Top Los Angeles Theme Parks - A Quick Guide for First Timers to Southern California

If you're looking for a wild and exciting day during your Los Angeles vacation, you'll want to head to north Los Angeles County to Valencia, which is home to Six Flags Magic Mountain and its wide variety of roller coasters. There aren't many amusement parks with more roller coasters than Six Flags Magic Mountain. The park opened in 1971, and many of the rides that originally inhabited the park were built by the same company that helped develop the rides for Disneyland. Fun fact: Gold Rusher, which is a roller coaster that was in operation when the park opened, is still in operation today. Although much of Six Flags Magic Mountain is geared toward the biggest and most death-defying thrill rides you can find in North America, the park also features seasonal festivities like "Fright Fest" and "Holiday in the Park," as well as a children's area known as Thomas Town. NEW for 2017 is the exhilarating attraction JUSTICE LEAGUE: Battle for Metropolis! Team up with your favorite DC Super Heroes to defeat the evil Super-Villains in an epic battle that's made even more amazing with 4-D effects, gaming graphics, and one of the only virtual 360-degree loops. If your visit will occur in the summer, a trip to Hurricane Harbor -- Magic Mountain's sister park -- will keep you cool in Valencia, where temperatures soar in the summer months. Getting In: Six Flag Magic Mountain tickets are included with the Go Los Angeles® Card.

One of the most popular parks for families with young children is LEGOLAND California, which features more than 60 rides for pint-sized visitors. The park features sections with fun themes like Dino Island, a dinosaur-themed area where kids can dig for fossils and DUPLO Village, which features water rides designed for little visitors under the age of 6. Like Six Flags, LEGOLAND has a sister park with LEGOLAND Water Park, which is located on the property at LEGOLAND California at the entrance to Fun Town. A summer vacation to LEGOLAND means packing some swimsuits for the family. Give our tips for visiting LEGOLAND California a read to get the most out of your time. Getting In: LEGOLAND California tickets are included with the Go Los Angeles® Card.

Welcoming more than 3.5 million visitors a year through its gates, Knott's Berry Farm might look like an old-fashioned county fair, but the park has some of the wildest thrill rides in Southern California. The park is a terrific stop for families since it caters to all ages with rides designed for teen and adult riders, as well as miniature versions for kids that mimic the style of the adult rides. Knott's is one of the oldest amusement parks/attractions still in operation in Southern California, having opened in 1920. Knott's was originally a simple operation where the family sold its soon-to-be-famous berry preserves and pies, and the Knott family would eventually add a restaurant and tea room in the 1930s. Theme rides and attractions would follow in the ensuing decades. Getting In: Knott's Berry Farm tickets are included with the Go Los Angeles® Card. We've a post on tips for Knott's Berry Farm here.

During your visit to Santa Monica and the world-famous Santa Monica Pier, you'll see a unique amusement park known as Pacific Park, which features old-fashioned carnival rides and games and is built on the pier over the water. We put together some helpful info to check out before your visit to Pacific Park. This fun and lighthearted park is the perfect destination if you're traveling with children who aren't yet tall enough for true thrill rides. However, the park also has some rides for older kids and adults that provide a few fun stomach flips and thrills. One of the coolest features of the park is its Ferris wheel, which towers into the sky to give riders a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean and is powered entirely by solar power. Getting In: Pacific Park Santa Monica tickets are included with the Go Los Angeles® Card.

A popular spot for indoor go-kart racing, K1 Speed Torrance is conveniently located right near the meeting of the 110 and 405 freeways. You don't need a reservation to race, and the karting center offers youth races and adult races. The adult races require a height of at least 58" and the junior races require a height of at least 48" tall. The races run separately, so if you're interested in racing with the kids, make sure everyone is at least 58" tall. K1 Speed is close to Long Beach, so it's a great place to spend an evening after you've spent the day exploring the Queen Mary or the Aquarium of the Pacific. Getting In: K1 Speed Indoor Go Karting tickets are included with the Go Los Angeles® Card.

iFLY boasts locations across the United States, and the Southern California location is located at the Universal Studios CityWalk, which is a shopping and entertainment venue that sits right outside the Universal Studios park. While not really a 'theme park', iFLY Hollywood caters to flyers of all ability levels including first-time flyers, returning flyers, and experienced flyers. You can fly with a friend, as well as with the entire family. You can even schedule a group visit for a birthday party or if you have a large family. The venue is open until 9 PM during the week and until 11 PM on the weekends, so it's a fun way to conclude a day spent at Universal Studios and Universal CityWalk. Getting In: iFLY Indoor Skydiving tickets are included as an option when you build your own pass.

While you won't see roller coasters at the Los Angeles Zoo, a visit still has the opportunity to provide a thrilling experience for families. The park opened in 1966 and features beautiful exhibits, including a certified botanical garden, a chimpanzee exhibit, and a large enclosure for Asian elephants. The park is open every day of the year and features daily hours from 10 AM to 5 PM, and arriving when the gates open ensures you can see as many animals as possible. If you'd like to provide your family with an educational vacation, you might combine a visit to the Los Angeles Zoo with a trip to the Aquarium of the Pacific and the Natural History Museum. Getting In: L.A. Zoo tickets are included with the Go Los Angeles® Card.

One of the most exciting venues in Los Angeles is the Aquarium of the Pacific, where the attractions are alive and awe-inspiring. The non-profit aquarium employs about 300 people, but there are also more than 600 volunteers who give their time to the popular Long Beach attraction. The aquarium's exhibits are divided into geographical sections, so you'll see aquatic creatures from the Los Angeles region in the Southern California & Baja Gallery and animals like sea otters in the Northern Pacific Gallery. The not-to-be-missed exhibit at the Aquarium of the Pacific is Explorer's Cove, which features the popular rainbow lorikeets that you can hold and feed, as well as the 10,000-square-foot Shark Lagoon and its touch pools. Yes, you can touch the sharks! Getting In: Aquarium of the Pacific tickets are included with the Go Los Angeles® Card.