Nature

Visiting the Tidepools at Cabrillo Beach

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Want an easy visit to the Cabrillo Beach tidepools? Located next to Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, the tidepools in San Pedro provide easy parking, outdoor adventure, and lots of fun for little exporers!

During the pandemic, I promised my kids that I would take them to the places that their school would have taken them to on field trips under normal circumstances.

When I found out the second grade trip was a visit to the tidepools, I kinda freaked out. I had been to the tidepools by myself in college, and found the whole thing intimidating.

I was super nervous to take my kids to the tidepool for the first time.

Luckily, I have a friend who works at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. She was able to give me lots of great information about how to best visit the Cabrillo Beach tidepools with kids.

That information made such a HUGE difference for us, that I knew we just had to share it with you!

So if you are thinking of braving the tidepools at Cabrillo Beach for the first time, here is some expert advice to make your first visit a roaring success!

the tidepools at cabrillo beach; text: cabrillo beach tidepools

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Best Hiking with Kids in Long Beach

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Looking to enjoy the great outdoors? Well lucky for us, while Long Beach has all the amenities of a big city, it has a surprising amount of fun – and accessible – hiking opportunities for families! Whether you’re a family that loves the great outdoors or is just dipping your toe in hiking, there’s something for you in Long Beach. Check out these best family hiking spots in Long Beach and try one with your family soon!

I’ve never been super outdoorsy. Then I married an Eagle Scout. So when we had kids he was so excited to get them outside.

Over the past 8 years we’ve loaded our kids up in strollers, double strollers, wagons, and Ergo’s and explored all over Long Beach (and beyond!)

Here are some of our favorite spots we’ve visited.

Did we miss one of your favorite spots? Drop it in the comments so we can check it out and add it to our list!

best kid friendly hikes in long beach, from Long beach Kids

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Visiting the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Gardens

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If you’re looking for a short but fun activity in the heart of Long Beach, look no farther than the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Gardens located inside Cal State Long Beach. These stunning gardens aren’t able to be seen from any major streets and aren’t a major destination for most folks. You could live your whole life in Long Beach and not know about them!

When our first kids were little, we spent a lot of time exploring Long Beach with toddlers. As alums of CSULB, we remembered that there was a nice little Japanese Garden right on campus.

The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Gardens were close, not overwhelmingly large, and FREE. This was basically the trifecta for us as new Moms, so we were excited to check it out.

Almost ten years later, this is still one of my favorite places to take my kids.

The Japanese Gardens at CSULB are an amazing hidden gem that your little ones will love. With an easy walking path, lots of benches for snack breaks and a koi pond that will amaze your kids, it’s sure to become a family favorite.

Here’s everything you should know before you head to the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Gardens in Long Beach!

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Duck Ponds Near Long Beach

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Looking for a low-key activity with nature, water, and animals? Check out on of the many duck ponds near Long Beach with your kids. It’s a perfect activity for babies, toddlers, and bigger kids, too!

When my kids were littler, we’d visit the duck pond near our house in Long Beach just for fun. I needed to get out of the house, and the duck pond seemed like a pretty chill place to take them.

As they got older, I realized what a fantastic learning opportunity the duck pond really was.

Not only is it outside and in nature, but kids can learn about various local animals. They can find out what they eat, how they move in the water and out of it, and what they sound like.

And, if you’re unlucky, they’ll learn what happens if you get too close to the edge of the duck pond (don’t ask. It was a bad day).

If you’re looking to explore duck ponds near Long Beach, you’re in luck. We have TONS of them nearby. Read on to find out which one is closest to your neighborhood!

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