5 Fun Things To Do With Kids in Los Angeles
My original reason for planning a trip to LA with my son was due to his “obsession” with Michael Jackson when he was seven-years-old. I had the same obsession when I was about that age and I never got to see or do anything that had to do with MJ outside of getting a CD or pretending my snow glove was his iconic sparkling glove. Admit it, you did it to! I know I’m not the only one. Ha!
I thought ‘what better way to see all things MJ then to go to LA’. There are several things in LA to see regarding the late ‘King of Pop’.
But there is SO much more for kids than what I thought there would be!
I made a list of the top things I would recommend doing while visiting LA with your kids. Some are based upon experiences I had while visiting, while others are based solely on research.
1. Los Angeles Museum of Natural History & La Brea Tar Pits
If your kiddos like dinosaurs, look no further than the Museum of Natural History and the La Brea Tar Pits!
This complex was huge and had all sorts natural history wonders. It sat on a beautiful campus with lots of outdoor space that you could easily have had a picnic on before or after if your visit or you can visit the cafeteria which had surprisely good quality food. I highly recommend the Hawaiian pizza (if you like that sort of thing). The lower level had a lot of hands-on activities for kids itching to dig in to science and history.
We purchased a Go City pass that included admission to the museum as well as many of our other activities. (Be sure to check out the link on my page! You can save a lot of money! And not just in LA!) Tickets for both museums are approximately $15.00 each without the Go City Pass. Don’t forget about parking fees. That will just depend on where you are able to find parking.
The tar pits are about a 20 minute drive from the NHM so we did it on a separate day when we were already going to be nearby on Hollywood Boulevard. It has an outdoor pit area as well as park and a museum that kids can watch paleontologists clean and conserve fossils as well as many other exhibits.
2. Warner Bros Studio Tour
If your kids like super heroes like DC and Marvel, or are huge fans of Harry Potter; this tour will not disappoint. Not only are the tour guides extremely nice and hilarious, but the atmosphere is incredibly exciting. This was one of the only studios I found that would allow kids under the age of 12 in for their tours. At the time, my son was nine so this was a no brainer but I’m so glad it worked out that way.
The boys were able to try their hand at different animation used within the studios as well as see how things, such as sounds (music and other audio) come together in movies and shows. We got to see the live working set of “The Big Bang Theory” show which is one of our favs!
This was also included on our Go City Pass. It was so easy to walk in, show them our pass, and they booked us the next available tour which was maybe a 15 minute wait. I do believe the policy has changed a bit and you will have to call to reserve a time even if you have the Go City Pass. Without the Go City Pass, tickets can be purchased for a basic studio tour for $59/child and $69/adult. It is about 3 hours long, 2 hours of it being taken around by a tour guide on golf cart type “bus” and the other hour exploring around areas on your own. This is something I will do again when we return to Los Angeles!
3. The Griffith Observatory
This is one thing that we didn’t do that I really wish we had! Frankly, I thought it was just a place to see the iconic Hollywood sign and we already had a traumatic experience trying to “get” to the sign. Okay, not really traumatic but it was not a comfortable experience, let’s just say that.
To say the least, after researching it, it has way more than just a way to observe the Hollywood sign. It has a beautiful building that houses the planetarium, a gorgeous few of the city, and different scheduled activities based on the time or day. Things such as Star Parties, a sunset walk and talk, and demonstrations on how you can make a comet with common household items! How cool is that? I don’t know about your kids, but my son is always up for a cool science experiment.
Admission is free, however there will be fees to park (of course). Tickets to the planetarium shows are anywhere for $3 – $7 based on age. Kids under 5 are free! I have not been able to find out how much the parking is but based on other parking experiences, I would plan for anywhere between $10-$20.
This is definitely one of the first things we will do when we return to Los Angeles in the future.
4. LA Zoo or San Diego Zoo
Whether you want to stay within Los Angeles County, or don’t mind venturing out a bit (about two hours), visiting the LA Zoo or the San Diego Zoo is another activity I wish we would have done. Heck, if you really want to be adventurous, you could even visit both if you have the time! Both zoos are included on the LA Go City Pass so which ever you choose, or if you choose to be both you will be covered.
Both seem to have much of the same animals to admire, but upon my research San Diego seems to have a few more attractions and is a good bit bigger. Bigger means more expensive too, as it’s ticket prices are 3x as much as the LA Zoo so keep that in mind if you are on a tight budget. LA Zoo is around $20 per person, whereas San Diego is a little over $60. And don’t forget the ever so expensive LA parking fees that wrecks havoc on the penny pinchers of the world. BUT don’t forget to check the Go City passes to see if this will help you save some money based on what activities you are planning for your visit to LA. Don’t forget to plan for meals too as we all know those can be expensive within the confines of zoos and amusement parks!
5. Santa Monica Pier
Again, another place I wish we would’ve had time to visit.
The Santa Monica Pier has lots to offer! Not only is it on the beach where you can take in the Pacific Ocean, but it offers the Pacific Park — an amusement park with a Ferris wheel, roller coaster, and other fair type rides and games. An arcade, an aquarium, and even a trapeze school is hidden within the pier. You can also see where the iconic Route 66 ends and visit the shop dedicated to it. There is just so. much. there! You can easily make a day out of visiting the Santa Monica beach and pier! Price will vary based on what you want to do at the pier. I was unable to get pricing for Pacific Park as it is closed due to COVID and it will not allow me to see typical prices. I check back periodically and will update the blog post with the information as it becomes available to me.
I hope this post has helped you decided on some fun things to do with your kids when you visit Los Angeles.
Don’t forget to check out the link below and see if the Go City Pass is right for you! Not only do they have passes for Los Angeles, New York, Boston, and other cities in the United States, but also countries all over the world and adding more all the time! Check it out!
