Find kid-friendly things to do in Huntington Beach during this summer as malls and theme parks welcome back crowds.
Put these together to form Play Trips with a variety of options from beaches to parks to walks to restaurants or picnic spots. All are designed to be very simple and hopefully easy to access without a lot of trouble. When something costs $, I’ve tried to add an alternative that is free.
There are a few fun treats to pair with this Huntington Beach experience, although there are countless more restaurants in Huntington Beach which I've covered during other summers. I will list a couple of my favorites at the end of the post.
Play All Day in Huntington Beach
If you want to play all day in Huntington Beach, there definitely needs to be some beach time. We've got 2 playgrounds in the sand and a beach destination. Plus, a nature center and three very fun playgrounds.
This beach is a dream! It does cost $15/day for the state parks pass, but there is a free beach later in this list if you need an alternative. And you can also consider checking out a parks pass from the library!
The sand is incredibly white and wide here! It's a flat and easy walk (although a bit long) on a mostly paved pathway from parking lot. The waves tend to break further out on good days and there are lifeguards nearby to consult about local conditions. I love our state parks and beaches!
New and popular playground near Shipley Nature Center and Kathy May's Lakeview Cafe. This post has an amazing map of Central Park.
Open on Saturdays only from 9am-1pm. Make sure you squeeze this magical place into your plans. It's one of the few places in Orange County where you'll actually find redwood trees! There's also a nice new paved parking lot nearby. If you want, you can go across the street to the Huntington Beach Central Library and find the Secret Garden for another fun stroll.
Wonderful sea breeze to help keep you cool while you play. A nice toddler area and grassy area for picnics. I love the birdwatching here because you are overlooking the Bolsa Chica wetlands.
This is not only a great beach with no waves (although it's inside the harbor so check the water quality), it's also a pretty great playground with a pirate theme. Perfect place for a picnic and free parking.
Another pirate ship playground, but this is a pretty new one in the sand near the pier. Get all the details on where to park inside the post!
Bauer Park is tucked into a Huntington Beach neighborhood and I was impressed with how cozy it feels and the covered picnic area makes for a shaded place to eat or snack.
More Favorite Huntington Beach Treats
- One popular spot we've covered in the past is Duck Donuts.
- Hula Girl Shave Ice is closed on Mondays-Wednesdays. Their menu has photos so you can see all the Dole Whip flavors and specials of the day. If you want to see them on Instagram, follow their @hulagirlsshaveice account.
More Kid Friendly Places to Go
- See all my posts on Huntington Beach parks
- See my Central Orange County Parks index
One spot that isn’t covered by a post on my blog yet is the Urban Forest. It's a pretty amazing spot that just keeps getting better over the years and you can see the investment of hundreds of volunteer hours just grow and grow and grow. Especially check out the Shipley to Shore Nature Trail that is taking shape.
