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07 Oct, 2025
9 min read
Date Updated: 07 Oct, 2025

Family-Friendly Thanksgiving Activities in Los Angeles

Things to do in los angeles thanksgiving weekend | Questroom

Los Angeles offers a wide array of family-friendly activities over the Thanksgiving weekend. Families from LA and abroad will enjoy the holiday by making memories together at exciting, iconic, and noteworthy spots in the LA area. Activities include 5ks, escape rooms, studio tours, and even a Thanksgiving cruise! Thanksgiving in LA is not complete without some amazing food. Savor delicious flavors with unforgettable California vibes. Los Angeles has the food and fun you need to make this Thanksgiving weekend the most festive yet.

1. Inn of the Seventh Ray

Thanksgiving dinner is the star of the show at this locally sourced, elegant restaurant. Inn of the Seventh Ray is located in Topanga and is the perfect spot for a mouthwatering family Thanksgiving meal. It is recommended to purchase your reservation far in advance to claim your spot. There are both indoor and outdoor seating options, and the atmosphere includes candlelight, waterfalls, and grand sycamore trees. The Inn's unforgettable five-course Thanksgiving menu has included house-smoked salmon rillette, wild mushroom and truffle soup, apple cider-brined Mary's free-range turkey, green apple, and fresh roasted chestnut stuffing, and Vermont maple cheesecake with champagne berries. Consider booking your family meal on a Sunday or Friday if you can't attend on Thanksgiving Day. This November, have the best meal of your life at the Inn of the Seventh Ray.

2. Quest Room Escape Rooms

Our escape room company is cinema-quality and one of the most immersive in Los Angeles. Don't just sit around after lunch; get up and make some unforgettable family memories. Our escape rooms have over 10,000 5-star ratings due to our engaging performances, live actors, creative challenges, and competitive pricing. Players choose their genre and level, so even escape room beginners will find a suitable challenge. Each kid-friendly escape room is around one hour long. Because Quest Room is so popular, it is recommended to make a reservation before you come. This allows us to save your spots and make sure that your party gets to play the escape room together. Remember: No cameras, smartwatches, or phones are allowed in the escape rooms! If you are looking for family-friendly things to do in Los Angeles over Thanksgiving weekend, look no further than Quest Room!

3. The Rose Bowl Turkey Trot & The Drumstick Dash

The Rose Bowl Turkey Trot is a festive yearly holiday 5k walk, trot, or run that the whole family can participate in. This event is located at Rose Bowl Stadium in the city of Pasadena and is one of the top fun thing to do in Los Angeles in November. There is no age limit for this activity, and kids 0-9 years old participate for free! Ages 10 and up do require a registration payment to run, but prices are reasonable and proceeds are 100% tax-deductible and go to the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation. The Drumstick Dash is L.A.'s largest 5k/10k run. Consider wearing a festive outfit because this race has a fun costume contest! The Drumstick Dash also has live DJs and a Lil Gobblers Race. All proceeds from the race go to providing over 2 million meals for the homeless. Both runs happen on Thursday morning, so try one this year and switch it up next year! This Thanksgiving morning, get some tennis shoes, your family, and run in the sun for a beautiful start to your Thanksgiving Day.

4. Universal Studios & Warner Bros Studios

Universal Studios is a popular theme park for the whole family that blends popular entertainment with behind-the-scenes movie experiences. Spend Thanksgiving Day at one of the most popular holiday activities in the city. Universal Studios showcases top motion pictures with stellar attractions like Jurassic World - The Ride, Kung Fu Panda Adventure, Transformers: The Ride 3D, and The Revenge of the Mummy - The Ride. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a super popular attraction that includes a Hogwarts castle to explore and a ride called The Flight of the Hippogriff. A world-famous studio tour is included with the purchase of your theme park ticket. This hour-long tour will show you the behind-the-scenes on how movie directors and set designers bring stories to life. Universal Studios is $99 per child ticket, but there are group rates for groups of over 10. Warner Bros Studios in Hollywood is one of the busiest working studios in LA. Your Warner Bros tour will consist of viewing backlots, the Friends famous water fountain photo op, an interactive soundstage, and Big Bang Theory sets. Consider getting your extended family together for a Thanksgiving activity for the books!

5. Marina Del Rey Dinner Cruise

Cruise around the Marina Del Rey harbor while enjoying a chef-prepared dinner and stunning beachfront sights. This stunning evening cruise offers a succulent Thanksgiving dinner buffet on select nights, which includes all the fixings like turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, candied yams, bread, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and so much more! Guests have fantastic views of the Southern California world-famous beaches and pristine harbor views during the cruise. Adults will enjoy a full-service bar with seasonal cocktails. Each ticket also includes unlimited coffee, hot and cold teas, and water. This 2.5-hour cruise offers live music for a relaxing family evening. Be sure to make reservations in advance.

6. Aquarium of the Pacific

The Aquarium of the Pacific features wildlife from the northern, southern, and tropical California regions and is an exciting way to spend time with your family on Thanksgiving Day. Both kids and adults love seeing the wide variety of creatures, including sea otters, frogs, sea jellies, and even sharks! The aquarium offers a rooftop veranda for a quiet place to relax and take in ocean views. It is required to make a free online reservation for both holiday and weekend visits. Reservations are worth it to spend your time together in this fun spot that features over 100 exhibits and 19 major habitats. Make sure to grab a spot at a daily aquarium show where you learn all about sea otters, fish, sea lions, and more!

7. Santa Monica Pier

Santa Monica Pier offers food, games, stores, and amusement rides for all ages. The kids especially love the amusement rides, street food, and games, while adults check out the local vendors. Be sure to take time to enjoy the views from the top of the iconic Ferris wheel. The ride is even decorated in a special Thanksgiving-themed light display every year that usually runs through the holiday. Whether it's Thanksgiving Thursday, Friday, Sunday, or any day in between, check out Santa Monica for fun all November long!

8. Hollywood Blvd

Hollywood Blvd features the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the El Capitan Theatre, Madame Tussauds Hollywood, and the Starline Tours of Hollywood. Families choose from several fun activities over the Thanksgiving holiday season. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a great idea for an after-lunch stroll through the city with family. Try to find your favorite celebrity's name and snap a selfie. If you want to get up close and personal with a celebrity look-alike, check out Madame Tussauds Hollywood. This museum of wax celebrity look-alikes is super fun for memorable selfies. Take photos with Hollywood A-listers, movie stars, music popstars, and famous classic movie actors. This museum opens at 10 am and the last entry is 8 pm. The whole family will have a blast visiting these celebrity spots on Hollywood Blvd!

9. Griffith Park

Griffith Park is a 4,200-acre municipal park in the Santa Monica mountain range. Griffith Park offers acres and acres of natural landscape, but also hosts many family-friendly activities to enjoy over Thanksgiving. Places to check out include the Bronson Caves, the Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood sign, the L.A. Equestrian Center, the L.A. Zoo, and golf. The LA Zoo is closed on Thanksgiving Day, but is open for regular hours every other day of the year except Christmas Day. There are over 270 species, including 60 endangered species, to view. View amazing exhibits that teach about gorillas, chimpanzees, snakes, monkeys, and orangutans. Friends and family alike love a day out at Griffith Park.

10. Descanso Gardens

Descanso Gardens consists of 150 acres of beautiful paths, woodlands, gardens, and colorful native flowers. This November is a great time to take a long walk through the trails, snap photos of the flora, or rest under a shady tree with a family picnic. Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy a peaceful afternoon outdoors.

11. Downtown Los Angeles in November

Downtown Los Angeles offers many activities, including the Los Angeles Convention Center, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and The Broad. Take the family for a concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall the day after Thanksgiving, or enjoy free admission to view creative art displays at the Broad. Note: The Broad is closed on Mondays and both Christmas and Thanksgiving Day.

12. Festive Winter Wonderland Disneyland

Disneyland is a world-famous theme park located 30 miles from LA. Families who want to take advantage of this amazing, magical place that is open on both Christmas and Thanksgiving Day. Get in a festive spirit and enjoy beautiful holiday decor while you have a once-in-a-lifetime Disney experience. Disneyland offers seasonal marching bands, holiday-themed entertainment, a nightly "snowfall," and live entertainment. The whole family will enjoy memorable enchanted night walks, parades on select nights, and unforgettable amusement experiences. Disneyland hosts jaw-dropping rides, including Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Space Mountain, and the Pirates of the Caribbean. Soarin' Around the World and Star Tours - the Adventure Continues offer simulated flight experiences. The possibilities are endless at Disney! Plan ahead for an exciting Thanksgiving outing the whole family will remember forever.

Los Angeles on Thanksgiving Weekend and Beyond

Los Angeles is one of the top 10 most popular Thanksgiving destinations to enjoy the holiday season. Local families love finding new ways to spend quality time off together throughout the long weekend holiday. Those who are coming in from out of town are equally thrilled to explore the activities available during Thanksgiving. Sophisticated Thanksgiving meals, breathtaking holiday dinner cruises, Hollywood-quality escape rooms, and the iconic Santa Monica Ferris wheel are all exciting possibilities for you this holiday season. Make some lasting memories this Thanksgiving by taking part in the many family-friendly activities in LA!

Ivan is an expert in escape room design and development for almost a decade. He and his team have developed dozens of 5-star escape rooms across multiple genres in the United States, focusing on amazing live experience and unforgettable storytelling.

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