Amazing Theme Parks
From Disneyland classics to beachfront carousels, the Golden State’s best-in-class theme parks deliver something for everyone, from tots and teens to film buffs and daredevils. Find out what is there to do at these family fun-zones, and get a few tips on how to make your experience even better.
Spotlight: Disneyland Resort
The undisputed granddaddy of theme parks has been leading the way since 1955, inviting visitors to spend the day in the ultimate land of make-...
Spotlight: Universal Studios Hollywood
Movie magic, mega attractions, if Hollywood is the land of make believe, then ...
Spotlight: Legoland California
It’s hard to say who enjoys Legoland more: the little ones running around in a magical world created by 60 million LEGO plastic bricks or...
Spotlight: SeaWorld San Diego
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
A wide beach and splashable waves are always inviting; add a colourful boardwalk with rides, games, and music—well, how can you say no? Not many people do—this popular waterfront boardwalk is a summertime ritual for countless California families, a wonderful way for you to relax and play just like the smiling locals. While there are countless attractions lining the historic boardwalk, the big star is the Giant Dipper, a burly wooden coaster first opened in 1924 and generating screams, squeals and squinched-shut eyes for decades.
These days, it’s not the only thrill ride in town; the boardwalk also features the 125-foot/38-metre-high Double Shot tower for heart-in-throat adrenaline lovers. For tamer rides, especially for little ones, take a spin on the painstakingly restored 1911 Looff carousel (yes, that’s real horse hair in the tail of your painted steed). A noisy but fun indoor arcade offers laser tag, mini-golf, skee-ball and countless video games. Peace out with a ride above it all in the overhead Sky Glider funicular (providing GoPro-worthy views of the beach, rides and Santa Cruz Mountains. On Wednesdays in summer, stick around for free outdoor movies on the beach; and on summer Fridays, for free concerts.
Buena Park
A few miles from Anaheim, Buena Park first found fame around a small family farm—and it has grown ever since into a wide-ranging family-friendly destination.
The Orange County town dates back to the 1850s and a few buildings still remain from those frontier days—including the site of the Stage Stop Hotel. But Buena Park was really put on the map in the 1920s, when a farmer named Walter Knott started having success growing a hybrid berry called a boysenberry (part loganberry, raspberry and blackberry); his farm stand expanded into a restaurant and later into Knott’s Berry Farm theme park.
Today, the theme park is still the biggest attraction in town, with its own hotel and a classic selection of rides, live shows and an updated version of that original tea shop, called Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant. During the summer, the offerings include the nearby Knott’s Soak City Water Park.
Otherwise, the main artery of town runs along Beach Boulevard, which is home to a slew of hotels, restaurants and two big dining-meets-family-entertainment attractions: Pirate’s Dinner Adventure, a swashbuckler-starring dinner theatre set on a Spanish-style galleon in a huge indoor lagoon; and the popular chain Medieval Times, where you’ll dine while watching jousting, falconry and acts of chivalry.
Tucked between the two theatres is the must-try Porto’s Bakery & Cafe, the only Orange County outpost of the beloved Cuban bakery from L.A. County. Don’t mind the line that can form outside any time of day—it moves briskly. Inside, a dazzling array of pastries, Cuban sandwiches and the famous potato balls (stuffed with beef, or cheese and peppers) await.
Families—or anyone with a sweet tooth—will also want to stop at Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour, a revival of the 1960s-era parlour where you can still get the 30-scoop Zoo sundae, delivered to your table on a stretcher. This location also has an attached candy counter where you can learn to make saltwater taffy and take a bag of your own confections home. Next door is Knott’s Independence Hall, a brick-by-brick replica of Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, down to a copy of the Liberty Bell. Grown-ups, meanwhile, may want to pull up a stool at the nearby Cauldron Spirits and Brews, a witches-and-wizards-themed pub and eatery with magically themed cocktails (like the Grey Witch cocktail with gin, champagne and crème de violette) and Provençal-style pub fare, such as Croque Monsieur sliders.
Keep driving west on Beach Boulevard and about 10 miles later, you’ll arrive at the famous surf breaks of Huntington Beach.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
The only way to get closer to swirling sea life is to tug on a wetsuit and dive in. This unparalleled facility, with soaring, glass-walled tanks letting you feel as if you’re truly under the sea, sets the standard for aquariums. It’s also one of the best makeovers on the planet: in the early 1900s, the main building was a bustling canning facility for sardines, all chronicled in fascinating historical exhibits near the entrance. (Excellent behind-the-scenes tours shed more light on the aquarium’s history, as well as its remarkable inner workings.)
Intriguing history or not, this is one big wow of a place. Mesmerising tanks and exhibits showcase more than 35,000 animals and plants representing over 550 species—a large number of them California natives. Watch a giant Pacific octopus unfurl its tentacles, stand in the centre of a swirling school of sardines, let hammerhead sharks swim inches away from your face, and see how trainers do daily health checks of the aquarium’s cutest inhabitants, California sea otters. A host of special activities, including junior diving programmes, sleepovers and custom romance tours (nothing like a little undersea light to make things dreamy) are also available. Insider tip: Get tickets online in advance to skip long lines.
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Billing itself as having more world-class roller coasters than any other destination, this theme park about an hour’s drive north east of Los Angeles is a daredevil’s paradise. Teens and young adults flock here to get spun, flung and plummeted on rides with names like Goliath, Twisted Colossus, Viper, Sling Shot and Apocalypse—you get the idea. Comic-book heroes get a nod here too, as on the Superman: Escape From Krypton mega-ride. If you need a place to settle your brain back into your skull or if you have young children who are not quite ready to ride a chair upside down at 65 miles per hour, head for mellower Bugs Bunny World, with miniature-size rides and dressed-up Looney Tunes characters saying hello to the children.
For a cool retreat in summer, bring your swimming costumes and head to adjacent Hurricane Harbour, where you can slip and slide on more than 20 water slides, ride a make-believe African river and relax beside a tropical lagoon. The harbour is open May through September.
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
There’s no hiding what’s the big draw at this popular attraction in the East Bay city of Vallejo. Even before you park your car you’ll see the giant loop-de-loops, spirals, and white-knuckle descents of the park’s trademark coasters and thrill rides, such as Superman Ultimate Flight and Tsunami Soaker. Get your fill of these adrenaline pumpers, then retreat to the calming beauty of the Butterfly Habitat. Once your blood pressure is back to normal, watch entertaining dolphin and sea lion shows, see African lions, Mountain lions, and Bengal and Siberian tigers in naturalized enclosures, or feed a giraffe.
For tamer entertainment for the little ones, let them romp around Acme Fun Factory, a two-story playhouse. There’s also a water play area just for smaller kids, plus tot-friendly rides and activities. For you, consider deluxe experiences, like finding out what our Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins feel like on a special dolphin interaction.
