Los Angeles

Camping near Los Angeles: 17 Great Campgrounds for Tent Camping with Kids

Put your young helpers to work and you can all sleep under the stars this weekend.

Camping season is upon us. And thankfully, if you want to go camping near Los Angeles, you don't need to go far to enjoy a night or two under the stars. A weekend without electronics, breathing fresh air, and enjoying meals over the campfire: all this can be yours without driving more than an hour or two—in some cases even less! Read on to find a fabulous local campground for you and your happy campers.

If you're looking for a spot with a little extra entertainment for the kids, we know just where to go. And if the campground you had your eye on is full this weekend, check out these last-minute campgrounds. To get all our recommendations for great campgrounds, glamping spots, and hiking trails in Los Angeles, visit our Hiking and Camping Guide for Los Angeles Families.

12 Best Summer Camps in Long Beach, California

Girls climb high. El Ranchito Day Camp photo courtesy of Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles

From baseball to ballet, summer camps in Long Beach set themselves apart with that cool ocean breeze, accompanying camp snacks, and field trips. Life in Long Beach is always sweet, but summer on the coast is when California truly shines. 

School will be out before we know it, and the kids will start asking, "Mom, what am I going to do today?". That's why we love summer camps. Whether you choose a traditional day camp with all the classic activities or a specialty camp that hones in on your kids' favorite sports or hobbies, we're sure there's a camp out there where your child can make lasting memories and have a summer to remember. We've rounded up the best summer camps in Long Beach for kids of all ages. This guide includes camps on the ocean, camps in the mountains, camps at art studios, and camps to dance and sing your heart out. 

Interested in more summer camps? We've already done the research for you. Check out science camps, surf camps, and so many more camps in our Summer Camp Guide and Directory

Best Botanical Gardens for Los Angeles Kids, Plus Cool Hidden Oases

Step into the magical children's garden at The Huntington. Photo courtesy of the Huntington Botanical Gardens

Botanical gardens in Los Angeles and beyond might be the answer for when you want to take the kids on an outdoor adventure but don't feel like carrying toddlers up a mountain and toting a surplus of supplies. 

Lush, plentiful, and open year-round in Southern California, botanical gardens are perfect for casual nature strolls with little ones in tow, whether in a stroller or sprinting toward children's gardens and koi ponds. Kids won't even realize they're on an educational outing as they become itty-bitty botanists for a day. From beloved botanical gardens to lesser-known free hidden gems, we've dug into the roots of the best botanical gardens in Los Angeles. 

Enjoy more blooms on wildflower hikes, stretch your limbs on stroller-friendly hikes, and explore more fauna and flora in our Zoos & Gardens for Los Angeles Kids Guide

Free in April: 35 Things To Do with Kids in Los Angeles

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo Family Day. Photo courtesy of LA Plaza de Cultura Y Artes

Free in April sounds refreshing, especially after all those overstuffed Easter baskets. Here's the good news—tons of activities and things to do with kids in Los Angeles are free in April, costing less than a carton of eggs. In addition to the kid-friendly free museums that are always available to explore, there are a bunch of free Easter egg hunts at parks and pools all over town, plus loads more free activities, events, family days, festivals, and Earth Day celebrations. Read on to learn 35 ways you can create family memories this month without spending a cent! 

Discover all the free activities and events near you in our Free Things To Do with Kids in Los Angeles Guide, which includes all the Free Museum Days in Los Angeles plus a list of 60+ Birthday Freebies for Kids.

Munchkins Indoor Playground is a Bright Spot for Kids in Los Angeles

Munchkins Indoor Playground is balls of fun!

Munchkins Indoor Playground in North Hollywood is the perfect solution for when you're about to give birth to a baby but also have young kids to entertain—and a special occasion to celebrate.  Let me set the tone: It was raining. It was my daughter's second birthday. It was the due date of my fourth baby. Maybe it's crazy to head to a play space when you are worried your water could break, but it was a birthday. And it turned out to be the perfect thing to do.

Read on to find out why Munchkins is a great place to play indoors, no matter why you need a distraction for your kids! And if you're looking for more indoor entertainment, visit the best indoor playgrounds in LA and browse even more ideas in our Indoor Fun and Playspaces Guide for LA Kids

The Inside Scoop on The Autry Museum of the American West's Family Play Space

Playing in the Autry’s Museum's new play space. Photo by the author

The Autry Museum of the American West is known for stunning wild west paintings and artifacts celebrating cowboy culture. It’s also now home to a sweet little indoor spot for kids—the brand-new family play space. 

What the new space accomplishes at the Autry Museum is powerful: it normalizes bringing kids to museums. It allows parents to soak in beauty and culture without boring the littles. While most art galleries might not appeal to young kids, this space invites children to enjoy and play. This adds to the already long list of enticing things for kids to do in Griffith Park. The Autry made a museum adventure easy and even relaxing for our family. Read on for everything you need to know about this new family play space!

For more local museums with great kid spaces or attractions—like the Skirball, the Getty, and The Huntington Library and Gardens—read all our local parent museum secrets in our Museum Guide for Kids in LA and OC

The Butterfly Pavilion Ushers in Spring at the Natural History Museum

I spy with my little eye something that can flutter by!

Everyone's all a-flutter at the Natural History Museum because the butterflies are back in town! The Natural History Museum is opening the Butterfly Pavilion on the museum’s South Lawn, offering delightful flutterby time on the same site where the creepier Spider Pavilion usually sets up in autumn. From chrysalis to butterfly, the Butterfly Pavilion is full of magical moments, which is why it rates as one of our 100 things to do with LA kids before they grow up.

Tickets are available beginning on March 5, and these lovely Painted Ladies and delicate Lacewings will be on display all summer long, so everyone will have a chance to see them!

23 Best Breakfasts in Los Angeles at Kid-Friendly Restaurants

You can spot those yellow Porto's boxes a mile away! Photo courtesy of Porto's Bakery

The best kid-friendly breakfasts in Los Angeles can be found all over Southern California, from the eastside to the westside, the south bay, and the valley. Angelenos are blessed to live in one of the top foodie cities in the United States. From American staples like the French dip and cheeseburger, to unique fusion cuisine like Roy Choi's Kogi trucks, dining options are endless across this sprawling metropolis. While breakfast usually isn't at the front of folks' minds when they think of the culinary scene (okay, maybe brunch), Los Angeles is jam-packed with choices. 

For those of us toting along children breakfast choices can be a little more limited. After all, kids won't be enticed by bottomless mimosas. However, there's a plethora of kid-friendly breakfast spots in Los Angeles. Whether you're a stay-at-home parent looking to pop in for a bite before or after the park, or searching for the perfect weekend breakfast for the entire family, here are our favorites.

If you need more kid-friendly breakfasts in Los Angeles, there's always donut shops, coffee shops, bagel shops, and so many other dining destinations in our best restaurants for kids guide

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