Family travel in Los Angeles

The short answer to this question is yes! Thanks to the fact that LA enjoys almost year-round sunshine, outdoor activities are never off the table in this city – there aren’t many other places where you can still go on a trip to the beach or hike outdoors in the winter. There’s plenty to keep kids occupied indoors too, from first-class museums to excellent aquariums. Naturally, there are some places in the city that are less kid-friendly than others, but generally, children are welcome everywhere and you can expect to find them in all of LA’s diverse neighborhoods.

There’s so much to see and do in this sprawling Southern Californian city that no one neighborhood is better for families than another – from the golden sand beaches of Santa Monica and Malibu in the west to the outdoor wonderland of Griffith Park in the east, kids will find something to delight and enthrall them wherever they are. That being said, there are a few particularly kid-friendly attractions that are not to be missed – read on to find out what they are.

They don’t call it the happiest place on earth for nothing – a visit to Disneyland is at the top of most kids’ wish lists, but grown-ups can rest assured they will have just as much fun here as the little ones. Situated in Anaheim, around an hour’s drive from LA, this was the first of the Disney-branded theme parks to be built and remains the most charming, filled with great rides, spectacular parades and firework displays. The only hard part will be getting the kids to leave.

If Disneyland is the theme park of choice for younger children, Universal Studios is where the bigger kids come into their own. Teens will love checking out all the rides and roller coasters, while Potter fans will be in their element exploring The Wizarding World, which features many of the sets and locations from the films. Cinema-loving youngsters will also enjoy the studio tour, where they’ll get to learn all about how movie magic is made.

A visit to Santa Monica Pier is a must if you’re traveling with kids – they’ll love it for the fun fairground rides and arcade games, while the adults will adore the breathtaking ocean views. Don’t miss the chance to take a ride on the Pacific Wheel, the world’s first and only solar-powered Ferris wheel. From the top, you’ll be able to take in staggering views over the LA coastline and mountains.

Though the sights, smells and sounds of buzzy Venice Beach might be a little overwhelming for younger travelers, teens and pre-teens will love experiencing the area’s distinctly bohemian vibe. Head to the beach where you can catch all sorts of performers on the boardwalk, before picking up some beaded bracelets from a hippy stall and stopping to watch the skaters do tricks in the skate park.

Spread across 4,000 acres, Griffith Park is an outdoor wonderland for kids. There are so many brilliant things to see and do here you’ll probably have to come back for more than one visit. Top of the list should be a visit to the excellent Los Angeles Zoo, where the kids can spot elephants, giraffes and tigers, while a visit to the Griffith Observatory is also a must – little ones will be particularly enchanted by the planetarium. They’ll also love checking out Shane’s Inspiration playground, the first universally accessible playground in the Western US.

You can’t come to Los Angeles without making a trip to the Hollywood Sign or taking a stroll along the Walk of Fame. Older kids will enjoy the invigorating hike up to the sign through Griffith Park, while the whole family can get on board with hunting for their favorite stars along Hollywood Boulevard. If you have some particularly celeb-obsessed teens in tow, it might also be fun to book a Hollywood celebrity homes tour, where you can spot A-listers’ mega mansions from an open-top bus.

When there’s an entire museum dedicated to kids, you know it’s guaranteed to be a fun day out. There’s something to occupy children of all ages at this popular Pasadena spot, from music classes and story time to engaging interactive displays and water play. There’s always something new here depending on what time of year you come, whether that’s a bug safari or an outdoor exhibit where children can learn about the farm-to-table movement.

This kid-friendly museum in Exposition Park brings science to glorious life through its clever exhibits dedicated to life sciences, human innovation and powered flight. But the real highlight is the Space Shuttle Endeavour, one of only four space shuttles nationwide, which kids can view and use to learn all about life in space.

During the last Ice Age, asphalt bubbled from the ground in this stretch of Wilshire Boulevard, trapping saber-toothed tigers, mammoths and giant sloths in its mire. Excavations are still going on to uncover fossils of new plants and animals, and kids will love being able to tour the active tar pits and watch the pros at work. Afterward, head inside to check out the hundreds of fossils on display in the museum.

There are plenty of different ways to get around LA with kids, from renting bikes to cycle along the oceanfront paths in the beach cities to hopping on the subway or one of the many buses that weave through the city. If you’re heading out of town, there are also lots of trains that will offer a quick and easy way to get to neighboring spots like San Diego and Santa Barbara.

However, given LA’s sprawling nature and the fact that its key sights and attractions are dotted all over the city, it may be worth hiring a car for your trip. There’s nothing like having the ability to hop from one place to another in your own car whenever you please, particularly when you have kids in tow.