A visit to Los Angeles can be a truly spellbinding experience for children. In a city built to entertain, kids are sure to be enthralled with the wide variety of family attractions and carnival-like atmosphere that permeates much of the city. With dozens of districts, each with their own unique set of sights and attractions, the list of sites to see is endless. Here are three sure-fire ways to have a memorable family trip to Los Angeles.
Theme parks
Although Orlando is renowned as a kids paradise for entertainment resorts and family attractions, Los Angeles’ broad range of theme parks is arguably far more impressive. Undoubtedly, the most famous and popular of them all is still Disneyland Resort, located just south of LA in Anaheim. Within this massive complex, kids and parents alike are sure to marvel at characters and scenes from classic Disney movies are brought to life. Among the park’s world-famous attractions are the heart-pounding Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean roller coasters, and rides that retell old Disney favorites like Peter Pan’s Flight and Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye. Located in the heart of Los Angeles is Universal Studios Hollywood–a thrilling celebration of the city’s most famous export: movies. Located next to one of the world’s largest movie studios, this enormous theme park offers thrilling rides based on movies and TV, as well as behind-the-scenes glimpses of real Hollywood studios. If these two gargantuan theme parks don’t satiate your children’s appetite for thrills and spills, more rides and amusements can be found at Six Flags California.
Museums
Far from dragging your kids through stuffy, pretentious art galleries and craft museums, you’ll have to drag your youngsters away after visiting some of LA’s most exciting family-friendly museums. First on the list are the La Brea Tar Pits, where kids can learn about the preserved prehistoric mammals on display here and in the adjoining Page Museum. This excellent museum will enthrall children with its captivating exhibits featuring over 1 million Ice Age fossils, from over 650 species. The Natural History Museum in Exposition Park contains even more specimens from all places and time periods including, mammals, birds, fish, and reptiles, as well as an insect farm and one of the most impressive collections of dinosaur fossils in the world. Just next door is the California Science Center, which contains a plethora of exhibits to entertain and stimulate kids, while teaching them about the wonders of science and nature.
Zoos and aquariums
It’s a well-established fact that kids love zoos, and Los Angeles boasts some of the most impressive zoos in the entire country. The Aquarium of the Pacific gives visitors the opportunity to take an up-close look at some of the oceans most spectacular inhabitants. The aquarium’s centerpiece is undoubtedly the enormous shark lagoon, which contains more than 150 fearsome predators, complete with touch pools, interactive displays and a theater. If you need another reason to visit the Los Angeles Zoo, aside from the dazzling range of animals and attractions, it is also one of the most kid-friendly in the country, thanks to the Winnick Family Children's Zoo. This wonderful exhibit contains a petting zoo and Adventure Theater, along with a host of specially designed animal displays.
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