9 Fun Things to Do in Anaheim With Teens This Fall (That Aren't Lame)

Planning things to do with teenagers can be... interesting.

When they're little, you can take them somewhere with a slide and a snack and you've basically crushed parenting for the afternoon.

Teenagers have opinions.

Lots of them.

And nothing kills an activity faster than hearing:

“That's for little kids.”

Luckily, Anaheim has quite a few things to do with teens that don't involve forcing them to pose for a family photo in front of something they stopped caring about three hours ago.

You've got fast go-karts, escape rooms, haunted houses, fighter jet simulators, hockey games, giant arcades and, yes, even a few places where they'll willingly hang out with their parents.

So if you're looking for things to do in Anaheim with teenagers this fall, here are nine ideas that have a pretty decent chance of receiving something better than an eye roll.

1. Put Them in an Escape Room

We're starting with something we're admittedly just a little biased about.

At Exit Game OC - Escape Room in Anaheim, our 13th Basement game is particularly good for teens because it's creepy enough to feel like they're doing something meant for older kids without being a full-on haunted house.

The story is about a serial killer who became obsessed with escape rooms and decided to build one himself.

Again, perfectly normal hobby.

Your group has 60 minutes to explore a large, multi-room environment and solve your way out. Players start the game separated into two groups, which immediately creates the extremely entertaining experience of listening to everyone yell at each other from opposite sides of the room.

There are creepy sets, fake blood, body parts, a few jump scares and plenty of dark humor, but there aren't live actors chasing you around.

That distinction matters.

For a lot of teens, a horror-themed escape room hits the sweet spot between “this is for children” and “why did my parents pay someone to chase me with a chainsaw?”

Every booking is also completely private, so you won't get paired with random people.

And if you've got a younger sibling tagging along who isn't ready for 13th Basement, Meow! I'm a Cat is our much more family-friendly option.

Although you play as cats who've accidentally been put up for adoption, so good luck telling your teenager that without them immediately judging you.

Best for: Teens who like puzzles, horror movies, gaming and competitive families.

2. Race Electric Go-Karts at K1 Speed

If your teenager has ever played Mario Kart and insisted the blue shell was the only reason they lost, it's time to settle things properly.

K1 Speed Anaheim has an indoor electric go-kart track where racers compete for fastest lap times instead of just circling around on a slow amusement-park ride.

The adult electric karts can reach speeds of up to 45 mph, although actual speeds are managed during races for safety. Teen and adult drivers need to be at least 58 inches tall to use the larger karts. Younger or shorter racers may qualify for junior karts beginning at 48 inches.

And because it's indoors, this is one of those rare Southern California activities where it doesn't particularly matter whether it's 95 degrees outside.

Which can absolutely still happen in Anaheim in October because our seasons are mostly decorative.

Minors need a waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian, so that's worth taking care of before everyone gets excited and runs toward the track.

Best for: Competitive teens, car fans and siblings with unresolved grievances.

3. Graduate to an Actual Haunted House at Eulogy

If your teenager thinks 13th Basement sounds too easy, fine.

We know some people.

Eulogy Collective Haunted House is located inside Anaheim GardenWalk near Disneyland and is one of Anaheim's independent haunted attractions.

Their new Shades of Hell maze opens September 11 for the 2026 Halloween season and uses live actors, detailed sets, lighting, sound and close-up scares.

This is an actual haunted house, so we're stepping up considerably from our horror-comedy escape room.

And because we've mentioned them several times in our Halloween posts this year, we should probably disclose again that the people behind Eulogy are friends of ours.

We like them.

They're good people who make bad things happen to you in dark rooms.

The important distinction.

Eulogy is especially good for older teens who have reached that age where they claim that absolutely nothing scares them.

Great.

Test the theory.

Best for: Older teens who love horror and have been bragging about how impossible they are to scare.

4. Fly a Fighter Jet Simulator

This is one of those Anaheim attractions that even alot of locals don't seem to know exists.

Flightdeck + Rogue Racing at Anaheim GardenWalk lets guests climb into simulators and try their hand at flying fighter jets, piloting a Boeing 737 or racing cars.

And we're not talking about putting a quarter into an arcade machine.

For the fighter-jet experience, participants receive instruction before getting into their simulator and flying missions against the other pilots.

No previous experience is required—they teach you what you need to know first. Participants generally need to be at least 10 years old and 4'10" tall.

Honestly, this is exactly the sort of thing we'd look for when entertaining a teenager.

It's interactive.

It's competitive.

It involves screens.

And there's a non-zero possibility Dad will take it way too seriously.

Perfect.

Reservations aren't strictly required for regular visits, but they're highly recommended, particularly if you've got several people who want to participate.

Best for: Gamers, aviation fans, racing fans and teenagers who spend suspicious amounts of time in simulators at home.

5. Take Them to an Anaheim Ducks Game

Fall means hockey is back in Anaheim.

Honda Center is home to the Anaheim Ducks, and the 2026-27 season gets started almost immediately after this article goes live.

The Ducks have preseason home games against San Jose on September 20 and the Los Angeles Kings on September 23, followed by their regular-season home opener against the Florida Panthers on October 4.

After that you've got Edmonton visiting October 7, Calgary October 13 and Boston October 16, among plenty of other games throughout fall.

Even if your teenager isn't already obsessed with hockey, a live game is considerably easier to get into than trying to convince them to sit quietly through something for three hours.

It's loud.

It's fast.

People occasionally get shoved into walls.

Teen-friendly entertainment really isn't that complicated.

There are also concerts and touring events constantly moving through Honda Center, so it's worth checking the event calendar even if nobody in your family knows what icing means.

Best for: Sports fans, energetic families and teens who would rather see something live than go sightseeing.

6. Rediscover Mini Golf at Camelot Golfland

We know.

Mini golf sounds dangerously close to something your parents made you do when you were eight.

Hear us out.

Camelot Golfland is much bigger than a little roadside miniature-golf course.

The Anaheim location has four separate 18-hole mini-golf courses, plus go-karts, bumper cars, bumper boats, laser tag and a giant arcade.

So you don't necessarily have to sell the family on an afternoon of politely putting a neon ball around a windmill.

You can play mini golf, declare someone the winner based on whatever scorekeeping rules survived the first six holes, then head inside and play laser tag or arcade games.

Their laser-tag arena alone is around 5,000 square feet, and the arcade includes newer games, racing games, shooters, VR and some old-school options.

Fall is also a particularly nice time for Camelot because spending an hour outside playing mini golf gets considerably more pleasant once Anaheim stops attempting to cook everyone.

Usually.

Best for: Groups with different interests, younger teens and families that want several activities in one place.

7. Let Everyone Pick Their Own Food at the Packing House

Eventually, teenagers require feeding.

Frequently without warning.

Anaheim Packing District is one of the easiest places to take a family when everyone wants something different.

The centerpiece is the historic Anaheim Packing House, a restored citrus packing facility that's now a two-story food hall filled with restaurants and dessert spots.

Instead of spending 35 minutes conducting negotiations over where to eat, everyone can grab whatever they actually want and meet back at the table.

There are also regular live music nights and special events throughout the Packing District, so it feels more like somewhere to hang out than simply a place to eat.

And this is one of our favorite recommendations for visiting families because it gets you out of the Disneyland Resort bubble and into a part of Anaheim that locals actually spend time in.

For maximum teenager happiness:

Give everyone some money.

Set a meeting point.

Stop trying to coordinate the food order.

You've done enough.

Best for: Hungry teenagers, picky groups and that magical age where agreeing on one restaurant has become physically impossible.

8. Go Ice Skating in Downtown Anaheim

Another activity that works surprisingly well with teenagers is ice skating.

The Rinks - Anaheim ICE is located in Downtown Anaheim and offers public skating sessions throughout the year.

You don't need to own skates or know what you're doing. Anaheim ICE has rental skates available, and public sessions are open to skaters of all ages.

As of 2026, general public-skating admission is listed at $18 with skate rentals available separately for $8, although we'd check the current schedule and pricing before heading over since session times can change.

It's also indoors.

And cold.

Which means if Southern California has decided that October should be 93 degrees again, you can walk into a building and briefly experience the concept of autumn.

If you're already Downtown, you can combine skating with the Packing House pretty easily and turn it into a full afternoon or evening.

Best for: Active teens, groups of friends and families desperate to remember what cold air feels like.

9. Go Bowling at Downtown Disney Without Going Into Disneyland

If you're visiting Anaheim and your teenager has reached theme-park saturation, you don't necessarily need to abandon the Disneyland Resort area completely.

Splitsville Luxury Lanes is located inside Downtown Disney, meaning you can go bowling without buying Disneyland admission.

And Splitsville is definately not the sad bowling alley you might remember from childhood birthday parties.

The Anaheim location has 20 bowling lanes spread across two floors, along with a full restaurant and an outdoor patio with live entertainment.

So it works really well as an arrival-night or off-day activity if you're staying near Disneyland.

Teens can bowl, everyone can eat, and afterward you're already in Downtown Disney if they want to wander through the shops or grab dessert.

Lane reservations are available in advance, which we'd consider doing if you're visiting on a busy Friday or Saturday instead of showing up with six impatient people and hoping for the best.

Best for: Disneyland visitors on an off-day, mixed-age families and teenagers who suddenly become professional bowlers the second somebody else is winning.

Anaheim Isn't Just for Little Kids

Because Disneyland is here, it's easy to think of Anaheim primarily as a destination for families with young children.

But there's actually alot to do in Anaheim with teenagers, especially once you start looking beyond the obvious theme-park attractions.

You can race go-karts.

Fly a fighter jet simulator.

Get chased through a haunted house.

Watch NHL hockey.

Go ice skating.

Spend the night playing arcade games.

Or lock the entire family in an escape room and discover who handles pressure the worst.

And that last one can be surprisingly educational.

If your teenager is into horror, puzzles or gaming, 13th Basement at Exit Game OC is a pretty easy place to start.

You've got 60 minutes to escape.

And for one glorious hour, nobody can say they're bored.