101 Family Day Trips and Staycations Around the San Fernando Valley
Free activities and splurges that are worth it. The coolest stuff for a staycation in town and road trips for less than a tank of gas from San Fernando Valley. Kids Out And About has tons of ideas for family travel, with places to explore, learn, and have fun!
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Take A Deep Breath In the Garden
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123 Lavender Farm |
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SuihoEn - The Japanese Garden |
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Brand Park |
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Descanso Gardens |
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Virginia Robinson's Garden |
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Gardens at the Getty Villa |
Get Wild on a Hike
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Brand Park |
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Deukmejian Wilderness Park |
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Beaudry Loop |
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Tad Williams Loop |
Time Travel Today
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Heritage Square Museum |
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LA Live Steamers Railroad Museum |
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Fort Tejon Historic State Park |
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La Brea Tar Pits and Museum |
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Autry Museum of the American West |
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Mission Santa Barbara |
Make Life a Beach
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Leo Carillo State Park |
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East Beach and Stearns Wharf |
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Santa Monica Beach and Pier |
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Silver Strand Beach State Park |
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Coronado Beaches |
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Arroyo Burro State Beach |
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Crystal Cove National Seashore |
Splash into Some Water Fun
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Six Flags Hurricane Harbor |
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Super Silly Fun Land |
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Raging Waters |
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Knott's Soak City |
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Great Wolf Lodge |
Spend the Day at a Museum
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Museum of the San Fernando Valley |
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Valley Relics Museum |
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Discovery Cube LA |
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Skirball Cultural Center |
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Kidspace Children's Museum |
Explore These Cities
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Coronado |
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Santa Barbara |
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Idyllwild |
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San Luis Obispo |
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Catalina |
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Oxnard |
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San Diego |
All Aboard Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (and Boats!)
Grow Some Fun at the Farm
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Underwood Family Farm |
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Tapia Brothers Farm |
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Forneris Farm |
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McGrath Family Farm |
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Hidden Havens Farm |
Play Ball!
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Mission Hills Croquet Club |
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Castle Batting Cages |
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Arroyo Seco Miniature Golf |
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Glendale Tennis Club |
Treat Yo' Self
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Kiddos Creamery |
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Somisomi |
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Creamistry |
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Wanderlust Creamery |
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Paradis Ice Cream |
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Menchie's |
Connect with Nature
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Garden of the Gods |
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Brand Park Memory Garden |
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Mark Taper Life Science Botanic Garden |
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Mildred Mathias Botanical Garden |
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Franklin Murphy Sculpture Garden |
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The Getty Villa |
Amuse Yourself at These Amusement Parks
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Knott's Berry Farm |
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Legoland |
Talk to the Animals
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Santa Barbara Zoo |
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The Gentle Barn |
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Danny's Farm |
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Los Angeles Zoo |
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Wildlife Learning Zoo |
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Gilchrist Farm |
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Moorpark College Teaching Zoo |
Explore the Globe Close to Home
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Bhagavad-gita Diorama Museum |
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Japanese Village Plaza |
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L.A. Chinatown |
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Chinese American Museum |
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The Getty Villa |
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USC Pacific-American Museum |
Let's Go Chasing Waterfalls
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Trabuco Falls |
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Big Falls |
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Monrovia Canyon Park Waterfall |
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Solstice Canyon Waterfall |
Get Active Indoors
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We Play Indoor Playground |
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Pump-It-Up Van Nuys |
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Nest Indoor Playground |
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The Playroom |
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iFly |
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Sky Zone |
Challenge Yourself
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San Fernando Valley Symphony |
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Norton Simon Museum |
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Pasadena Ice Skating Center |
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Hanson Dam Riding School |
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Boulderdash Indoor Rock Climbing |
Shop Your Heart Out
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MagicBeans Bookstore |
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Once Upon A Time Bookstore |
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Children's Book World |
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The Illiad Bookshop |
Limiting our list to 101 ideas meant some great destinations may have been left off the list - if there is something you’d like to see added, share it with us on Facebook!
Most of these destinations are within an hour from downtown San Fernando Valley. For those that are a bit farther away:
= Less than 1 hour away
= 1 to 2 hours away
= 2 to 3 hours away
= Just over 3 hours away