Looking for a nature area to explore with your family in Los Angeles County? Check out these family-friendly places, recommended by me or other Southern California parents. It’s always a good idea to check each location’s web site for updated information before you go, and use your judgment regarding safety for your family at these locations.

South Bay

• Hopkins Wilderness Park (Redondo Beach)

• Tide Pools, Point Fermin, Korean Bell (San Pedro) 💦 🦀

• Friendship Park + Averill Park (San Pedro)

• Point Vicente Park (Palos Verdes)* 💦 🦀

  • Check out my Instagram post about Point Vicente Park and our stay at nearby Terranea Resort here

• South Coast Botanic Gardens (Palos Verdes)

• Catalina Island 💦

• Redondo Beach Pier 💦

San Gabriel Valley

• Rose Bowl Loop (Pasadena)

• Eaton Canyon (Pasadena)* 💦

• Millard Falls (Altadena)* 💦

• Huntington Gardens (Pasadena)

  • Check out my Instagram post about the Huntington Gardens here

• KidSpace Museum (Pasadena) 💦

• LA Arboretum (Arcadia)

• Lacy Park (San Marino)

• Bonelli Regional Park (San Dimas)*

• Lewis Falls (Azusa)

• Hahamongna Watershed Park (Pasadena)*

• Arlington Garden (Pasadena)*

• California Botanic Garden (Claremont)

• Descanso Gardens (La Canada)

• San Dimas Canyon Natural Area

• Chantry Flat/Sturdivant Falls (Arcadia) - strenuous

• Switzer Falls (Altadena)

• Heritage Park/Marshall Canyon Trail (LaVerne)

• Mt. Baldy/Ice House Canyon (strenuous)

• Charlton Flats (Falling Springs)*

• Whittier Narrows Recreation Area*

• Powder Canyon (La Habra)

Los Angeles

• Mt. Hollywood + Griffith Park, Old LA Zoo*

• Autry Museum (in Griffith Park)

• LA Zoo (in Griffith Park)

• Bronson Canyon Trail (HW Sign + Batcaves)

• Ballona Discovery Park and Wetlands (Playa del Rey)*

  • Check out my Instagram post about Ballona Discovery Park here

• Kenneth Hahn Park (Culver City)*

• Natural History Museum/Gardens*

• California Science Center

• Franklin Canyon Park (Beverly Hills)*

• La Brea Tar Pits park

• LA River at Frogtown*

• Debs Regional Park*

• Heritage Square Museum (downtown)

• Magic Johnson Park (South LA)*

• Alondra Park (Gardena)

• Getty Center

• Paradise Cove Beach 💦

• El Matador Beach 💦

• Lechuza Beach 💦

• Playa del Rey Beach 💦

Long Beach Area

• El Dorado Nature Center (Long Beach)

• Rancho Los Cerritos (Long Beach)

• Aquarium of the Pacific (Long Beach)

  • Check out my two Instagram posts about the Aquarium of the Pacific here and here

• Rancho Los Alamitos Gardens (Long Beach)

• Alamitos Bay Beach 💦

North LA (Malibu, etc.)

• Malibu Creek State Park* 💦

• Placerita Canyon (near Sylmar)

• Wildlife Learning Center (Sylmar)

• Topanga State Park

• Vasquez Rocks (Agua Dulce)

• Chatsworth Oaks Park*

• Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve*

• Leo Carillo State Beach (Malibu)

• Getty Villa (Malibu)

• Zuma Beach

*located in the awesome book Wild LA 

Enjoy Post-COVID (closed for now):

• Griffith Observatory

• Cabrillo Aquarium (San Pedro)

• Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden CSULB

• Seaside lagoon