25 Best Southern California Amusement Parks

If you want something fun this weekend, we have an extensive list of Southern California Amusement Parks & Attractions—everything from the most expensive theme park to the most affordable. Whether you’re looking for family-friendly destinations or the most extreme thrill rides, we have you covered.

Knotts Berry Farm

Knott’s Berry Farm is the perfect destination if you’re looking for an affordable and entertaining amusement park. It’s the oldest amusement park in the region and offers something for everyone in the family, from grandparents to toddlers. With thrilling rides, exciting shows, a genuine ghost town, and Camp Snoopy, it’s a must-visit attraction for locals and tourists.

Aquarium of the Pacific Long Beach

The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach is one of the most popular family attractions in Southern California.  View sea creatures from Southern California, Northern Pacific, and Tropical Pacific together. Kids and adults will love the aquarium’s touch tanks and be amazed by Shark Lagoon and the Penguin Habitat.

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

The Safari Park is a vast area of over 1800 acres that showcases a variety of exotic animals and botanical gardens. It is in the beautiful San Pasqual Valley outside Escondido, California. It is renowned for its advanced work in endangered research and development—no other zoo or safari park offers this kind of expirence.

Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal Studios is an amusement park plus a part studio tour. Universal Studios is one of the biggest amusement parks in California. Along with thrill rides and shows, Universal Studios’ most famous attraction is the movie studio tour. One Day is not enough time to explore this vast SoCal attraction.

So-Cal Residents Park Hopper® Ticket Available

Disneyland® is two amusement parks: the Original Disneyland® Park and the newer Disney California Adventure® Park. You will need at least two days to enjoy both parks. Another way to save is to book a vacation package that includes tickets.

Legoland California

Legoland is designed with younger children in mind. Rides and attractions are not as extreme as other amusement parks, but they are entertaining. Legoland can be visited in one day, even if you include some time at Sealife Aquarium of Legoland Water Park.

SeaWorld San Diego

SeaWorld is a medium-sized park, at 21 acres, that is easy to walk around. The park features rides, animal exhibits — some interactive — and shows. There are few thrills, and the animal acts are entertaining.

San Diego Zoo Balboa Park

Nearly 4,000 animals live at the San Diego Zoo and a botanical collection of over 700,000 plants.  Plan on walking several miles and visiting all the exhibits at the zoo. If all this sounds too much, a 40-minute guided tour bus lets you see most of the park while seated.

Medieval Times Dinner Show Buena Park

The show features a tournament between Knights of the Realm in the flag toss, ring toss, and javelin throw, then some jousting with authentic medieval weapons. One knight is left to claim the title of New Champion.

Pirate’s Dinner Adventure Show Buena Park, CA

Full of sword fights, stunts, and pirates swinging from ropes. Plenty of funny moments with pirates cracking jokes (family-friendly) and singing and dancing.  Guests are served a three-course dinner during the show. Soft drinks are included with dinner.

USS Iowa San Pedro California

Self-guided tours let visitors explore the seven decks of this massive ship. One of the many highlights of this trip is the enormous 16-inch big guns on the main deck. The shells from these guns weighed as much as 2700 pounds and could travel over 20 miles to a target.

USS Midway San Diego California

A walking tour takes you through berthing spaces, the forecastle, engineering, mess hall, officers’ quarters, flight deck, and finally, the Captain’s Bridge. Veterans and volunteers can be found throughout the ship to answer questions and share their stories.

Los Angeles Zoo

There is always something new at the zoo as it attempts to reinvent itself for the newer generation and keep regulars coming back for more. The Los Angeles Zoo was organized mainly by continent. The Campo Gorilla Reserve is home to seven western lowland gorillas and an interpretive center for Asian Elephants. Address: 5333 Zoo Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027. website

Birch Aquarium La Jolla CA

Birch Aquarium is located on a hilltop site that provides a panoramic view of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus just off the Pacific Ocean. Birch Aquarium exhibits include: “Coral Reef,” a gallery of interactive reef displays worldwide. “The Hall of Fishes” is a collection of 60 tanks holding Pacific fish and invertebrates collected from the west coast. Address: 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, CA 92037. website

Sealife Aquarium

The Sea Life experience is a family voyage to the depths of the oceans, presenting the wonders of the underwater world to them in a fun and educational way. The two-story aquarium has over 36,000 square feet filled with ocean displays. Carlsbad California. Address: 1 Legoland Dr, Carlsbad, CA 92008.

Knott’s Soak City

Knott’s Soak City is a 13-acre water park across Beach Blvd from Knott’s Berry Farm and is designed to look like a 1950s beach town. And Soak City features 17 water rides, including slides, tubes, a six-story town funnel, a gigantic wave pool, and a one-third-mile lazy river. Address: 8039 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA 90620.

Raging Waters

Raging Waters-San Dimas is Southern California’s biggest water park, with 50 acres and 36 water rides ranging from mild to wild. Pack up the kids and head to San Dimas for fun and sun. Popular rides at Raging Waters are Tunnel of Terror: a forty-foot drop in the dark with 360-degree turns, and Dragon’s Den: a two-person bowl ride—address: 111 Raging Waters Dr, San Dimas, CA 91773.

Legoland Water Park

LEGOLAND Waterpark is geared primarily for kids 2-12 but fun for the whole family; this 5 1/2–acre water park is adjacent to Legoland California and is the perfect way to cool off after an adventurous day inside the theme park. Address: 1 Legoland Dr, Carlsbad, CA 92008.

Hurricane Harbor

Six Flags Hurricane Harbor is a 25-acre water park next to Magic Mountain amusement park in Valencia, California. The water park features 23 slides and attractions from mild to wild. Hurricane Harbor is a fun family destination during Southern California’s hot summer days—address: 26101 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Valencia, CA 91355.

Belmont Park San Diego

Belmont Park in Mission Beach, San Diego, is an old-time beachfront amusement park that has existed since the 1920s. Located from surf and sand in Mission Beach, Belmont Park offers everything from rides and games to shopping and oceanfront dining-something for the entire family. Address: 3146 Mission Blvd, San Diego, CA 92109. website

SkyPark at Santa’s Village

SkyPark at Santa’s Village is an outdoor adventure Park with year-round mountain bike trails and a winter-themed amusement park. Santa’s Village includes historic log cabin restaurants and shops, character experiences, and North Pole-themed attractions. Open year-round. Website.

Pacific Park Santa Monica

Pacific Park is located on the world-famous Santa Monica Pier. The centerpiece of this amusement park is the Pacific Wheel, the world’s first solar-powered Ferris wheel. Pacific Park has no entrance fee. Visitors can buy individual rides tickets or an all-day pass—address: 380 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California.

Adventure City

Adventure City is Anaheim’s little theme park. All the rides here are for younger children. Adventure City is a great place to introduce kids to theme parks without the expense of the big parks. Open weekends year-round, daily holidays, and during the summer season. Address: 1238 S Beach Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92804. website.

Free things to do and see in Southern California.