Schools out for summer! So now what? If you’re looking for fun things to do to fill all those lazy summer days and keep your kids off their devices, we’ve got you covered. Check out our list below and start planning the best summer ever. We dare you to try them all.
The Best Things to Do This Summer
1. Nothing says summer like a day at the beach and Los Angeles has plenty of them! Check out our guide to the best beaches and visit them all.
2. Go to Disneyland! Theme parks are always a good time and the Disney Resort just announced a special California Resident ticket for the summer making it a great time to visit.
3. Cool down at a splash pad or pool, like Redondo Beach’s Seaside Lagoon. Check out our full list of spots to stay cool from the South Bay to the San Fernando Valley.
4. Explore the Un(Natural) Garden at Descanso and stay for one of their Music in the Garden performances.
5. Speaking of music, there are dozens of free outdoor summer concerts across the city. Pack a picnic and head to one of the shows on our free concert list.
6. Go to the library. The Los Angeles Public Library is once again hosting its summer reading program along with plenty of fun kids activities at local branches. And don’t forget a library card comes with tons of free perks. Check out all the free things your LAPL card gets you.
7. If you’ve got an Animal Crossing fan at home, check out the new Murakami exhibit at the Broad, which the artist has explained was inspired by the game.
8. After the Broad, beat the heat and engage those minds so more by exploring some more of the best museums for kids in Los Angeles.
9. Buzz is back in a whole new movie about the origins of the animated world’s most famous astro orbiter. Starting June 17, catch a showing of Lightyear at the El Capitan Theatre, which features a Hyper Launch Laser and Light Show before each screening and a Buzz Lightyear statue for guests to view in the lobby.
10. Light up the night with a 4th of July Firework show near you.
11. Discover what Los Angeles was like when it was covered by the prehistoric Pacific Ocean at the new Natural History Museum exhibit, L.A. Underwater. While you’re there, flutter over to the Natural History Museum where the annual Butterfly Pavilion is open for visitors throughout the summer.
12. Dine out! When it’s just too hot to cook, grab dinner with the family at one of our favorite restaurants with outdoor seating.
13. Get emotional at the new Pixar’s Inside Out exhibit at the Discovery Cube LA.
14. Make new animal acquaintances at the best zoos and aquariums in SoCal.
15. The summer heat means the tar pits are bubbling, pay a visit to the La Brea Tar Pits and check out the excavation pits, which are most active during the summer months.
16. Take them out to a ball game! Head to Dodgers Stadium for Dodger Dogs, popcorn, and of course, baseball!
17. Take a day trip in your own city. Los Angeles has so many incredible neighborhoods to explore, that you can take a vacation without leaving the city. Checkout our City Guides for ideas.
18. Help your young thespians discover the famous Bard, with Shakespeare By the Sea. The Shakespearean festival kicks off it’s 25th season with performances of Much Ado About Nothing and Romeo and Juliet throughout the month of July.
19. Looking for something to do on a Friday night? Head to Odd Nights at the Autry. Every third Friday from through September you’ll be treated to a pop-up fest outside the Autry Museum with live music, inflatables, food trucks, vendors, face painting, and more.
20. Raising a mini fashionista? Check out the Alexander McQueen exhibit at LACMA.
21. Catch a movie under the stars. All of the summer outdoor movie events, like the ever-popular Street Food Cinema, are popping back up for 2022.
22. Let the kids stay up late and observe the Grunion Run. If you’ve never experienced this spectacular phenomenon, there’s still time! The observational season runs through the end of June. Check the full schedule here.
23. Hang ten at the International Surf Festival in Manhattan Beach Aug. 3 – 7.
24. The L.A. Fair may be over, but you can head to Orange County for more food and excitement at the O.C. Fair July 15 – Aug. 14.
25. Root on the Rams during their summer training camp. Football fans young and old can visit the training camp July 28 – Aug. 10 at U.C. Irvine. The event includes meet and greets with players and a kid’s fun zone with games and activities.
