There are so many things to do in Los Angeles that it can be hard to narrow it down for a weekend itinerary. Especially if you are trying to find activities that are fun for both adults and kids. We trek down to Los Angeles from our Northern California home fairly regularly with our three kids, sometimes just for a Disneyland trip but more often than not we go to hang out and see different stuff around L.A. Other times we’ve combined theme park days with sightseeing activities and our kids love those trips.
I try to find something new for them to see or do every time, but we also have our favorite places that we’ve found to be worth a visit time and time again.
Click a link below to jump into the list:
Los Angeles is huge and rambling and can be a bit intimidating to navigate if you’re new to the city or even if you’re frequent visitors, like my family. To save yourself some heartache and frustration, sketch out a plan of things you want to do each day. Be aware of parking availability, location and price at every stop on your list. Try using an app like Parking Panda. I’ve found GPS to be pretty reliable when we’re driving around L.A. although some map apps have taken us on unfortunate detours into narrow residential streets their attempts to get around traffic.
As any parent knows, traveling with kids comes with a whole different set of challenges than traveling with adults. It’s good to know where you’re going, when and where you’ll be able to stop for food and to find a mix of activities that will both engage kids and keep mom and dad happy. We’ve found that it helps to have a loose itinerary, pack snacks, and maintain a flexible schedule. Traffic, exhaustion and hunger can easily derail the best laid plans. But with a little patience and sense of adventure you and your kids can have a fantastic time hanging out in SoCal.
What you should know about planning a trip to Los Angeles:
When planning out your daily Los Angeles itinerary, it’s important to plot your stops into a map and see where everything is in relation to each other before you head out.
It can take a long time to go a short distance in LA and if you are spreading things too far apart you won’t make all of your planned stops. Plan activities in groups by location.
Always always check museum opening days and time before planning a scheduled itinerary around a museum stop. Museums and galleries are not always open 7 days a week and may be closed on a random weekday so be sure to check ahead of time.
Here is our list of 20 things to do in Los Angeles with kids.
I can’t guarantee that any hours or pricing are correct at the time you are reading this – opening hours and pricing for any attraction are fluid and may change at any time, call ahead or check the website before you go!
Museums
1. Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Kids will particularly enjoy Chris Burden’s Metropolis II and the famed Urban Light exhibit as well as the Boone Children’s Gallery at LACMA. Check the website for more info.
5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles
Closed on Wednesdays.
2. Kidspace Children’s Museum
This bright, fun, hands on kid’s museum in Pasadena will delight kids of all ages with its thoughtfully designed, interactive outdoor spaces. And while you’re in Pasadena you can stop in at the Huntington Library and the Norton Simon Museum.
480 N. Arroyo Boulevard, Pasadena
Always check the website for hours and closures before making the trek.
3. The Getty
The Getty is one of our very favorite places to visit in Los Angeles. Kids might be a little bored by the art but they will love the garden and outdoor spaces. It’s a wonderful place to visit and should be at the top of your list of things to do in Los Angeles.
1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles
Admission is free, closed Mondays.
4. The Getty Villa
The Getty Villa will be particularly interesting to kids who have done an ancient Greece unit in school. The museum offers the experience of ancient Greek and Roman art in a setting that recreates a first-century Roman villa. The gardens are stunning and can be explored with or without a guided tour. This is a great stop if you’re heading up the coast toward Malibu or Santa Barbara.
17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades
Admission is free, timed entry ticket is required. Closed Tuesdays
5. Natural History Museum
See dinosaurs and butterflies and gems and minerals and an insect zoo and North American mammals at this popular Natural History Museum. The facility is situated near the California Science Center (see below) in Exposition Park, so you can plan to see both in one visit id you are looking for things to do in Los Angeles.
900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, between Vermont Avenue and Figueroa Street
Honorable Mention: The Reagan Library and Museum
It might seem kind of weird to include the Reagan Library in a list of places to take your kids but, politics aside, they have the actual Air Force One airplane that Reagan used as a permanent exhibit and you can climb aboard and walk around in it! What kid wouldn’t love that? There is also a full size replica of the Oval Office as well as a replica of the White House rose garden and beautiful grounds for kids to explore. The Reagan Library and Museum only gets an honorable mention because it is located in Simi Valley which is kind of a hike if you’re visiting L.A.
40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley.
Activities
6. Griffith Park and the Griffith Observatory
There are tons of things to do at Griffith Park. The Autry Museum of the American West, the Travel Town Museum, pony rides, train rides, the L.A. Zoo, the Bronson Caves, Fern Dell and the Trails Cafe are just some of the activities to be found in the park. You can easily keep kids busy for an entire day here. Our very very favorite thing at Griffith Park is the Griffith Observatory. There are telescopes, multiple terraces, sundials, exhibits, solar system models, a Tesla Coil and the absolutely phenomenal Samuel Oschin Planetarium show in what the Griffith says is the finest planetarium in the world. You can also see the Hollywood sign from here!
Griffith Park is located off of I-5 at the Los Feliz Boulevard, Griffith Park (direct entry) and Zoo Drive exits. The Observatory is a steep walk uphill from the park. There is parking available at the top of the hill but it is limited and fills quickly. We recommend checking the park website for parking and transportation information.
Admission to attractions will vary. Admission to the Griffith Observatory is free. Tickets to see the Samuel Oschin Planetarium show can only be purchased at the Observatory.
7. La Brea Tarpits
Kids will enjoy watching the live excavations happening at the La Brea Tarpits and get a kick out of the museum that houses mammoths and saber tooth cats that have been found on site. The tar pits and museum are located near LACMA and the L.A. farmers market, which can all be bundled together in one busy and fun day.
5801 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles.
8. Rent Bikes in Santa Monica
Take your kids on a ride along the beach front. Park at SM parking structure 5, head over to Ron’s Santa Monica Bike Rentals and then hit the bike path. The pier is one minute away! Enthusiastic bikers can ride all the way to Manhattan Beach. SM bike rentals has kids bikes, infants seats and trailers available to rent. Parking can be challenging, check the Visit Santa Monica website for more information.
1428 4th Street, Santa Monica
9. Tongva Park
While you’re pedaling around Santa Monica, check out Tongva Park, the six acre urban oasis that features stunning topography, a cool playground and a splash pad during the summer months. The ocean is also nearby so swimsuits under clothes might be a good idea.
1615 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica
10. Universal Studios
Universal Studios is one of the top things to do in Los Angeles. We like Universal Studios for long L.A. weekends or rambling sightseeing trips because you can ride everything in one day and while admission isn’t cheap, it’s certainly more doable for families than multiple day Disneyland Park Hoppers. A day at Universal can easily be worked into a Los Angeles itinerary and your kids will love that you included a theme park along with the museums and shopping. Stay at the Hilton Universal City to be within walking distance to the park entrance and also Universal City Walk, which is a great place to grab a meal or have some down time. Tix and info here.
100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City.
11. El Capitan Theater
Catch a movie at this famed theater that has been completely renovated and now shows exclusively first run and throwback Disney movies. Reservations are not required but are recommended as shows sell out. You can also tour the theater – inquire at the box office or check the website for details.
6838 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles. Park at Hollywood and Highland.
12. Warner Brothers Studio Tour
This is a great tour to combine with a Universal Studios visit, especially for kids that love Harry Potter or the magic of movie making. Click here for website with pricing and details.
3400 W. Riverside Drive, Burbank. Children younger than 8 are not permitted on the tour.
13. Sunset Ranch Hollywood
Your lil’ pardners will love horseback riding under the Hollywood sign at this historic movie ranch that first opened in 1929.
3400 N Beachwood Drive, Los Angeles. Check the website for reservations and information.
14. California Science Center
The California Science Center is a fantastic place to spend a few hours hanging out with the kiddos. The Space Shuttle Endeavour is on permanent display in the Samuel Oschin Pavilion. There are also tons of science based activities and programs as well as very cool temporary exhibits like the King Tut experience that is running through January 9th. The Science Center and the Natural History Museum are neighbors at Expo park so make the most of your visit and plan to see both in one day. Tix and info here.
700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles. Admission is free, there can be an admission charge for some exhibits. Check ahead for Endeavour reservations and pricing.
15. Ride the Angel’s Flight
This iconic funicular railway is adjacent to California Plaza and works nicely into a DTLA visit. Grand Central Market, The Broad, The Museum of Contemporary Art and the Art Walk are all nearby. And, at only $1 each way, this is the most cost efficient thrill ride in the city of Los Angeles.
The Railway’s Top Station is at 350 South Grand Avenue. The Lower Station is at 351 South Hill Street.
Shopping
16. Time Travel Mart
Shopping may not be one of your top choices for things to do in Los Angeles, but kids love to shop and older kids will love this quirky gift shop that bills itself as “the convenience store for time travelers!” Click here for more info.
1714 W. Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles.
17. The Grove
Shopping at the mall is not something everyone puts on their vacation to do list but the lineup at The Grove includes an American Girl store and a multi-level Barnes and Noble with a huge kids section so, you know, go for it. Lots of food and drink available for mom and dad and the Original Farmers Market is next door. Dupar’s is also here if you want to try the best pancakes you’ll ever eat. And Sidecar donuts is across the street, try the Butter & Salt, you won’t regret it!
189 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles.
18. The Last Bookstore
The Last Bookstore in DTLA is the largest new and used book and record store in California. Kids and adults will be thrilled with the Labyrinth Above the Last Bookstore, described by the L.A. Times as “a massive, chaotic, maze-like space housing more than 100,000 used books, all at $1 each. It features doors that lead nowhere, time-travel portholes looking into an artist’s rendition of outer space, and secret passage ways leading into hidden book rooms.” Click here to see #thelastbookstore on Instagram.
453 S. Spring Street, Los Angeles.
19. Kips Toyland
If you’re looking for pure, unadulterated kid joy (or kid desperation or kids begging for allowance) take your brood to the oldest toy store in Los Angeles. Kip’s Toyland was founded in 1945 and has remained open at the Original Farmer’s Market ever since.
6333 W. 3rd Street, Suite 720, Los Angeles.
20. It’s A Wrap
If your kids love TV like mine do, It’s a Wrap will blow their minds. Or at least make your teenagers look up from their phones. It’s a Wrap buys wardrobe and props directly from TV and movie sets or out of the wardrobe or prop departments of studios and independent production companies and then they resell it in their Burbank store and online. Show codes are printed on the price tags so you know where your item came from. Check the website for current and past items sold in the store.
3315 W. Magnolia Boulevard, Burbank.
Of course, there are far more than 20 things to do in and around Los Angeles! These are just a few of our favorites to get you and your kiddos started.
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