Free things to do with kids around Los Angeles
A good weekend doesn't have to cost $30 a kid. Los Angeles has a surprising number of free places, and several are among the highest-rated on this whole site: a free major science center, a free hilltop museum, a free train museum and a free aquarium (parking fees are separate and noted on each place).
First picks: the California Science Center in Exposition Park, the tram ride up to the Getty Center, Griffith Observatory and the real trains at Travel Town. For animals, Centennial Farm in Costa Mesa, Amy's Farm in Ontario, and in San Pedro the free Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and the sea lion care center. Parks and nature: Legg Lake, Arcadia County Park, Franklin Canyon, Eaton Canyon, the Bolsa Chica wetlands, the castle island at Heritage Park and the Grand Park fountain; Arlington Garden in Pasadena is a free garden. And the libraries go without saying: the aquarium at the Cerritos Library beats some paid attractions.
- 47 places
- 47 free
- 40 stroller-friendly
- closest is 5 min away
47 places
Drive times from Arcadia
Arcadia County Park Playground
5.0Arcadia · 5 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lots off both Santa Anita Ave and Huntington Dr
Arcadia Public Library Children's Room
5.0Arcadia · 5 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free library lot
Monrovia Public Library and Library Park
5.0Monrovia · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Library lot and free street parking on Myrtle Ave
Santa Fe Dam Lake Beach and Water Play Area
5.0Irwindale · 10 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Entry about $10 per car (more on holidays), lot right next to the beach
Legg Lake (Whittier Narrows)
5.0South El Monte · 15 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lots on both Santa Anita Ave and Rosemead Blvd, plenty of room on weekend mornings
Vroman's Bookstore Kids' Section
5.0Pasadena · 15 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot behind the store (Colorado Blvd and El Molino Ave)
Arlington Garden
5.0Pasadena · 15 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free street parking on Arlington Dr and Pasadena Ave
Glendale Central Library Children's Area
5.0Glendale · 25 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Library garage, free for an initial period with a library card (check current rules); the Americana garage also works
Fern Dell Trail (Griffith Park)
5.0Los Angeles · 30 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free street parking on Fern Dell Dr, hard to find after 10am on weekends
Shane's Inspiration Playground
5.0Los Angeles · 30 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free along Crystal Springs Dr and in the lot beside the playground
Grand Park Fountain and Playground
5.0Los Angeles · 30 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Music Center garage (from about $10 on weekends); or take Metro to Civic Center/Grand Park station and you are there
Heritage Park Castle Island Playground
5.0Cerritos · 30 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot off Bloomfield Ave
Cerritos Library
5.0Cerritos · 30 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free library and Civic Center lots
Travel Town Museum
5.0Los Angeles · 30 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free museum lot (Zoo Dr), plenty of room on weekend mornings
El Dorado Nature Center
5.0Long Beach · 35 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Nature center lot, about $5 per car on weekdays and $8 on weekends
Amy's Farm
5.0Ontario · 35 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free on the dirt lot at the farm entrance
Franklin Canyon Park Lake
5.0Beverly Hills · 45 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lots by the lake and at the Sooky Goldman Nature Center
Centennial Farm (OC Fairgrounds)
5.0Costa Mesa · 45 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: OC Fair & Event Center lot, free normally, paid during events
Charles H. Wilson Park
5.0Torrance · 45 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lots off Crenshaw Blvd and Jefferson St, fuller during the Saturday farmers market
Cabrillo Beach Inner Harbor and Tide Pools
5.0San Pedro · 45 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Beach lot about $1–2/hour (daily cap on summer weekends), right next to the aquarium
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
5.0San Pedro · 45 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Beach lot about $1–2/hour (right next to the aquarium), daily cap on summer weekends
Orange County Great Park
5.0Irvine · 50 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Several free lots inside the park (Great Park Blvd / Marine Way), fuller on game days
Polliwog Park
5.0Manhattan Beach · 50 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lots off Manhattan Beach Blvd and Redondo Ave
Heritage Park Regional Library and Duck Pond
5.0Irvine · 50 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free Heritage Park lot
Tongva Park
5.0Santa Monica · 55 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Civic Center garage or the downtown Santa Monica garages, first 90 minutes free (check current rules)
Santa Monica Main Library Children's Area
5.0Santa Monica · 55 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Library garage, first 30 minutes free, hourly after that (check current rates)
Mother's Beach (Marina del Rey)
5.0Marina del Rey · 55 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: County lot off Admiralty Way, hourly (about $1–2/hour), arrive in the morning on summer weekends
Annenberg Community Beach House
5.0Santa Monica · 60 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Beach House lot charges by the hour (about $3/hour, summer day rate about $12), full before noon on summer weekends
Arcadia Wilderness Park
4.0Arcadia · 10 min drive
1.5 h · carrier recommended
Free · Parking: Free inside the park; check hours on weekend open days
Puddingstone Lake Beach (Bonelli Park)
4.0San Dimas · 20 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Entry about $10–12 per car, dedicated lot at the swim area
Schabarum Regional Park
4.0Rowland Heights · 25 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Lot inside the park, about $6 per car on weekends and holidays
Los Angeles Central Library Children's Department
4.0Los Angeles · 30 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Library garage (524 S Flower St), discounted with library card validation; or take Metro to 7th St/Metro Center and walk 5 minutes
Rancho Los Alamitos
4.0Long Beach · 35 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Check in at the Bixby Hill community gate, then free parking at the ranch
California Science Center
4.0Los Angeles · 35 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Exposition Park garage about $18 per car (Figueroa and 39th St entrances); or take the Metro E Line to Expo Park/USC
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
4.0Los Angeles · 40 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: La Cienega Blvd entrance, free on weekdays, about $7 per car on weekends and holidays
Placerita Canyon Nature Center
4.0Newhall · 45 min drive
2 h · carrier recommended
Free · Parking: Free lot at the nature center
Marine Mammal Care Center
4.0San Pedro · 45 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free at the center entrance and around Fort MacArthur
Getty Center
4.0Los Angeles · 45 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Lot at the bottom of the hill about $25 per car (about $15 after 3pm), then the free tram up
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
4.0Huntington Beach · 50 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot along PCH (footbridge entrance), beach across the street
Manhattan Beach Pier and Beach
4.0Manhattan Beach · 50 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: County lot under the pier and street meters (about $1.5–2/hour), arrive before 10am on summer weekends
Crystal Cove State Park
4.0Newport Beach · 65 min drive
3 h · carrier recommended
Free · Parking: State park lots about $15/day per car (Los Trancos, Pelican Point and Reef Point entrances)
Monrovia Canyon Park Falls
3.0Monrovia · 10 min drive
2 h · carrier recommended
Free · Parking: Lot inside the park, about $5 per car on weekends and holidays, cash or check the website
Eaton Canyon Natural Area
3.0Pasadena · 15 min drive
2.5 h · carrier recommended
Free · Parking: Free lot at the Altadena Dr entrance, very full after 9am on weekends; street parking on Altadena Dr
Griffith Observatory
3.0Los Angeles · 30 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Observatory lot about $10/hour and nearly impossible on weekends; better to park at the Greek Theatre lot and take the DASH Observatory bus ($0.50) up the hill
Little Corona del Mar Tide Pools
3.0Newport Beach · 60 min drive
2.5 h · carrier recommended
Free · Parking: Free street parking on Poppy Ave and the surrounding neighborhood, hard to find after 9am on weekends; or the Corona del Mar State Beach lot (paid)
Malibu Creek State Park
3.0Calabasas · 65 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: State park lot about $12 per car; free along Las Virgenes Rd with a longer walk
Vasquez Rocks Natural Area
2.0Agua Dulce · 50 min drive
2 h · carrier recommended
Free · Parking: Free inside the park, one lot at the base of the rocks and one at the nature center
💡 Good to know
- An LA County Library or LAPL card books free museum passes through Discover & Go; the California Science Center's permanent exhibits are always free.
- Free places get busy early on weekends; at the Getty and Griffith Observatory parking is the main cost, and arriving at opening is the least stressful.