For The Kids
Vacation at Our San Diego Kid-Friendly Hotel
KIDS "DIG" PACIFIC TERRACE!
The Pacific Terrace Hotel, with its direct access to the sandy beach below, is a top choice among family-friendly hotels in San Diego. The hotel is located in the heart of a classic beach town in an area full of opportunities for recreation and pleasure for kids and adults alike.
Beach Boys (and girls!) will love the complimentary sand toys that they can borrow from the hotel, and they can make a splash with the free boogie board rentals. Tired of sand between your toes? Play Marco Polo with a view in our oceanfront, heated pool. Or stroll to the Baked Bear for a yummy, gooey ice cream and cookie sandwich. Jump on one of our bikes and take a ride down the colorful beach boardwalk to explore quirky souvenir stands, or ride a bit further to Belmont Park, one of San Diego's best beach landmarks.
SUN-SATIONAL SAN DIEGO ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
- Ride the historic, ocean view Giant Dipper Roller Coaster at Belmont Park
- See how many different sea creatures you can find at the Point Loma Tide Pools
- Get up close and personal with a giant of the sea on a Whale Watching Tour.
- Learn to snorkel & kayak and explore the La Jolla Sea Caves
- Visit the Sea Lions at the La Jolla Children's Pool
- Get your Fun Town driver's license at the Volvo Driving School in Legoland.
- Dine with Shamu or meet, touch and feed Dolphins in SeaWorld's Dolphin Interaction Program.
- Go see a show at the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater in Balboa Park.
- Feed Giraffes on a Photo Safari Caravan in the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
- Riding the Balboa Park Train & Carousel. They are classics!
- Boogie Board!
- Learn to surf.
AWESOME ATTRACTIONS
Kids Tip: Buy a wristband and you'll be able to ride the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster & all of their other fun rides like the spinning Chaos and bumper cars. They also have a variety of midway games, laser tag, the "Sky Climb" climbing wall, Sky Ropes adventure course, mini golf course, and an arcade!
Kids Tip: Be sure to check out Explorer's Reef where you can touch over 400 brown-banded and white-spotted bamboo sharks and let over 4,000 cleaner fish nibble on your fingers! Check out Dine with Shamu, try the Dolphin Interaction Program, and ride Journey to Atlantis & Shipwreck Rapids. Don't forget to make time to watch the Shamu, Sea Lion & Otter, Pets Rule & Dolphin show!
Kids Tip: Bring your swimsuits and sunscreen! Don't forget to check out Big Surf Shores. It's one of the largest wave pools in Southern California. Swim in more than 500,000 gallons of water with swells up to 5-feet tall!
THE WORLD FAMOUS SAN DIEGO ZOO
Kids Tip: For a unique experience, start your day with the Zoo's Early Morning with Pandas or with eating Breakfast with the Koalas! Visit the Children's Zoo during your visit, complete with a petting zoo and animal nursery. You may be able to feel a hedgehog's quills, listen to horned owls and watch zany science shows with Dr. Zoolittle.
Kids Tip: The Animal Ambassador Stage is a great place to meet new animal friends like a Pancake Tortoise and other rate and exotic animals. Take a Caravan Safari and you'll be able to feed giraffes & rhinos, or choose a Cheetah Safari and meet and greet the stars of the Cheetah Run! Kids also love to climb, balance, swing, and walk through the trees on the Safari Park's Jungle Ropes Safari.
Kids Tip: Make sure to plan your visit to include one of the scheduled daily feedings. When it's feeding time, habitats come to life, providing opportunities to ask questions and learn more about the wonders of the ocean world. Watch as sharks cruise by eyeing their food, or as lobsters emerge from their rocky hiding places. Don't miss the adorable Sea Horse babies in Birch Aquarium's Sea Horse exhibit & nursery.
Kids Tip: Although Legoland has a separate waterpark, if you just plan to visit Legoland alone, bring your swimsuits! Pirate Shores in Legoland is an awesome place to get wet!
MARVELOUS MUSEUMS
Kids Tip: Finger painting, clay modeling, bubble blowing, an inflatable to jump in, an area called Wobbleland for play, and the famous Rainhouse will keep you busy for hours!
RUEBEN H. FLEET SCIENCE CENTER
Kids Tip: After getting hands on with science in all of their interactive exhibits, watch one of their great films in their giant dome IMAX Theater.
Kids Tip: Check out the Kids Aviation Action Hangar, a special play area for kids of all ages!
SAN DIEGO MODEL RAILROAD MUSEUM
Kids Tip: Motive Mac's Kids Corner is a great place to have fun, play games, listen to railroad stories and do railroad crafts.
SAN DIEGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
Kids Tip: Make sure to visit the Fossil Mysteries! Get ready to travel through a 75-million year timeline from the age of dinosaurs to the Ice Ages!
Kids Tip: Don't forget to board the Star of India, the world's oldest active sailing ship!
U.S.S. MIDWAY (AIRCRAFT CARRIER) MUSEUM
Kids Tip: Try their flight simulators! The Strike Fighter 360 allows you to make rolls, loops and spin like a real fighter pilot!