The best things to do in Los Angeles with kids

Walk around the leafy grounds of this suburban Sylmar sanctuary to see everything from monkeys to foxes—and school trips and birthday parties. For hands-on photo ops, request a close encounter with a porcupine, an armadillo, a two-toed sloth or even a giraffe. Make sure to say hi to Zeus, the starry-eyed blind owl in the gift shop.

Dedicated as much to education as entertainment, this aquarium more than justifies the drive down to Long Beach. Inevitably, the shark lagoon and its touchable habitat is a standout for kids. Other highlights include the adorable sea otter habitat as well as a low-key exhibition about whales. Much of the rest of the aquarium is divided geographically: loveable sea lions in the Southern California section, all kinds of garish fish in the tropical Pacific area and a variety of exotic creatures in the Gulf of California exhibit.

Back in 1875, a group of amateur paleontologists discovered animal remains in the pits at Rancho La Brea, which bubbled with asphalt from a petroleum lake under what is now Hancock Park. A century and a half later, the pros are still at work here, having dragged millions of fossils from the mire. Scope out the fossils on display inside the museum, and make sure to take a tour of the active tar pits.

You could comfortably spend a few hours here—even with little ones—just taking in the exhibits and the shows. Swing by the Foucault pendulum in the central rotunda, stick around to see a Tesla coil demonstration and watch a movie in the handsome, high-tech Samuel Oschin Planetarium. Make sure to head downstairs, too; young ones love jumping up and down to make the seismograph machine scribble and checking out what they’d weigh on each planet.

Hike the Hollywood Hills and see Griffith Park.

Nothing says childhood entertainment quite like a puppet show, and the longest-running marionette theater company in the nation delivers, big-time. Tykes truly delight in watching the marionettes come to life in the darkened theater space—and afterwards being treated to free ice cream and a backstage tour.

This San Pedro rehabilitation center scoops up distressed marine mammals along the coast between Long Beach and Malibu in hopes of reintroducing them to the ocean. Though these stories can be sad—sudden blindness, a shark bite—the mood stays light thanks to a cordial crew of volunteers and a comical chorus of sea lion barks. Viewing is restricted to a sidewalk outside the fences—close enough to see the sweet faces of belly-flopping baby elephant seals.

This kitschy Glendale rink (it’s been open since 1950) holds a variety of events, including classes for both kids and adults who are totally new to skating. Regular roller skater? Buy a pair for you or your child at the rink’s “pro shop.”

The L.A. Zoo’s greatest asset is its location, a lush oasis tucked into the hills of Griffith Park. It’s a pretty popular place, but the zoo’s size—133 acres, plus a huge parking lot—means that it rarely feels crowded. Kids will love to see the elephants and repitles, as well as to take a ride on the beautifully painted Tom Mankiewicz Conservation Carousel.

As the first universally accessible playground in the Western U.S. and the largest in the nation, this popular Griffith Park playground is a gem. Kids can make like astronauts inside a spaceship, man the controls in an airplane cockpit, access their inner pirates and safely land on the soft, rubberized surface beneath the many slides, swings, monkey bars, zip lines and much, much more.

This popular interactive children’s museum holds a wide variety of exhibits and entertainment, including the kaleidoscope entrance and educational gardens. Pasadena’s young ’uns are lucky to have it on their doorsteps.