By Nicole Harms
Free Entertainment for Kids in Los Angeles
If you think taking the kids to
Los Angeles will break your budget, you will find a pleasant surprise when you start planning your trip. The city offers a wide range of entertaining and educational attractions designed with kids in mind. Whether your family wants to explore a museum, spend some time at the
beach or watch local artists and performers, you will find much to keep the kids busy and your wallet full in L.A.
Griffith Park
Griffith Park, one of the largest city parks in the country, gives kids a place to hike, swim or play their favorite sports. Some attractions charge an admission fee, but the playgrounds, sports courts and hiking paths are open during daylight hours free of charge. The Travel Town Museum, another free attraction in Griffith Park, lets kids and their families can explore carefully restored transportation equipment, including a steam locomotive and several classic cars.
Visit the Beach
Los Angeles has 75 miles of coastline, and the many public beaches provide hours of free entertainment for the family. Your kids can build sand castles at Venice Beach, watch the surfers at Surfrider Beach or explore the sea life in tide pools at Cabrillo Beach. The weather in L.A. stays warm all year, so kids can enjoy the beach as long as the sun shines.
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium does not charge admission, although guests can give a voluntary suggested donation if they wish. Here visitors can explore creatures that live underwater just off the shores of L.A. The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium houses marine animals found off the coasts of California, making it the only aquarium in the world dedicated to the unique creatures found in this area.
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
3720 Stephen M. White Dr.
San Pedro, CA 90731
(310) 548-7562
www.cabrilloaq.org
California Science Center
The Los Angeles Science Center does not charge admission. This educational museum features hands-on science exhibits ideal for the entire family. In Creative World, children can explore some of mankind's best inventions. The World of Life allows kids to explore all types of life from the cellular level all the way to the largest animal on the planet. Traveling exhibits may charge an admission fee.
California Science Center
700 Exposition Park Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90037
323-SCIENCE
http://www.californiasciencecenter.org/
La Brae Tar Pits
The La Brae Tar Pits have more than 100 tons of fossilized remains. Here kids can explore nearly 400 creatures that were trapped in the tar thousands of years ago. Many children particularly enjoy seeing life-size models of woolly mammoths, saber-tooth tigers and giant sloths that lived in the Los Angeles area during the Ice Age.
Page Museum at the La Brae Tar Pits
5801 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 934-PAGE
www.tarpits.org/
Venice Oceanfront Walk
While you might not think of a walk to be the most kid-friendly activity, your kids will not soon forget a stroll along the Venice Oceanfront Walk. Besides the stunning ocean views, your kids can experience the world's most amazing street performers. Jugglers, magicians, dancers, rollerbladers and any other type of entertainer you can imagine will amaze your entire family with their talents and antics.
Resources
About the Author:
Nicole Harms has been writing professionally since 2006, specializing in real estate, finance and travel. When she's not writing, she enjoys traveling and has visited several countries, including Israel, Spain, France and Guam. Harms received a Bachelor of Science in Education from Maranatha Baptist Bible College.
Photo Credits:
Sarah Lewis
