Plan a Kid-Friendly Day in San Diego

SeaWorld San Diego is a 189-acre park featuring shows, fascinating attractions and dozens of exhibits containing marine life from around the globe. Shows feature animals such as orcas, bottlenose dolphins, pilot whales, seals and otters. Favorite exhibits include Jewels of the Sea, Wild Arctic, Penguin Encounter, Sea Turtle Bay and Shark Encounter. To extend the fun even further, pet dolphins, touch and feed bat rays, meet Elmo and friends at the Rescue Jr. play area, hop on a thrilling roller coaster like Electric Eel or Emperor, or take in a panorama of Mission Bay and San Diego from the Bayside Skyride.

Home to more than 3,500 animals, the world-famous San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park is known for its expansive natural habitats. Bioclimatic exhibits, such as Lost Forest and Africa Rocks, are linked by an expansive series of trails allowing views of animals from all levels. Other popular exhibits include Polar Bear Plunge, Gorilla Tropics, Koalafornia, Elephant Odyssey, and Explorers Basecamp, a family-centered oasis of play and discovery.

Located 30 miles northeast of Downtown San Diego in the North County Inland region, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park is an 1,800-acre preserve where wild animals roam free over vast expanses as they would in their native habitats. Through interactive animal shows, natural habitat exhibits and an open-air tram, you'll see exotic animals such as white rhinoceros, Cape buffalo, Roosevelt’s gazelles, African crowned cranes and much more. And you won't want to miss Elephant Valley, the park's spectacular, 13-acre elephant habitat, which features a barrier-free design, overhead viewing path, and the two-story Mkutano House dining complex. Other popular tours and activities include the Flightline Safari zip line, Photo Caravan Safari Tours, Balloon Safari and the Petting Kraal.

The USS Midway Museum, along the Embarcadero in Downtown San Diego, pays tribute to the hundreds of thousands of personnel who served their country aboard the vessel and highlights San Diego’s rich military history. Part of the Navy fleet for 47 years, the Midway was home to more than 200,000 sailors during the Vietnam and Persian Gulf Wars, as well as other conflicts and crises around the world. This decommissioned aircraft carrier now resides along San Diego Bay and features interactive exhibits and more than 25 aircraft displays. Many of the story-telling docents are veterans who served aboard the carrier.

With more than 60 rides, shows and attractions, LEGOLAND® California Resort in the North County Coastal community of Carlsbad is a place of endless treasures for kids and their families. Youngsters will love LEGO Galaxy, the space-themed land that features an immersive, groundbreaking indoor roller coaster — the most technologically advanced attraction the resort has ever created. There's also plenty of family adventure at the park's Dino Valley, with its own rides and dinosaur-themed activations, as well as LEGO Movie World, where the hit LEGO movies come to life. And the fun keeps on coming: The resort is also home to LEGOLAND Water Park, SEA LIFE® Aquarium and Surfers' Cove. Plus, don't miss your chance to take a spin in a build-your-own hot rod at LEGO Ferrari Build and Race — a three-zone fantasyland of full-throttle fun.