Summer Survival Guide: Indoor Fun for Kids – The Best Places to Beat the Heat in Southern California
Updated Summer 2025
Looking for ways to beat the heat without skipping out on the fun? Kidsguide has you covered! We’ve hand-picked the most exciting museums, indoor playgrounds, and other cool hotspots to escape from the scorching temps!
Photo: Cayton Children’s Museum
Children’s Museums
Cayton Children’s Museum, Santa Monica
Explore discovery-based exhibits from a real-life helicopter to a miniature marketplace to reactive VR. There are art studios, community spaces, and a state-of-the-art theatre.
Children’s Museum at La Habra
Seven interactive galleries and dozens of hands-on exhibits including the STEAM Lab, Train Station Gallery, Carousel Room, and more.
Discovery Cube OC & LA, Santa Ana & Sylmar
Two awesome locations filled with engaging science exhibits and STEM activities. Check out exhibits like Ocean Encounters, Dino Quest, and Artemis Adventure in the OC and Broadcast Booth and Physics Lab in LA .
Pennypickle’s Workshop, Temecula
Explore the home of Professor Phineas T. Pennypickle. It’s cluttered with inventions, gadgets and experiments. There’s a Time Machine, Illusionator, Electrolight-o-later, and even a peanut butter and jelly sandwich-making machine.
Southern California Children’s Museum, Pasadena
Interact with a fire engine, play in the construction zone, or experience what it’s like to perform at the Hollywood Bowl.
The New Children’s Museum, San Diego
This arts-based museum features unique, room-sized art installations, a variety of art studios and makerspace, plus daily workshops and special events.
Photo: Pirate’s Dinner Adventure
Indoor Family Entertainment
Dinner Shows
Medieval Times, Buena Park
Pirate’s Dinner Adventure, Buena Park
Photo: Wonder of Dinosaurs
Indoor Family Fun Centers
Chuck E. Cheese, Various Locations
Dave & Buster’s, Long Beach, Orange, Irvine…
John’s Incredible Pizza, Buena Park & Carson
K1 Speed Indoor Go Kart Racing, Anaheim, Irvine, Torrance…
Lucky Art Crayonology, Montclair
Neon Retro Arcade, Pasadena
Play & Parties, Orange
Wonder of Dinosaurs, Redondo Beach
Photo: We Play Loud
Indoor Playgrounds
Billy Beez, Anaheim
Candeeland, Downey & Santa Ana
Coastal Kids Playspace, Long Beach
Dig It, Torrance
Fün For All, Huntington Beach
Kids Empire, Anaheim
Kidz Town, Lakewood
Little Dimples Playground, Montebello
Little World, Garden Grove
Looma Space, Lomita
Playpie, Buena Park
Seascape Kids Fun, Anaheim
We Play Loud, Huntington Beach & Lake Forest
We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym, Downey
Photo: Jumpify
Indoor Bouncer & Inflatable Play
Bounce U, Orange
Jumper’s Jungle, Norwalk
Pump It Up, Lake Forest
Scooter’s Jungle, Placentia & El Segundo
Photo: American Ninja Warrior Adventure Park
Indoor Trampoline & Obstacle Parks
Fun Parx, Santa Ana
Big Air, Buena Park & Laguna Hills
Get Air, Huntington Beach & Pomona
SkyZone, Cerritos, Anaheim, Westminster, Torrance, Mission Viejo
Ultimate Ninjas, Anaheim
Photo: Sender One
Indoor Rock Climbing Centers
Hapik Climbing Center, South Gate
Rockreation, Costa Mesa & Los Angeles
Sender One Climbing, Lakewood, Santa Ana, Los Angeles
Photo: Columbia Memorial Space Center
Science & Space Centers
California Science Center, Los Angeles [FREE, excludes special exhibitions]
Columbia Memorial Space Center, Downey
San Diego Air & Space Museum, San Diego
Photo: Petersen Automotive Museum
Museums
Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles
Getty Center & Getty Villa, Los Angeles [FREE]
International Printing Museum, Carson
La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles [FREE AFTER 3PM, M-F, LA COUNTY RESIDENTS]
Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach
LA County Fire Museum, Bellflower [FREE FOR KIDS 12 & UNDER]
LAFD Museum, Hollywood & San Pedro [FREE]
Lyon Air Museum, Santa Ana
Natural History Museum, Los Angeles [FREE AFTER 3PM, M-F, LA COUNTY RESIDENTS]
Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles
Planes of Fame Air Museum, Chino
Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, Claremont
Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles
The Zimmerman Automobile Driving Museum, El Segundo [FREE FOR KIDS 10 & UNDER]
Photo: Roundhouse Aquarium
Aquariums
Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach
Birch Aquarium, La Jolla
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, San Pedro [DONATION SUGGESTED]
Heal the Bay Aquarium, Santa Monica [FREE FOR KIDS 12 & UNDER]
Living Coast Discovery Center, Chula Vista
Roundhouse Aquarium, Manhattan Beach [DONATION SUGGESTED]
Categories: Blog
This post was written by Kidsguide
