Georgia
Minneapolis
Aside from Sea World, what are some fun family activities in San Diego for children ages 5 and 8? I'll be meeting up with my aunt in San Diego and would love to take my little cousins somewhere fun!
Funbelievable - Kids play place, indoors, huge climbing structure with slides, about $10.
Santee Lakes Regional Park – Ducks, lakes, playground, and spray ground. Parking is $5 and I think the sprayground is $3 for the child. Bring bread or duckfood.
Aquatica, SeaWorld's Waterpark San Diego - water park, recently opened, run by Seaworld, about 25 minutes south.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography - La Jolla, small aquarium
SEA LIFE Aquarium - $20 per person if you don’t have a pass
Westfield UTC mall – trains and playground. Train is $3 and at the opposite side of mall from the playground
Marian Bear Memorial Park - hikes on Genessee or Regents, sort of alongside the 52. Close and easy walk with lots of trees but I hear there is poison ivy in the brush so stay on path, the boys like to climb the trees there.
Torrey Pines Hike - beautiful hike up and down the cliffs at the beach.
North University Community Branch Library - Wednesday summer concerts, large playground next to library, story time on Tuesdays.
Open gym at TRC gymnastics in Solana Beach – M W, F: 11:15 - 12:15. $7?
San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido. Don’t go if it is a hot day.
Train/merry go round by Zoo on Saturdays
Balboa Park - the Science Museum is great for kids, we also like the Natural History museum
Japanese Friendship garden at Balboa Park
San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas
Carmel Valley Recreation Center pool
Carmel Valley playground
Barnes & Noble book store in Del Mar Shopping Center
ZOOMARS - In San Clemente, about 45 min away. Petting zoo with playgrounds and horse rides. You can take the train there for a whole day adventure.
Art Soup - art play place in Encinitas
Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum - outdoors, real old military planes
Pump It Up - inflatable play place, indoors, open play Tuesday nights and Fridays from 11-12?
Inflatable World - inflatable play place, outdoors, always open
Sprayground at Del Mar Heights Road (a frozen yogurt store is located just next to it)
Gymnastics at Cameron Family YMCA - Santee. Open gym most days from about 11-12. Huge.
Hotel Del Coronado in Coronado - can get a drink/lunch & go to the beach
The New Children’s Museum - downtown
La Jolla Shores - easy parking, playground, beach
Kid Ventures - indoor play place
Moonlight State Beach - beach in Encinitas
Sky High Sports - indoor trampoline place, munchkin Mondays from 11-1
Urban Jungle Fun Park - indoor play place
Puppet shows at Balboa Park
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I'm originally from San Diego, born and raised. There are countless great places for families and kids to enjoy in San Diego. As a previous answer mentioned, the San Diego Zoo is incredible and world-famous. Adults and children alike will have a wonderful time spending the day seeing innumerable animals in the enormous park. But just as enjoyable as the SD Zoo is the San Diego Wild Animal Park which is located in the north part of San Diego in Escondido (about 40 minutes north of downtown SD). The animals at the Wild Animal Park are in open environments, and you can see them grazing and relaxing in open fields.
Also, the San Diego Zoo sits in a larger park called Balboa Park, San Diego's "Central Park." There is an awesome Space Museum and Kids museums and workshops, as well as a Natural History museum located within Balboa Park.
Another great attraction for kids is the many beaches in San Diego. Depending on the time of the year and the temperature, you can enjoy the gorgeous ocean and sand nearly year-round.
There are also some beautiful tide pools in San Diego, one of the biggest being in the Point Loma area. Kids would have a great time looking at all of the shellfish and sea life living among the tide pools.
Finally, if you are in San Diego during the summer in late June/early July, there is a huge fantastic fair held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds each year with live music, carnival games, rides, exhibits, petting zoos - everything kids and families love. And if you get to go on the last day of the Del Mar Fair, which is July 4th, there is a spectacular fireworks show.
Hope you enjoy San Diego!
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Youll have to take the kids to the San Diego Zoo or the San Diego Safari Park (Inside Gate). Also, Legoland California is another awesome place for kids. Lastly, another option could be the The New Children’s Museum which has a bunch of fun, engaging things to help teach the kids in a fun way! Geez, adults too! Enjoy San Diego!
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San Diego Zoo is a great place to spend hours with kids. Legoland is a bit of a drive, but it's perfect for younger children. San Diego Zoo Safari Park is a very different zoo experience for the entire family.
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The San Diego Zoo is a great kid-friendly attraction. It is one of the best zoos in the world, and has lots of activities for kids. Go early if you can and head for the Koalas before the line gets long. The bus tour will give you a good overall look to choose what you want to see without wearing you out.
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is also great, although it is some distance from downtown.
Legoland California in Carlsbad is also a lot of fun for kids that age. It is also about 30 miles north of downtown.
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Debbie
Brew
Georgia
Jillian
Valerie
Christine
