5 Summer Hikes for Kids

It’s starting to heat up outside, and that usually means staying in where the a/c makes everything cooler. Especially if you have kids! But, it doesn’t have to. Today, I’m sharing 5 summer hikes for kids and the parents they always bring with them.

1. Amir’s Garden and the Ferndell Nature Museum in Griffith Park. These are actually two different trails, but since they are both in the same park, they can be done in the same day. Both trails are relatively short and clock in at under a mile round trip. But the great thing about both hikes is that they are shaded, easy and super green! They abound in plant life, which can also be a great learning experience for your kiddos (if you haven’t already, download the iNaturalist app onto your phone).
2. Point Dume is a great place to go hiking when it heats up outside. The trails are on the bluff overlooking the beach, where you can spend the afternoon playing in the sand and water after your hike! The bluff has a few different trails, so you can make your hike as short as a half mile or as long as two miles. And, if you’re lucky, you’ll catch some of the local climbers scaling the face of one of the bluff’s walls. Another fun perk of Point Dume are the sea lions which can be heard down below from atop the trail on most days. Parking in the area can be tricky, so if you’re like me, just pay to park at the bottom of the bluff rather than waiting for a spot to open up at the top.
3. Looking for another beach hike option? Why not check out Abalone Cove? During low tide (check the tide levels on the NOAA site), there are tide pools to be explored. This is always a treat for kids young and old! There are a ton of trails in the area, so you can do as little or long of a hike as you’d like. You do have to pay for parking at this location, but it makes parking a bit easier during the week (LA parking gives me major anxiety). However, on weekends it will fill up, so get there early! NOTE: I have not been to Abalone Cove this year. Last year there were some trail closures for “assessments,” in the surrounding area. I would hope that after a year they would be reopened though.
4. Solstice Canyon is one of those hikes that every SoCaler needs to do! Not only is it full of history, it’s one of the coolest hikes complete with ruins and a small waterfall.  An added bonus? 90% of the fireroad is shaded! If you stick to this fireroad, the hike is extremely kid friendly. There is a small parking lot that fills up quickly, even during the week, so be sure to arrive early.
5. Looking for a good waterfall hike in a beautiful canyon in the San Gabriels where you can hop in the water to cool off? Look no further than Hermit Falls. You’ll have to park at Chantry Flats, which again can be busy, so be sure to arrive early. This spot does require an adventure pass to park.

These are my top 5 summer hikes for kids! Let me know if you enjoy any this summer. See a hike you think is missing? Let me know in the comments below.