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100 Favorite Things to do in Los Angeles with Kids 2024

Updated for 2024

It can be hard to figure out what to do in Los Angeles with kids because there are so many amazing things to see and experience in LA. We have compiled a list of fantastic things to do from Venice Beach to the California Science Center to the Hollywood Sign.

You’ll find great free things to do, educational spots that are cool and unusual, and touristy destinations that the entire family is sure to appreciate. Let’s help you make some great family memories you’ll savor for years to come! Here is our list of 100 awesome things to do in LA with kids.

And if you’re looking for Things To Do in Los Angeles with Kids This Weekend, our awesome list gets updated Every Week!
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Things to do in Santa Monica With Kids (photo by Yvonne Condes)

1.  Ride the carousel at the Santa Monica Pier.

2.  Visit Dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum.

3.  Grab lunch at Grand Central Market,  the oldest open-air market on the West Coast.

4.  Check out the trains at the Travel Town Museum.

Strolling down Olvera Street is one of the fun, free things to do in Los Angeles with kids. #losangeles #freelosangeles #thingstodowithkids #southerncalifornia #familytravel

5.  Shop on Olvera Street.

6.  Go whale watching.

7.  Enjoy a picnic at Los Angeles State Historic Park.

8.  Explore the Ice Age at the La Brea Tar Pits.

9.  Hang out in Malibu.

10. Take the family to the Walt Disney Concert Hall for a special show.

11. See the stars at the Griffith Observatory.

If you're visiting Los Angeles for vacation for the first time, or if you live in Los Angeles and are looking for something fun to do, we have a list of the best places to families to visit. #losangeles #familytravel #california #southerncalifornia #losangelesvacation #losangelesfamilyvacation #familyvacation

12. Hike to the Hollywood Sign.

13. Bike around Griffith Park.

14. Visit the animals at the 133-acre Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens.

15. Learn about Old Hollywood at the Hollywood Museum.

16. Experience the Old West at the Autry Museum of the American West.

17. Catch a movie at the El Capitan Theatre.

18. Take a Warner Bros. Studio tour.

19. Go to one of LA’s many Farmers Markets. 

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20. Shop at an outdoor mall.

21. Take the Metro from Downtown to the Beach.

22. Take a Ride on Angels Flight, the shortest railway in the world.

23. Enjoy a performance at the Hollywood Bowl.

24. Catch a Dodgers Game.

25. Get a NexGen pass at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and enjoy free admission for you and your child.

Watts Towers is one of the cool, free things to do in Los Angeles with kids. #losangeles #freelosangeles #thingstodowithkids #southerncalifornia #familytravel

26. Be amazed by the Watts Towers.

27. Walk around UCLA in Westwood.

28. Go to the Festival of Books at USC.

29. Read a book at The Last Bookstore in Downtown LA.

Some of the Best Bookstores to celebrate National Book Lovers Day in Los Angeles. (photo by Yvonne Condes)

30. Take a stroll through the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden.

31. Ride bikes along the LA River.

32. Go car-free during CicLAvia.

33. Look for your favorite star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

34. Visit Little Tokyo.

35. See the Space Shuttle at the California Science Center.

36. Explore at the Chumash Indian Museum in Thousand Oaks.

37. Take a Gondola Ride in the Venice Canals.

38. Go Shopping at The Grove.

39. Have lunch at The Original Farmers Market.

40. Enjoy afternoon Mommy and Me Tea.

41. Catch a Train at Union Station and walk around the historic building.

42. Learn about music at the GRAMMY Museum.

43. Find your favorite wax figure at Madame Tussauds.

44. Experience art and culture at the free Hammer Museum.

45. Discover local marine life at Roundhouse Aquarium.

Hogwarts castle during the Christmas light show. #universalstudios #wizardingworldchristmas #harrypotterchristmas

46. See The Wizarding World of Harry Potter World at Universal Studios.

47. Hang out on Universal City Walk.

48. Learn about ecosystems and natural habitats at Madrona Marsh Preserve.

49. Visit the San Gabriel Mission.

50. Climb to the top of the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook.

51. Take a tour of Sony Pictures Studios.

52. Hike to the Skull Rock in Pacific Palisades’ Temescal Canyon.

Check out MomsLA’s Neighborhood Guide for more things to do by neighborhood!

53. Camp in Malibu Creek State Park.

54. Visit the Battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro.

55. Take a Ferry to Catalina Island.

Sharks at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. #aquarium #longbeach #familytravel #losangeles

56. See marine life at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.

57. Grab a burger and slice of pie at the historic Apple Pan.

58. Get a seasonal fruit donut at Donut Man in Glendora.

59. Enjoy a free day at a museum.

60. Explore the Skirball Cultural Center in Brentwood.

61. Splash in the fountains at Grand Park.

62. Visit the Chinese American Museum in Chinatown.

63. Go Rollerskating at Moonlight Rollerway.

64. Stop and smell the flowers at Descanso Gardens.

65. Visit Snoopy at Knott’s Berry Farm.

66. Tour the California African American Museum in Exposition Park.

67. Visit Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights.

68. Learn about science at the Discovery Cube LA.

69. See the animals at STAR Eco Station Exotic Wildlife Rescue.

70. Visit the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum.

71. Stop by the North Hollywood “NoHo” Arts District and visit shops, art galleries, theatres and restaurants.

72. Take the family to the Great Wolf Lodge.

73. Play in the water at Mother’s Beach in Marina Del Rey.

74. Visit the gorgeous Central Library in Downtown Los Angeles.

75. Tour the historic Bradbury Building in Downtown LA.

Clifton's Cafeteria is one of the fun places to eat with kids in Los Angeles

76. Pick your own tomatoes at Underwood Family Farms.

77. Watch a polo match or take a hike at Will Rogers State Historic Park in Pacific Palisades.

78. Travel to Greece and Rome at The Getty Villa.

79. Visit Sawtelle Japantown.

Kidsspace Children's Museum in Pasadena is one of the great museum for kids in Southern California

80. Explore Kidspace Children’s Museum in Pasadena.

81. Learn about space at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena.

82. Take a trolley tour of Beverly Hills.

83. Go Boating at Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas.

84. Take a Horseback ride in Topanga.

85. Shop for produce at the Santa Monica Farmers Market.

86. Visit the Martial Arts History Museum in Burbank.

87. Learn about aviation at Santa Monica’s Museum of Flying.

88. Take the kids skateboarding at the Venice Beach Skate Park.

89. Let the kids play grocery store at Pretend City Children’s Museum.

90. Make woodcrafts at the Sawdust Factory.

Dia de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever Cemetary. #diademuertos #diadelosmuertos

91. Honor Día de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

92. Enjoy baked goods at Porto’s Bakery and Cafe in Downey.

93. Go for a swim at the Annenberg Beach House pool.

94. Stroll through The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.

95. Check out the Leimert Park Art Walk the last Sunday of the month.

96. Check out cool cars at the Petersen Automotive Museum.

97. Explore Koreatown.

98. Go Bowling at Lucky Strike at Hollywood & Highland.

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99. Tour the Mission Inn Museum in Riverside.

100. And of course, visit Disneyland.

Wendy Kennar is a mother, writer, and former teacher who has lived her entire life in the same Los Angeles zip code. You can read more from Wendy at her website WendyKennar.com where she writes about books, boys, and bodies (living with an invisible disability).

MomsLA is your source for Things to do with Kids in Los Angeles

You'll find so many great things to do in Los Angeles with kids it was difficult to choose just 100. From the LA Zoo to the beach to the Walt Disney Concert Hall, you won't run out of fun in LA. #losangeles

Disclaimer: MomsLA has made every effort to confirm the information in this article; however, things can often change. Therefore, MomsLA makes no representations or warranties about the accuracy of the information published here. MomsLA strongly urges you to confirm any event details, like date, time, location, and admission, with the third party hosting the event. You assume the sole risk of relying on any of the information in our list. MomsLA is in no way responsible for any injuries or damages you sustain while attending any third-party event posted on our website. Please read our Terms of Use which you have agreed to based on your continued use of this website. Some events have paid to be listed on MomsLA.

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