California Attractions for Younger Kids

Tired of shouting, 'Don’t touch'? Then SeaWorld San Diego is the place for you and your younger children. At this San Diego attraction, children are invited to get their sticky fingers on everything—including the sea life itself. At the Explorer’s Reef and California rockpools, they can get touchy-feely with schools of cleaner-fish, crabs, sea stars and brown-banded bamboo sharks, before heading to the park’s two-acre children's zone, the Sesame Street Bay of Play. In addition to the water-based fun and three Muppet-themed rides—Abby’s Sea Star Spin, Elmo’s Flying Fish and Oscar’s Rockin’ Eel—children will get a chance to have their photo taken with Elmo himself. Or perhaps they'll prefer the giggle-inducing Pets Rule! show, where rescue animals perform spectacular stunts.

You won’t find much refuge from the SoCal sun here, so stay on top of the sun cream and take advantage of the indoor displays too. Toddlers can put their noses up against the enormous Turtle Reef window, or walk through the acrylic viewing tunnel at Shark Encounter (as sand tiger and bonnet-head sharks circle overhead). 

To help ensure a stress-free day, hire a pushchair at Guest Services, just inside the park entrance. For more mobile children who might like to wander, pick up a wristband on which you can enter your mobile number just in case you and they get separated. And if your children love to sit in splash zones, don't forget to bring a change of clothes in your bag.

Talk about survival skills. The animals and plants on show at the extraordinary Living Desert Zoo & Gardens shed light on the amazing adaptions that make it possible to survive in the desert’s harsh environment. Observe an incredible array—more than 1,400 species in all—of cacti, yucca, and other desert plants that grow in California’s Mojave and Sonoran Deserts, as well as other deserts around the world. You’ll see—and learn about—desert animals too, some of them undeniable charmers. African meerkats rise up on their hind legs, swaying as they pivot their heads and sniff the air. Desert foxes, with enormous bat-like ears, curl up tight for afternoon naps. And giraffes crane their necks and stretch out extraordinarily purple tongues to nibble on grasses outside their enclosures.

This isn’t your typical zoo, where little ones have to strain to see the animals tucked deep inside their enclosures. Here, the wildlife can walk right up to the fence! For an extra charge, your courageous kiddos can ride camels or let the giraffes lick food right from their palms.

Cool morning tends to be the best time to see animals in action, so come early if you can. That’s not to say afternoons don’t have their merits: As the day heats up, tortoises and lizards come out to absorb the sun and, in the late afternoon, the zoo’s nocturnal animals, like owls and bats, start to stir. Evenings are also a pleasant time to stretch your legs on The Living Desert’s trail network, which leads into the nearby Santa Rosa Mountains. Keep your eyes peeled for native roadrunners dashing among the desert shrubs, looking for lizards and other prey.

For education on desert terrain, head to the model train exhibit. Its 3,300 feet of track winds past miniature versions of desert landmarks such as Mount Rushmore and the Grand Canyon. Or let kids loose in the one-acre Gecko Gulch playground, where they’ll slide through a replica of a saguaro cactus, scale a lizard sculpture, pan for gold, or dig in a sand dune.

This is a sprawling 100-acre complex, so unless you plan on lugging your little ones through the Palm Desert heat, purchase tickets for the park’s shuttle service. It’s free for kids ages 3 and younger. If you will be walking with stroller-aged kids, bring a jogging or all-terrain ride because many of the paths are dirt.

Thought Universal Studios Hollywood was just for film buffs and thrill seekers? Not so. There’s lots of family fun there. Start on the Upper Lot for encounters with friends like Scooby Doo and SpongeBob and to play Krusty’s carnival games in the Simpson’s hometown of Springfield. But the Minion-themed Super Silly Fun Land is where kids will really go bananas. There are dry and wet play zones (they can splash in more than 80 water features), arcade games, and a Silly Swirly Fun Ride that takes them high above the hoopla.

For a break from the action, take a seat at the Animal Actors show or Shrek 4-D, where wind, water, and moving seats make the fairy-tale come to life. (Note: Your child may prefer a stationary chair.)

Mom and Dad can still go toe-to-toe with Jurassic Park’s T-Rex or take the heart-pumping descent into the depths of the Revenge of the Mummy’s terrifying tomb—all without scaring the training pants off their tots. The park’s “child switch” policy means that your little one can wait with one parent in a designated room near the front of the line while the other gets an adrenaline fix. Then, grown-ups can switch, with the second skipping to the front of the line. Just remember: Queues start snaking soon after the park opens, so to avoid R.C.S. (Restless Child Syndrome), stay on top of wait times by downloading the Universal Studios Hollywood app.

If you're still searching for a way to get your kids to eat their veg, take them to this charming agricultural amusement park in the Garlic Capital of the World. The garden-themed rides—with silly names like Artichoke Dip (think spinning tea cups)—are so mild, some allow infant riders. Climb aboard a hungry worm for a trip around an apple core or crawl into the centre of a giant garlic bulb for some whirls and twirls.

In addition to low-key rides and attractions especially aimed at little ones, Gilroy Gardens is home to 'Circus Trees' by Axel Erlandson, who helped these trees achieve their whimsical shapes through an elaborate grafting process. Your child can go on a scavenger hunt to collect the famous trees—just pick up a brochure at the entrance. They’re all masterpieces, but the basket tree and the four-legged giant are must-sees.

The shady 536-acre property has six botanical gardens, the largest being the Monarch Garden, which is set in an 1,800-square-metre greenhouse. Some of the gardens have specialised tours, like a relaxed boat cruise through the flower filled Rainbow Garden. Alternatively you can climb aboard a re-creation of a Ford Model-T to tour the South County Backroads area, which has been landscaped to show how this broad valley south of San Francisco was once almost exclusively farmland. Children will also have a blast seeing the tropical and subtropical plants from on board the park’s miniature steam train.

This park on the shores of Lake Merritt in downtown Oakland has been making kids smile (and delighting parents in the process) since 1950. Evidently it impressed Walt Disney, too: After his visit, the story goes that he visited and incorporated elements of Fairyland, like guides dressed up as storybook characters, into his own Anaheim theme park. 

These days, the park is filled with climb-able, slide-able, explore-able tree houses, castles, pirate ships, and giant pumpkins, plus a small petting zoo, puppet shows, and several party venues for special birthdays. At the gate, you’re greeted by the Old Lady in the Shoe, and you can start by wandering through the adorable Alice in Wonderland maze, which is constructed from giant playing cards. Two of Fairyland’s biggest draws are its Storybook Puppet Theater and live-action children’s theatre. Need to refuel? Stop by Johnny Appleseed’s Café, or spread out a blanket in the Teddy Bear Picnic Grove. In summer, check Fairyland’s schedule for special family sleepovers.

Insider tip: Magic Keys that “unlock” Talking Storybook Boxes throughout the park are available at the entrance for $3. The kids can save their keys and use them on another visit.

Rhododendrons as big as wedding bouquets, dahlias in popsicle-bright colours, ferns, fuchsias, succulents—it seems like the list of what doesn’t grow (and grow well) at this lush preserve must be shorter than what does flourish here. Walk among diverse plantings of perennials, trees, and shrubs—including many natives. Springtime—of course—is especially beautiful.

This is also a great spot for birding (some 150 species frequent the property), so bring binoculars for close-up views. If you’re traveling with kids, there’s one special feathered friend that will pique their interest: Quincy the Quail. Pick up a Quail Trail Guide at the park entrance so the kids can learn about Quincy and follow his hints for finding 17 quail markers along the stroller-friendly paths. The silly scavenger hunt, created by a long time volunteer with 11 grandchildren, takes you through a eucalyptus forest, past a bush that’s a home for hummingbirds, and down to a secret fairy village where kids can make fairy houses with petals, sticks, and stones.

Master gardeners and other experts teach assorted workshops throughout the year; check the calendar of events to see if something catches your eye and matches your schedule. During the winter holidays, come see the gardens sparkle during the Festival of Lights (late November to mid-December).