From younger kids stepping by way of the gates for the primary time donning a “First Go to” button to curler coaster lovers wanting so as to add just a few extra rides to their coaster rely, California’s theme parks have one thing for everybody. Many are clustered in sunny Southern California, however you may additionally discover some gems as you head north.
This listing is hardly exhaustive, however it ought to offer you an concept of the variability California’s theme parks have to supply. Throughout your subsequent go to to the Golden State, add one or two of those theme parks to your listing for an thrilling day of rides, characters and an entire lot of snickers.
Disneyland
Location: Anaheim
Price: Tickets begin at $104 plus tax for a one-day ticket for adults and $98 for youngsters ages 3 to 9. Youngsters ages 2 and beneath are free.
Highlights: Whether or not you might be charmed by basic Disney sights like Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion, otherwise you desire the magic of a galaxy far, far-off, your entire favourite characters and tales are on show at Disneyland. Disneyland spans about 500 acres, together with two theme parks — Disneyland Park and Disney California Journey — and three on-site inns.
Youthful children will benefit from the outside play areas, Mickey and Minnie meet-and-greets and kid-friendly rides within the just lately refurbished Mickey’s Toontown. Older children can staff up with their favourite Marvel superheroes at Avengers Campus or be part of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Should you time your journey proper, you’ll be able to go to throughout one in every of Disneyland’s annual festivals or particular occasions, just like the after-hours Oogie Boogie Bash at Halloween or the park’s festive vacation celebrations.
Knott’s Berry Farm
Location: Buena Park
Price: A one-day ticket begins at $60 plus tax. Youngsters 2 and youthful can enter the park without spending a dime.
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Legoland California
Location: Carlsbad
Price: A one-day ticket begins at $89. Youngsters ages 2 and youthful get in free.
Highlights: Lego could promote its kits as being designed for youths ages 4 by way of 99, however Legoland California theme park was constructed only for children. The park’s rides, actions and play areas had been made particularly for youths ages 2 by way of 12, together with just a few not-so-scary curler coasters and interactive rides like a submarine treasure hunt, a driving faculty and an Egyptian treasure hunt. Legoland can be dwelling to the Sea Life Aquarium and the Legoland Water Park, although you may doubtless want a number of days to do all three. Legoland’s two on-site inns even have immersive Lego theming and enjoyable surprises like an in-room scavenger hunt and nightly leisure.
Common Studios Hollywood
Location: Hollywood
Price: A one-day ticket begins at $109. Youngsters 2 years or youthful can enter without spending a dime.
Highlights: Think about flying over Hogwarts with Harry, Ron and Hermione. Or being caught in a fierce standoff between a Tyrannosaurus rex and an Indominus rex. Or becoming a member of Mario and Luigi to face off towards Bowser in a Mario Kart race. You are able to do all of it — and way more — at Common Studios Hollywood. Not solely are you able to be part of your favourite film and online game characters on their adventures, however you can too see how motion pictures are made on the behind-the-scenes Studio Tour, the park’s longest-running attraction. The Studio Tour takes visitors by way of 13 metropolis blocks of units and particular results from blockbuster movies like “Jaws,” “Jurassic World,” “Psycho” and extra. Should you go to through the Halloween season, you’ll be able to expertise a darker facet of Common throughout Halloween Horror Nights. The individually ticketed after-hours occasion contains terrifying haunted homes and a spooky model of the world-famous Studio Tour.
Associated: One of the best inns close to Common Studios Hollywood
Sesame Place San Diego
Location: San Diego
Price: A one-day ticket begins at $63. Youngsters beneath 3 can enter without spending a dime.
Highlights: In case your preschooler cannot cease watching “Sesame Road,” they will go to the true factor at Sesame Place San Diego. You will not discover any wild coasters or towering drop rides right here, simply colourful characters, family-friendly rides and a life-sized, interactive model of the well-known 123 Sesame Road (you’ll be able to knock on Oscar the Grouch’s trash can or ring Bert and Ernie’s doorbell for a shock). You should definitely pack your swimsuits as a result of there are water sights like slides, a wave pool, a splash playground and a lazy river positioned across the park. In case your children cannot get sufficient of their favourite fuzzy characters, you can too begin your day at breakfast with Elmo and his mates.
Youngsters’s Fairyland
Location: Oakland
Price: A one-day ticket begins at $16. Friends beneath the age of 1 are free.
SeaWorld San Diego
Location: San Diego
Price: A one-day ticket begins at $68. Youngsters ages 2 and beneath are free.
Highlights: SeaWorld San Diego is greater than a theme park. Sure, it has the tallest, quickest and longest dive coaster in California and the quickest and longest straddle coaster on the West Coast. Nonetheless, it additionally serves as a analysis, rescue and schooling facility for dozens of species of fish, marine mammals, birds, amphibians and extra. You possibly can see many of those animals all through the park, however you’ll be able to actually stand up shut and private by reserving a tour. SeaWorld gives quite a lot of excursions, together with a Rescue Tour, that mean you can study what it takes to look after these creatures and what you are able to do to assist guarantee their security within the wild. SeaWorld San Diego’s new Final VIP Tour enables you to benefit from the park’s rides with skip-the-line entry and customizable animal encounters primarily based on who you wish to see most.
Gilroy Gardens
Location: Gilroy
Price: A one-day ticket is $50. Youngsters beneath 3 are free.
Highlights: When Gilroy Gardens claims to be the park the place “enjoyable grows on timber,” they don’t seem to be simply being intelligent. This park is understood for its “circus timber.” The branches and trunks of those actual timber had been purposely formed and bent as they grew to create whimsical pure wonders. You possibly can nonetheless see them all through the park, and there is even a reproduction circus tree play construction within the water park. The park additionally has greater than 40 family-friendly rides and sights — some, just like the Artichoke Dip and the Garlic Twirl, incorporate the park’s horticultural theme.
Backside line
Whether or not you search thrills or rides the entire household can take pleasure in, you will not have any downside discovering a theme park in California that feels prefer it was made only for you. Additionally, with so many theme parks to select from, you most likely will not should journey far to seek out what you might be on the lookout for.
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