Once a small German farm community that was home to the first commercially grown oranges in Orange County, Anaheim was transformed in the 1950s by the visions of Walter Elias Disney. Since Disneyland opened in July of 1955, Anaheim has continued to blossom with more than just orange trees, and there are dozens of activities to enjoy with the family beyond Disneyland. With theme parks, sports, hiking, museums, art, and culture—Anaheim has it all! If all you're seeing is Mickey, you're really missing out. Let us help you find all the fabulous things to do in Anaheim, whether you're visiting from Los Angeles or you flew in for vacation.

Be sure to check out our Guide to Orange County for all our local recommendations from the Best Anaheim Restaurants for Families to the Best Anaheim Hotels near Disneyland and even where to find this hidden gem that's the Best Beachside Water Park in Orange County—and so many more things to do in Anaheim with kids.

Los Angeles is full of iconic tourist attractions, from the Hollywood Sign to Universal Studios. Locals tend to skip many of these areas unless they have out-of-town guests, but some of the attractions are worth a visit any time of year, even if you live here. The Santa Monica Pier is a perfect example of one of these destinations, providing even life-long Angelenos with a full day of fun by the coast. From exploring the historical carousel and the Looff Hippodrome to riding the Ferris wheel and screaming on the rides on the Santa Monica Pier, the Pier is a great place to spend a day in the sun.

While you're in Santa Monica, visit the Cayton Children's Museum, hit the beach, explore Third Street Promenade, and bring along our checklist of the 30 Best Things To Do in Santa Monica with Kids. For more great ways to play tourist in LA, check out our Los Angeles Visitors Guide for Families.

High School students who step up really stand out in the college admissions process, and summer internships in Los Angeles for teens provide a way for kids to showcase their drive and get them working in their chosen field. Universities want more than impressive GPAs and SAT scores; they want well-rounded, engaged, passionate students. When your child has a hands-on internship experience, it leads to a leg up on the competition, and also gets them excited about the future—and it gets them out of the house for the summer! Whether your teen is looking for some real-world experience in the entertainment industry, has a head for business and can't wait to start crunching numbers, or loves working with kids, a wide range of professional opportunities are just a few clicks away.

Find more teen-friendly things to do with this list of 20 Things To Do with Tweens and Teens in Los Angeles They'll Actually Enjoy and in our Los Angeles Activity Guide for Tweens and Teens.

We love LA! There are SO many things to do in Los Angeles with kids for visitors and native Angelenos alike. Whether you're visiting Los Angeles for the first time, or have guests in town who don't know where to start, we've gathered a list of all the top attractions in LA for families with kids. You'll find history and culture in just about every neighborhood of the city from Santa Monica to Echo Park—it's impossible to see everything in just one visit. But with this handy list, you'll know where to start and just what to do with kids once you're there.

Looking for more kid-friendly activities in Los Angeles? Check out our Los Angeles Visitors Guide for Families, which covers everything from the Best Hidden Gem Beaches to 12 Disneyland Hacks Locals Know to Where You Can Get Free Admission for Kids—and so much more.

February is Black History Month, but it’s important to celebrate and support the dynamic Black-owned businesses in Los Angeles not just in February, but all 365 days of the year. Our list below highlights Black-owned restaurants and Black-owned shops where you’ll find some of the best eats, treats, and shopping in Los Angeles, as well as museums and historical sites that offer opportunities for important discussions about civil rights and local Black history.

For more great kid-friendly activities and events to celebrate Black History month, browse our Los Angeles events calendar— and don't miss our list of Children's Books to Celebrate Black History Month.

Winter is prime whale watching season in Southern California, and there are several ways to spy on the giant mammals as they pass through on their 6,000-mile quest for Mexican romance. Each year, between December and April, roughly 20,000 Pacific gray whales migrate past our beaches, and March brings particularly high traffic because that's when the underwater procession starts to turn around.

With reduced capacity and ocean breezes, whale watch cruises are a safe outdoor activity, making these tours book up fast—so be sure to make a reservation. If your landlubbers have touchy tummies and like to stay on shore, with a little luck and clear skies, simply Sand Sledding on the Los Angeles Sand Berms or a Day Trip to One of Our Favorite SoCal Beach Towns can turn into a whale watching outing.

Having an unconventional work schedule seems to be the new norm. With many people working from home, juggling work and parenting is a heroic feat. For those of us who are not looking for full-time daycare but sometimes need a helping hand, know that you can find a drop-in daycare in Los Angeles (and Pasadena and Santa Monica and loads of other local towns) where you can leave your kids for a few hours while you work or just get a little well-deserved me time.

I know firsthand that finding a place where you feel at ease leaving your little ones is not an easy task, but we've done the legwork, asked all the questions, and compiled a list of places that offer drop-in daycare. For more ways to get work done when you have young kids, check out our review of one of our favorite Co-working Childcare Spots in Silverlake and our compelte guide to Childcare Options in Los Angeles.

San Diego is a gorgeous place full of unique and interesting things to do with the family— and the San Diego Zoo is at the very top of the list. The grounds are beautiful and the animal exhibits are well-tended. You'll always learn something new, or see an exotic animal you've never seen before. It's no wonder that the San Diego Zoo is widely considered one of the best zoos in the US. That said, the zoo is huge. And kids get tired. So when you are planning a visit, you need a game plan. Luckily, we have one!

If you're planning a visit to San Diego, you won't want to miss our tips for a great visit to the San Diego Zoo with kids. And if you're looking for some recommendations for where to stay in San Diego, take a look at the Best Kid-friendly Hotels for a San Diego Family Vacation, plus the 50 Best Things To Do in San Diego (Besides the San Diego Zoo).