Spring Attraction Action
Get happy at San Diego’s world-class attractions — and discover all the new, family-friendly fun they have to offer this spring!
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Elephant Valley
When: March 2026
The Safari Park’s Denny Sanford Elephant Valley — the world-renowned park’s biggest project since it opened more than 50 years ago — wows visitors with its amazing vantage points for appreciating these majestic animals. And in addition to elephant encounters, guests can take in such features as Mkutano House, a two-story restaurant featuring three distinct dining destinations inspired by African regional cuisines.
Spring Safari Featuring Butterfly Jungle
When: Spring 2026
The park’s immersive wildlife experience will include semi-exclusive access to the Hidden Jungle aviary, which teems with colorful butterflies. With a ticketed reservation, visitors ages 3 and up can take in the delicate majesty of these fluttering wonders and learn all about the park’s conservation efforts along the way.
LEGOLAND California
LEGOLAND California
LEGO Galaxy
When: March 6, 2026
LEGOLAND® California is about to open a brand-new, space-themed land whose centerpiece is the park’s first new roller coaster in nearly 20 years! LEGO Galaxy will include multiple rides, a new dining destination and more family-minded features. And it all revolves around Galacticoaster, an indoor coaster that incorporates storytelling, interactivity and cutting-edge ride tech.
LEGOLAND California Water Park
When: March 21, 2026
As spring heats up, the LEGOLAND Water Park reopens in late March, offering an array of seven slides plus sandy beaches and the Build-A-Raft River. In all, the water park offers more than 10 million gallons of fun.
USS Midway Museum
USS Midway Museum
Overnight Adventures
When: Spring 2026
Fresh off its 50th-anniversary celebrations, the USS Midway Museum offers its new Overnight Adventure experiences. Families can enjoy exclusive time on the carrier’s flight deck under the stars, then settle in for the night and sleep in authentic Navy racks. The adventure includes a hot breakfast plus activities that center on history, teamwork and the Midway’s legacy.
San Diego Padres and Petco Park
San Diego Padres and Petco Park
When: Opens March 26, 2026 (Padres' home opener)
Petco Park — home of the pennant-contending Padres and their contingent of phenomenal young ballplayers — brings big-league excitement right to San Diego's East Village, with views of the skyline and sparkling waterfront. And not only does the park offer some of the best dining options of any baseball stadium in the country, but it's barely a bunt's length away from the restaurants and nightlife of Downtown's historic Gaslamp Quarter.
Belmont Park
Belmont Park
When: Spring 2026
A San Diego icon, Belmont Park has been a vibrant part of the Mission Beach boardwalk since 1925. After celebrating its centennial in 2025, the seven-acre park keeps the fun rolling along with its collection of awesome beachfront restaurants and rides, including the classic Giant Dipper roller coaster and 17 separate places to eat. Be sure to check out Belmont's More the Merrier Bundle, offering season passes for just $100 when you buy three or more.
Soccer at Snapdragon
Soccer at Snapdragon
When: March 2026
Mission Valley's beautiful Snapdragon Stadium is the go-to spot in San Diego for rousing spring soccer action. The stadium is the home field for San Diego's two big-league expansion teams, San Diego FC (of the men's Major Soccer League) and the San Diego Wave FC (of the National Women's Soccer League), and both teams start their seasons in March.
Discounted Attraction Tickets
SeaWorld San Diego
SeaWorld San Diego
Shark Encounter
When: Spring 2026
Fresh off the debut of its dazzling “Jewels of the Sea: The Jellyfish Experience” exhibit, SeaWorld San Diego is transforming its shark exhibit into a 360-degree immersive experience that will bring visitors just about nose to nose with these amazing creatures. The new Shark Encounter will encompass 11 shark species and new interactive experiences.
Seven Seas Food Festival
When: Spring 2026
Sip and sample your way through international street-food traditions, craft beers and wines, and enjoy live musical performances along the way. Waves of flavor will tantalize the taste buds, with gourmet offerings created by SeaWorld's expert culinary team. The festival features fresh cuisine with local, sustainable ingredients and signature flavors from around the world. And don't miss the Seven Seas Food Festival Concerts, happening on select Saturdays in March and April.
San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo
When: Year-round
A local and national treasure for more than a century now, the San Diego Zoo is the most-visited zoo in the United States, and for good reason: This beautiful wildlife sanctuary enchants visitors with some 12,000 animals from around the world, as well as tens of thousands of botanical wonders. Zoo visitors of all ages will love experiencing all the sights and sounds and taking a veritable round-the-world trip through this internationally renowned gem in the heart of San Diego’s Balboa Park. And there's heightened excitement these days thanks to a pair of the zoo's newest residents, the giant pandas Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, who can be viewed in their Panda Ridge habitat.
Sesame Place San Diego
Sesame Place San Diego
Aquatic Excitement
When: Park opens May 23, 2026
Not only is Sesame Place San Diego the only “Sesame Street”-themed park on the West Coast, but its 18 rides include 11 aquatic attractions. Don’t miss the half-million-gallon wave pool as well as the park’s newest aquatic feature, the Count’s Splash Castle.
San Diego Maritime Museum
San Diego Maritime Museum
When: Year-Round
Make your way to the sparkling Embarcadero under San Diego’s balmy springtime skies and explore a fascinating fleet of vintage vessels at the San Diego Maritime Museum. Take a tour of the Star of India — the world's oldest active sailing ship, and a proud San Diego landmark — and then check out the stately, Victorian Era steam ferry Berkeley, the USS Dolphin submarine, a replica of the 16th-century galleon replica San Salvador and more. The Maritime Museum also offers a series of on-the-water adventures, from a harbor cruise aboard a pilot boat to a naval history tour on a swiftboat to a sail on one of the museum's grand restored ships.
Balboa Park
Balboa Park
When: Year-round
No place captures the heart and soul of San Diego quite like Balboa Park, the 1200-acre oasis of art, culture, recreation and reflection just minutes from downtown. With its rich history, eye-catching architecture and bounty of museums and beautiful green spaces, the park is a must for any visitor.
The Gardens of Balboa Park
When: Spring
Balboa Park’s beautiful gardens come alive in springtime, from the fragrant blooms of the Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden to the formal, ornate delights of the Alcazar Garden. And the Japanese Friendship Garden – symbol of city sisterhood between San Diego and Yokohama, Japan — is renowned for its spring Cherry Blossom Festival, which runs March 12-15, 2026.
Botanical Building is Back
When: Year-round
One of the most striking architectural sights in Balboa Park, the domed, wood-lath Botanical Building — built for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition — is open again after a complete rebuild. Visitors can once again enjoy the structure’s hundreds of rare, tropical and indigenous plants, or soak in the views of the serene Lily Pond that stretches out in front of the building.
Balboa Park Explorer Pass
When: Year-round
There’s so much to discover in Balboa Park — in spring and throughout the year — that investing in an Explorer Pass can be a great option. Offered at three price levels, the Explorer Pass provides admission to as many as 16 of the park’s museums and attractions, at big discounts compared with buying individual admission tickets.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Birch After Hours
When: Spring 2026
Not only is the Birch Aquarium relaunching its popular Oceans at Night series (for adults 21+) this spring, but it’s also introducing Birch After Hours, an evening experience for guests of all ages.. Birch After Hours offers families the chance to marvel at the wonders of the ocean after the sundown, with music, food offerings and a relaxed nighttime vibe.
Animal Crossing Aquarium Tour
When: Through March 26, 2026
In an exciting partnership with Nintendo of America, the Birch is hosting a stop on the 2026 Animal Crossing: New Horizons Aquarium Tour. This happening is inspired by the in-game aquarium experience, and will give visitors a chance to dive into a real-world aquarium with an “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” twist!