California with Kids – An Unforgettable Family Trip
Thinking about spending time in California with the kids, heading to Disneyland, then traveling to the beautiful San Francisco and hopping to Napa Valley for wine tasting? It's possible… but remember! The trip with the kids is an art of balancing between what the parents want and fulfilling the demands of the kids (but you can enjoy it too ????).
Here are 8 major attractions we think are perfect for a family day out with kids in California:
- Disneyland in Anaheim
- Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles
- The zoo and museums of Balboa Park in San Diego
- The national park Yosemite
- Skiing or a summer nature trip at Lake Tahoe or Mammoth Mountain
- SeaWorld in San Diego
- The pier and the beach of Santa Monica
- Fisherman's Wharf and Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco
- The Joshua Tree National Park
- The museums of the Miracle Mile in Los Angeles
Click here for planning a travel itinerary in California and professional consultation…
What to do with kids in California?
1. Disneyland in Anaheim
Disneyland Park in Anaheim was the birthplace of the entire world of themed amusement parks back in 1955. Over the years, the park rightly earned the reputation of the happiest place on earth and became an integral part of the Disney brand.
In the early '90s, the lone park transformed into a large resort – Disneyland Resort, inspired by Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Another theme park opened as well – Disney California Adventure Park, along with themed hotels and Downtown Disney. Today, the entire area is one of the most popular tourist destinations in California and Los Angeles, attracting an enormous number of visitors of all ages.
The Disneyland Resort includes two theme parks:
Adjacent to the parks is Downtown Disney – an entertainment center and mall, a great place to enjoy the evening. Nearby, there are also three themed Disney hotels.
Click here for a list of 8 excellent hotels near Disneyland in Anaheim…
2. Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles
Universal Studios Hollywood is a highly popular themed amusement park just a short drive from Hollywood. Based on the historic working studios of the Universal production company, the park offers all the fun and experiences of the movies produced by the company. The rides include adventures set in the scenery of some of the world's most famous movies and TV shows like The Simpsons, Jurassic World, Harry Potter, and more.
Click here to purchase entry tickets for Universal Studios Hollywood…
Click here to purchase the VIP ticket for Universal Studios Hollywood (it's pricey but worth it!!!)…
3. The San Diego Zoo and Museums of Balboa Park
Balboa Park is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in California. The park hosts the popular San Diego Zoo, the largest urban zoo in the world. The zoo was built as part of the Panama-California Exposition and the expo pavilions have now become home to the city's important museums. Along El Prado Avenue stand the significant city and county museums, serving as a major visiting site together with the zoo.
San Diego Zoo opened in 1916. The zoo spans nearly a thousand acres and houses 650 different species of animals and more than 3,500 individual animals. It is considered the largest urban zoo in the world in terms of its area and one of the largest in the world in terms of its animal collection.
Click here to purchase online tickets to the San Diego Zoo…
12 Must-See Attractions in Balboa Park, San Diego
- San Diego Zoo
- San Diego Museum of Art
- Timken Museum
- Japanese Friendship Garden
- Botanical Building and Gardens
- San Diego Natural History Museum
- San Diego Air & Space Museum
- Fleet Science Center
- San Diego Model Railroad Museum
- San Diego Automotive Museum
- The Comic-Con Museum
- The Museum of Man
4. Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is one of the most popular natural expanses in the USA. Just a three-hour drive from San Francisco lies the breathtaking Yosemite Valley with iconic peaks such as El Capitan and Half Dome, a series of recognized tall waterfalls along the Merced River and its mountain tributaries, dome peaks of unique monoliths, and a great many tourists flocking to its magical valleys every summer. Yosemite Park is famous for the geological structure of its glacial valley and its legendary hiking trails.
Click here for a list of 8 comfortable lodge hotels near Yosemite National Park…
5. Ski or Summer Nature Trip at Lake Tahoe or Mammoth Mountain
Lake Tahoe is a mountainous lake on the border between California and Nevada, not far from Nevada's capital Carson City and the casino city of Reno. It's an alpine-type lake nearly 1900 meters high in the lofty Sierra Nevada range. Today, Lake Tahoe is one of California's main vacation and tourism destinations, surrounded by dozens of resorts and ski areas in the surrounding mountains.
Mammoth Mountain is a massive ski resort in the Sierra Nevada range, not far from Yosemite Park. The huge Mammoth Lakes is a town bustling with activity during the ski season, home to popular and luxurious resorts. From the town, cable cars ascend to the extensive ski network on the peak of the mountain. The peak of Mammoth Mountain is about 3370 meters above sea level. It's one of the largest and most prestigious ski resorts in the Sierra Nevada range.
6. SeaWorld San Diego
SeaWorld San Diego is a massive theme park from the popular network, located in the northern part of the city. The park combines aquariums and habitats for marine mammals and large fish, as well as a popular amusement park with roller coasters and other rides. The amusement park includes a wide variety of roller coasters at different speeds, including some on the more extreme side of the spectrum. There are also plenty of other attractions like a Ferris wheel, drop rides, and more.
In the aquarium section, there are 19 different segments where you can see fish and marine mammals. The most popular among them are:
- The dolphin aquarium and the dolphin show
- The killer whale aquarium, where orcas (including a famous orca named Shamu, who became the park's symbol, performed for years). The Orca Encounter, the park's famous show, also takes place in this aquarium
- Sea lions and seals aquarium
Click here to purchase online tickets for the wonderful SeaWorld in San Diego…
7. The Pier and Beach of Santa Monica
The Santa Monica Pier is one of the most fun places in the greater Los Angeles metropolis. It offers a perfect mix of everything that defines California – a sandy beach, stunning sea views, the iconic scenery of the Santa Monica Mountains to the north, attractions, restaurants, entertainment venues, and a dreamy sunset. The pier is located opposite Colorado Avenue, slightly south of Santa Monica Boulevard and the Santa Monica Place Mall.
Attractions at the pier include the aquarium and the small amusement park Pacific Park with a fast roller coaster, a Ferris wheel, and a wide variety of attractions for kids and families. At the end of the pier, there are restaurants and a place to sit and enjoy the sunset.
The Heal the Bay Aquarium in Santa Monica is located at the western end of Colorado Avenue. It's not a large aquarium but perfect for kids, with an interesting collection of marine life native to this part of the Pacific Ocean. You can see several shark species, types of octopuses, and plenty of fish at the aquarium.
Click here for a list of 14 great hotels in Los Angeles…
8. Fisherman's Wharf and Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco
Fisherman's Wharf is a super fun travel area in the northern part of San Francisco, brimming with a great variety of attractions and entertainment venues. The heart of the district is Pier 39, designed as an open mall resembling a fishing village. Its appearance is more reminiscent of Disney worlds than an urban space, featuring tightly packed wooden buildings housing excellent restaurants, shops, and entertainment spots, all on a massive deck floor.
The pier offers a wealth of attractions for kids and the whole family, such as a small amusement park with a popular carousel, cool souvenir shops, outdoor performances, and all the fun for a family outing. At the end of the pier, there is an observation deck overlooking herds of sea lions and seals, perhaps the most fun attraction in San Francisco for kids and the young at heart. Nearby, at the pier's end, is a large observation deck where the heart of San Francisco currently stands, offering a stunning view of the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge on the horizon. On the side of the pier, there is a fishermen’s wharf.
Throughout the district, there are many more attractions for kids such as the Madame Tussauds museum in San Francisco, the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Musée Mécanique, and the ships at Pier 45. A little to the west, Ghirardelli Square sits in the southern part of Aquatic Cove, inside the large factory building that once was the chocolate manufacturing site of the company. The entire factory underwent a restoration process and turned from a gray place into a sort of open mall with restaurants, entertainment spots, and the company's chocolate shops, now controlled by Swiss giant Lindt.
Click here to purchase online tickets for the San Francisco Wax Museum…
Click here to purchase online tickets for the San Francisco Maritime Museum…
9. Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park is a breathtaking desert nature experience just a short drive from Los Angeles. It's one of the most popular national parks in the United States, mainly due to its proximity to the famous resort city Palm Springs down the hill in the Coachella Valley. The park is situated on an elevated plateau at an average height of one kilometer in a rain shadow desert. It is characterized by stunning geological formations full of bizarre-looking boulders and lush desert vegetation, especially the unique Joshua trees and various species of cacti endemic to the area.
Click here for a list of 10 resorts for a vacation in Palm Springs (near Joshua Tree Park)…
10. The Miracle Mile Museums in Los Angeles
Miracle Mile is the most intense museum area in Los Angeles. The most fascinating place for kids in all of Los Angeles is the Los Angeles County Tar Pits, the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, which operates at an active paleontological site. Over the years, paleontological findings such as dinosaur fossils and those of other ancient creatures have been discovered in the asphalt pool. The famous exhibit at the museum is the skeleton of the Columbian mammoth beside a full-sized reconstruction of the massive mammoth.
Click here to purchase online tickets for La Brea Tar Pits…
The most important museum of the Miracle Mile is the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, home to a large European art collection. Nearby, additional museums have opened such as the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and the Petersen Automotive Museum. Just north, The Grove's Farmers Market has become one of the most attractive leisure areas in Los Angeles.
Click here to purchase tickets online for the Petersen Automotive Museum…
5 Tips from Guy for a Family Trip in California
California is the embodiment of the American dream, a state that offers everything for both adults and kids. The Golden State, bathed in sunlight, has plenty to see and do with the children. From Disney and Universal theme parks to dreamy beaches and vibrant boardwalks. From the massive San Diego Zoo and the enormous SeaWorld to the delightful urban experience in beautiful San Francisco. From cold national parks with snowy views to stunning desert national parks perfect for camping and stargazing.
When planning travel itineraries with kids, there are a few basic rules that you should definitely apply:
- Flight comfort – The flight to Los Angeles or San Francisco is tough even for adults without kids. 16 hours in the air, not to mention the layover in Europe or New York, is no picnic. You'll need to figure out how to entertain the kids and survive the flight, including getting some sleep.
- Smooth Landing – As you land in California, you start to feel the jet lag. The time difference affects adults and can really influence kids too. The solution is to have the most relaxed first day you can, with lots of sleep and adjusting sleeping habits to California time.
- Don’t Overload – Maybe you thought you could cover both Disneyland parks in Anaheim in one day… well, think again. When traveling with kids, whether they're big or small, it’s crucial to plan a very spacious schedule and not try to cram all of California in one go.
- Kid’s Daily Schedule – When touring California with kids, it’s a good idea to have a very clear daily routine (with lots of breaks for rest and fun), but also plenty of flexibility within that structure. Start the day with a major, well-defined attraction, and then make sure each day is light-hearted, with lots of fresh air, food options, and a half-hour ice cream break along the canal.
- Don’t improvise a travel itinerary – Traveling abroad is like diving into unknown territory. Even if it's not your first time in Italy, surprises are always around the corner. It's crucial to ensure that the main attraction of the day is open and operational. Arriving at closed gates is frustrating for parents and truly tests kids' patience. Know exactly where you're heading and, more importantly, where you’ll eat and rest afterwards!!
