Los Angeles With Kids: Five More Fun Family Activities

With a population of 39.5 million, California is the most populous state in the country with three million residents more than all of Canada. Los Angeles is home to nearly four million residents and the greater metropolitan area (including Long Beach) boasts a population of 18.7 million people. It’s no surprise that there is tons of fun stuff to do in Los Angeles with kids!  In fact, earlier this year, Catherine, her mom, and her son shared Five Fun Family Activities in Los Angeles from a combined work/leisure trip. Here, I’d like to share with you Five More Fun Family Activities!

#1: Long Beach 

Long Beach is located roughly 25 miles south of Los Angeles proper and is the second largest city in the Los Angeles area (after Los Angeles, of course). As a child growing up in Southern California, I knew of Long Beach for only two reasons: (1) home of the Queen Mary, and (2) the large container ships that would come in to harbor as Long Beach is a major shipping port. I remember paying one visit to the Queen Mary when I was in high school, but otherwise, Long Beach was something of a no man’s land, with nary an attraction that would make the 45 minute drive worthwhile.

In the late 90’s and early 2000’s, Long Beach experienced a revitalization of sorts and became a worthwhile destination of its own. The Aquarium of the Pacific, or, the Long Beach Aquarium, opened in 1998, and is a wonderful place to spend the day with kids. Located at Rainbow Harbor Marina, in the heart of downtown Long Beach, the Long Beach Aquarium offers not only wonderful viewing of sea life, but also abundant add on opportunities, such as ocean boat rides, play time on the beach, and even fine dining along the water front.

Having visited Long Beach on a number of occasions now, I heartily endorse making plans to spend an afternoon at the Aquarium or, if you want to be really wild, plan to spend a night in Long Beach and take full advantage of everything the city has to offer. We did this on a more recent trip to Long Beach, purchasing both Aquarium tickets and a harbor tour as part of a package directly from the Aquarium, then spent the evening at hotel nearby so that we could enjoy dinner and a few hours of sand time on the beach before heading back to Los Angeles.

#2: Huntington Library

Another one of my top places to visit whenever we are in Los Angeles visiting family is the Huntington Library. The Huntington boasts an impressive library collection, with seven million manuscripts and 430,000 rare books, as well as an extensive art collection, focusing on European Art from the 15th – 20th centuries. But, the true beauty of the Huntington lies in its extensive gardens and grounds, which take up over 120 of the 207 acres owned by the Huntington.

Strolling around the Japanese Gardens on his first visit to the Huntington.

The entire garden is child friendly and my kids particularly love the Asian gardens, but note that the gardens can get extremely crowded and that food and picnicking are only permitted in designated areas and at the cafe and tea room. Advance purchase of tickets is not required and honestly, we have never found it to be necessary.

#3: Hike the San Gabriel Mountains

The high school I attended is conveniently located at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. There are a number of hiking trails, but one of my favorite as a child is the Sturtevant Falls Trail which begins at Chantry Flat, a designated Recreation Area within the Angeles National Forest and a starting point for many historic trails up in the San Gabriel Mountains.

The Sturtevant Falls Trail is a lovely 3.5 mile hike that is extremely kid friendly, with the exception of the last 0.6 miles back to the parking lot. You heard me – the hike begins with a steep 0.6 mile paved walk down to the beginning of the trail. The steep paved incline is glorious at the beginning of the hike, but believe me when I say it has been torture when we are tired and facing the incline at the end of the hike. I’ve seen many families bring umbrella strollers and use the strollers to push young children back up the hill after the hike, but I’ve also seen many parents carrying five year olds up the hill after the kids have given up. Definitely be prepared and know that it’s a rough walk back up to the parking lot.

A look at the steep paved incline at the end of the trail!

Pro Tip:

• A National Forest Adventure Pass is required to park at the trail head. These can be purchased at a small shop located near the official parking area, although you can also just pay either $5 or $10 (depending on availability) to park at the small shop, which is privately owned and managed.
• Parking does fill up quickly in the mornings.
• Pack plenty of water – there are no fountains or amenities available once you begin your hike.

For those with older kids (teenager+), definitely consider using Chantry Flat as the base for a longer hike. My husband and I recently did the 16-mile round trip hike to the Mount Wilson Observatory, via Chantry Flat. It’s a steep climb (nearly 4,000 feet elevation gain) over 7-8 miles and the ledges are tight, so this is not something I would attempt with a toddler or even most elementary aged children. However, the views of Downtown Los Angeles are spectacular on a clear day.

View of Downtown Los Angeles along the Upper Wilson Creek Trail

#4: Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Gardens

The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Gardens is another fan favorite for my household. Unlike the Huntington, the Arboretum is greatly unsung and most people aren’t even aware that it is there. It is rarely ever crowded and there are a number of tour options, including docent led walking tours that are included in the price of admission.

One of my favorite things about the Arboretum is the opportunity to get up close and personal with one of my favorite birds: the peacock! The city in which the Arboretum is located, Arcadia, has a number of free roaming peacocks and many of them have chosen to call the Arboretum home. My kids loved the opportunity to see these majestic and beautiful birds up close.

#5: Travel Town located in Griffith Park

Griffith Park is one of the largest municipal parks in the country, with over 4,200 acres right smack in the middle of Los Angeles. There are a number of attractions within the Park, some of which are free, but some do require admission (for example, the Gene Autry Museum or the L.A. Zoo).

For those looking for something to do with young kids, Travel Town may be of particular interest. Travel Town is an outdoor museum dedicated to preserving the railroad history of the western United States. There are a number of locomotives on display, some of which are available for climbing and sitting, and both my sons absolutely adored this stop as young/old toddlers.

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As an added bonus, there is no admission to Travel Town (although donations are gladly accepted), so this is truly one of the most budget friendly options for families with young children visiting Los Angeles!

I hope you enjoyed my list of Five More Fun Family Activities in Los Angeles! Be sure to check out the original list of Five Fun Family Activities in Los Angeles and our entire category of posts on Los Angeles and California before your next trip to the Sunshine State with kids!