Spend quality time with your kids in Los Angeles over the weekend with these refreshing outings, including free and paid selections. Take some time together to get out of the house and create lasting memories.
Los Angeles has activities for the whole family, including educational destinations like the Cayton Children's Museum and Discovery Cube Los Angeles, team-building challenges at Quest Room Escape Rooms, and outdoor exploration at Manhattan Beach and Santa Monica Pier.
Kids of all ages will enjoy the excitement of these weekend activities in Los Angeles. This is where the fun begins!
1. Santa Monica Pier
The famous Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles offers a wealth of fun for the whole family. Come for an incredible day of carnival rides, games, and tasty dishes from the food court.
This pier is one of the most photographed locations in the world. Take a selfie overlooking the Pacific Coast while riding the pier's incredible Ferris wheel, or snap a photo of your favorite street performer.
Open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., the Santa Monica Pier has plenty of space to walk or relax on the beach. Heal the Bay Aquarium is open on the weekends from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., and is sure to bring joy to your kids. For the more active group, rent bikes and ride around the area.
No matter what you choose to do, this place is stocked full of pastimes that won’t disappoint!
2. Cayton Children's Museum
Cayton Children's Museum consists of 2,100 square feet of discovery-based exhibits, making it a great indoor weekend kids’ activity. It has a real helicopter, a child-sized marketplace, an art studio, and even a theater.
Cayton Children's Museum is open between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the weekends. Plan to stay all day to allow the kids as much time as possible to enjoy the countless play options!
3. Quest Room Escape Rooms
Families looking for a way to escape the weather, seeking high-quality entertainment, or who want a memorable challenge should try an escape room. Our games offer unforgettable memories and top-notch family fun, making them one of the best activities to do with kids in Los Angeles.
Our Hollywood-quality escape room venues offer scenarios for the whole family. If you want kid-friendly escape rooms, we recommend the magical Spell Breakers, candy-themed Kablam, or seabound adventure Pirates: Wanted! Choose a challenge, prepare your crew, and race against the clock to solve the puzzles. Expect intricate and elaborate sets, with costumed actors in some games.
4. Long Beach Convention Center
The Long Beach Convention Center has been the hub of live entertainment since 1962. They have hosted big names like the Rolling Stones and Jerry Seinfeld. From symphonies to Monster Trucks, popular musicians to actors, the Long Beach Convention Center hosts a plethora of entertaining weekend kid-friendly options.
Check out their calendar to plan your visit, and grab tickets beforehand to make sure your group is seated together. This Los Angeles entertainment venue does not disappoint!
5. Manhattan Beach
Manhattan Beach is a classic California beach with volleyball, surfers, and plenty of sand for sunbathing. Enjoy a jog, walk, run, or bike ride down the South Bay Bicycle Trail. This relaxing Los Angeles spot will get the kids outdoors for some rest and recreation. Bring sunscreen, picnic baskets, a volleyball, and good vibes to this 2-mile stretch of beachfront paradise.
6. Discovery Cube Los Angeles
Discovery Cube Los Angeles boasts over 50 interactive science-based exhibits. This destination is a great place for kids to learn about science while getting some energy out!
On Saturday nights, Discovery Cube Los Angeles offers overnight experiences for families to interact with exhibits in a whole new way. This unique option includes pizza, snacks, and hands-on activities curated just for kids.
Need somewhere for a weekend birthday party? Discovery Cube Los Angeles’ birthday parties come with all-day museum passes for everyone. Your group is sure to make unforgettable memories!
7. Skirball Cultural Center
The Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles is a meeting place for people to learn and participate in cultural experiences together. The activities cover a wide variety of subject matter, from historical figures and social movements to fine arts and pop culture.
The Skirball Cultural Center is open weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Kids enjoy walking through the beautiful grounds and exploring the many indoor exhibits. However, the most popular activity for kids at the center is the Noah's Ark Exhibit. Here, children explore and enjoy hands-on learning with animal unloading slides, a giant olive tree, secret burrows, water play, and more.
The Skirball Cultural Center is much more than an art museum; it is a gathering place for all!
8. Los Angeles Botanical Gardens
The Arboretum Botanical Gardens in Los Angeles comprises 127 acres of plants, natural landscapes, wildlife, and historic buildings. Learn about plants from all over the world and even some of California's history as you and the kids enjoy the beautiful outdoor landscapes.
Fresh outdoor air, exercise, and beauty collide at this popular destination. For kids who are getting tired of walking or just need a break, there are tram tours throughout the day that drive you all over the grounds. Remind kids not to touch, feed, or chase the wildlife as the Arboretum Botanical Gardens are home to a wide variety of animals.
9. Griffith Observatory
The Griffith Observatory is Southern California's gateway to the sky. Kids love looking through the telescopes, exploring exhibits, and seeing live shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium. Learn about unusual sights in the sky, how the seasons change, and so much more!
After you get your fill of everything Griffith Observatory has to offer, grab snacks or a drink and head out to view the iconic Hollywood sign. Kids and adults will love amazing views overlooking Los Angeles as well as the views of space.
10. Underwood Family Farms
Underwood Family Farms is a pick-your-own, farmer's market, and animal center 50 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. This fully operational working farm produces field-fresh produce, jarred products, snacks, and other specialty items. It hosts yearly festivals that both kids and adults will love.
This destination boasts a petting zoo with many kinds of animals, including baby goats, chicks, ponies, emus, turkeys, a baby pig, and more! Tractor-drawn wagon rides and an animal show are included with admission fees.
11. Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is the largest museum in the United States that is dedicated to the arts, sciences, and moviemaking artists. It houses over 13 million objects from notable films, including costumes, props, film reels, posters, and more.
The museum also houses two state-of-the-art theaters and an Oscar experience where you can hold a real Oscar statue for memorable photos. Movie-themed exhibitions are also available for hands-on interaction.
12. Dockweiler Youth Center
Dockweiler Beach has a youth center that offers free admission to many community activities. From Zumba and yoga on the beach to family-friendly movie screenings, this youth center is a perfect spot for weekend fun with kids.
Some families choose to stay right on the beach in an RV over the weekend for an up-close ocean experience. Kids love waking up to the sound of the waves just yards away. Grab your lawn chairs, some grub, and head down to Dockweiler Beach Youth Center for a relaxing weekend outing.
13. Old Town Orange
Old Town Orange is the heart of the city of Orange, California. Close to Los Angeles, this area is great for a stroll through a peaceful old town filled with antique shops, boutique stores, and other specialty marts that line the Plaza. This historic district is known for its appearance in several television shows, including "Parks and Recreation."
14. San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo is about a 125-mile drive from Los Angeles, but it's totally worth the trip! This zoo is ranked as the best zoo in the United States. It houses over 12,000 animals and sits on over 100 acres of land. Many visitors have named it the best zoo in the world. From wildlife presentations to a Skyfari Aerial Tram, the San Diego Zoo is definitely one of the most fun things to do near Los Angeles over the weekend.
San Diego Zoo offers several upgrade experiences for kids who are huge animal lovers and want to get a close-up view. Learn all about the pandas, or receive behind-the-scenes info about animal care. Younger kids, especially, will enjoy riding on the Balboa Park Miniature Train for a 4-minute half-mile loop through Balboa Park.
Have a Blast This Weekend in LA
There are many options for fun weekend activities in Los Angeles with kids. Some families want to get outside to swim at the beach, explore the sky, or walk through botanical gardens. Others would rather find an exciting indoor activity like an escape game, a city children's museum, or a science exhibit.
Whatever your kids are especially interested in, this list is full of options for family fun located all around the Los Angeles area. Pack your day bags and head out to make meaningful memories the kids will never forget!