How to How Fun in California Without Going to Disneyland

Huntington beach at sunset

Okay, I know I am the biggest Disney fan ever, but Southern California is full of things to do besides Disney that are amazing, so I have to share them with you!

1. Go to other theme parks

One thing California is not lacking in is theme parks.  There's Universal Studios that is going to open Harry Potter land in a couple of years.  There is 6 Flags, Knotts Berry Farm, Sea World, Lego Land, Great America, and other lesser known parks such as Adventure City and Children's Fairyland.  I have been to a few of these and will give a short review of the ones I've done.

Universal- this is by far my second favorite park in California, Disney is the first of course.  They have really fun thrill rides, like the Mummy and Jurassic Park, as well as some more calm rides such as the Back Lot Tour, and Simpson's 3D ride.   There are shows you can attend and lots of characters walking around.  I cannot wait for them to add the Harry Potter portion to this park.

Knotts Berry Farm -I used to go to this park as a kid and it was really fun, but when I went as an adult I couldn't help but feel old as the park seems to be full of teenagers now.  Definitely a step down from Disney and Universal.  The park is a lot dirtier, the lines are long with no fast past or front of the line pass options, and the rides are geared more for teenagers.  Don't get me wrong, I am not afraid to go on rides and I have fun, but there got to be a point where I was over and done with rides.  Luckily there are also lots of shows and fun carnival type games.  There are some things to do if you have littler kids like Camp Snoopy and the carnival type rides.

6 Flags - I have not been to this park personally, but my husband has.  He said it was really fun, lots of big thrill rides.  He also mentioned the park is so big he could not possibly get to every ride in one day unless he got some kind of skip the line pass.  Definitely not geared towards families, but there are things to do with little kids.

Sea World -I have been to Sea World with my husband and we really loved it.  There was a lot to see, lots of shows, and we even ate lunch with Shamu.  There are lots of different experiences you can do that cost more money such as swim with the dolphins, but if you do not want to spend more money there is plenty to do with the regular park admission.  They even have a couple of rides there, but not many, so don't go expecting to ride rides all day.

2. Attend a filming of a show

There are tons of sitcoms filmed in California in front of live studio audiences and to attend one of these tapings is free.  They usually provide pizza or some kind of food as well, so it is an excellent date idea.  My husband and I want to go see a taping of the Big Bang Theory, but have not been able to yet due to not knowing what to do with our kids while we are at the show.  Besides sitcoms there are tons of game shows and talk shows that are free to attend as well.  The Ellen show is definitely on my to-do list.  There is an age limit as to who can attend and you need to get tickets in advance.  You can do that here.

3. Take a studio tour

My husband and I have taken the WB tour and had a blast!  We went all around the lot on a little tour bus with a group of about 12 of us.  We got off the bus several times to see props, costumes, and even sets.  We went to a live set to see how a show is filmed and went to the retired set of Friends and got some amazing pictures!   At one point we toured a building that had all kinds of neat memorabilia and actual pieces from movies.  They even had an entire floor dedicated to Harry Potter stuff!  We could not take any pictures in this building, but we sure had fun getting sorted into different Hogwarts houses by the sorting hat, see an actual Oscar, and hiding in the cupboard under the stairs where Harry Potter lived.

4. See the famous sights

When I say famous sights I mean things like the Hollywood sign, Griffith Park, the Hollywood Walk of fame.  Places that have become icons of California.   I also recommend going to places where movies have been filmed.  My husband and I love movies, so driving around California to different places where some of our favorite films where shot is always a highlight of our trip.   We have been to all of the above mentioned places and a few more.  Griffith Park is beautiful, has the best view of the city, and Hollywood sign.  The Hollywood walk of fame is always entertaining with the people that populate that area.  There are people dressed up in costumes, people doing different things for money, and sometimes even famous people.  My husband saw Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie outside the Kodak Theater one time.  We have also gone to the neighborhood in Pasadena where Disturbia was filmed and took pictures of all the houses on the block.  Little adventures like this can really enhance your California experience.

4. Go to the beach

Huntington Beach

I cannot complete this post without mentioning the beach.  My mom is from Huntington Beach and I was born in Orange County so I am most loyal to the beaches of Orange County, but LA has good beaches too.   My favorite beaches in California are: Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, New Port Beach, Venice Beach, Malibu and Santa Monica.   Each have things unique to them, but also great places to actually go in the water.  Here is a little about each one.

Huntington Beach -has a great pier, is the dubbed "surf city" for it's great surfing of course, has volley ball nets, has a great shopping area across from the water and even has a dog park close by.

Laguna Beach -is known for its annual Festival of the Masters, where live people imitate famous paintings.  There is also great shopping on this beach.  The beach itself is nice, but no pier.

New Port Beach-has Balboa Island which is across from the sand and has lots of fun shops.  Has a nice pier and the sand is great.  There are lots of fancy houses around this beach as well that are fun to look at.

Venice Beach -home to the famous muscle beach and it has plenty of them!  There is a gym right on the beach where lots of really built people work out.  There is also a play ground on the beach.  Venice Beach is mostly known for its eclectic shops and people that populate the boardwalk.

Malibu

Malibu-is beautiful, famous for sunsets and surfers and famous people.  There is not a board walk, and the beaches are a little off the main road, but the scenery is what makes it so pretty.

Santa Monica-has the biggest pier with an amusement park.  Yep this is the one with the big ferris wheel, roller coaster and carnival games.  The beach itself is nice as well.  Lots of sand, lots of seagulls and a beautiful spot for sunsets.

Santa Monica