Southern California is the place to be for fun. There are amusements parks, aquariums, zoos, museums, water parks, nature parks, mountains, beaches, deserts and more.
A new attraction to Southern California is Disney’s California Adventure. Inside this park you will find a boardwalk along a large lake with rides such as a marine life merry-go-round, a huge Ferris wheel, and a roller coaster that only the hardiest stomachs can handle.
A favorite attraction is California Soarin’, a ride that simulates a hang gliding tour over many scenic and popular California spots.
Be sure to visit the sourdough bread factory. There you will find that for a reasonable price you can make a meal of their delicious, fresh sourdough bread and butter.
If it is a hot day come prepared to get wet. There is a great river rapids ride and there are several spots around the park for children to have fun with sprinklers and fountains.
With a two-park pass, you can visit both California Adventure and Disneyland. In the summer Disneyland is open till after midnight so you can enjoy California Adventure in the morning and early afternoon and then cross over to Disneyland for the rest of the day to enjoy their rides, the parade, and the fireworks show.
A short drive up Interstate 5 takes you to Knott’s Berry Farm, another very popular spot for vacationers and local families wanting to spend time together having fun.
Camp Snoopy provides loads of fun for the younger kids. There you find a pony ride, petting farm, a small Ferris wheel, and several more rides that children want to go on over and over again.
Knott’s also has great roller coasters and other rides, including a stagecoach, river rapids ride, and log ride as well as several shows.
After a day running around seeing the shows and enjoying the rides you will want to visit the famous Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant.
Delicious fried chicken, mouth-watering biscuits, and everything topped off with their famous boysenberry pie. It cannot be beaten.
Further up Interstate 5, you come to Six Flags Magic Mountain, which is full of roller coasters of every type. For the very young there is a children’s area with rides they will love.
Be prepared for higher temperatures in the summer than Disneyland or Knott’s, but if you have teenagers or if you love adventure yourself you do not want to miss it.
Heading south on Interstate 5 about 150 miles you come to a fairly new amusement park, LegoLand. With over 50 rides, shows and attractions it is another Southern California amusement park that takes at least a full day to get around.
They have rides especially for the very young including a miniature train and a boat ride that gently takes you through some favorite fairy tales.
There are several water play areas and of course, legos to play with. For older children and adults there are roller coasters, water rides, and more.
All of these parks are loaded with fun and all are located a short drive from each other. If you are traveling from out of the area and plan to stay in a hotel, there are many that offer shuttles that provide easy transportation to and from the parks.
