Los Angeles With Kids, Neighborhood by Neighborhood
Exposition Park holds two major family museums within a five-minute walk of each other, both free to enter, which makes it the easiest place to start a family day in LA without buying a single ticket in advance.
Exposition Park’s free museums
At 700 Exposition Park Dr, the California Science Center’s permanent galleries on ecology, air and space are free with no ticket required; IMAX documentaries run $9.79 for adults and $7.50 for children. Space Shuttle Endeavour is currently sealed inside the under-construction Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center and is not on public display until that building opens November 13, 2026, so build a pre-2026 visit around the free galleries instead. Next door, the Natural History Museum’s Dinosaur Hall holds 300-plus fossils, including a rare T. rex growth series with a baby, juvenile and adult specimen together. Adults run $18, children 3 to 12 run $7, and admission is free for LA County residents weekdays 3pm to 5pm. Check current hours and gallery status at californiasciencecenter.org .
Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach
Reachable by Metro’s A Line, fares and route info at metro.net , the Aquarium of the Pacific holds 12,000-plus animals across 50 exhibits, with a touch-friendly Shark Lagoon and an immersive Pacific Visions theater. Adults 12 and up run $44.95, children 3 to 11 run $29.95, and weekend visits need an advance timed reservation. Book Aquarium of the Pacific tickets on GetYourGuide to skip the walk-up line.
Los Angeles Zoo and Griffith Park
The 133-acre LA Zoo, inside Griffith Park, houses 2,100-plus animals including elephants and gorillas and has free parking; admission runs $24 for adults and $19 for children 2 to 12. Griffith Park itself has miles of trails and Griffith Observatory, where the hilltop lot charges a flat $10/hr for parking; the Greek Theatre lot offers free parking on non-concert days as an alternative.
Theme parks, priced by the day
Universal Studios Hollywood and Disneyland both price by date rather than a single flat gate rate. Universal general admission runs roughly $109 to $155 or more online depending on the day; Disneyland’s 1-day 1-park ticket runs $104 on the lowest tier up to $206 or more on peak holiday dates, with Park Hopper and Lightning Lane passes as separate add-ons.
Tips for family fun
Buy theme park tickets online in advance rather than at the gate, and keep water and snacks on hand; outdoor stops like the zoo and the science center have long stretches with little shade.
The verdict
Start with Exposition Park’s two free museums, then reserve the aquarium or the zoo for the afternoon once the free morning wears the kids out. For a base near Exposition Park, compare family hotels on Booking.com . See the Los Angeles 2-day itinerary for slotting these into a short trip.