At least I certainly did when I was there.

During my first visit to Catalina since I was a kid, I had a chance to explore a bit of the island, test out a few family friendly activities and report back to you with these Catalina travel tips for LA families.

Getting There

If you’re heading to Avalon, the main hub of the island, Michele at FunOrangeCountryParks.com has some great tips on getting there. I left Long Beach Harbor and made it to Avalon before 10 a.m.

If you’re traveling with your family, head out on an early ferry. Most kids are up early any way, it allows you to get to Catalina before the crowds, and the water is calmest earlier in the day. The kids may want to keep an eye out for dolphins and other marine life during the ride.

A word about seasickness: I am prone to bad bouts of seasickness, but the ride to Catalina Island was very doable for me. I made sure to sit outside and face the front of the boat.

Getting Around

I was worried about how to get around once I was off the ferry, but it’s just a short, 10-minute walk from the dock to the city center. There are locker rentals near the dock if you need to drop off some larger items for pickup later (helpful if you want to leave your beach gear behind).

From here, most, if not all, of what you’ll want to see and do is within walking distance. Catalina Island is stroller friendly, and bicycles and golf carts can be rented as well. (This would be a great way to head up to the Botanical Gardens, which are about a 30-minute walk up from Avalon. The walk might be a bit too long, or too uphill, for some little kids.)

Things to Do

What you do when you reach Catalina Island will depend on your family’s interests. There’s plenty to choose from! (You might want to start with this post of the top 25 things to do in Avalon.)

If you’re looking for a tour, The Santa Catalina Island Company offers a wide array of activities, from the adventurous (like zip lining and a rock climbing wall) to the more subdued (like a bus tour or a glass bottom boat ride). If you think you might want to book a few, consider getting an Unlimited Fun Day Pass to cut down on costs.

Here is just a small sampling of what I thought my family might enjoy:

On the water:

The Glass Bottom Boat Voyage – 40-minute, interpretive-led ride to Lover’s Cove and back. Cost: $19 for adults, $16 kids 2 to 11

• You are seated on a bench overlooking a large, encased windowed viewing area that’s set down on the bottom of the boat
• Two stops along the way for feedings (you’re pretty much guaranteed to see fish)
• The kids on our trip loved it!

Undersea Expedition – 45-minute cruise five feet under water in a spacious, climate-controlled cabin. Cost: $35 for adults, $29 kids

• Each passenger has their own seat and a porthole – and you can move around the cabin to look out other windows, too
• I am prone to claustrophobia but had no problem on this outing
• It really feels like you are right in the water swimming with the fish!

On land:

Miniature Golf – Play a round of mini-golf less than one block from the beach! Cost: $12 for adults, $10 kids 2 to 11

• The course is right in the heart of the city, but tucked away in a quaint garden setting
• Allow about an hour to complete the 18-hole course

If you prefer to forgo the cost of a tour, there’s still plenty to do on your own.

• I enjoyed walking down the beachfront to the Casino Building and looking around.
• Stroll through the city streets, shops and street vendors. There’s even an arcade with mini-bowling (though I strongly encourage you to spend your time outside instead!)
• Have ice cream at the beach (a Big Olaf cone is a must!)
• Get in the water! The area adjacent to the pier is perfect for little swimmers. Younger kids may even get a kick out of snorkeling in the shallows (though I’m not sure how much they’ll see).
• Watch the sunset from the beach

Sample Family Itinerary

Take an early morning ferry out of Long Beach, arriving in Avalon before the crowds. Grab a bite to eat for breakfast (or bring your own and enjoy it beachfront) before heading out on a boating tour while the water is still calm. We really enjoyed the Undersea Expedition, but if you think your kids would fare better above the water, try the Glass Bottom Boat Voyage instead.

Then have some lunch – we liked Original Jack’s Country Kitchen for family-friendly, casual dining. After lunch, spend some time at the beach – the one right along the main street is perfect for little kids. (An alternative would be to play a round of mini-golf.) Don’t forget to enjoy a mid-afternoon treat at Big Olaf’s!

At this point in your day, younger kids may be ready for a nap – which you can time with your departure back to Long Beach. Or stick around to watch the sunset. During my visit, we grabbed pizza to go from Original Antonio’s Pizzeria and ate it while watching the sunset, then took an evening ferry back.

If you want to stay overnight in Catalina, you can return to your room at nap time, then venture out later for dinner and a sunset walk. Plan to head home the following morning.

For more information:

• Santa Catalina Island Company for boating and land tour activities
• Catalina Express for ferry information to and from Catalina Island

Disclosure: Catalina Express and the Santa Catalina Island Company granted me complimentary transportation to the island and 3 tours – at my request – for the purpose of comparing their offerings. Although we rarely take advantage of these opportunities, we thought our readers would appreciate an unbiased review for families who are trying to make informed decisions about activity choices during their stay. The companies did not request that any specific opinions be expressed.

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If you’re wondering what to do with tweens at Legoland California, here’s a look at what we enjoy:

Head right after you enter the park. The park is arranged in a giant loop. To the left are rides aimed at toddlers and littler kids. The bigger kid attractions (think coasters, Ninjago World and the 4D movie) are to the right, so that’s where you’ll want to start.

Ride a roller coaster – or two! Don’t miss the Lego Technic Coaster and the nearby Dragon coaster. These two are great because they’re fast enough to thrill the kiddos without going overboard with loops or other scarier stuff. Bonus is that most tweens will no longer need to worry about height restrictions and will get a kick out of riding solo.

Stop and play. I love that there are so many places at Legoland to play – no matter how old you are. Our favorite spots include:

• The Hideaways, an enormous play structure where kids can climb up, crawl through, slide down, cross over and swing around on ropes, ladders and tunnels.

• Pharaoh’s Revenge, where you can fire soft foam balls at targets or siblings.

• Wild Woods golf, where you can play 18 holes of mini golf amid plenty of creative and colorful Lego creatures.

Trade a LEGO Minifigure. Did you know you can bring a minifigure from home and trade it with a Legoland employee? Your minifigure must come complete with a head and body. There’s no limit to the number of times you can trade during your visit, so have fun!

Tour Miniland. We can easily spend an hour checking out Miniland USA. We start by touring the Star Wars scenes, then head over to tour the US – including DC, San Francisco, New York City, New Orleans and Las Vegas. My kids especially love all the details – like the moving parts and sounds – found among these incredible creations.

Build something. To love Lego is to love to build. At Legoland, there are lots of ways you can do just that – even if you’re a big kid. In Miniland USA, you can build a boat, then launch it against fellow racers and watch to see which reaches the end of the waterway first.

If you prefer to build cars, stop in at the Build and Test area in the Imagination Zone, where you can build and race cars on an inclined race track. Also in the Imagination Zone, the 9 and over crowd can even build and program robots at Lego Mindstorms. (You’ll need to reserve your spot early in the day, though.)

Get wet! There’s plenty of water fun to be had when the temperatures soar. You can upgrade your Legoland ticket for access to the water park – or simply hang out at Pirate Shores instead. One ride on Pirate Reef is guaranteed to cool you off!

If all this isn’t enough to keep your tween entertained for an entire day, consider stopping in at the SEA LIFE Aquarium. (Keep in mind you’ll need to purchase a separate ticket.)

For more on Legoland fun, don’t miss Discovering Nature Play at Legoland.

Disclosure: I was provided with two complimentary tickets for the purpose of reviewing Legoland California. No requests were made by Legoland to express any particular views about the resort. 

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As the kids have grown, so has our definition of park time, which now includes visits to all sorts of outdoor places in Los Angeles. Turns out that a park visit can be just about anything your family wants it to be. Here is just a small sampling of different park experiences for LA families.

1. Hike to a waterfall. 

Parks are great places for hikes. And the best hikes for kids are those that promise a fun destination, like a waterfall. Monrovia Falls and Solstice Canyon are popular with my kids.

2. Stop in at a nature center.

Nature centers can be a fun way to help kids familiarize themselves with the plants and animals in an area. Plus, you’re pretty much guaranteed the chance to touch, play and explore safely. Another nice thing about nature centers is that they usually feature family-friendly hiking trails right outside the doors. Here are a few to check out in Los Angeles:

• Audubon Center at Debs Park (Los Angeles)
• El Dorado Nature Center (Long Beach)
• Deana Dana Nature Center (San Pedro)
• Madrona Marsh Nature Center (Torrance)
• Monrovia Canyon Park (Monrovia)
• Sooky Goldman Nature Center (Franklin Canyon in Beverly Hills)

3. Play at the beach. 

While you might not think of beaches as parks, many LA beaches are part of the California State Parks system. Explore tide pools at one of our favorite spots in Malibu – Leo Carrillo or El Matador. Or go for a hike along a beach trail like the one at Point Dume. Of course, the most fun is simply to splash and play at the shore!

4. Try a free, guided outdoor program.

Several organizations in LA offer free outdoor programs for families in a variety of settings. Go on a ranger-led hike, stargaze, discover more about local wildlife or attend a summertime campfire. Not only are these free events that get your family outside, they are hosted by people with lots of experience and expertise that you might not have.

5. Step back in time.

Many of the free, guided outdoor programs in LA introduce visitors to the rich history of Los Angeles parks. You can also discover these park extras on your own! A few fun places to explore:

• The “Batcave” from the 1960s campy television series, Batman, at the Bronson Caves in Griffith Park
• The original Los Angeles Zoo at the Old Zoo at Griffith Park
• Fossils galore at Red Rock Canyon in Topanga
• Former Hollywood sets at Malibu Creek State Park and Paramount Ranch in Malibu
• The Venice Canals – the ones right here in Los Angeles, that is!

6. Become a junior ranger.

I’m hoping you’re already familiar with the National Park Service’s junior ranger program, in which kids complete a series of activities during their park visit, get sworn in as Junior Rangers and receive an official Junior Ranger badge or patch and certificate. Here in Los Angeles, you can pick up your junior ranger activity book for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area at King Gillette Ranch in Malibu.

There are also several California State Parks that have their own Junior Ranger program. These tend to be more active during the summer months. Parks with junior ranger programs in Los Angeles include:

• Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook
• Leo Carrillo State Park
• Malibu Creek State Park
• Pio Pico State Historic Park
• Will Rogers State Historic Park

Will you pledge to visit a park? 

Please pledge to bring your kids to a park on #KidstoParksDay on May 21, 2016. We encourage you to visit www.kidstoparks.org and sign up so that your family can be counted in the national tally (it doesn’t have to be a National Park – and it doesn’t even have to be on the 21st). Prizes will be rewarded. Then, on May 21, families are encouraged to visit a park or recreation area and submit photos of their adventures to Buddy@BuddyBison.org for possible inclusion in NPT’s national map commemorating the day.

We support this cause and National Park Trust every year — and hope you pledge every year, too!

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If this scenario sounds familiar, this parent’s guide to visiting Kidspace Museum in Pasadena is for you. Kidspace is designed for kids ages 1 to 10. And even though it’s a museum, everything here is meant to be touched, poked, prodded, manipulated and investigated by kids – to help turn them onto nature, science and the world around them through play.

The indoor exhibits are best suited to younger kids (say, 5 and under) and include climbing towers, an imagination workshop and an art center.

Our favorite here is the Nature Exchange – a place where you can bring in your own objects from nature (like shells, rocks, minerals or soil) and trade them to Kidspace educators for points. Then you can use your points to trade for other objects. Even if you don’t make a trade, there is plenty to see and touch here, including all kinds of nature books, samples and even a few cool live critters.

Outside, there is the Galvin Physics Forest, which features 12 hands-on exhibits – each one demonstrating a basic principle of physics.

For younger explorers, there is the Wisteria Courtyard, which includes a tricycle track that my kids could enjoy for hours.

But it’s the newly opened Arroyo Adventure that is most exciting for nature play enthusiasts. No matter your child’s age, there is something fun to explore here. This expansive space offers several immersive nature-based exhibits. Kids can:

• Build stick structures and dens,
• Climb a rock wall,
• Create channels through sand, build dams with rocks and sticks to control water flow,

• Try brickmaking and play in a mud kitchen,
• Get creative by weaving with natural materials,
• Play music outdoors,
• Explore the “Interpretive Arroyo” – a creek that’s perfect for water play
• And climb to the highest point of the Hawk’s Nest for treetop views.

This area can get pretty warm on hot, summer days and there isn’t a whole lot of shade. The good news is that there are ways to cool off, so be sure to pack along a towel and a change of clothes.

Notes for Families

• Best time to go: Spring – when it’s warm enough to enjoy the many water activities, but cool enough to still be comfortable. During the school year, the best time to visit is afternoons between 1:30 and 5 p.m. (Before you visit, check to see if it is a peak, high, moderate or low field trip level.) On weekends, choose Sundays over Saturdays.

• Don’t miss!: The outdoor space – there’s a lot to see and do so be sure to leave enough time to explore. Or start in the outdoor space and work your way forward to the indoor exhibits.

• Bring a towel and a change of clothes: Water, mud and sand are part of the fun at Kidspace! Bring clothes appropriate for messy play, a towel and something to change into. Keep in mind that shoes must be worn at all times (even in the water exhibits).

• If you’ve got kids of different ages, bring along some help. This place is very hands-on. Kids of different ages have different skills, abilities and interests. You might want to bring along an extra set of hands (and eyes) so you aren’t worried about trying to keep an eye out for multiple kiddos.

• Cut costs by bringing a picnic lunch: You can eat inside the Museum’s central courtyard or in the park in front of the Museum.

Practical Matters

• Hours: Open weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed on Mondays during fall (after Labor Day) and winter unless there is a special event happening
• Holiday closures: New Year’s Day, July 4^th, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day; also subject to closure during large Rose Bowl events
• Cost: $13 per person; free for kids under age 1
• Parking: Free (and plentiful!)
• Suggested length of visit: It depends on how old your kiddos are! Very young kids may tire after an hour (or two); older kids could easily spend an entire day here
• Restrooms: Three restrooms feature changing stations (inside handicap stalls) and sink step stools
• Kidspace Museum Map
• Food: You are welcome to bring in your own food and drinks (just no glass bottles or containers); you can also purchase food at the Kidspace Café, which features sandwiches, burgers, wraps, salads and more
• Stroller-friendliness: Strollers cannot be taken into the indoor exhibits and though allowed in the outdoor areas, they aren’t practical

Kidspace Children’s Museum is located at:
480 N. Arroyo Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91103
Directions

If you still have some energy after visiting Kidspace, the 62-acre Brookside Park is right next door. There are picnic tables, playground equipment, and lots of grass to play on.

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The Care Center isn’t an aquarium or zoo. It’s a treatment facility for sick and injured marine mammals that strand themselves along the LA County coastline. The Center is a non-profit organization and depends on donations for all the supplies and supplements needed for patients.

When you visit, you can expect to see California sea lions, Northern elephant seals, Pacific harbor seals and fur seals.

The goal of the Care Center is to eventually release the rehabilitated “patients” back into their natural environment. To keep these critters wild, the Care Center asks that visitors not talk to the patients, or run or yell – all of these can cause stress to the recovering animals, or disrupt their natural behavior.

I know it sounds like there are a lot of rules, but they’re important! This is a hospital for rescued marine mammals. To make sure the animals get better, we need to do our part to help while we’re there.

The Center isn’t huge and how long you spend here will depend on your child’s interest. The viewing area allows you to see the animals from a safe distance and behind a closed gated area. There are usually volunteers available to answer your questions, even tell you more about certain patients. There are also helpful signs posted that you can read to learn more about the animals.

I don’t like seeing animals in distress, and young kids usually don’t either. But this is a hospital for sick and injured marine mammals. We saw a malnourished elephant seal that was super thin, and another that had once had a fishing line caught around its neck.

Even though it made me sad to see sick and injured animals, it was good to learn about the Care Center and the people rescuing and caring for these critters. It’s especially nice for kids like my future animal rescuer to see this work up close.

Notes for Families

• Read the rules: They are posted right as you enter the Care Center. This is where you will read about avoiding loud voices and running, and not talking to the patients.

• Talk to a volunteer: Consider them your insider source. Encourage your kids to ask questions. We learned how the patients are identified (hint: it does not involve giving them names!).

• Stop in at the gift shop: It’s small but features plenty of reasonably priced souvenirs. Consider your purchase a donation as all profits go directly to the Center.

Practical Matters

• Hours: Open to the public every day of the year during daylight hours; educational staff and volunteers are generally available between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily
• Cost: Admission is free, donations are welcomed
• Parking: Free (and plentiful)
• Suggested length of visit: Plan on 30 to 45 minutes, depending on your child’s interest level
• Restrooms are available
• Food: No food on site
• Stroller-friendliness: The viewing area is paved and stroller friendly, but kids sitting in a stroller will not be able to see inside the animal enclosures

Getting There

If you trust your GPS system as much as I do, you’ll be as disappointed as I was to discover that it won’t get you to the Marine Mammal Care Center. You’ll want to follow these directions instead:

Take the 110 Freeway South until it ends. Turn left onto Gaffey Street. Turn right at 32^nd street (Barlow Saxton Road). Continue up the hill, then back down to Leavenworth and make a right at the Military Museum. Turn right again after Angel’s Gate High School. Look for a sign for the International Bird Rescue Center (the Marine Mammal Care Center is right next to it).

Marine Mammal Care Center at Fort MacArthur is located at:
3601 S. Gaffey St. #8
San Pedro, CA 90731
Directions

If you’ve got some more time on your hands, there are a couple of other great spots for animal lovers to see right close by the Marine Mammal Care Center, including the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and Point Fermin State Marine Park.

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