California

10 Great SoCal Beach Towns for a Classic California Seaside Day

Submitted by Li Starr on Sat, 08/17/2019 - 1:50am

Southern California's balmy beach towns are a treat worth seeking out at any time of year, whether you're an LA family looking for escape, or a visitor wanting to experience the best of our famous California beaches. Right in the heart of LA County we have a few seaside gems; drive an hour or two farther and you'll find towns that feel like they're a world away.

The 10 seaside towns below not only have fabulous sand and surf, there's plenty worth exploring once you head off the beach, too. Find out for yourself why these are our favorite SoCal beach towns.

12 Kid-friendly Beaches for Families in Los Angeles & Orange County

Submitted by Martha Hall on Thu, 07/04/2019 - 2:58pm

Beach is what SoCal is all about, but with so much sea and sand around it can actually be hard to choose which is the best spot to stake the family beach umbrella. In the years when sand-filled diapers and tired little legs feel challenging, you want to be sure you've chosen a beach that will pay off with those great summer memories. You could head for a beach with a playground (we know some good ones), but for just enjoying the wonderful Pacific Ocean with easy parking, bathrooms, snacks, or other amenities, we love to return to the dozen beaches below. Gather the shovels, sandwiches, and sunscreen, and go west, young families!

8 SoCal Campgrounds with Extra Entertainment To Keep Kids Happy

Submitted by Jennifer Fontaine on Sun, 05/19/2019 - 4:13pm

Camping with kids is a smorgasbord of sights and sounds, loaded with opportunities to explore the great outdoors. Hiking and biking, telling stories fireside, and unplugging from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives is good for the soul; but let’s face it, even with the whole of Mother Nature at their fingertips, kids sometimes get bored.

It’s time to up the ante on family camping, and you don’t have to ditch the tent to inject a bit of pep in your sulking teen’s step or enchant your tantrum-prone three-year-old. Southern California is home to several awesome family campgrounds that offer kids exciting alternative activities and entertainment when they tire of forest tag. Zip lining, anyone? Fishing? Rock climbing? Movies? Even ghost tours? All these and more are offered at the Southland campgrounds below. Get ready for the best of both worlds, cause we dare your kids to get bored at one of these campgrounds.

25 Road Trips From Los Angeles for a Weekend Family Getaway

Submitted by Li Starr on Fri, 05/17/2019 - 1:35pm

Eager to hit the road and put Los Angeles in your rear view mirror for a while? From glamping getaways to deserts to not-so-far islands, here are some fabulous destinations to remind you of one of the other major benefits of Los Angeles: it's never more than a few hours' drive to find a spot that seems as if it's a world away.

Why Legoland Is My Favorite SoCal Theme Park

Submitted by Roberta B on Sat, 04/13/2019 - 3:41pm

Southern California is blessed with some of the world's most famous theme parks; families travel from all over to experience Disneyland and the original Universal Studios Hollywood (including the Wizarding World of Harry Potter)—but just 90 miles to the south, in the San Diego suburb of Carlsbad, is a park that has at least as much to offer as the mouse and the wizard. There is a whole lot more to Legoland California than bricks, and truth be told I prefer a day there to any other major theme park.

Driving Big Sur with Kids: 10 Spots Not To Miss Along the Way

Submitted by Arianna Menon on Fri, 04/12/2019 - 11:34pm

California's rugged, woodsy, 90-mile-long Big Sur coastline is an enchanting and iconic wonderland of beautiful beaches, unspoiled state parks, and redwood forests we've recommended for families before. No doubt, Big Sur is an ideal destination for nature lovers—and perhaps in your pre-parenting days, just lovers. But while traveling this road with kids might be a little less romantic, it can be just as memorable. From hiking to exploring, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy this Central California paradise.

Magic Returns to the Skies above Hogwarts at Universal's Wizarding World

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 04/08/2019 - 5:54pm

Themed Nighttime Lights over Hogwarts shows return for most school holidays; watch for them at Christmastime, summer vacation, and spring break.

Santa Ynez Valley: a California Paradise of Kid-friendly Wineries

Submitted by Arianna Menon on Sun, 04/07/2019 - 5:21pm

Located near Santa Barbara and just two hours away from LA, Santa Ynez Valley feels a world away — it features a cluster of picturesque towns with distinctive charm and hills that stretch for days. Its unusual mountain range orientation (from east to west, rather than north to south) creates microclimates that allow the growth of more than 50 varieties of grapes, making this region (like kid-friendly Temecula) every wine aficionado’s Valhalla.