In 1955, Anaheim, California's Disneyland, opened as a theme park. It is the only one that Walt Disney personally oversaw throughout its design and construction. Since it first opened, Disneyland has experienced numerous modifications and additions. New Orleans Square, Bear Country, Mickey's Toontown, and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge were all added. On the site of Disneyland's original parking lot, Disney California Adventure Park was constructed and opened in 2001.

When Walt Disney went to Griffith Park in Los Angeles with his daughters Diane and Sharon, the idea for Disneyland first came to him. He had the notion of a place where parents and their kids could go and have fun together while watching them ride the merry-go-round, however his ideal lay dormant for many years.

With the forthcoming addition of Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway that will be opening in Mickeys Toontown in 2022, Disneyland Park will encompass over 100 acres (40 ha) and have nine themed "lands" as well as a number of hidden backstage locations. In 1966, New Orleans Square, Bear Country (now known as Critter Country), Mickey's Toontown, and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge were all added to the park, which originally consisted of Main Street, the United States of America, Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. It is frequently referred to as Disneyland's "lost" land. "Hidden Mickeys" are Mickey Mouse heads that have been subtly included in the ambient decor and attraction designs all across the park. The 3 ft (914 mm) small gauge Disneyland Railroad, which circles the park, is supported by a raised berm.

Google Rating: 4.6/5.0

Location: 1313 S Disneyland Dr, Anaheim 92802

Contact: disneyland.disney.go.com

In the San Fernando Valley of California, the Wildlife Learning Center (WLC) is a zoological park where visitors may enjoy and learn about animals from all over the world, that is one of the Best Things To Do With Kids In L.A. The WLC was established to educate the general people about the life sciences, conservation, and the environment. More than 100 displaced, rescued, and zoo-born wild animals from around 50 different species call this lush, natural setting home, and WLC is committed to giving them lifelong care. The mission is to provide public education that encourages people to protect wildlife, the environment, and the life sciences, as well as to provide sanctuary and loving care for animals in need.

You may witness everything from monkeys to foxes as you stroll across the lush grounds of this Sylmar suburb refuge, as well as field trips and birthday celebrations. Request a near encounter with a porcupine, a Siberian lynx, a two-toed sloth, or an absurdly cute fennec fox for up-close photo opportunities. In the gift shop, be sure to say hello to Zeus, the blind owl with starry eyes.

Google Rating: 4.8/5.0

Location: 16027 Yarnell St.,Sylmar, 91342
Contact: wildlifelearningcenter.org

Phone: 818-362-8711
Price: $12; children 15 and under, teachers, veterans, seniors 65+ $10; kids 2 and under free
Opening hours: 11am–5pm

The oldest children's theater company in Los Angeles is the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, which was established by Bob Baker and Alton Wood in 1963. The theater was named a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in June 2009. The theater relocated to a new, permanent location at 4949 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042, at the beginning of 2019.

The Bob Baker Marionette Theater moved from its historic location in Downtown Los Angeles to a 1920s silent movie theater in Highland Park in 2019 after obtaining 501(c)3 non-profit status. The new location has been turned into "The Place Where Imagination Dwells," using inspiration from Bob Baker's initial renderings. The Bob Baker Marionette Theater is home to El Cine, a nonprofit organization that promotes Latinx culture through film, in addition to serving as a venue for BBMT events. BBMT and El Cine commonly work with regional, traveling film clubs, such as La Collectionneuse (a Franco-centric club). A marionette show and a movie screening are frequent features of these gatherings. Speakers, musicians, and receptions with beverages and discussion afterward are occasionally included.

Puppet shows are the epitome of childhood fun, and the longest-running marionette theater in the country definitely delivers. Despite Bob's passing and the theater's relocation from Westlake to Highland Park, its allure hasn't changed: The high level of kitsch—original puppets that are often worn out, corny old songs, and sorbet-colored décor—only enhances the famous atmosphere. Children genuinely like seeing the marionettes come to life in the theater's dim environment. Around Halloween and Christmas, a variety of holiday-themed performances are extremely popular.

Google Rating: 4.8/5.0

Location: 4949 York Boulevard, Los Angeles 90042
Contact: www.bobbakermarionettetheater.com

Phone: 213-250-9995

MMCC is a non-profit facility that treats sick, injured, and malnourished marine mammals that end up stranded on more than 70 miles of beaches between Malibu and Seal Beach, and is one of the Best Things To Do With Kids In L.A. Since 1992, MMCC has given life-saving care to distressed marine animals with the intention of rehabilitating and releasing them back into the ocean. The only year-round hospital for marine animals in Los Angeles County, MMCC is one of the busiest in the nation, admitting over 350 patients annually on average. MMCC is situated on land owned by the Los Angeles Unified School District in San Pedro, close to the Los Angeles Port.

In an effort to reintroduce injured marine animals to the ocean, this San Pedro rehabilitation facility collects them from the coastline between Long Beach and Malibu. The ambiance is kept upbeat by a friendly group of volunteers and a humorous chorus of sea lions barking, despite the fact that some of these stories are heartbreaking (sudden blindness, a shark bite, etc.). Only a sidewalk outside the walls is allowed for viewing, which is close enough to glimpse the adorable faces of belly-flopping young elephant seals.

Google Rating: 4.8/5.0

Location: 3601 S Gaffey St, Los Angeles, 90731
Contact: www.marinemammalcare.org

Phone: 310-548-5677
Price: Free
Opening hours: Open daylight hours daily, educational talks Mon–Fri 10 am–4 pm and Sat, Sun 10 am–5 pm

A 133-acre (54 hectares) zoo, the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, was established in 1966 and is situated in Los Angeles, California. The entire zoo, including its grounds, buildings, and animals, is owned by the city of Los Angeles. City employees work in administration, education, public relations, construction, groundskeeping, and animal care. Denise M. Verret, the first African American woman to lead an organization certified by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, has been the zoo's director since June 2019. Over the years, a number of remarkable creatures have escaped from the Los Angeles Zoo. At least 35 animals, including zebras, chimps, kangaroos, and antelopes, escaped the zoo for a half-decade in the late 1990s and early 2000s, during a specific escape wave.

The L.A. Zoo's best feature is its position in Griffith Park's remote hills. Despite being somewhat well-liked, the 80 acres of the zoo and its sizable parking lot prevent it from ever seeming overly crowded. If you plan to come, it's important to keep in mind that not all of the larger animals will be visible since they may seek shade on hot summer days to escape the intense heat. Despite the fact that the fauna is the main draw, don't overlook the flora. Although there isn't a dedicated botanical garden area here, you will still find over 800 different plant species, ranging from native succulents to extinct cycads, labeled and arranged throughout the zoo's habitats with a continental theme.

Google Rating: 4.4/5.0
Location: 5333 Zoo Dr, Los Angeles
Contact: www.lazoo.org
Phone: 323-644-4200
Price: $22; $3-$5 discounts; free under-2s; parking free
Opening hours: 10am–5pm daily. Last entry 1hr before closing.

In 1998, television producer Scott A. Williams, his wife Catherine Curry-Williams, and their friend Tiffany Harris established Shane's Inspiration in honor of Shane, Scott and Catherine's infant son who passed away from the symptoms of spinal muscular atrophy. They drew some inspiration from Amy Jaffe Barzach's work, who started Boundless Playgrounds a few years earlier. In the fall of 2000, the main Shane's Inspiration playground in Griffith Park opened.

The most well-liked playground in Los Angeles is this enormous, breathtaking gem, which is the first universally accessible playground in the Western U.S. and the largest in the country. It's simple to understand why: Children can pretend to be astronauts inside the "Lucky Star Chaser" spaceship, take the controls in an airplane cockpit, channel their inner pirates on the "Adventure Ship," safely land on the soft, rubberized surface underneath the numerous slides, swings, monkey bars, zip lines, and much more The Los Angeles Zoo, the Griffith Observatory, the Travel Town/Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum, and the merry-go-round are just a few of the attractions that are nearby or right in the midst of Griffith Park.

Since the first playground was built, more than fifty additional community playgrounds—both big and small—have been built with help from Shane's Inspiration, which may have provided assistance with planning, locating materials, writing grants, collaborating with local governments, or other stages of the process.

Google Rating: 4.0/5.0

Location: 4730 Crystal Springs Dr, Los Angeles
Contact: www.laparks.org/dos/playground/facility/griffithUAPk.htm
Phone: 323-913-4688
Opening hours: 6am-10pm daily

The Aquarium of the Pacific, originally known as the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific, is a free-to-the-public aquarium located in Long Beach, California, on a 5-acre (20,000 m2) plot of land in Rainbow Harbor, and is one of the Best Things To Do With Kids In L.A. The Long Beach Convention Center, Shoreline Village, and the Queen Mary Hotel and Attractions are all across the water from it.

More than 11,000 animals from more than 500 different species are displayed at the aquarium in displays with capacities ranging from around 5,000 to 350,000 gallons. The Pacific Ocean is introduced through exhibits, which also emphasize distinct conservation messages related to each region's ecosystems and seascapes. Three significant permanent exhibits center on the Pacific Ocean: the warm waters of Southern California and Baja, the chilly waters of the Northern Pacific, and the vibrant reefs of the Tropical Pacific.

The shark lagoon, with its accessible environment, is unavoidably the most visited attraction. The charming sea otter habitat and the understated yet fascinating Whales: Voices of the Sea exhibit are further favorites. The remainder of the aquarium is largely divided geographically, with the Gulf of California exhibit housing a range of exotic animals, all types of garish fish in the tropical Pacific region, and lovable sea lions in Southern California. The Pacific Visions addition also includes an immersive theater and a number of engaging, eco-conscious info booths.

Google Rating: 4.6/5.0

Location: 100 Aquarium Way at Shoreline Dr, Long Beach
Contact: www.aquariumofpacific.org
Phone: 562-590-3100
Price: $36.95, children ages 3–11 $26.95, seniors 62 and up $33.95
Opening hours: Daily 9am–6pm

A nonprofit museum called Kidspace offers fun, kid-centered experiences that delight and enthrall youngsters on all levels—emotionally, cognitively, and physically. All kids are welcome to play, learn, create, flourish, and travel the globe with love and curiosity. Since December 2004 when Kidspace Children's Museum opened its brand-new location in Brookside Park, Pasadena, it has given children from the neighborhood a place for imaginative and engaging learning.

Numerous interactive displays for kids aged 1 to 10 are available on the lovely 3.5-acre campus nearby the historic Rose Bowl. Children are encouraged to use outdoor areas to engage in physical activity, make music, crawl into a large hawk's nest, play in realistic water features, and splash around in giant levers and rockets. The instructive gardens and kaleidoscope entryway are just two of the many attractions at this well-liked interactive children's museum. Young people in Pasadena are fortunate to have it nearby.

Google Rating: 4.6/5.0

Location: 480 N. Arroyo Blvd.Pasadena, CA 91103

Webstie: https://kidspacemuseum.org/

Phone: (626) 449-9144

Opening Hours: Sun: 10 am–5 pm; Mon: Closed; Tues–Thurs: 10 am–5 pm; Fri–Sat: 10 am–7 pm; July 7: 10 am-4:30 pm

The California Science Center, a merger of two long-running previous facilities, debuted in 1998 in a light, airy structure immediately in front of the Rose Garden in Exposition Park. Endeavor, the museum's most recent acquisition, is without a doubt the star here. The last space shuttle to be built, Endeavour instills a reach-for-the-stars spirit unlike any other exhibit in the city. The Endeavour spacecraft was manufactured in Palmdale, California, and traveled about 123 million miles before finding its final resting place in the museum. This gives the story a uniquely local flavor.

Other permanent exhibit galleries in the museum—World of Biological, Creative World, and the SKETCH Foundation Gallery with air and space exhibits—explore life sciences, human ingenuity, and powered flight, though with a very '90s flair. By taking a practical look at Earth's biomes, from the poles to life in our own backyard, the ecosystems wing tackles science. Children almost exclusively like the various interactive exhibits; otherwise, childless adults may find the majority of the museum to be overly crowded, disorganized, and, well, dull.

Other highlights of the exhibit include Tess, the 50-foot body simulator and star of the Body Works show, the Kelp Tank, which is home to 1,500 live fish, kelp, and other marine life, the High-Wire Bicycle, which is always a hit and lets daredevils ride a bike along a one-inch wire 43 feet above the ground to demonstrate the force of gravity, and actual space capsules from the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo-Soyuz missions. Temporary displays and an IMAX theater that regularly shows stunning, ostensibly informative, nature-themed movies offer additional amusement.

Google Rating: 4.7/5.0

Location: Exposition Park700 Exposition Park Dr, Los Angeles 90037
Contact: www.californiasciencecenter.org

Phone: 323-724-3623
Price: Museum-free, temporary exhibit prices vary. Advance tickets are required ($3) for Endeavour during weekends and holiday times. Parking $10.
Opening hours: 10am–5pm daily

Train aficionados and young visitors to Griffith Park congregate in the northwest corner. A "railroad petting zoo" with vintage rail vehicles like an 1880 Southern Pacific locomotive and an 1881 Union Pacific caboose, Travel Town is open every day of the week and does a fine job of demonstrating how the railroads aided in the development of Southern California.

Choo-choo enthusiasts should make a point of visiting the park on a Sunday when the nearby Los Angeles Live Steamers section is accessible by railheads. Children beg to return time and again to ride the toy train around the more than a mile of track. The museum's "buildings" are actually restored full-size train cars, including the 1956 Union Pacific Sleeper Car and the brilliant red 1929 Santa Fe Steel Caboose, which serve as the caretaker's home (where official meetings are held). Every third Sunday of the month, the museum operates its stationary steam plant to provide a live demonstration of steam technology from the turn of the 20th century.

The LALS train runs every Sunday from 10:45 am to 3 pm; it is closed on Memorial Day and the first Sunday of October. The suggested donation for train rides is $3. Travel Town is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; it is closed on Wednesday. Entry to Travel Town is free, but train trips cost $2.50.

Google Rating: 4.8/5.0

Location: 5200 Zoo Dr, Los Angeles 90027
Contact:www.traveltown.org

Phone: 323–662–5874
Price: $2.50 - $3
Opening hours: 10 am-5 pm daily, closed Wed

Animal remains were found in Rancho La Brea pits that bubbled with asphalt from a petroleum lake beneath what is now Hancock Park in 1875 by a group of amateur paleontologists, that is one of the Best Things To Do With Kids In L.A. The experts are still at work here, some 130 years later, having extricated more than 3.5 million fossils from the muck. Many of these species are currently on show in this charmingly antiquated museum, which has probably not changed much since it first opened in 1977.

Reserve a space on the Excavator Tour, which stops at the Fossil Lab, the Lake Pit, the recently reopened Observation Pit, and Project 23, where you can observe archaeologists at work. The Excavator Tour is free with museum entry. Visit the interactive exhibit Ice Age Encounter indoors, as well as the straightforward, educational displays of objects discovered in the pits. The majority are bones, including those of jackrabbits, gophers, a 160-pound bison, skunks, and a 15,000-pound Columbian mammoth. There is also early cave art and human accouterments like bowls and hairpins.

Google Rating: 4.6/5.0

Location: 5801 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles 90036
Contact: tarpits.org

Phone: 323-934-7243
Price: $15 adults; $12 seniors/students with ID & children 13-17; $7 children 3-12; children under 2, active military with ID, CA teachers with ID, and members free.
Opening hours: 9:30 am–5 pm daily

Echo Park Time Travel Mart is one of the Best Things To Do With Kids In L.A. A closer look reveals a variety of "time travel" curiosities that one may want in order to travel to the far past or future. At first glance, the interior of this storefront appears to be no different from any other market in the neighborhood. For instance, a sizable library of literature, Primordial Soup in a Can, Robot Toupees, and Barbarian Repellent. How come? The store is essentially a front for 826LA, a literary nonprofit that author Dave Eggers started, even though everything inside is for sale.

In fact, all the books in the store were written by the children who receive free tutoring and creative writing workshops in the classroom, which is accessible through a hidden door in the back of the store. (Many are even expertly published and offered for sale on Amazon.) Another insider tip: If you have a great concept for a product to sell in the market, the staff will work with you to create it so that it can be offered to the general public. which might encourage others to part with cash and support this fantastic nonprofit. Seven themed stores from 826 National include Brooklyn's Superhero Supply Co. and DC's Museum of Unnatural History, in addition to the Time Travel Mart.

Google Rating: 4.5/5.0

Location: 1714 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles
Contact: www.timetravelmart.com
Phone: 213-413-3388
Opening hours: Mon-Sun noon-6pm