San Diego, California has mild weather year round making it a great destination to visit. With 70 miles of coast line, beaches, parks, museums, and hiking there are plenty of activities to choose from. Numerous kid-friendly restaurants are around every corner offering a wide variety of diverse options.
Things to Do
Legoland
Legoland is located in Carlsbad which is a quick 30 miles from San Diego. This amusement park is nice in that it is geared toward younger kids ages 2-12 years old. So if you have preschool to elementary age kids they are big enough to ride all the rollercoasters in the park. As expected all the attractions are Lego themed and really quite creative. The kids loved all that Legoland had to offer, but they were especially excited about the “Driving School” ride. The kids were able to each drive their own Lego car down the little streets with mini sized, realistic traffic signs. Another plus I really appreciated was that none of the rides are over the top scary or nausea-inducing. So if you aren’t a fan of intense rides, Legoland is the place for you!
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
San Diego is known for its world class zoo! However, before talking with a friend I didn’t realize there are actually two parks that make up the San Diego Zoo. The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is located in Escondido, about 35 miles from San Diego. This park is a 1800-acre wildlife sanctuary. There are free range enclosures that are tailored to bigger species that need more space to roam such as giraffes, elephants, and rhinos. A great number of animals seen in this park are native to African and Asia. Visiting this park is a definite must! It was a highlight of our trip. With safari rides through the wide open savannahs it felt like we were immersed in the animals natural habitat. One of my favorite experiences was walking through the Australian exhibit. Here you can walk among the kangaroos as they freely hop about. Amazing!
La Jolla Cove
This cove is located by Ellen Browning Scripps park in La Jolla. There is a stairway leading down to the small beach area from the park above. The beach area is surrounded by cliffs and known for the marine life found there, particularly the seals and sea lions. In the warmer months you can also partake in swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, or kayaking. The sight of the seals and sea lions swimming was quite amazing. The kids could not contain their excitement watching these sea creatures “talking” to each other and flopping about on the rocks near the shore.
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
This 1,750 acre reserve is dedicated to preserving the Torrey Pine tree and other wildlife native to this area. The park has several trails that are easy hikes for all ages. The views of the Pacific Ocean are spectacular! Torrey Pines is located five miles from La Jolla, so this is a great excursion to pair with a La Jolla Cove adventure. The nature center in the park is also a fun stop to make if you want to learn more about the history of the area.
USS Midway Museum
The USS Midway was the longest serving US aircraft carrier of the 20th century, from 1945 to 1992. It was the only carrier to serve the entire length of the Cold War. This aircraft carrier is now located in San Diego and serves as a museum with over 60 exhibits and 29 restored aircraft. Visiting the Midway is a great family activity! There is a self-guided audio tour that walks you through the exhibits and explains what life was like on the Midway.
I love that this is such a hands-on excursion. This definitely isn’t a look, but don’t touch museum. For example, when you visit the sleeping quarters, you can climb up in the bunk bed area and get a real sense of the life of a Navy Sailor. The kids also loved sitting in the cockpit in the airplanes! It was incredible to explore all the different areas of the carrier. Some sections you can visit include the laundry facilities, sleeping quarters, mess hall, and the operating rooms. Yes, they performed surgeries at sea, amazing!
San Diego Natural History Museum
Located in Balboa park, the Natural History Museum has many interactive exhibits that span across five floors. Some of the permanent exhibitions include Fossil Mysteries and Coast to Coast Cactus. The museum transports you from the prehistoric time of the dinosaurs in this region of California, through 75 million years, and into the biological present day. It was fun to learn all about the history of plants and animals native to this area. There are several huge fossils that were totally amazing to us all!
San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo is conveniently located in Balboa Park and covers 100 acres. There you can visit over 3,700 rare and endangered animals. There are so many species here, it is so impressive to say the least. Our favorite exhibits to visit were the panda and the gorilla enclosures. The zoo also has a Skyfari aerial tram that allows you to sit and view the zoo from above while taking a short cut all the way to the other end of the park. In the late afternoon we took the scenic ride back, flying gently over the treetops. After lots of walking it was a nice ending to a busy day!
Where to Eat
Gaslamp Quarter – Snooze A.M. Eatery
This historical district, with over 100 Victorian-era buildings, contains numerous restaurants and shops. We were staying near this area and went searching for a morning fueling after our early flight in. Even though Snooze has now branched out to several US cities, this breakfast spot was close to our hotel and we were pleased with the variety of yumminess offered there. The pancakes, breakfast tacos, eggs, hash browns and more were all a hit with our crew. Definitely stop by if you are looking for a fun and fresh breakfast!
Little Italy – Civico 1845
Little Italy is a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood in San Diego with over 70 patio cafes, restaurants, and pubs. There is a mix of fine dining and casual eateries with something for everyone. If you have more time to stroll around, there are also local boutiques and shops sprinkled throughout. On Saturdays the Little Italy Mercato (farmers market) can also be explored. We stumbled upon Civico 1845 and as you can see everyone devoured all that was served. The food was fabulous and the atmosphere was kid-friendly. An overall win!
The Watering Hole at San Diego Zoo Safari Park
It may seem somewhat random to list a zoo restaurant, but this experience was one of our favorite memories from our trip! The Watering Hole is located at the Kijamii Overlook. Ok, let me just say, this is not your typical zoo eatery. Here you are dining in an open-air restaurant overlooking the African savannah, watching the animals roam as you enjoy your meal. The atmosphere is fantastic and the food is scrumptious! We enjoyed the cheese board and fresh sandwiches. Such a relaxing lunch and memorable animal encounter!
Seaport Village
If you have a few hours to spend, Seaport Village is a casual area to walk around and grab lunch or a sweet treat! This 14 acre waterfront complex has shopping, dining, and more. If you are looking for burgers, pizza, pretzels, coffee, or fudge, you can find it all here. There are also caricature artists and a historic 1895 carousel to entertain the kiddos!
Where to Stay
Inn at the Park
This hotel is centrally located on the edge of Balboa park making it walking distance to many activities including the San Diego Zoo and several museums. We loved that the rooms are suites with full kitchens. It was great after a long day to order in and enjoy dinner with plenty of room to sit. Furthermore, it’s always so nice to enjoy our morning coffee on a pretty balcony patio as we ease into our day! The kids also appreciated listening to the sounds of the city from up above and we could even see the ocean in the distance.
Savings Strategy
How to Fly to San Diego for FREE
When visiting San Diego our four person family flew on Southwest Airlines round-trip for free. The Southwest Airlines credit card has a sign on bonus of up to 80,000 points. You are awarded these travel points as long as you meet the minimum spending of $3000 over a three month period. Each round trip ticket cost us 20,000 points.
How to Stay at the Inn at the Park for FREE
Inn at the Park in San Diego is a Wyndham Hotel property. You can use points to pay for your stay! The Wyndham Barclay credit card has a 45,000 point sign on bonus. The minimal spending requirement is low at $1000 over three months. The cost per night at the Inn at the Park is 15,000 points. If your spouse also opens their own card you will have enough to enjoy 6 nights for free. Happy planning!
