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This theme park attached to the world’s largest movie studio is LA’s biggest tourist attraction. A ticket buys a day of thrill rides and live action shows, and includes encounters with Spider-Man, the Terminator, Shrek, and other movie heroes. A must-do is the narrated tram tour to the backlot with its famous outdoor sets.

Half a century after it first opened, the “Magic Kingdom” continues to be right on top of most children’s must-see lists. A one-, two-, or three-day visit is guaranteed to delight, amaze, and exhaust the kids, especially since recent expansions have added a second theme park, Disney’s California Adventure, and the Downtown Disney entertainment district to Disneyland (see Disneyland® Resort).

Located in Exposition Park, this interactive museum makes learning about science and technology a fun experience. Feel a simulated earthquake, watch chickens hatch out of eggs, design your own car, and marvel at the inner workings of a 50-ft (15-m) long robotic doll named Tess. The adjoining Air and Space Gallery in a separate building teaches the principles of flight and space exploration.

This engaging museum pays homage to the entire animal kingdom, including extinct species such as the perennially popular dinosaurs. Special child-oriented facilities include the Discovery Center stocked with puppets, storybooks, and a fossil-rubbing station; and the Insect Zoo, home to a host of creepy crawlies, creatures as diverse as tarantulas, centipedes, and ants.

Take a virtual dive through three major regions of the Pacific Ocean at this first-rate aquarium. You’ll travel to the kelp beds of Southern and Baja California, the stormy shores of the northern Pacific, and the coral reefs of the tropical Pacific. Pick up laminated “dive charts” to help you identify the species, then meet some of them in the flesh (see Aquarium of the Pacific).

Your kids will love the Winnick Family Children’s Zoo, located within the LA Zoo. Here, they can pet barnyard animals at Muriel’s Ranch, greet the zoo’s newest members in the animal nursery, and dress up for interactive play and storytelling sessions at the Adventure Theater.

Though small, this facility offers an entertaining introduction to life in Southern California’s ocean waters. The playful yet educational exhibits are ideal for children. The staff also organize various activities, including guided tide pool walks, a marine laboratory workshop, and even “sleepovers with the fishes,” when kids can “camp” out in the aquarium under staff supervision.

Creativity is king at this “city of stories.” Its shelves bulge with some 5,000 kiddie books, while its walls showcase the work of top illustrators. The store is also known for its family events and storytelling sessions.

A show at this landmark theater, founded in 1963, is truly a treat. Seated on a fluffy carpet, children watch in wonder as the cast of marionettes and puppets sing and dance before their eyes, sometimes even interacting with them. All characters are made in the on-site workshop and many are for sale, so you can take some home with you.

Pet a sea cucumber, take to the skies in a Ferris wheel, or watch local fisherfolk reel in their latest catch at this pier. These are just some of the activities on California’s oldest amusement pier, whose attractions draw over three million people a year. During summer, be sure to make it to the popular free concert series that takes place on Thursday nights.