Los Angeles with Toddlers: Gentle Days for the Under-4s
Los Angeles is a surprisingly good city for toddlers: animals, real trains, sand and warm sunshine most of the year. What wears little ones out is the driving, so this plan keeps each day in one small area, puts the big outing in the morning and leaves the middle of the day free for a nap.
Here are two gentle days, one in Griffith Park and one by the ocean, plus children's museums and aquariums to swap in. Check the official websites for hours before you go.
Day 1 · Animals and trains in Griffith Park
The zoo while everyone's fresh, a nap, then real trains to climb.
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Morning
Los Angeles Zoo (opens Google Maps)
Open daily from 10 a.m. Go at opening, when the animals are more active and it's cooler. In the Winnick Family Children's Zoo, little ones can brush the goats at Muriel's Ranch (check the days it's open), and the Neil Papiano Play Park has a toddler area and misters on hot days. Strollers can be rented at the zoo, and parking is free.
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Lunch
Lunch at the zoo
Eat inside the zoo or bring a picnic for the car, then head off before the afternoon slump.
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Midday
Nap time
Back to the hotel, or a nap in the car or stroller. The animals start heading inside from 4 p.m. anyway.
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Afternoon
Travel Town (opens Google Maps)
A few minutes from the zoo: real locomotives and railcars in the open air, free to visit, with free parking. Open Tuesday to Sunday (closed on Mondays for now). A separate company runs a miniature train ride around the grounds; check its schedule.
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Evening · Dinner
Early dinner nearby
Burbank, Glendale and Los Feliz are all close to the park. Eat early and get back for bedtime.
Day 2 · A calm beach and a carousel
Sand and water with no waves, a nap, then the pier's old carousel.
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Morning
Mother's Beach in Marina del Rey (opens Google Maps)
A sheltered beach inside the marina with no surf in the swimming area, a playground with a pirate ship and swings, picnic tables, showers and restrooms. Parking is pay-and-display in the lot by the beach. Check the county's water-quality notices before paddling.
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Lunch
Picnic by the water (opens Google Maps)
Eat at the picnic tables, rinse the sand off at the showers, and head back.
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Midday
Nap time
Rest at the hotel or let the car ride do the work.
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Afternoon
Carousel on Santa Monica Pier (opens Google Maps)
A historic carousel in a building from 1916, at the start of the pier. Check its days before you go (it doesn't run every day). The pier's bridge is being rebuilt, but the pier is open: walk in on the temporary footbridge or from the beach.
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Late afternoon
Heal the Bay Aquarium (opens Google Maps)
A small aquarium under the pier with touch tanks of sea stars, hermit crabs and sea urchins: just the right size for toddlers. It opens on weekend afternoons, and children under 4 go free with a paying adult. On a weekday, play on the sand instead.
More gentle ideas for the under-4s
- Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena: indoor and outdoor play across a big garden campus, with water play. Open Tuesday to Sunday; buy tickets online, and babies under 1 go free.
- Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach: big tanks and a ray touch pool. Open daily; reservations are needed on weekends and holidays. Check the ticket ages on the official site.
- Griffith Park's open spaces: our Griffith Park guide has more for a slow morning with little ones.
Nap-friendly planning
- One area a day. Long drives across the city eat up the best hours; base yourself near what you'll do most (see where to stay).
- Big outing first thing, nap in the middle, something short and easy late in the day.
- Drive outside the rush hours whenever you can; a traffic jam at nap time is fine, one at dinner time is not.
- Car seats: California requires them for young children, including in taxis and rideshares. Bring your own or rent one with the car.
Sun, sand and water
- Sun protection all year: hats, sunscreen and shade, even when the morning is grey.
- The Pacific is cool for much of the year: pack a change of clothes and a towel even if you're only paddling.
- Swim near lifeguards and keep toddlers within arm's reach at the water's edge.
Make it a game
A Play Your Trip book turns your trip into an adventure, even for little ones: every stop a quest with a coin to collect. Make your Los Angeles book or play the demo.
Questions
Is Los Angeles good for toddlers?
Yes, if you keep each day in one area. The zoo, Travel Town's trains, calm Mother's Beach and the small aquariums are all easy with under-4s.
What is the best beach in LA for toddlers?
Mother's Beach in Marina del Rey is a favourite for small children: it's inside the marina, so there's no surf in the swimming area, and it has a playground, showers and restrooms.
Do toddlers need a ticket for the Los Angeles Zoo?
Ticket ages and prices change, so check the zoo's official website before you buy.