Southern California has always been one of the most popular destinations in the continental United States. However, many of my clients don’t think about the region as a vacation destination when planning out family travel. Kids aren’t as familiar with the Hollywood film and music scene today — YouTube and TikTok stars live everywhere! However, don’t discount this area when thinking of your next family vacation because you can easily spend a full week there and still miss a ton.
Here are 8 reasons you should take your family to Southern California.
Santa Monica Pier
One of the most iconic symbols of Los Angeles, the Santa Monica Pier, is a hands-down favorite for our family. We often just stop in for a quick visit to explore the carnival rides and play some old-timey arcade games.
Plus, who doesn’t love standing out on a pier in the gorgeous California sunshine?
Laguna Beach
South of Los Angeles in Orange County, you’ll find some of the cutest beach towns. My favorite to visit is Laguna Beach.
We love grabbing lunch on the patio at The Deck and then walking along the beach down to the center of town where you’ll find a beachside playground.
This is often our first stop after flying in to Los Angeles before heading to Disneyland or a nearby hotel.
San Diego Zoo
Whether you’re just heading to San Diego or doing a combo trip, exploring the greater Los Angeles area and San Diego, you’ll want to spend at least a day at the world renown San Diego Zoo. Here you’ll get to see pandas, koalas, gorillas, asian leopards, and so many other incredible creatures. Two unique features are the Kangaroo Express Bus which is a 35-minute open-air double decker bus tour of the zoo and the Skyfari Aerial Tram which is a way to get across the park and take in the gorgeous views.
Your younger children will love the Wildlife Explorers Basecamp, which has a play area (you might get wet in warm weather so bring a swimsuit) along with indoor and outdoor animal exhibits.
Griffith Park
One of the largest urban parks in North America, Griffith Park is a great way to spend a morning or afternoon while in the LA area, enjoying the beautiful views of the city below. Start with a family hike through the over 50 miles of hiking trails, and then reward the kiddos with some time at the incredible all-abilities playground, Shane’s Inspiration. Don’t forget to take a spin on the Griffith Carousel while you’re there! Did I mention there’s also one of the largest planetarium domes in the world on site?
Disneyland
Yes, I had to include Disneyland here! Disneyland is such a fun theme park and is a perfect way to spend two or three days in Southern California. Stay at one of the three Disney resorts and easily walk between the two parks (Disneyland and California Adventure), your hotel, and the Downtown Disney Springs shopping area.
The parks have some of the same Disney magic that you’ll find in Orlando, but there is so much that makes them completely unique. To name a few, Cars Land and the infamous Lightning McQueen attraction is a huge hit with kids (and adults alike), the iconic Matterhorn Bobsleds will make you squeal with delight, and the Avengers Campus and Guardians of the Galaxy and Spiderman attractions will blow away the biggest Marvel fans.
Universal Studios Hollywood
Go behind the scenes at the Universal Studios backlot tour and don’t forget to hit up the Jurassic World attraction and get your wands out in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Exposition Park
If you want to hit up some museums during your trip to Southern California, you should head to Exposition Park, near the University of Southern California campus. Here, you’ll find the Natural History Museum, California Science Center, African American Museum, and the Exposition Park Rose Garden. And afterwards you’ll pat yourself on the back for incorporating a little learning into this fun trip to California.
Watch a Game
Don’t forget that year-round you can easily find some kind of professional sporting event to attend. Our baseball family would love watching the Dodgers, Angels, or Padres play baseball. Or, maybe you’d like to spend a Sunday watching the Chargers or Rams. Basketball fans will of course love watching the Lakers. You have plenty of options to be a spectator in Southern California!
Go behind the scenes at the Universal Studios backlot tour and don’t forget to hit up the Jurassic World attraction and get your wands out in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Let’s Head to Southern California!
So, now that you know why Southern California is a great destination for a family getaway, reach out and we’ll look at dates for your next trip there. Thankfully, the weather is beautiful year-round, so whenever works for your schedule works for Southern California.
