Many family vacations are planned around visits to theme parks, which are known for family fun and entertainment. Kids and adults alike love these kinds of family trips. Some of the most well known and impressive theme parks in the world are located around the city of Los Angeles in California.
Disneyland and California Adventure
Disneyland sprang from the mind of Walt Disney, the creator such beloved characters as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. It was opened to the public on July 17, 1955, and the people haven't stopped coming to the park since. This, one of the most popular parks in the world, is home to a number of thrill rides and roller coasters such as Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and Splash Mountain. There are also rides for those who prefer a slower pace and mild thrills. You can visit Tom Sawyer Island, as well as Pirates of the Caribbean, a perennial favorite.
In 2001, Disney opened Disney's California Adventure, an expansion to their theme park that features rides and attractions unique to the Golden State. It was meant as a tribute to the State, and has become very popular with tourists and locals alike.
Universal Studios
Located just outside Los Angeles in Universal City, Universal Studios is both a movie studio and a theme park. The rides and attractions are based on movie themes, such as the Simpsons, Terminator, Jurassic Park, and Universal's House of Horrors, are separated into an upper and a lower lot. Visitors can even take a studio tour, see what's filming, and maybe even bump into a celebrity or two on the lot.
This is a great place for fans of film and television to experience their favorite properties as never before.
Knott's Berry Farm and Soak City
Although it is not located in Los Angeles, it is just a short drive to Knott's Berry Farm, one of the premier theme parks in the United States.
The home of Camp Snoopy, featuring characters from the Peanuts comic strip, is likely better known for its dozens of thrill rides and attractions. The park is divided into several themed sections, including the Boardwalk, the Ghost Town, the Fiesta Village, Indian Trails, Wild Water Wilderness, and, of course, Camp Snoopy.
Soak City is the water park that is across the street from Knott's Berry Farm and owned by the same company. Some of the most popular rides in Soak City include Old Man Falls, Banzai Falls, and the 750,000-gallon wave pool called Tidal Wave Bay. It is a great way for locals and tourists to stay cool in the heat of a southern Californian summer.
There are other, smaller theme parks in the area, but the above are some of the most well known and most visited. An entire fun filled vacation can be based simply on visiting these theme parks as well as the beaches, shopping, and other attractions that Los Angeles and the surrounding area has to offer.