Best Family-Friendly Attractions

Explore the best best family-friendly attractions options for kids and families in Santa Maria

Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum

Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum

Educational & play exhibits for children. Museum for kids combining play & education, with a bubble machine, pirate ship & tar-pit exhibits.

Heritage Square Park

Heritage Square Park

Picnic tables, grills & a bandstand. The rentable bandstand is the focal point of this open lawn with picnic facilities & grills.

Swinging Bridge

Swinging Bridge

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Rancho Grande Park

Rancho Grande Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Exploration Discovery Center

Exploration Discovery Center

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Monarch Butterfly Grove

Monarch Butterfly Grove

Seasonal habitat of many butterflies. Eucalyptus tree–filled grove with thousands of monarch butterflies in late October through February.

Mustang Waterpark

Mustang Waterpark

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Pismo Beach Walkway & Boardwalk

Pismo Beach Walkway & Boardwalk

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Price Historical Park

Price Historical Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Pismo Beach Pier Plaza

Pismo Beach Pier Plaza

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Pismo Beach

Pismo Beach

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Dinosaur Caves Park

Dinosaur Caves Park

Oceanfront park atop rocky bluffs. A grassy lawn, playground & walking trails mark this 11-acre park situated atop oceanfront bluffs.

Margo Dodd Park

Margo Dodd Park

Oceanside park with a gazebo. Small, grassy park atop a coastal bluff featuring a gazebo, ocean views & beach access.

Eldwayen Ocean Park

Eldwayen Ocean Park

Oceanfront park with steps to the beach. Grassy oceanfront park with picnic tables & benches, easy parking & access to the beach via stairs.

Memory Park

Memory Park

Clifftop picnic spot with ocean views. Park atop steep ocean cliffs offering panoramic views & a grassy area with picnic tables & benches.

Spyglass Park

Spyglass Park

Oceanfront park with BBQs & a playground. Waterfront park with beach access, BBQ grills, picnic tables, a playground & a grassy area.

South Palisades Park

South Palisades Park

Ocean bluff retreat with picnic tables. Elevated park area offering picnic tables, a 1-mi. walking trail & unobstructed views of the sea.

Central Coast Aquarium

Central Coast Aquarium

Local marine life exhibits & touch tanks. Quaint, longtime aquarium with hands-on marine life exhibits & activities focusing on local species.

Point San Luis Lighthouse

Point San Luis Lighthouse

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Sunken Gardens

Sunken Gardens

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Goleta Monarch Butterfly Grove at Ellwood Mesa

Goleta Monarch Butterfly Grove at Ellwood Mesa

Protected area known for its butterflies. This protected grove is known for its population of Monarch butterflies.

Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park

Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park

Native American art on sandstone rocks. Paintings by Native Americans of the 1600s & earlier decorate sandstone boulders underground.

Downtown City Park

Downtown City Park

Central area popular for local events. Festivals & other town happenings are held in this central green space with a gazebo & playground.

Paso Robles Children's Museum

Paso Robles Children's Museum

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Barney Schwartz Park

Barney Schwartz Park

Sports fields, playgrounds & a pond. Popular city park featuring a pond, play structures & several fields for baseball/softball & soccer.

Pioneer Museum

Pioneer Museum

Historical buildings & exhibits. Museum with a 1-room schoolhouse, 2-cell jail replica & other exhibits of life during pioneer days.

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