11 Best Family Day Trips from Los Angeles

The sunny city of Los Angeles has plenty of attractions to keep families and kids entertained, but there is also an incredible amount to see and do in the surrounding areas that you shouldn’t miss. Whether your family is just visiting Los Angeles, or you are LA locals, it can be nice to get out of the big city for a family day trip from LA to one of these incredible locations!

• Disneyland
  

Disneyland’s Anaheim theme park is likely on the top of every kid’s California bucket list, and luckily it makes the top of many adults’ bucket lists too! Just a short drive away from most locations in Los Angeles, Disneyland is easy to get to and provides a whole day of fun for the entire family. 

Spend the day on rides that range in intensity to satisfy all age levels and explore the many “lands” from the new Star Wars land to Mickey’s Toontown or Fantasyland. Make sure to catch one of the parades, get a photo with your favorite Disney character, and try some of the sweet treats and delicious restaurants. 

Spend some time in the California Adventure Park next door for a slightly different take on the Disney classics. You can experience Soarin’ Around the World, the Incredicoaster, Cars Land, and the Avengers Campus. For a taste of Disneyland and California Adventure without the price, you could spend some time walking around the shops and eating at the restaurants in Downtown Disney just outside of the two parks.

If you aren’t Disney Fans there is also nearby Universal Studios Hollywood that has a different feel but is lots of fun!

• SeaWorld San Diego
  
  

Take a day trip down to San Diego to visit SeaWorld! The amusement park has come a long way in recent years and has plenty to do for the whole family. Take a ride on one of the many rollercoasters, catch a dolphin or sea lion show, or take some time to see the amazing ocean animals. Make sure to take your younger kids to the new Sesame Place Park!

There is plenty to explore in the city of San Diego just outside of SeaWorld as well. Have a beach day at Ocean Beach or take a stroll along the Sunset Cliffs. Wander through the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, an open-air museum where you will learn about local life in the 1800s. And if you don’t have your fill of seeing cool animals yet, stop by the nearby San Diego Zoo.

• Solvang
  
  

A bit further north, Solvang is an adorable Danish village in the Santa Ynez Mountains. The town has adorable old European-style buildings, there are plenty of amazing wine-tasting rooms (for adult family members), and multiple authentic Danish bakeries and restaurants.

There are lots of attractions in Solvang that will appeal to families. Shop at The Book Loft or Rasmussen’s, tour Old Mission Santa Inés, or enjoy outdoor live music and festivals during the summer. A fun activity for kids in Solvang is to visit Ostrichland USA to  feed the ostriches and pick up some fresh ostrich and emu eggs. 

 

• Palm Springs
  

  

  Palm Springs sign, in Palm Springs, California

   

Take a family day trip from LA to the desert and getaway to Palm Springs. Get out of heat by playing in the pool all day or go explore and hike in Joshua Tree National Park. You can also check out the Palm Springs Air Museum that focuses on World War II era aviation with an impressive collection of mint condition historic planes

A popular activity is to take the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway – the world’s largest rotating tram car. It transports riders 2.5 miles along the cliffs of Chino Canyon up to Mt. San Jacinto State Park, with breathtaking views the whole way. At the top, enjoy two restaurants, a natural history museum, documentary theaters, and plenty of hiking trails.

• Legoland
  

Located in Carlsbad, CA not too far from Los Angeles, Legoland is a great family friendly theme park to visit in California. An entire theme park built out of brightly colored LEGO bricks is certainly geared for kids, but even adults can appreciate the creativity.

The park boasts more than 60 kids rides, shows, and attractions to bring their love of LEGO to life! The SEA LIFE Aquarium has over 5,000 sea creatures and touch tanks. Plus, in the summer you can enjoy the Legoland Water Park.

• Long Beach 

For an easy day trip out of the city, Long Beach is the perfect location. Visit some of the better-known attractions such as the Long Beach Aquarium, shop at The Pike outlet mall, or tour the Queen Mary. Have a beach day and rent kayaks or paddleboats then finish up with a meal at Parker’s Lighthouse for views over the Shoreline Village Pier.

One of the best things to do in Long Beach is get out on the water! There are nearly 100 commercial and recreational vessels and plenty of harbor cruises and whale watching trips offered daily. You could even take a gondola ride around Naples Island in Los Alamitos Bay to watch the sunset over the canals.

• Big Bear
  

About 2.5 hours away from LA up into the mountains is Big Bear Lake. Big Bear Lake Village offers dining and shopping all year. During the winter, Big Bear has some of the best ski slopes near LA. Rent a cozy cabin and take the family to ski and snowboard, or simply play in the snow and go sledding. 

During the summer, Big Bear Lake offers plenty of lake activities. Rent a boat to drive around the lake, go for a swim, or try out a water sport. Take a ride down the Alpine Slide that’s open year-round at Magic Mountain and try out the water slide during the summer. There are plenty of gorgeous hiking trails surrounding the lake as well.

• Santa Barbara
  

A day in Santa Barbara is one of the best things to do from LA. Santa Barbara is a gorgeous city right along the beach. Walk out along Stearns Wharf to take in the gorgeous views and stop at the Sea Center at the end to learn about the California ocean. Eat your way through some of the best restaurants including Lily’s Tacos, Los Agaves, Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach, and Zaytoon.

For kids, take the Lil Toot Water Taxi (a 15-minute narrated trip between Santa Barbara Harbor and Stearns Wharf) or spend some time playing at the interactive museum MOXI. Don’t forget to stop for a scoop of the famous Mc Connells ice cream! For the more adventurous families, Santa Barbara has some gentle waves to try surfing, or go on one of the numerous hikes (such as Inspiration Point) to see amazing views over the city and across the ocean.

• Catalina Island
  
  

The gorgeous Catalina Island never disappoints as a day trip from LA. The boat ride from Long Beach is half the fun, but there is plenty to do on the island as well from golfing, biking, hiking, viewing art & museums, and exploring the water. 

Spend some time at the Descanso Beach where you can rent a cabana, eat at the restaurant, or even head up to the Catalina Casino. Some of the best activities are of course on the water, from glass bottom boat tours, riding in a submarine, jet ski rentals, snorkeling, parasailing, or kayaking. You could even take a zipline tour over the island! 

• San Juan Capistrano
  
  

San Juan Capistrano is located on the Orange Coast and is known for the popular mission of the same name. Known as the “jewel” of the missions, the beautiful grounds will provide a unique California history lesson for the family. 

Stop by Zoomars petting zoo that is perfect for all ages. It has pony and mini train rides, plus it’s also a historic ranch so you can pan for gold like the California miners. Just south of San Juan Capistrano is the Dana Point Harbor. Meander through the shops and restaurants or take a whale watching tour or kayaking adventure.

• Balboa Island, Newport Beach
  
  

Newport Beach is worth a day trip for its stunning waterfront views and million-dollar homes. Balboa Island can be accessed via the bridge or by the Balboa Island Ferry. The island has chic coastal shops, restaurants and bistros, and the Balboa Fun Zone with a Ferris wheel and arcade games. Make a stop for the famous frozen chocolate-covered bananas or Balboa bars.

Newport Beach has long stretches of boardwalk to rent bikes and spend some time coasting down by the ocean in the sun. Rent a duffy boat to see the area and the extravagant houses from the water, or just spend the day on any of the public beaches.

Your family really can’t go wrong with one of the many day trips from Los Angeles. Whether you are looking for nature and adventure or entertainment, shopping and good food, there is plenty of fun to be had up and down the coast of California. Plus, if you are working remotely, perhaps you can make an extended weekend out of it and spend some more time exploring outside of Los Angeles.

These day trips from Los Angeles will make an extended stay in LA even more fun!

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Janelle Axton

– Originally from Los Angeles, Janelle now lives as a digital nomad and runs Make the Trip Matter –  a travel blog dedicated to helping budget travelers and remote professionals travel more, live abroad, and discover a more meaningful experience from their travels.