Your guide to the best playgrounds, museums, libraries, and events in Riverside for families
Think there's nothing to do in Riverside with your kids? I used to think so too. Turns out the best family days don't always require sitting in traffic on the 91 on the way to LA or OC all afternoon. Great family days in Riverside exist… you just have to know where to look!
I'm here to help you find the best parks, free events, libraries, museums, and activities for children in the Riverside area — so you can spend less time Googling and more time actually having fun with your kids.
Here’s the latest from Riverside Fun Kids:
Welcome to Riverside Fun Kids!
I’m Kelly, and I’ve lived in Riverside for 8+ years with my husband and our four school-age children.
Since 2020, I’ve had an Instagram account (@socalnaturekids) where I share nature areas, hikes, and parks all over Southern California. My family loves taking day trips to check out places in Orange County, San Diego, and LA… and Riverside is pretty ideally located for visiting all those places!
But sometimes it’s nice to stay close to home, avoid traffic, and enjoy fun places here in the Riverside area!
It can be easy to feel like there’s not that much to do in Riverside… we don’t have the zoos, beaches, tide pools, aquariums, or children’s museums that you’ll find in other parts of Southern California.
But rather than bemoan what we don’t have… I like to focus on what we do have:
🛝 50+ parks and a robust Parks and Rec department
🌸 several nature centers, botanic gardens, hikes, and a state park!
📚 10+ libraries that offer loads of resources and activities
🎨 art museums, an air museum, farmer’s markets, community events, and more!
Here’s what you can expect to find at Riverside Fun Kids:
⭐️ lots of ideas + detailed info for places to go in Riverside with kids
🗓️ info about upcoming local events
💵 emphasis on cheap or free places to go
✨ a positive attitude about living in Riverside
Here’s the geographic area I try to cover:
🍊 Mostly focused on the city of Riverside
🗺️ Sometimes sharing stuff in Riverside’s neighbors, like Jurupa Valley, Moreno Valley, and Corona.
🚗 Occasionally, ideas for outings worth the drive within 30-60 minutes of Riverside, like Redlands, Oak Glen, Ontario, or Anaheim.