Theme Parks in Los Angeles
The city of Los Angeles and the surrounding area conjures up images of movie stars and rock and rollers up all night partying or surfers bumming around on the beach all day, but the city can also be a great place to take your family and let your kids have an incredible experience that they will never forget. There are a number of theme parks in the Los Angeles area that are geared to kid-friendly, family fun.
The most famous and best known theme park in the Los Angeles area (and quite possibly the world) is Disneyland. This park has the honor of being the only theme park designed, built, opened and operated by Walt Disney himself. Having opened in 1955 the park immediately became world famous, currently ranking as the second most visited park in the world, right behind Disney World in Florida. From rides to characters to parades, there’s simply no end to the fun things to do and places to stay at Disneyland. Come early and plan to stay all day, in fact if you can get away, spend the night at the Resort and say for several days.
Still haven’t had enough Disney? Then give Disney’s California Adventure Park a go. With an emphasis on California history, this park is divided into four different areas, Golden State with an emphasis on California itself, Hollywood Pictures Backlot with its own Tower of Terror and movie history, Paradise Pier designed to be like an old amusement park on the beach, and A Bug’s Land which is a perfect haven for little kids who love rides. And the best part of this park, it’s still sort of a little secret so the crowds are gone, the lines are short and you can fit a lot more rides into one day.
Another noted California theme park is the very unique Knott’s Berry Farm. Billed as the world’s first theme park, as the name implied, Knott’s Berry Farm was once actually a berry farm. Then there was a restaurant and soon after that a Ghost Town and suddenly it grew and grew until it became what it is today, 160 acres of water rides, roller coasters, thrill rides, and themed areas. Unfortunately, the park probably will stay just the size it is because it is land locked and there is simply no where else to go. This is another whole day excursion that is great fun for the whole family. Check for specials as every holiday has an offer.
If you want to really experience the one thing that made Los Angeles famous, then Universal Studios Hollywood is the theme park for you. Back in 1964 the studios opened to show guests what happens in the back lots and they instantly had a hit. People love movies and they love to get a behind the scenes peek. As the years have progressed so has the park and now it is a full blown amusement park with roller coasters and rides based on popular movies of the past and new ones the studio is hoping to promote. There is a chance that you’ll see a movie star, but don’t bet your last dollar on it.
If you’re looking for a theme park that is light on theme but heavy on thrill, then Six Flags Magic Mountain is exactly what you’re hankering for. Packed with roller coasters and other exciting rides including the Superman, Magic Mountain is about as exciting s it gets. And if you do need a little break from the fun (or the lines) then check out some of their family oriented entertainment, the arcade and carnival games.
For a park that is a bit lighter on the thrill and super heavy in the theme department, Legoland is going to be a hit with your crew. Definitely geared to a bit younger crowd, this park is all about Lego. There is a Land of Adventure, The Beginning, Dino Island, EXPLORE Village, Fun Town, Pirate Shores, Castle Hill, Miniland USA, and Imagination Zone. Each area is designed to give guests a mini adventure in itself. A good day of fun, especially for little ones.
If the manufactured themes of today are sort of getting on your nerves and you refuse to spend another dollar for a commercialized television or movie character, then head on over to Belmont Park. A good old-fashioned beachfront amusement center with rides for every age group and no catchy theme songs to drive you nuts all day long. Even on rainy days Belmont is worth a trip as it claims to have the largest and most adventurous indoor children’s play center in the area.
If the beachside amusement Belmont Park appealed to you, then give Pacific Park a try. The only west coast amusement park located on a pier, it is plain and simple family fun. Standard amusement park fare is served up each and every day with no frills and fluff.
The San Diego Zoo isn’t a theme park, but it’s a great activity for everyone, young and old. But they actually do have a theme park (the theme being the animals) so you can get it all in one trip to the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park. The park is 20 times larger than the zoo and instead of putting animals on display in cages, great effort has been taken to replicate the look and feel of natural habitats so guests can see the animals as they would in the wild, well sort of anyway. Not your typical theme park with amusement rides and zany characters, this park is a nice laid back experience that is a learning experience as well as great fun.
The Los Angeles area is simply packed with fun and excitement for everyone no matter what your tastes, hobbies or activity level is. Take some time to explore all the options available and then dive right in and explore as many of them as you possibly can. It’s the memories of theme parks that will last with young and old visitors a lifetime.
Depending on which theme parks you intend to tackle, and which itineraries and airfares suit your needs best, there are many different airports to choose from, including: LAX, Long Beach, Orange County, Burbank, and San Diego.
When selecting your hotels, Hotels Cheap is your one-stop shop for guaranteed best rates and availability around Los Angeles.
(cc: photo credit: disneymike)
Categories: Family Fun
