Family Fun in the Sun: Great Activities to Do with Kids in California

Summer’s here and school’s out–time to hit the road with the kids! With warm temperatures and clear skies on the horizon, it’s never been a better time to get out of the house and spend some quality time with your family making amazing memories. In beautiful, sunny California, where family-friendly points of interests abound, summertime is especially excellent, with no shortage of great things to do with your kids.

Whether you’re looking to scream your way through thrilling rides at a theme park, frolic at the beach, or just enjoy some of America’s most scenic drives on a leisurely road trip, the great state of California is jam-packed with more fun than you can fit into the handful of weeks between school letting out and coming back into session. But if you were looking to try, we’ve got a whole lot of incredible activities for you to add to your Family Time Fun List!

Best Things to Do in California with the Little Ones (During Summer Break)

1. Amusement Parks

As large as California is, it should come as no shock that it is rich in amusement parks! From cartoon friends to water wonderlands, whatever your heart desires in an amusement park is easy to find. Obviously, Disneyland Resort in Anaheim is a massive draw, but if you travel throughout the state, there’s pretty much no major city that doesn’t have some kind of big amusement complex. Carlsbad has a LEGOland park, there’s Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, and then San Dimas is home to Raging Waters, California’s largest waterpark.

Amusement park tickets can be on the pricier side, but sign up for mailing lists and keep your eyes peeled for advance purchase deals, group tickets, or other possible discounts. If you do your planning ahead right, you can definitely do amusement parks on a budget!

2. Zoos & Aquariums

Love animals? Love learning? Zoos and aquariums can be an amazing resource for animal conservation efforts, and if you’ve got animal loving littles, these are days out they’ll remember forever. The most famous zoo in California may well be the San Diego Zoo, where animals roam in “cageless” exhibits that allow them more freedom, so visitors get to see them more relaxed and happy.

Other notable zoos & aquariums in California are the Sequoia Park Zoo in Eureka, Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding, and the epic Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey.

Pro-tip: check with the zoo to see if they have any sort of free days or reduced-entry rate discounts, you’d be amazed at what you can find with a few calls or emails!

3. Wharfs & Boardwalks

California’s coastline has lots of repurposed piers, wharfs and boardwalks that provide entire days of fun for families. Some of the best ones in the state are the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Monica Pier, and Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. Here, you’ll get all the fun of a carnival or amusement park while also being close to the water.

Some have rides, some have museums and arcade games, and of course there’s always some great shopping nearby. Plus, you’re so near the ocean, you can grab some incredible, super fresh sushi! While the boardwalks are open to the public, you might have to buy tickets for the rides, so plan accordingly. 

4. Baseball Games

When I was a kid, my family spent a lot of time at baseball games, both minor and major league, and these are some of my very favorite memories. It’s so much fun to go cheer on your favorite players, hear the cracks of the bats, feel the excitement of a home run being hit out of the park, and maybe even catch a stray ball yourself! Plus, there’s no junk food like ballpark junk food in all its deeply indulgent, unhealthy glory.

It won’t be impossible to grab Major League tickets in California, not with the abundance of teams in the state–but if you do find yourself unable to lay hands on some, consider supporting your local minor league teams. These teams often feed into the Major League Baseball franchises, so you’ll get to see some talented players on their way up to the Big Show. The tickets are also usually less expensive, plus the atmosphere and the fun you’ll have are still guaranteed to be electric. Slap your baseball cap and sunglasses on and take your family out to the ball game!

5. Beaches

A day at the beach is never a bad idea. Sun, sand, surf–you get to lay out and soak up some rays, the kids get to build sand castles, everyone goes splashing in the waves, what’s not to love? Bring a cooler full of sandwiches, slather everyone in sunscreen (SPF 50, remember!), and get ready for a day of fun in the sun, wrapping up with a fabulous seafood dinner before you head home..

Also Read: Most Eaten Foods in the World

Unsurprisingly for a state whose entire coastline is the Pacific Ocean, California is positively rich with incredible beaches. Some of the best are Main Beach in Laguna Beach, where apart from the sun and sand you can enjoy sports facilities and playground equipment; Pfeiffer Beach at Big Sur, where impressively statuesque rock formations help tint the beach sand purple after a good rain; and La Jolla Shores, which often tops the lists of prettiest beaches in the world.

6. Scenic Nature Drives

Sometimes it’s nice to load up the car with a delicious picnic and go for a beautiful scenic drive. In California, there’s a designated State Scenic Highway system, wherein some stretches of roadway that are surrounded by particularly gorgeous scenery are granted extra conservation protection. Check out Avenue of the Giants in https://humboldtgov.org/ (though not an official State Scenic Highway, it’s very much a scenic highway), where you’ll drive through 31 miles of redwood forest; the mountainous desert of Jacinto Reyes Scenic Byway north of Ojai, which is also a federally designated scenic highway; and State Route 151 between Shasta Dam and Shasta Lake, which starts you off enjoying the lake views from the dam before winding through a lovely mountainous landscape in full glorious color.

7. Camp at National Parks

One of the greatest things you can do with kids is go camping. Family camping is excellent when it comes to fun experiences for everyone! There’s the classic roasting of hot dogs and s’mores over a campfire, and of course it’s always a great time for singalongs and storytelling. Plus kids can learn the importance of fire safety, food storage, and the principles of Leave No Trace–always truly great lessons to learn.

A number of America’s best national parks happen to call California home. Some of the best ones include Joshua Tree National Park, Sequoia National Park, and of course, Yosemite. You’ll want to choose your camping time carefully, however; some of the parks experience high temperatures in summertime, so you’ll need to go later in the season, or choose a park in a cooler climate like northern California.

California Adventuring: The Ultimate in Family Fun!

Whether you’re a family of theme park hoppers, beach bums, campout lovers, or just like to take long road trips together, California is the state that can fulfill your best summer family vacation dreams. When it comes to great things to do with your kids, in the Golden State, the sky truly is the limit. What are you waiting for? Pick a destination, load up the car and hit the road–there are family memories just waiting to be made out there!