Amusement Parks, Water Parks and Studios in the Los Angeles Area
♦ Routes (free): Detailed travel itineraries in USA
The main reason travelers come to Los Angeles is usually to visit its many large and recommended amusement parks.
♦ Discount card for amusement parks and attractions in Southern California:
Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Universal Studios Hollywood, SeaWorld, LEGOLAND, San Diego Zoo:
Southern California's best attractions
For those visiting Disney's amusement parks, it is recommended to stay in Anaheim near the park to avoid Los Angeles' infamous traffic jams:
♦ Recommended hotels in Anaheim:
Apartment hotels:
Springhill Suites by Marriott Anaheim Maingate
Clementine Hotel & Suites Anaheim
Or the following hotels which are also suitable for families:
Staybridge Suites Anaheim At The Park
A suite and studio apartment hotel suitable for families.
A hotel with rooms suitable for families.
♦ Tickets for Los Angeles parks available for booking from Viator:
The most popular amusement parks in the Los Angeles area are:
Disneyland
This was the first amusement park of Walt Disney, established in 1955. It is located in Anaheim, about a 40-minute drive south of Los Angeles International Airport. Its address is 1313 Harbor Blvd. and is reached via the I-5 highway. The park has more than 60 attractions, 50 shops, and 30 restaurants, and it is divided into lands similar to the "Magic Kingdom" in Disney World. A family visiting both Orlando and Los Angeles would be wise to skip Disneyland California and visit only Disney World. Disneyland consists of two amusement parks: "Disneyland Park" and "Disney’s California Adventure Park", and it does not have the other amazing parks like Epcot Center, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and the water parks. However, for a family visiting only the western side of the US, a visit to Disneyland is a must.
"Disneyland Park" is almost identical to the "Magic Kingdom" in Disney World, but it has several additional rides (some identical to rides in other parks in Disney World, Orlando): Do not miss a visit to the "Indiana Jones Adventure", which is unique to this park (does not exist in Orlando) and is located in "Adventureland".
The adventure includes a wild jeep ride and is accompanied by many experiences with fire, smoke, and boiling lava. Recommended for the daring. Not suitable for small children (height restriction applies) and for those suffering from back or heart problems. This is one of the most popular rides in Disneyland, and the lines for it are the longest. If you want to ride it when the line is still relatively short, do so near the park's opening hour.
Remember that during especially busy seasons of American holidays and vacations (and specifically on weekends), the wait time for attractive rides can be between one and three hours for each ride!!! In these cases, using a pass for shortening lines is highly necessary!
The park features a spectacular show full of effects called: "Fantasmic" featuring over 50 actors, movies projected on water screens, lasers, fiber optics, and a giant fire-breathing dragon. The show takes place in the evening during holidays, summer vacation, and weekends. The famous Disney parade has also undergone an upgrade, and anyone who has seen it in the past will be impressed by the innovations and effects. The parade is now called: Walt Disney Parade of Dreams, and it combines music, lights, designed floats and backdrops, and of course all the famous and beloved characters from Disney movies. It is worth checking the opening hours and show/parade days in advance to prepare accordingly.
Disney's California Adventure
The park was inaugurated in 2001 and is located adjacent to the veteran park, Disneyland. All the rides in the park revolve around sites and events from California, from the distant past to today, starting from the Gold Rush period, through the Golden Age of Hollywood, including a journey through magical landscapes, such as hang gliding over the Golden Gate Bridge.
The park has several rides for the daring such as: "Maliboomer", where you will fly at enormous accelerations to a height of about 60 meters in 4 seconds and then fall in a free fall back to the ground; "California Screamin’", a terrifying roller coaster; "Grizzly River Run", where you ride giant tubes in a turbulent river and get quite wet; "Soarin’ Over California", where you will "hover" over magical and famous landscapes using advanced visual technologies; and "The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror": a free fall in a mysterious elevator from a height of 13 stories.
The park also has several calm and pleasant family rides as well as impressive movies, some taken from the parks in Orlando, such as the charming "4D" movie: It's Tough to be a Bug (details in the Orlando section under "Animal Kingdom"), "Toy Story Mania!", and the movie "Muppet*Vision 3D". Even the little ones are not neglected in "California Adventure"; about a dozen rides and attractions are specifically intended for them. A popular attraction is: Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!, a fun taxi ride in the kingdom of the lovable monsters.
A playground highly loved by children is "The Magic of Brother Bear" where children are invited to climb, slide, ride small zip lines, and roll among treetops, tunnels, caves, streams, and cliffs.
On hot days, children are invited to refresh and play in "Princess Dot Puddle Park" among dancing fountains and water jets popping up from surprising places.
In this park too, you can meet the famous Disney characters, hug them, take pictures with them, and of course collect signatures. Additionally, several impressive shows are held here, such as: a recommended musical based on the movie Aladdin and "Turtle Talk With Crush", a lovely interactive animation film.
The newest area in the park is "Cars Land", based on the Disney-Pixar movie Cars. The most popular attraction in this area is Radiator Springs Racers, which is actually the third generation of Test Track, the veteran attraction in Epcot Center. The ride starts with a calm drive in a desert landscape among impressive cliffs in a car for 6 passengers but quickly turns into a fast and competitive ride including twists, drops, slopes, and many other surprises.
Two additional attractions in Cars Land are:
"Luigi's Flying Tires"
Luigi's Flying Tires is actually an innovative bumper car ride, where you sit in a giant tire instead of a car and drive and spin among many other tires while dozens of colorful balls fly from all directions.
Mater's Junkyard Jamboree
A ride in a trailer hitched to a tractor to the sound of songs from the movie Cars, while the tractors dance happily according to the rhythm of the music.
The park features a parade (different from the one in adjacent Disneyland) called Pixar Play Parade, where characters from the famous Pixar movies march: Cars, Monsters, Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, A Bug's Life, and others.
In the evening, a spectacular show called "World of Color" is held in the "Paradise Bay" area. This is a fountain show combined with lights, lasers, music, and fire. Famous Disney characters and favorite movie clips are projected onto over 1,000 water jets. It is recommended to book seats for the show in advance using a "FastPass". The show duration is about 25 minutes.
Not far from Anaheim is located another quality amusement park, although less famous:
"Knott’s Berry Farm"
A charming amusement park in the style of the Wild West located in Buena Park, a suburb adjacent to Anaheim (Disneyland) to the north. The park has six central areas: "Ghost Town", which is a reconstruction of an 1880 mining town with cowboys, gunfights, wagons, and gold seekers; "Indian Trails", with a reconstruction of an Indian village; "Fiesta Village"; "The Boardwalk", a reconstruction of an amusement park on the beach from 1920; "Wild Water Wilderness"; and "Camp Snoopy", intended for the younger children in the group.
If you have children aged 8 and under in your family, first go with them to Camp Snoopy. The park has many amusement rides both for the daring and roller coaster enthusiasts and for those looking for calmer rides. Among the most attractive rides for action lovers: 5 roller coasters, including GhostRider, considered one of the best wooden roller coasters in the world, and Xcelerator, which accelerates to a speed of 80 mph in just 2.3 seconds. Another popular ride is: Supreme Scream – where you fall at enormous speed from a great height, and several water rides.
The newest rides in the park (from 2013) are a roller coaster called Coast Rider full of hair-raising turns and twists, and Surfside Gliders – a glider for two passengers where you will glide over the park's boardwalk and get an impressive view of the park.
The park also has many shows and various activities, and of course shops and restaurants. The park is open continuously from May to September and also during holiday periods and some weekends during the rest of the year. Opening hours vary according to the season.
Near the park entrance is located the "California Market Place" with shops and restaurants, including a branch of the popular family restaurant chain T.G.I. Friday's.
"Knott's Soak City Water Park"
The newest water park in California. The park, designed as a Southern California town from the
fifties, features 17 water slides, a wave pool, a relaxing tube path, and a water play area for toddlers. The water park is located adjacent to the "Knott's Berry Farm" amusement park.
Entry is for a separate fee. Reduced price for those entering the park after 3:00 PM.
In North Los Angeles are located two recommended and popular amusement parks no less than the Disney parks: Universal Studios and Six Flags:
Universal Studios Hollywood
♥ Recommended hotels in the Universal/Six Flags area:
♦ Hilton Los Angeles-Universal City
♦ Or cheaper: Best Western Media Center Inn & Suites
♦ Alternatively, it is recommended to stay in the upscale Santa Monica area.
Universal Studios is one of the must-see sites for visitors to Los Angeles! A modern and advanced movie park with dozens of rides featuring many special effects and advanced technologies. These are the original studios where most of Hollywood's most famous movies were filmed. Anyone debating whether to visit the studios in Orlando or Los Angeles, it's better to choose the original, meaning in Los Angeles. The main reason for this is the "Studio Tour" tram ride behind the scenes and among the original sets of many famous movies. During the tour, many surprises await visitors: a face-to-face meeting with King Kong 360 3-D (the largest 3D experience in the world), an earthquake, a flood, and more. The tour also includes a visit to the original set of Steven Spielberg's movie "War of the Worlds". The tour duration is about 45 minutes and it is the highlight of the park visit. Additional attractions include a boat ride among dinosaurs from "Jurassic Park", which ends with a nearly 90-degree drop from a great height, a very wet experience! A haunted house called House of Horrors where you will walk in a rather scary maze among terrifying figures such as Frankenstein and the Wolfman.
"Shrek 4-D" (a charming movie full of effects), "Revenge Of The Mummy" (a dizzying roller coaster ride in the dark), "The Simpsons Ride".
Every year, new attractions are added to Universal Studios. Even those who visited in the past will find many new and fascinating options.
The newest attraction in the park is "Transformers: The Ride–3D" (details in the Orlando section).
The park has studios where they present special effects, fire, and explosions (impressive and spectacular). Additionally, various shows are held at Universal Studios: an animal show, "Animal Actors on Location!" (extremely cute!), a water action show "WaterWorld" (recommended!), a Blues Brothers show, and more. Don't forget to pick up the show schedule at the park entrance. In Universal, there is a children's play area called: "The Adventures of Curious George" where children can expend their remaining energy in various amusements, some quite wet.
It's worth starting with the main tour, then visiting the attractive rides, and after you get tired, rest in the various shows. There are many restaurants and food stalls on site. The park is divided into two areas, the Upper Lot (where most of the shows and some attractions are) and the Lower Lot, connected to it by a series of escalators, where the special effects and fire studios and several other rides are. This is a highly recommended park suitable for the whole family!
Adjacent to the studios is a large entertainment center called CityWalk, which includes shops, cinemas, restaurants, and live shows.
Additional Film Studios in Los Angeles
Anyone particularly interested in movie and television production who hasn't had enough after visiting Universal Studios is invited to visit other studios throughout Los Angeles:
The most recommended and organized tours are held at Warner Bros. Studios, which offers tours for ages 8 and up; booking in advance is required. Entry is for a fee.
Paramount Studio tours organizes tours intended for ages 12 and up.
Both studios also offer much longer and more expensive tours intended for those for whom the film and television industry is their dream and primary area of interest.
Sony Pictures Studios Tour - a tour of the studios where movies, television shows, and commercials are filmed. You can see the sets of TV game shows like "Wheel of Fortune", past movies like "The Wizard of Oz" (Yellow Brick Road), and modern movies like "Men in Black" and "Spider-Man". Tours take place Monday through Friday. It is highly recommended to book places in advance. Entry is for a fee. Tours are intended for ages 12 and up. Parking is free.
"Six Flags Magic Mountain"
A huge amusement park with some of the most advanced amusement rides in the world, belonging to the Six Flags Theme Parks chain spread throughout the USA. This is a paradise for roller coaster enthusiasts of all kinds. You will find here coasters of all types and heights, including coasters that perform a free fall.
The most attractive rides (suitable mainly for teenagers and those with a strong heart):
"Déjà Vu" – a modern and impressive roller coaster with a 90-degree drop, a butterfly-shaped turn, and a loop.
"Ninja" – a roller coaster where the cars are suspended on a rod that allows the cars to swing at 180-degree angles during the fast ride.
"Scream" – a roller coaster with seven inversions, where passengers sit in "flying chairs" with no floor beneath them.
X2 – a roller coaster designed to break all the rules. Considered the first "4D" coaster: each passenger can spin independently in 360 degrees.
Batman The Ride – a roller coaster combining advanced technology with the plot of the Batman movie.
Colossus – one of the tallest wooden roller coasters in the world.
The Riddler’s Revenge – a roller coaster where you ride standing up!
Viper – the roller coaster for lovers of loops and turns. It has a 14-story loop and two additional ones at 9-story and 6-story heights, besides additional corkscrews and spins.
Goliath – one of the fastest roller coasters in the world, featuring a massive 38-meter drop into an underground tunnel.
Superman: Escape from Krypton – a roller coaster that accelerates to 100 mph in 7 seconds and climbs at dizzying speed to a height of 41 stories in the air.
Tatsu – a modern roller coaster considered the tallest, fastest, and longest of its kind in the world.
Apocalypse – a wooden roller coaster traveling at great speed with special sound and pyrotechnic effects.
Full Throttle – the newest roller coaster in the park, considered the "next generation of roller coasters" (from 2013). It features the world's tallest loop and the highest speed of all roller coasters in the world!
Many rides have a minimum height requirement of 107, 122, or 137 cm, but don't worry, even the fearful and the little ones will find suitable rides. There is an entire area in the park for younger children.
The park has more than a hundred rides, shows, and attractions.
Some shows take place only in the summer months. Throughout the park, many Looney Tunes characters wander, much to the delight of young children who love to hug and take pictures with them.
A line-shortening pass called "The Flash Pass" can be purchased, which significantly shortens the queue for the park's most popular attractions.
The park is located about a 45-minute drive north of Hollywood on highway I-5 in a suburb called Valencia.
"Six Flags Hurricane Harbor"
A large and recommended water park with 22 different types of slides and a large wave pool. The park features two charming play areas for small children. The park is located adjacent to the Magic Mountain amusement park (parking in the same lot), but entry is separate and for an additional fee. The park is open from mid-May through October.
For visitors to Universal and/or Six Flags, it is recommended to stay north of Hollywood or near Universal or even north of it.
"Raging Waters" Water Park
The largest water park in California (spreading over about 200 dunams) with various types of water slides, lagoons, rivers, a wave pool, and activity areas for small children. The newest attraction is Dragon’s Den, sliding in a double tube down a steep slope into a giant centrifuge. Suitable for action lovers. The park is located at 111 Raging Waters Drive in San Dimas, in the northeastern part of Los Angeles. It is reached via highway 210. The park is open daily from late May until early September. The park opens at 10 AM. Closing hours vary according to the season. You can purchase a pass called H2Go Pass! which holds your place in line while you enjoy other attractions (similar to Disney's FastPass) and also an improved pass called H2Go Premium which also shortens the wait for popular rides.
LEGOLAND Park near Carlsbad
This park is less than an hour's drive from the Disney parks in Anaheim in South Los Angeles, so if your trip does not reach San Diego (which is closer to the park) but rather Los Angeles, you can stay in Anaheim and go on a trip to LEGOLAND from there.
Attractions at LEGOLAND California - LEGOLAND California
LEGOLAND California park near Carlsbad is a recommended amusement park mainly for children aged 2 to 12, but older ones will also enjoy it. LEGOLAND California has three main attractions: ♦ A large amusement park with 64 rides, attractions, and shows. ♦ A water park ♦ An aquarium
Additionally, there are two hotels at the site:
LEGOLAND Resort Hotel with rooms in cool designs like Pirates, Adventure, Friends, and more. And LEGOLAND® Castle Hotel with rooms in different designs, such as: Knights & Dragons, Royal Princess, and Magic Wizard. Before visiting the parks, download the site's app, which will help you navigate the park with an interactive map and also show you wait times for popular rides and additional information.
LEGOLAND Amusement Park
The park features 64 rides, attractions, and shows. You can drive electric cars, ride a lovely train, sail boats among LEGO buildings, search for treasures, walk among LEGO animals, have fun in giant play areas, a water play area, and huge buildings with LEGO building and play options of all kinds. The highlight of the park: models of famous US cities all built from LEGO: New York, the Las Vegas Strip, New Orleans, San Francisco, Washington, and Southern California sites.
Several shows are also held in the park, specifically suitable for the little ones. Many rides in the park are suitable even for the youngest aged 1-2, and in many rides, parents can join the children.
LEGOLAND Water Park
A recommendedly designed theme water park including a variety of rides, including unique ones not found in other water parks:
Rafting on a river using LEGO-built tube parts, various slides for multiple ages, mat sliding, boat and tube slides, building LEGO boats and sailing them in water, a wave pool, water cannons, and waterfalls splashing on visitors.
LEGOLAND Aquarium
The modern aquarium features a variety of sea creatures from small fish and corals to sharks, octopuses, and rays. Includes a "touch pool" where you can touch various sea animals such as starfish and sea cucumbers.
A new and interactive exhibit at the site is: Sea at Night – in a slightly darkened hall, a large screen is installed with star scenery and a glowing sea whose glowing waves wash onto the floor of the room (which is also a large screen), and children jump on these waves and create waves on them, all without getting wet...
Address: One Legoland Dr, Carlsbad, CA 92008, United States
Tickets for amusement parks and attractions in the Los Angeles area from Expedia