak City Water Park
Buena Park, California
Ride 23 slides and float a third-mile river at a 15-acre water park next to Knott's Berry Farm.
Aquariums
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
La Jolla, California
Walk a fictional California mountainside and meet the marine life of Scripps Institution of Oceanography at this hands-on La Jolla aquarium.
Zoos Wildlife
San Francisco Zoo & Gardens
San Francisco, California
A conservation-focused San Francisco zoo set among lush gardens by the Pacific coast.
History Museums
Battleship USS Iowa Museum
Los Angeles, California
Climb six decks of a historic battleship at the Port of LA to see its bridge, guns, and missiles up close.
National State Parks
Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center
Ventura, California
Start your Channel Islands adventure here, the mainland gateway for planning a trip to the islands.
Childrens Museums
Bay Area Discovery Museum
Sausalito, California
Play-based exhibits at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge let young kids climb, build, and imagine.
Zoos Wildlife
Orange County Zoo (Irvine Regional Park)
Orange, California
A small, kid-focused zoo of southwestern wildlife set inside 495-acre Irvine Regional Park.
History Museums
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
Santa Barbara, California
Explore a canyon-set natural history museum that runs from dinosaur bones to the night sky.
Childrens Museums
Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose
San Jose, California
Indoor and outdoor play zones, plus artists-in-residence, let young visitors learn through open-ended discovery.
Childrens Museums
Kidspace Children's Museum
Pasadena, California
A 3.5-acre outdoor playground of climbing, water play, and a real working farm near the Rose Bowl.
Historic Sites
Roaring Camp Railroads
Felton, California
Ride 1890s narrow-gauge steam trains through towering redwoods to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.
Zoos Wildlife
Santa Barbara Zoo
Santa Barbara, California
Watch giraffes and penguins against an ocean backdrop at this seaside Southern California zoo.
History Museums
The Walt Disney Family Museum
San Francisco, California
Trace the life of Walt Disney himself, from humble beginnings to Disneyland.
Science Museums
Chabot Space & Science Center
Oakland, California
Peer through historic telescopes and journey across a 70-foot dome planetarium in the Oakland hills.
Childrens Museums
Children's Creativity Museum
San Francisco, California
Two floors of multimedia art, design, and innovation activities build creative confidence in San Francisco.
Parks Gardens
Great Park Balloon (OC Great Park)
Irvine, California
Rise up to 400 feet in a tethered helium balloon for 360-degree views of Orange County.
Childrens Museums
Pretend City Children's Museum
Irvine, California
A pint-sized city where kids run the grocery store, gas station, and more through play.
Childrens Museums
The New Children's Museum
San Diego, California
A San Diego museum where kids make art inside ever-changing, artist-designed installations.
Science Museums
Discovery Cube Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
A hands-on science center in Los Angeles where kids explore interactive STEM exhibits across a full day of discovery.
Science Museums
Discovery Cube Orange County
Santa Ana, California
Orange County's hands-on science center, packed with interactive STEM exhibits for a day of family discovery.
Where to find family attractions in California
Tap a pin or scroll the list to see top picks across the state.
More about days out in California
California has 50 family attractions we would happily take our own kids to. Alcatraz Island (Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing) is the one most families start with. Board a ferry across the bay to walk the cell blocks of America's most infamous federal prison, perched on a windswept island. Aquarium of the Pacific is the other name that comes up again and again. Drift past glowing jellies and head out on a whale-watching boat to meet the Pacific up close in Long Beach. Balboa Park rounds out the pick of the bunch. Pack museums, gardens, and theaters into one sprawling San Diego cultural park. Also worth your time: Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, Universal Studios Hollywood and Knott's Berry Farm.
Published prices run from $2 at Orange County Zoo (Irvine Regional Park) up to $114 at Disneyland Park. 12 of the 50 listed here quote a starting price. The others vary by season or by what you add on, so check before you travel. Age guidance is worth reading first at LEGOLAND California Resort (ages 2-12) and Bay Area Discovery Museum (ages 0-8).
Beyond family attractions, families in California also head for theme parks (10), history museums (7), science museums (7) and zoos & wildlife (7). The family attractions on this page are spread across Anaheim (2), Buena Park (2), Carlsbad (1) and Escondido (1), so it is easy to pair two into one trip.