Let’s face it—Southern California traffic in the summer is the ninth circle of parenting hell. Between sunscreen battles, backseat meltdowns, and endless gridlock, sometimes it feels like the real vacation is just getting somewhere without losing your mind. Enter the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, which has quietly leveled up into a legit travel hack for families heading to this season’s biggest events.
Sarah Auerswald
If your summer calendar could use a little more “cool culture” and a little less “YouTube autoplay,” here’s a family-friendly event series that doesn’t involve Wi-Fi or wristbands. The Getty Center’s beloved Garden Concerts for Kids are returning this August, and yes—it’s free.
Los Angeles parents, if your idea of a solid summer Sunday includes dancing in the sunshine while the kids get their splash pad fix—and maybe sipping a cold cocktail in the shade—you might want to pencil in a little house music into your July and August calendars.
If you’re looking to peel your kids away from screens and into something that feels truly alive—like, full-body laughter and jaw-on-the-ground acrobatics alive—then Occidental College might just have your perfect summer outing.
If you’ve ever looked at your calendar and thought, “I wish there was a music festival—but for dogs,” well, July 26 is your day. Puptopia is heading to Big Bear Lake, and it’s bringing obstacle courses, gourmet treats, and a canine ball pit with it. Yes, a ball pit. For dogs.
After a six-month nationwide search—and no doubt many Zoom calls—the Cayton Children’s Museum has officially named Thomas Sullivan as its new President and CEO. And while Sullivan is new to the Westside, he’s no stranger to the kind of joyful chaos that defines a good children’s museum.
If your idea of a summer outing leans more toward “artsy wonderland” than inflatable bounce house, Hermosa’s got something for you. Flying Colors—part sound bath, part light show, part mind-expanding art installation—is touching down at Resin Lab for select dates from July 18 to August 9. And no, you don’t need a rave past or a meditation practice to enjoy it. Just bring your curiosity (and maybe your tweens).
If your summer plans need a little more lotus blossom and a lot more kimchi, pencil in July 12–13 for the 44th Annual Lotus Festival at Echo Park Lake. This year’s theme? A full-on celebration of South Korea, complete with music, food, and more dragon boats than your average Saturday afternoon.
For the uninitiated, the Lotus Festival isn’t just a stroll through the park. It’s a cultural deep-dive wrapped in the bloom of sacred lotus flowers, which, fun fact, were once completely wiped out at Echo Park Lake before staging a triumphant comeback after a major rehab project. Think of it as LA’s floral phoenix story—pollution tried it, but the petals persisted.
There are few joys more quintessentially summer than sipping an icy Slurpee while your kid’s tongue slowly morphs into a fluorescent color not found in nature. This July 11, 7-Eleven is leaning hard into that sugary rite of passage with its annual Slurpee Day celebration—and this year, it’s going full throttle on flavor, flair, and free stuff.
Mark your calendars for Friday, 7/11. That’s the magic day when 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes locations across the country will hand out free small Slurpee drinks to anyone who walks in with a thirst for frozen nostalgia. Yes, that includes your tween, your toddler, and you, Mom—because who says adults can’t enjoy blue raspberry brain freeze too?
Clear your schedule and tighten your seatbelts—on Sunday, July 20, the Fine Arts Theatre Beverly Hills is hosting a comedy double feature that promises to be anything but routine. Legendary director-producers David and Jerry Zucker are landing in person for screenings of their genre-defining hits Top Secret! and Airplane!, complete with a live Q&A and book signing.
Anaheim, get ready: the world’s most adorable battle royale is coming your way. From August 15–17, the 2025 Pokémon World Championships will take over the Anaheim Convention Center, bringing thousands of elite players, superfans, and—yes—giant Pikachu mascots for a three-day, high-stakes, nostalgia-fueled competition.
Mark your calendars and bust out your most breathable dancing shoes: KCRW and Metro Art are turning Union Station into a dance floor on Saturday, July 19, and this is one of those only-in-LA nights you’ll want to say you showed up for.
Los Angeles has a lot of food weeks. Taco weeks. Burger weeks. Vegan sushi pop-ups that last just long enough to become TikTok famous before disappearing into the algorithm. But then there’s Dine LA Restaurant Week, the OG of LA’s culinary calendar, and this summer, it’s returning in full force from July 25 to August 8—with more restaurants than ever.
Clear your calendar, Pasadena—CatCon is pouncing back into town, and this year it’s bigger, bolder, and furrier than ever. The self-described “Comic-Con for cat people” returns to the Pasadena Convention Center on August 2–3, and it’s celebrating a full decade of cat-centric culture.
South Bay families, you’ve got a standing Wednesday night date in July—and it’s the kind that doesn’t require a babysitter or a pricey reservation. Summer Movie Nights are back at The Point in El Segundo, and the lineup is as eclectic (and nostalgic) as your group chat.
If you’ve ever tried to buy a mattress in a big-box store and left feeling vaguely confused, overly caffeinated, and somehow still sleepy, the new Saatva Viewing Room in Old Pasadena might just be your antidote. Tucked into 3,458 square feet of calm, curated serenity at 85 E Colorado Blvd, this isn’t your average showroom—it’s a high-touch-meets-high-tech retreat for the sleep-deprived masses.
This July, Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream is throwing a birthday party—and you’re invited, especially if you’re the kind of person who thinks science is best served at -321°F with a side of marshmallows and Pop Rocks.
On Saturday, July 19, from 2 to 4 p.m., participating Sub Zero locations across the country (yes, including Simi Valley) will be scooping up free servings of their new Big Blast Sensation flavor in honor of National Ice Cream Day and their 20th anniversary. That’s right: free ice cream, no strings attached—unless you count sticky fingers.
Mark your calendars and prep your laundry: Long Beach Towne Center is about to get delightfully messy.
On Saturday, July 12, from 12 to 2 p.m., the Towne Center is throwing its annual Bubble Bash—a two-hour celebration of all things bubbly, foamy, and fantastically fun. Think giant soap suds, splashy color-filled bubble stations, and a foam zone that might just take over your child’s shoes and your afternoon.
Looking for something easy, enriching, and actually free to do with your kids on a Sunday? The Bowers Museum in Santa Ana continues its tradition of monthly Free Family Festivals, offering hands-on art, live performances, and tasty treats—all tucked inside their stunning Key Courtyard. The next two fests are already teed up, and they’re both worth a spot on your summer calendar.
If your kids have been glued to their phones watching people run through glowing laser grids or leap across motion-reactive floors, the source of their excitement is probably Activate. And now, that viral experience is landing in our backyard.
The Canadian-born “active gaming” phenomenon just opened not one but two Southern California outposts—Culver City and Tustin—bringing with it a whole new hybrid of exercise, arcade, and escape room. It’s part fitness challenge, part video game, part birthday party waiting to happen.
If you’ve ever tried to do a family vacation in the desert with a sensory-sensitive child, you know the phrase “relaxing resort experience” can quickly turn into “meltdown by the pool.” But one Indian Wells destination is making serious moves to change that narrative.
The Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa (affiliate link) has officially become a Certified Autism Center™—a designation that’s more than just a sticker for the lobby. It means their staff has been trained in autism-specific communication and care, sensory guides are available around the property, and yes, there are even weighted toys at check-in.
If your ideal Friday night involves cannonballs, foam noodles, and your kids actually sleeping well afterward, circle these dates now: June 27, July 18, and August 8. That’s when Splash Nights return to the Santa Monica Swim Center, turning otherwise ordinary evenings into full-on aquatic adventures.
If your kids live for loud engines and you secretly enjoy the smell of gasoline and victory, mark your calendars: Monster Jam Freestyle Mania is rolling into Crypto.com Arena August 22–24, and it’s bringing something Los Angeles has never seen before—Monster Jam trucks teaming up with freestyle motocross riders. Yes, you read that right.
If you’ve ever fantasized about frolicking through fields of lavender with a glass of chilled rosé in one hand and a locally made lavender cookie in the other, your time has come. The 2nd Annual Lavender Festival at Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm returns to Lompoc on July 12, and it’s got everything you didn’t know you needed for peak summer energy: pony rides, handmade gemstone jewelry, and yes, lavender lemonade.
The intersection of sugar rush and skate culture just got its newest shrine: Voodoo Doughnut officially opened in Venice on Friday, June 13—because of course it did. The Portland-born purveyor of offbeat pastries is bringing its signature swirl of kitsch, chaos, and cream filling to 66 Windward Ave, just steps from the boardwalk.
Now open inside Discovery Cube Orange County, The Sweet Spot is the newest creation from Bean Sprouts, the family-friendly café brand already known for sneaking veggies into giggle-worthy lunches. This time, they’re flipping the script on sugar. The Sweet Spot serves up swirly soft serve, dessert “pizzas,” and hands-on treat design stations—but with all-natural, clean ingredients. Translation: your kids still get their sugar high, but without the chemical cocktail that usually comes with it.
If your summer plans include “more sunsets, less screen time,” 2ND & PCH has you covered—and it won’t cost you a dime (unless you wander into one of the boutiques, in which case, we can’t help you).
The marina-front shopping center is rolling out a full slate of free events this summer—live music, movie nights, and kids’ programming that’s charmingly chaotic in all the best ways. It’s a whole vibe, and one that feels more like a warm-weather block party than your typical mall event calendar.
If your kid’s current obsession is a tie between tiaras and total mayhem, the Santa Monica Playhouse has your next weekend plan. The beloved musical comedy Alice and the Wonderful Tea Party is back for a summer run, and it’s not your typical storytime fare.
Playing Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and Sundays at 12:30 p.m. from July 13 through September 28, this reimagined Wonderland adventure invites a grown-up Alice back through the looking glass for—you guessed it—a surprise tea party that goes delightfully off the rails.
If your ideal summer night includes a killer sunset, a burger you don’t have to flip yourself, and the soulful sounds of a band you’ll probably end up following on Instagram—Terranea’s Summer Sound Series just might be your weekend calling.
Los Angeles parents, prepare yourselves. The California Science Center has officially re-unleashed Dogs! A Science Tail, the wildly popular, deeply sniffable exhibition all about the science behind your pup’s strange-but-endearing behavior. If you missed it the first time around in 2019—or if your kids now have opinions, vocab, and their own pet theories about why dogs spin in circles before lying down—this is your second chance.
This summer, your daily walk down Santa Monica Boulevard might include 100 life-sized elephants—and no, it’s not a metaphor for gridlock or the state of American politics.
Starting July 1, Beverly Hills becomes the final stop in The Great Elephant Migration, a continent-spanning public art installation and conservation campaign that’s equal parts sculpture, storytelling, and soulful spectacle. And while the elephants may be made of lantana vines and handcrafted by Indigenous artisans from India’s Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, make no mistake: their presence in LA is anything but still.
If your idea of a perfect Southern California summer includes live music, a sea breeze, and maybe a glass of wine in hand while surrounded by great art and chill vibes—well, Laguna Beach has you covered.
The Festival of Arts’ much-loved summer concert series is back and ready to turn up the volume from July 2 through August 29, 2025. Set against the dreamy backdrop of the Festival’s open-air grounds, this season promises a playlist packed with soul, funk, jazz, country, and tributes that’ll have you toe-tapping in your beach sandals before you know it.
If your idea of a perfect L.A. summer evening includes sweeping views, snacks, and soul-shaking live music—ideally with your kids dancing nearby while you sip something cold—you’ll want to mark your calendar. “Off the 405,” the Getty Center’s free outdoor concert series, is back with a five-show lineup that feels more curated than commercial, and refreshingly grounded in what makes L.A.’s creative scene hum.
Pack your sunscreen, grab your best dancing sneakers, and maybe plan for a post-bedtime snack run, because KCRW Summer Nights are officially in full swing—and the 2025 lineup is looking like a love letter to LA’s music, art, and cultural scenes. From Union Station to Kidspace Museum to the Wende Museum’s courtyard, these all-ages, totally free outdoor parties bring the vibes and the variety.
Whether you’re an old-school KCRW fan or just someone who enjoys grooving under twinkly lights with friends and strangers alike, this summer’s calendar has something for you—and the kids, too. And did we mention it’s free?
If you’ve ever cruised down Whittier Boulevard with the windows down and the music up, or tapped your foot to an oldie that somehow always hits just right, you’ve already felt it—the Eastside Sound. Now, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes is bringing it to the foreground with A Great Day in East L.A.: Celebrando the Eastside Sound, a new year-long exhibition opening June 28 that’s as much about music as it is about memory, movement, and cultural legacy.
And yes, there’s a free concert to go with it. Because of course there is. This is East L.A., after all.
If your kid’s imagination is currently operating at full speed—and your weekend patience is… not—Topanga Canyon might have your Sunday morning solution. Family Fundays are back at Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum, offering a weekly dose of interactive storytelling that’s equal parts whimsical, witty, and wonderfully weird.
Held on the outdoor mainstage at 10:30 a.m. every Sunday, these one-hour shows are geared toward kids under 8 but clever enough to keep older siblings and parents entertained too. It’s the kind of programming that ditches the plastic princesses and leans into folklore, classic fables, and a little Shakespearean flair—with enough audience participation to make everyone feel like they’re part of the story.
If you’ve never seen a concert tucked into a canyon with the breeze in your hair, tacos in hand, and someone next to you dancing like no one’s watching—welcome to The Ford. The LA Phil just dropped the full 2025 season lineup for the 1,200-seat amphitheater in the Hollywood Hills, and it’s a vibe-heavy buffet of music, film, family, and cultural magic that honestly makes FOMO a real threat.
Running July 18 through Halloween, this year’s lineup brings back beloved traditions (Studio Ghibli under the stars? Yes please), bold new collaborations (Betty Who with the LA Phil orchestra), and community-driven stories that feel both personal and powerful.
For every dusty Western movie you’ve seen with a stoic white cowboy riding off into the sunset, there’s a lesser-known truth: one in four actual cowboys in the American West was Black. And starting June 14, Black Cowboys: An American Story at The Autry Museum sets the record straight—with boots, bull riders, and a whole lot of history.
Running through January 4, 2026, the exhibition isn’t just about filling in the gaps—it’s about rewriting the narrative. Visitors will meet the cowboys (and cowgirls) who tamed wild horses, worked ranches, wore the badge, and yes, even headlined rodeos long before the mainstream caught on. It’s a powerful reminder that the Black West wasn’t a side plot—it was central to the story all along.
If your only exposure to sea stars has been underfoot at a tidepool or stuck to the glass at a touch tank, prepare to have your mind (gently) blown. The Aquarium of the Pacific is throwing a season-long spotlight on these underwater icons with Stars of the Sea, a new exhibition that opened May 24, and running all the way through next spring.
This isn’t your average kids-touching-a-starfish moment (though yes, you can absolutely do that too). It’s a sprawling tribute to the surprisingly weird, sometimes venomous, and ecologically vital creatures that keep our coastal ecosystems in balance—and it comes with just enough science and spectacle to impress both the marine biology nerd in your family and your toddler who just likes things with a lot of arms.
You’ve done Disneyland. You’ve walked Downtown Disney. But have you mini-golfed through Inside Out’s Headquarters or lined up your putt next to Wall-E? Good news, parents: Pixar Putt—possibly the cutest pop-up in Anaheim—is sticking around through August 17, 2025.
Originally slated for a shorter stay, the whimsical 18-hole mini golf course has officially extended its run at the Pixar Place Hotel at Disneyland Resort. Translation? You’ve got all summer to sneak in a round, whether you’re entertaining out-of-town guests, wrangling kids on summer break, or simply looking for an excuse to feel joy in a putt-putt-sized package.
There are summer traditions in L.A., and then there’s the Hollywood Bowl—our hillside mecca for symphonies, singalongs, and surprise fireworks. The LA Phil just dropped the full lineup for its 2025 season, and if you’re the kind of parent who plans your family calendar around music under the stars (or if you just really, really love a good picnic), this one’s for you.
This year’s slate isn’t just stacked—it’s cinematic, celebratory, and slightly surreal in the best way. Where else can you watch Cynthia Erivo play Jesus and listen to Jurassic Park’s T-Rex roar in sync with a full orchestra?
If your ideal summer includes theater with a side of eucalyptus-scented mountain air, pack a picnic and head to Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum, where Shakespeare meets SoCal in the best way possible. Launching its 2025 “Season of Resilience,” the Theatricum is serving up two of the Bard’s most beloved comedies—”Much Ado About Nothing” and “A …
