san diego zoo with kids
If you’re planning a family vacation to Southern California, you’ve chosen one of my favorite kid-friendly destinations. Perfect weather, gorgeous beaches, tons of kid friendly attractions.. this is a great city for kids.
Insider Tip: Get the Southern California City Pass IF: You’ll be in the area for at least 6 days, AND Disneyland is your first stop.
Some highlights for San Diego and Southern California:San Diego is only 90 minutes from Disneyland. This can be a side-trip, or a destination on its own.
Check here fo Great Deals on Tickets & Attractions in San Diego!
Nearby, check out Legoland in Carlsbad for a fun theme park centered around these timeless toys.
Tide Pools at Newport Beach. North of San Diego and very near Anaheim (Disneyland) is a town called Newport Beach. The beach here has tide pools where local kids love to watch the sea life that thrives here.
San Diego Zoo. Great zoo for kids. The animals are easy to see, the paths are very stroller friendly. This is the zoo that other zoos strive to be.
Wild Animal Park. The animals have spacious enclosures here… translation: lots of walking. Beautiful parks and picnic areas. Located near Balboa Park.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps is the public hands-on area for the world-renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. The interactive museum hosts fantastic summer camps, some teaching older kids how to surf. The aquarium houses more than 60 different habitats. It’s great fun for all ages!
Coronado Island: Gorgeous, historic Hotel Del Coronado (or, Hotel Del) is right on the beach. There’s a wonderful little ice cream shop in the hotel. Eclectic shops and restaurants nearby. This could be a great base camp for your trip.
Gaslamp Quarter. Very cool and eclectic shops and restaurants… something for every taste and budget. The Cheese Shop deli is one of my favorites for lunch. Horton Plaza is an outdoor mall near the Westin that’s fun for a stroll. Westins are very kid friendly hotels, by the way, providing cribs and fridges upon request.
What fun things for kids have you found here?
I am a little biased, but Legoland in Carlsbad/Northern San Diego is a great theme park if you have little ones. In spring, the Carlsbad Flower Fields a few blocks from Legoland are gorgeous and worth a visit. They even have a Santa’s Village play structure to enjoy. Carlsbad is a beautiful vacation spot. Check it out when you’re planning your trip.
Bridget Smith
Author
The Unauthorized Legoland Guidebook
Bridget Smith’s last blog post..Gather Ye Lego Bricks While Ye May!
Great tip, Briget! Thank you!