Fun Things to Do in California with Kids

👉 Jump to: Best Things | Beaches | Amusement Park | Museums | Sites & Attractions | FAQs

There are so many things to do in California with kids that a single trip to this sunny West Coast state barely scratches the surface. The amount of kid-friendly attractions is tenfold, from fun theme parks to hands-on museums, play parks, and more.

I spent my childhood in California, exploring all of the coolest kid-friendly attractions, and have put the best ones on this ultimate list. I’ll highlight some of the most famous kid-friendly spots, like amusement parks or zoos, but I’ll also point out some under-the-radar local things I enjoyed as a kid. I also cover multiple different price points in this list, including some great free activities.

So many of the best things to do in California are kid-friendly. Keep reading for my favorite picks!

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Best Things to Do in California with Kids

San Diego Zoo

Meet your favorite wildlife at this beachside zoo.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (619) 231-1515 | Website | Hours: 9 am-5 pm daily | Entrance: $72 adult, $62 children under 12

Pay a visit to your favorite animals at the San Diego Zoo. One of the more popular zoos in Southern California, the San Diego Zoo is the perfect activity for families visiting San Diego with children.

Not only does the San Diego Zoo have almost every animal imaginable on display, but it also hosts fun kid-friendly events like 4D movie showings, wildlife presentations, and the Balboa Park Miniature Train.

You may also want to consider visiting the Serengeti-like San Diego Safari Park, one of the top activities in San Diego.

Disneyland & Disney California Adventure Park

Navigate through different fairytale lands at the “Happiest Place on Earth”.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (714) 781-4636 | Website | Hours: 8 am-10 pm Mondays, 8 am-11 pm Tuesday-Thursday & Sunday, 8 am-12 am Friday-Saturday | Entrance: Tickets start at $104, plus an additional $60 per Park Hopper

Disneyland Resort is the top thing to do in California with kids. Families flock from around the world to experience their favorite Disney characters come to life at this enchanting theme park. 

Embark on wild adventures via Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones, and Big Thunder Mountain, or experience new heights on Soarin’ Over the World and the Incredicoaster at Disney’s California Adventure Park.

Because there’s so much to do at Disneyland, I suggest an epic multi-day Disneyland itinerary to experience the theme park in all its entertainment glory.

Joshua Tree National Park

Hike among unusual rock outcroppings and groves of iconic SoCal Joshua Trees.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (760) 367-5500 | Website | Hours: 24 hours | Entrance: $30 per vehicle, $25 per motorcycle, $55 annual pass

Experience the desert like never before in Joshua Tree National Park. Camp between the iconic protected Joshua Trees and marvel at the park’s famous rock outcroppings, each as curiously formed as the last. It’s also one of the best places for stargazing!

Joshua Tree is incredibly kid-friendly and hosts a variety of easy, level hiking trails. Let your kids run wild and explore the cactus landscape in one of the most scenic places in the Mojave Desert. Some of the best kid-friendly hiking trails include the Hidden Valley Nature Trail and the Skull Rock Trail.

After experiencing the cool activities in Joshua Tree, head over to Pioneertown. Kids will love the ghost town vibe, while adults will appreciate the lively dive bar.

🛎️ Need a Hotel? If you’re trying to decide where to stay near Joshua Tree, these hotels are highly recommended.

Knott’s Berry Farm

Explore the kiddie rides at Camp Snoopy in this wild west-themed park.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (714) 220-5200 | Website | Hours: 10 am-6 pm Monday-Thursday, 10 am-10 pm Fridays & Saturdays, 10 am-8 pm Sundays | Entrance: Tickets start at $59.99 for adults, free under 3

Who doesn’t love a thrill-seeking theme park? Knott’s Berry Farm is one of the oldest amusement parks in California and pays homage to the state’s mining history with Western sets and a ghost-town feel.

Knott’s Berry Farm has thrill rides for more daring adventurers, with some of the best roller coasters in Southern California. They also have a kid-friendly area, Camp Snoopy, for younger guests. Knott’s “Scary Farm” is the most popular time to visit, during the Halloween season, but visitors must be able to handle a good spook. 

Calico Ghost Town

Giddyup partner, the old-timey stores and attractions of Calico await.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (760) 254-1123 | Website | Hours: 9 am-5 pm daily | Entrance: $8, adults, $5 ages 4-11, free under 4

Did you know that there are over 300 ghost towns in California? Calico Ghost Town is one of the most popular “deserted” towns from the old wild west. 

Wander around the dirt streets of this old Gold Rush-era mining town, only 1.5 hours outside of Los Angeles in the hills of the high desert. Calico is one of the more developed ghost towns and has souvenir shops, restaurants, and live cowboy performances. They also have campsites and rental cabins for guests who want to spend the night in a real ghost town.

At only $8 a ticket, a visit to Calico Ghost Town is affordable, educational, and fun!

Yosemite National Park

Hike to famous natural landmarks like Half Dome and El Captian.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (209) 372-0200 | Website | Hours: 24 hours | Entrance: $35 per vehicle, $30 per motorcycle, $70 annual pass

Yosemite National Park is the most famous of the beautiful California national parks and is one of my all-time favorites. Hikers, campers, tourists, and rock climbers seek refuge under the giant sequoia canopy of Yosemite, nestled between giant granitic Yosemite Valley walls.

Traditionally the land of the Miwok people, the national park is now home to a dense population of black bears, Yosemite lodges, hiking trails, and hundreds of thousands of tourists each year.

My favorite Yosemite National Park activity is hiking. There is no shortage of hiking trails in Yosemite, with Clouds Rest, the Falls Trail, and North Dome being the most popular.

Hiking in Yosemite is no joke, with lots of elevation gain on some trails. Make sure you choose a hike adapted to your children’s fitness levels. Additional kid-friendly activities include biking around the Yosemite Valley meadow, viewing waterfalls and wildlife, or listening to a free ranger program.

Yosemite has plenty of options for places to stay, from luxury hotels to gorgeous camping spots. Accommodation fills up quickly; book 6 months in advance to snag a spot.

Balboa Fun Zone

Explore the beach “fun zone” with a ride on the Ferris wheel or a round of ski ball in the arcade.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: 24 hours | Entrance: Free

Going for a swim in the ocean is always a fun activity, and even better if there’s a nearby arcade and mini theme park. The Balboa Fun Zone is in one of the best beach areas in Southern California — Newport Beach.

Located just across from the Balboa Beach Pier, the Balboa Fun Zone hosts a variety of arcade games and mini rides like a Ferris wheel and kiddie bungee jumping. You can also find chocolate-dipped soft serve and funnel cakes at this beach park.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Discover more about aquatic life at this huge NorCal aquarium.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (831) 648-4800 | Website | Hours: 10 am-5 pm daily | Entrance: $59.95 adults, $49.95 ages 13-17, $44.95 ages 5-12, free under 5

Learn more about the great marine world at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This Northern California aquarium is located in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, a protected area famous for its incredible marine life and biodiversity.

View marine mammals like otters and seals, marvel at the weightless movements of giant jellyfish, and discover a variety of fish species. Your kids will love the interactive penguin show that the Monterey Bay Aquarium hosts, as well as the life-size kelp forest and the wildlife viewing deck out back. Be sure to bring your binoculars to look for breaching whales during whale season!

Only 2 hours from San Francisco, Monterey is the perfect day trip from SF.

Golden Gate Bridge

Bike ride across California’s most famous bridge.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (415) 921-5858 | Website | Hours: 24 hours | Entrance: $9.75, 2 axles, $29.25, 3 axles, $39, 4 axles

The Golden Gate Bridge is the iconic postcard photo of San Francisco. This famous U.S. bridge is also one of the most entertaining activities in the Bay Area.

Roll down the windows as you drive under the massive red steel bridge, viewing the underbelly of the beast and all its inner workings. You can also rent bikes in Downtown San Francisco and cruise down the Golden Gate Bridge on the bike path for an unforgettable SF experience with the whole family.

Griffith Observatory

Observe the night sky at a museum above Los Angeles.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (213) 473-0800 | Website | Hours: 12 pm-10 pm Tuesday-Friday, 10 am-10 pm Saturdays & Sundays, Closed Mondays | Entrance: parking $4 per hour

The Griffith Observatory is out of this world. This astronomical museum is perched high above Los Angeles and is equipped with a planetarium, interactive astronomy exhibits, and a large telescope used to view astronomical events.

The best part about this intergalactic museum is that it’s completely free (save for parking). Not only is this popular California museum incredibly informative, but it’s also picturesque. You will likely get the best photo of Los Angeles and the Hollywood sign from the prime location of the museum — another compelling reason to pay a visit. 

Beaches

Laguna Beach Tide Pools

Hunt for sea anemones in this opulent beach town.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: 24 hours | Entrance: Free

While it may seem as if Laguna Beach only caters to affluent California locals, there are actually tons of kid-friendly activities to do in this beach town. Laguna is one of the best towns in California because it caters to multiple demographics with both 5-star restaurants and $5 burger joints.

Not only will your children love playing beach volleyball or going for a swim in the Laguna waters, but they will also have a blast searching through the Laguna tide pools for hidden anemone treasure. 

Laguna has one of the densest concentrations of tide pools compared to other Southern California beaches, making it the ideal location for discovering this type of marine invertebrate.  

Santa Monica Pier

Play pier arcade games next to crashing Los Angeles waves.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (310) 458-8900 | Website | Hours: 6 am-10 pm daily | Entrance: Free

Go for a refreshing dip in the Pacific Ocean during the day, then check out the excitement on the Santa Monica Pier afterward for a true California experience. The Santa Monica Pier is one of the most entertaining activities in Santa Monica thanks to the small boardwalk theme park.

Go for a whirl on the boardwalk roller coaster before indulging in a sweet treat. You may also run into street performers on the Santa Monica Pier. Be sure to always tip a street performer, especially if you enjoy their craft. 

Whale Watching

Be on the lookout for a whale fluke as it migrates across waters.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (562) 432-4900 | Website | Hours: 9 am-6 pm daily | Entrance: $45 adults, $40 seniors over 62, $35 ages 3-11 | 👉 Browse Tours on Viator

Give your kids a trip to remember with a whale-watching excursion. There are many places to go whale watching in California, but Long Beach is the most notorious. If you’re lucky enough, you may just catch a whale fin or two as Humpbacks and Gray Whales migrate between Mexico and Alaska.

The most likely times to encounter a whale breach are in the early mornings, so make sure to get a good night’s rest and try to book an early excursion time if possible.

Huntington Beach

Experience California’s most famous beach town.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (714) 852-8233 | Website | Hours: 24 hours | Entrance: Free

Also known as Surf City USA, Huntington Beach is one of the best places to catch some waves in California and is one of the coolest CA beach towns. Throw on a wetsuit, wax up your rented board, and try your luck on the gnarly Pacific Ocean waves.

Non-surfers can also enjoy sunbathing, people-watching on the pier, beach volleyball courts, and beach bonfires in Huntington Beach. I recommend visiting Huntington during the annual summer U.S. Open of Surfing to watch professionals tail whip wave crests or ride a sweet tube.

To get planning, see our full guide to the best activities in Huntington Beach.

San Onofre Surf Beach

Try your luck at riding SoCal waves.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: 6 am- sunset | Entrance: $15

Not only surfers enjoy the calming atmosphere of San Onofre Surf Beach. There’s something for all types of beach-goers here, from surfing to searching for anemones and having a beachside bonfire.

This is one of the most underrated beaches in California and although it’s located on a state beach and requires an entrance fee, San Onofre is worth every penny. This beach is void of tourists, full of surf enthusiasts, and welcoming to those who prefer a quieter beach experience.

Crystal Cove State Park

Hike along the coastline or camp in the hills of the beach backcountry.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (949) 494-3539 | Website | Hours: 6 am-sunset daily | Entrance: $15 per vehicle

Crystal Cove State Park invites visitors to lay out a towel, screw in a beach umbrella, and stay for a while to soak up the Southern California sunshine. With over 3 miles of Pacific coastline, this is one of the best kid-friendly state parks in Orange County.

Hiking trails in this state park parallel the coast. Want to take your kids backpacking? There are three backcountry primitive campsites with 360-degree views of both the San Gabriel mountains and the Pacific Ocean. 

Catalina Island

Take a ferry from mainland California to discover a developed, flourishing island oasis.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: 24 hours | Entrance: Ferry tickets are $42 adult, $32 child | 👉 Browse Tours on Viator

Catalina is the closest thing to an island paradise in California. Located only 22 miles off the mainland Long Beach or Dana Point shores, Catalina Island is the perfect place to relax with kids for a peaceful weekend.

There are hundreds of fun activities to do in Catalina like scuba diving, parasailing, cantina drinking, buffalo viewing, backcountry hiking, gambling, and more! Your Catalina experience can be very kid-friendly while still offering adult after-hours fun.

Ferries to Catalina leave from Long Beach and San Pedro. The ferry only takes an hour.

Amusement Parks

Six Flags Magic Mountain

Experience adrenaline on upside-down coasters.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (661) 255-4100 | Website | Hours: 10:30 am – 6 pm Sunday-Friday, 10 am – 8 pm Saturday | Entrance: $65, adult, free under 3

Six Flags Magic Mountain is for the more daring kids in your life. While this theme park caters more to older individuals, young ones can still enjoy the park’s kiddie rides like Elmer’s Weather Balloons and Pepe Le Pew’s Tea Party.

Pre-teen, teenager, and young adult adrenaline seekers can take their pick of multiple backward, upside-down, and vertical drop rides at Six Flags. This park is an awesome day trip from Los Angeles, only 1 hour away from downtown.

Universal Studios Hollywood

Discover the secret of movie magic at this Hollywood park.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (800) 864-8377 | Website | Hours: 9 am-8 pm Mon, 10 am-8 pm Tue-Wed, 9 am-7 pm Thu-Fri, 9 am-10 pm Sat, 9 am-9 pm Sun | Entrance: $109, adults, $103, children 3-9, free under 3

Universal Studios Hollywood is a quintessential Hollywood activity that has something for everyone. From a Harry Potter world to a Simpsons land and backlot tours of Hollywood TV studios and movie sets, Universal Studios is the “entertainment capital of LA.”

Because Universal Studios Hollywood is so fun, it can fill to capacity on the weekends, especially in the summer. I recommend visiting during the week for the best possible experience.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park

Play boardwalk games after a full day of surfing.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (831) 423-5590 | Website | Hours: 12 pm-7 pm Saturdays & Sundays only | Entrance: Free

Enjoy California’s largest beach theme park, right on the sand of the Pacific Ocean. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park is similar to the Santa Monica Pier — but tripled in size.

This Northern California destination is one of the best things to do in California. You can play games, ride the Ferris wheel, and satisfy your sweet tooth on the boardwalk theme park, all after a day filled with surfing and sunbathing.

Entrance to the park is free, but most rides cost anywhere from $5 – $20.

Legoland

Enjoy the magical world of Legos at this kid-friendly park.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (888) 690-5346 | Website | Hours: 10 am-5 pm Monday-Thursday, 10 am-6 pm Friday & Sunday, 10am-7pm Saturday | Entrance: $89, adult, free under 3 | 👉 Browse Hotels on Booking

Discover the world as engineered by Legos in the smaller-than-life California theme park. Legoland is the perfect activity to do with young kids in Carlsbad, just outside of San Diego.

Besides small, kid-friendly rides, Legoland also offers hands-on activities like digging for dinosaur bones, rock climbing, and a junior driving school. Prepare for an all-day excursion because your kids won’t want to leave the excitement of Legoland!

Raging Waters

Soak up the sun at California’s largest water park.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: Seasonal, May-September | Entrance: $39.99, adults, free under 3

Raging Waters is the coolest water park in the Inland Empire. Located in San Dimas, this seasonal waterpark has all the top water slides and isn’t overcrowded. Raging Waters is also the largest water park in California and is a must do when visiting in the summer. 

Sesame Place San Diego

Live in Sesame Street for a day with your favorite Sesame Place characters.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (619) 943-3566 | Website | Hours: 10 am-4 pm Saturdays & Sundays only | Entrance: $89.99, adults (kids go free with a paid adult)

Have some fun with Elmo and friends next time you’re in San Diego. This theme park was made especially for little ones.

Go on Sesame Place rides, enjoy a parade, wander around the Sesame Street Neighborhood, and take photos with Sesame characters at this San Diego park. There are also seasonal events at Sesame Place San Diego, like Elmo’s Eggstravaganza and The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular.

Belmont Park

Entertain yourself with rides and attractions right on the beachfront.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (858) 488-1549 | Website | Hours: 11 am-8 pm Sunday-Tuesday & Thursday, 11 am-9 pm Wednesdays, 11 am-10 pm Fridays & Saturdays | Entrance: Free

Enjoy some San Diego beachfront fun at Belmont Park! Smell the sweet, saline ocean air as you twist and turn down the outdoor roller coaster or scale the two-story rock wall.

There’s free parking at this huge beach park, which makes it one of the best free things to do in San Diego. There are also fun laser tag and escape room attractions at Belmont Park, along with delicious restaurants and one-of-a-kind desserts.

California’s Great America

Break up your long CA road trip with a visit to this NorCal park.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (408) 988-1776 | Website | Hours: 10 am-6 pm Saturdays & Sundays | Entrance: $39.99, adults, free under 3

Experience thrill-seeking rides at one of Northern California’s best theme parks. Located near San Jose, California’s Great America offers over 60 rides, from roller coasters to kiddie rides, and even has a waterpark on-site.

The park is open year-round and is a great way to have some fun on a long California road trip.

Museums

La Brea Tar Pits

Learn about ancient, distinct mammals that used to roam California.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (213) 763-3499 | Website | Hours: 9:30 am-5 pm daily | Entrance: $15, adults, $12, seniors & students, $7, children

The La Brea Tar Pits is one of the most unique museums in Los Angeles. The tar pits were created as a result of natural asphalt seeping up from the ground over thousands of years.

Ancient, now-extinct animal footprints and bones have been identified in these tar pits like wooly mammoths and saber tooth tigers. The rare pits display science in action and are present in very few places around the world.

Exploratorium San Francisco

Explore hands-on art and science activities on the SF waterfront.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (415) 528-4444 | Website | Hours: 10 am-5 pm Tuesday-Saturday, 12 pm-5 pm Sundays, Closed Mondays | Entrance: $39.95, adult, $29.95 ages 4-17, free 3 & under

One of the most popular museums in San Francisco, the Exploratorium communicates the relationship between science, art, and human perception to its visitors. It has six galleries of interactive exhibits and plenty of room for kids to run around.

This hands-on museum sits on the waterfront Embarcadero, near other kid-friendly attractions like Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39.

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

Visit the mineral hall or make friends with dinosaurs at this LA museum.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (213) 763-3466 | Website | Hours: 9:30 am-5 pm daily | Entrance: $18, adults, $14, seniors & students, $7, children

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is a fun yet educational experience in the heart of Los Angeles. This is one of the coolest things to do in LA for visitors of all ages.

With exhibitions like the Gem Hall, L.A. Underwater, and Dinosaur Encounters, you can spend hours at the Natural History Museum. I recommend checking out the recently returned First Friday event, an after-hours soiree with live music, topical discussions, and signature cocktails.

Discovery Cube Orange County

Learn about science in a hands-on way.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (714) 542-2823 | Website | Hours: 10 am-5 pm daily | Entrance: $22, adults, $17 3-14, $7, parking

The Discovery Cube Orange County is the top interactive kids’ museum in Orange County. This science center gives kids the unique chance to lay on a bed of nails and experience what an electric shock feels like.

There is also a showtime theater at the museum that showcases educational films.

The Getty

Photograph some of the world’s most famous art.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (310) 440-7300 | Website | Hours: 10 am-5:30 Sun & Tue-Fri, 10 am-8 pm Sat, Closed Mondays | Entrance: Free, $20 parking, $15 after 3 pm

The Getty in Los Angeles displays some of the world’s most famous art from the Middle Ages to today. Collections include works from Pissarro, Van Gogh, and Monet.

The Greek-like architecture of The Getty gives it a regal feel, and the grounds are nothing short of marvelous. The best part about this museum is the free admission.

LACMA

Visit one of the most photographed museums in LA.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (323) 857-6000 | Website | Hours: 11 am-6 pm Monday-Thursday, 11 am-8 pm Fridays, 10 am-7 pm Saturdays & Sundays, Closed Wednesdays | Entrance: $25, adults, $10, ages 3-17

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, or LACMA for short, is the most popular museum in LA for young people. The huge museum is affordable and colorful, and there are many opportunities for a new social media profile photo offered.

Current exhibitions include The Five Directions: Lacquer Through East Asia, Afro-Atlantic Histories, and Pressing Politics: Revolutionary Graphics from Mexico and Germany.

Children’s Creativity Museum

Let your children unleash their creative side through art, gardening, or music.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (415) 820-3320 | Website | Hours: 10 am-4 pm Friday-Sunday | Entrance: $20

The Children’s Creativity Museum is a child’s dream come true. The hands-on environment of the museum is designed to promote creativity in children ages 2-12 through the art lab, community garden, paint studio, and music studio.

Imaginations run wild at this San Francisco museum. Be sure to pack some snacks in a handy lunch box because your children are likely to want to stay here all day.

The Tech Interactive

Explore the ever-evolving world of technology in the heart of Silicon Valley.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (408) 294-8324 | Website | Hours: 10 am – 3 pm Tues – Fri, 10 am – 5 pm Sat, 11 am – 5 pm Sun | Entrance: $34 adults, $28 seniors, students, & children 

You’ll find an excellent technology museum in San Jose, California. Kids can design and test machines in the Tech Studio, solve a cyber mystery in the cybersecurity area, or build a robot to help with a simple task. The Gravity Wall, where you can create a massive ball run, is always a huge hit!

San Diego Natural History Museum

Learn about the unique California natural history.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (619) 232-3821 | Website | Hours: 10 am-5 pm daily | Entrance: $24, adult, $14, ages 3-17, free under 3

This museum might be slightly smaller than the Los Angeles Natural History Museum, but it still displays similar educational exhibits.

Learn about California wildlife from the Caught on Camera display, or about the native flora and fauna of Baja Mexico from the Expedition Baja showroom.

There is also a giant screen theater at this museum, so you can give your feet a rest from exploring the many exhibits.

Turtle Bay Exploration Park

Support a non-profit, conservation wildlife center.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (530) 243-8850 | Website | Hours: 9 am-4 pm Wednesday-Friday, 10 am-4 pm Saturdays & Sundays, Closed Mondays & Tuesdays | Entrance: $20, adult $16 child ages 4-15, free under 4

The Turtle Bay Exploration Park is an underrated museum in Redding, California. Encompassing more than 300 acres, this Northern California park is also a wildlife center, arboretum, and botanical garden. 

Little explorers can participate in an art exhibit every Thursday and animal lovers can watch the park’s Predator vs Prey show each Saturday to learn about fauna survival techniques in the wild.

Sites & Attractions

Oak Glen

Pick the ripest apples in SoCal or try a warm apple pie.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: 24 hours | Entrance: Free | 👉 Browse Hotels

California is full of small-town American places like Oak Glen. Known for delicious warm apple pies and orchard apple picking, Oak Glen is a fun Southern California activity for the whole family.

Little ones enjoy the Oak Glen petting zoo and train ride while older kids can enjoy live music and fresh caramel apples during the peak summer season.

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Hike among basaltic rocks in this volcano park.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (530) 595-4480 | Website | Hours: 24 hours | Entrance: $30 per vehicle, $10 in winter

Lassen Volcanic National Park is a bit off the beaten path but offers a beautiful landscape you won’t find anywhere else in the state. It’s one of the best things to do in Northern California and one of the few places in the world that houses 4 different types of volcanoes.

Hike around volcanic dry lake beds and through pine tree forests for a fun Lassen experience. It’s a great National Park for kids because most hikes are relatively short. Head to Manzanita Lake or Lake Helen for easy walking trails.

Lava Beds National Monument

Discover underground geological wonders near the Oregon state line.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (530) 667-8100 | Website | Hours: Visitor Center 10 am – 4:30 pm daily | Entrance: $25 vehicle pass

Explore these underground caves in northeast California that were made by lava flows from the Medicine Lake Volcano. The park has a variety of caves ranging from easy-to-explore caves where you don’t even have to dip your head to seriously challenging labyrinths. I recommend Skull Cave for the whole family — it’s roomy and has an ice floor!

Sequoia National Park

Camp under the world’s largest trees.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (559) 565-3341 | Website | Hours: 24 hours | Entrance: $35 per vehicle, $30 per motorcycle

Located in Central California only 138 miles southeast of Yosemite, Sequoia National Park is the best place to view the giant trees in California. It’s another great National Park for kids, with tons of amenities like a park shuttle, easy walking paths, and a camp store.

Hike among dense concentrations of sequoias, the largest trees in the world. Be sure to also check out the gateway town to the Sequoias, Three Rivers, for a local brew or a calming dip in the river. This is one of the best California mountain towns and is only minutes from the national park entrance. 

Death Valley National Park

Explore sand dunes and salt flats in this CA desert park.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (760) 786-3200 | Website | Hours: 24 hours | Entrance: $30 per vehicle, $25 per motorcycle

Did you know that Death Valley, California holds the record for the hottest air temperature in the world? This national park is a California gem right off the 395- the Sierra Mountain highway.

Run down Death Valley sand dunes, hike to 11,000 feet, snap a photo of the park’s wild donkeys, or camp under a star-filled sky in Death Valley. Death Valley is one of the best places to camp in California, but visit in the winter or spring for the best experience.

Most importantly, pack plenty of water! The desert heat is no joke, and kids can easily get dehydrated.

Mount Baldy

Shred down the slopes in one of California’s smallest mountain towns.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (909) 982-0800 | Website | Hours: 8:30 am-5 pm daily, Closed Wednesdays | Entrance: $30 per person per chairlift ride

A Southern California mountain gem, Mount Baldy is the highest mountain in Los Angeles County. It’s one of the smallest mountain towns and is home to a booming tourist California ski resort.

Teach your kids how to snowboard, hike with them on one of many Angeles National Forest trails, or play pool in the Mount Baldy Lodge. Mount Baldy is one of the top destinations in the San Gabriel Mountains.

Lake Tahoe

Swim in one of the largest lakes in CA.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: 24 hours | Entrance: Free

Welcome to alpine forest paradise. Lake Tahoe is the ultimate destination for outdoor recreation activities, from winter sports to fishing, mountain biking, and hiking.

This area is the perfect destination to visit with energetic children or adolescents who love sports. Lake Tahoe is one of the best lakes in California and is the largest alpine lake in North America.

Santa Barbara Zoo

Visit native California fauna on the CA coast.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (805) 962-5339 | Website | Hours: 9:30 am-5 pm daily | Entrance: $25, adult, $15, ages 2-12

Only three hours north of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara is a top California beach destination. Switch things up by visiting the Santa Barbara Zoo with your kids next time you’re in town.

The beach is the main activity in this romantic California destination, but the zoo is the most entertaining activity in town for younger kids. Visit native California wildlife at the Santa Barbara Zoo for ultimate family fun.

FAQs About What to Do in California with Kids

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Have fun exploring these things to do in California with kids! Check out my California packing list guide for the perfect trip to the Golden State.

Laura Falin contributed to this list of the best things to do in California with kids.