Help with San Diego itinerary

[mickeyfanz]

We are planning on vacationing for a week in early June in the San Diego area. We will be staying in Carlsbad (close to Legoland). We will have me, DH, my parents, my adult brother, and our 3 DSs (ages 10, 7, and almost 4).

Friday- check-in
Saturday- LaJolla Cove to see seals and explore other beaches?
Sunday- Wild Animal Park
Monday- SD Zoo (can we fit any other SD sights in after?)
Tuesday- Legoland
Wednesday- Leaving open for possible 2nd day at LL or zoo or SD sights
Thursday- free day to relax at resort and/or beaches
Friday- check-out

I was wondering what other things we shouldn't miss and also how my days look as far as what I picked for each day. My thought process on Legoland is that since it is normally closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays before June that may be a good day to choose - maybe area people will forget it is open then (wishful thinking)! I believe area schools are in session until the end of June anyway.

On the Zoo day, I am hoping we can hang around SD through dinner so am ondering what other things would be worth doing after the zoo.

I'd also love family restaurant suggestions. We like fun, unique experiences that the kids will also enjoy. Most would need to be close to Carlsbad but somewhere for after the zoo in SD and also the WAP in Escondido would be great.

Thanks for any tips!
Mickeyfanz

 

[dizneedoll]

The only thing I would say is that the zoo and WAP are both similar experiences so you might not want to do them two days in row. Maybe swap your La Jolla and zoo days around. The Zoo is located in Balboa Park which is beautiful. You can check out some of the other museums if you have time such as the Natural History Mueseum or the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center which also has an Imax theater. You won't have to move your car from the zoo lot (parking is free at the zoo but not at the WAP btw), the park is within walking distance. You can also just take a walk through the park, the gardens and the buildings are lovely. Balboa Park has a website so defintely look them up. Also close by, but you will need to drive, is Seaport Village. It's downtown on San Diego Bay. There are lots of cute shops and places to eat including CS or TS options. It's a nice place in the evening if the weather is good, all the lights of SD Bay, downtown, Coronado Island and the Coronado Bridge make it a really scenic place.

Besides La Jolla Cove and the seals, you can also explore the village. Lots of upscale shops and art galleries and nice restaurants. There are places to get an ice cream or coffee too. And Scripps Aquarium is located in La Jolla too.

Not too sure about places to eat in Carlsbad. I live near the WAP so maybe someone else will have a better idea about Carlsbad eateries.

 

[mickeyfanz]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I was trying to avoid going to any parks (zoo, LL, etc.) on Saturday because of crowds. Do you think that will not be a problem?

What would be a good family dining experience near the WAP? I read online good things about the Sandcrab Cafe and Stone Brewing Company - do you recommend those and any other places?

 

[swmmom]

We had an awesome time at the USS Midway aircraft carrier on our trip two years ago. We spent about 3-4 hours which was great for a partial day. We also went to Point Loma and spent about an hour.

 

[mickeyfanz]

Thanks - we were thinking about the USS Midway Museum. It is getting tough to fit everything in. I know I will stress my DH out when I show him my itinerary - it will look like one of my famed command WDW trips! I know I have to give him some do-nothing days or he will pout.

I didn't realize how much stuff I would want to see while in San Diego!!!

 

[corky441]

Wow -

Thanks so much for the information on Balboa Park. This place looks awesome

My husband and I will be in Huntington Beach in a few weeks and are planning are driving down to San Diego to go to the zoo. It's wonderful to see all the other venues that are within walking distance.

My only concern now is that I think we better get to the zoo as soon as it opens in order to find time to visit Balboa Park too

 

[dizneedoll]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I was trying to avoid going to any parks (zoo, LL, etc.) on Saturday because of crowds. Do you think that will not be a problem?

What would be a good family dining experience near the WAP? I read online good things about the Sandcrab Cafe and Stone Brewing Company - do you recommend those and any other places?

Well, during the summer months they are going to be busy everyday. The key is just to get there early when they open and at the zoo ride the tour bus first. It gets crowded and the waits can be long. Plus it gives a good overview of the park and then afterward you can decide what animals/exhibits you want to go back and see. But I would also do the pandas right after the bus because that line can get long too.

I haven't eaten at either of those restaurants so I couldn't tell you if they're ok or not. We tend to stick to chain restaurants so hopefully someone else might have a good suggestion. But I'll ask around here too.

 

[dizneedoll]

Wow -

Thanks so much for the information on Balboa Park. This place looks awesome

My husband and I will be in Huntington Beach in a few weeks and are planning are driving down to San Diego to go to the zoo. It's wonderful to see all the other venues that are within walking distance.

My only concern now is that I think we better get to the zoo as soon as it opens in order to find time to visit Balboa Park too

Your welcome. I love to go and just walk around. It's really a lovely place! Have a great time!

 

[darph nader]

If you go to the zoo,you 'might' want to splurge and get the bus pass. SD Zoo is big and pretty darn hilly.

 

[Monkey Monkey]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I was trying to avoid going to any parks (zoo, LL, etc.) on Saturday because of crowds. Do you think that will not be a problem?

What would be a good family dining experience near the WAP? I read online good things about the Sandcrab Cafe and Stone Brewing Company - do you recommend those and any other places?

There is a mall at the freeway exit, a few minutes away from the WAP, that has a Macaroni Grill, On the Border Mexican restaurant, and they are building a BJ's Brewhouse there. Stone Brewing Co. is about 10 miles from the WAP. I haven't been there but my husband loves it, and they have tours of their brewery.

For seeing the San Diego sights, you may want to consider the Old Town Trolley tour. It starts at Old Town San Diego, and stops at Balboa Park, Horton Plaza downtown, Coronado, and Seaport Village. You can get off and on as you please, and it's a nice guided tour. http://www.trolleytours.com/san-diego/

 

[mickeyfanz]

Thanks for all of the suggestions so far. Now I am wondering should I do the zoo or WAP on the weekend? Does it make more sense to do the zoo during the weekend due to traffic being lighter from Carlsbad than weekdays (I assume it is an easier drive to and from Escondido during the week than the zoo would be)? Or would the zoo be unbearably crowded on the weekends? Would Sunday be better than Saturday?

Sorry for all of the questions!

 

[HydroGuy]

Depends on what you like, but why not spend more time at the beach? We go to Carlsbad/Oceanside most every year in the summer (used to live in SD).

I guess it is a philosophical choice, but we like to mix in some "real life" stuff to theme parks, etc. Body surfing and swimming in the ocean. Frisbee. Sand castles. Last year we did sailing lessons in Oceanside Harbor. I learned enough in an hour to get all seven of us (four kids plus our oldest's GF) all the way out of the Harbor into the open ocean. And back. All using only sails!

I ate at many Mexican restaurants in SD and my favorite was Tio Leo's. They have four around the county.

Other things to do...

Rent bikes and ride the boardwalk on Mission Beach or out on Coronado Island. Or even around Carlsbad. Go to the Cabrillo Monument on Point Loma and/or explore the tide pools on Point Loma. Take a dinner and/or dancing cruise in San Diego Bay. Take surfing lessons. Fly kites. Check if the grunion are running and go to a beach with grunion.



ETA: Grunion run schedule - http://www.beachcalifornia.com/grunion-run-annual-schedule.html

 

[nana50]

I live in San Diego and I'm with Hydroguy, come to San Diego for a few days. This is a beautiful city and so much to do. We also love our tourists and are very proud of our city. Take a break from the theme parks for a few days.

 

[amamax2]

Mickeyfanz,

My best advice would be to have your tentative schedule, but keep it loose and flexible as the weather may make you want to change things around once you get here.

June is our "June Gloom" time - meaning there is often lots of fog in the a.m. that clears in the afternoon. So you may want to do some kind of sightseeing (ie the Midway or Zoo) in the morning and then have a relaxing afternoon/evening at the beach.

I would definitely keep in mind the Midway, renting bikes or a surrey on Coronado, (plus the beach on Coronado by the Hotel Del is one of our favorites), and the Scripps Aquarium.

As far as traffic and crowds, etc - schools are still in till mid-June, but you may hit some school field trips at any of the sights. They are gone by lunchtime. The Zoo and WAP are huge, so even if there are school groups, you won't feel the crowds. Almost all the "sights" do not open till 9 a.m. and work traffic will be gone by then for the most part during the week, so not a factor in weekend vs weekday (traffic is worse from about 7 - 8:30 a.m.)

Famiy-friendly places to eat: we always eat at Spaghetti Factory when downtown (so after the Zoo or Midway) and Pat 'n Oscars after Legoland - there is also a Karl Strauss close by.

HTH

 

[Koda]

I've gotten alot of good advice from reading this thread!

Would Coronado Island be a good place to visit if we can't get there until mid-afternoon? I am thinking this would be fun to do on our arrival day, because I have heard the beach and views are awesome.

 

[mickeyfanz]

Thanks to all of you for the ideas so far. I am trying to mix in other stuff besides theme parks like beaches. We are doing a lot. I guess I am not as concerned about the beaches because we live in NC and our family has a beach house so we get plenty of sand castle and frisbee time during our trips there (there's not much else to do there!!!).

We do not have the big boardwalks so I am kind of interested in checking out Mission Beach - maybe renting bikes or something. My brother surfs (lives in Hawaii) so I know he will want to check out some CA waves as well. He wants to teach my boys to surf as well.

The grunion thing sounds interesting - we will have to see if we can make that work!

I think we will try to see the USS Midway. It sounds good. My boys enjoyed the USS Missouri battleship in Honolulu two summers ago so I think they would enjoy this as well. If we did this tour in the morning, would we have time to explore some of the beaches after?

As far as June Gloom, is this pretty much every day? Should we not plan on any beach or pool mornings? Does it make it too cold to swim?

Thanks for the advice - keep it coming - I am learning so much!!!

 

[amamax2]

I've gotten alot of good advice from reading this thread!

Would Coronado Island be a good place to visit if we can't get there until mid-afternoon? I am thinking this would be fun to do on our arrival day, because I have heard the beach and views are awesome.

Coronado is always a good place to visit, but depending upon where you are staying and what time/day you are arriving, you might want to do something closer to your hotel....it gets a lot of "work" traffic during the week (people leaving the Island in the morning and returning in the evening).

 

[amamax2]

I think we will try to see the USS Midway. It sounds good. My boys enjoyed the USS Missouri battleship in Honolulu two summers ago so I think they would enjoy this as well. If we did this tour in the morning, would we have time to explore some of the beaches after?

As far as June Gloom, is this pretty much every day? Should we not plan on any beach or pool mornings? Does it make it too cold to swim?

Thanks for the advice - keep it coming - I am learning so much!!!

Yes, the Midway would probably take half a day, depending on the interest of your children. Afterwards, you could go to the beach, wander the downtown area or Seaport Village, or go to the Children's Museum.


As far as June Gloom - with El Nino, our weather has been a bit unpredictable this year, but in general, especially in early June, there is a marine layer every morning at the coastal areas, clearing up anywhere from 9 - noon. The ocean water, quite honestly, is never warm, lol, although my children will get wet even in the dead of winter! I believe about the warmest it gets, in August, is about 70. Swimming in a heated pool would be fine even with the June Gloom - and we love going to the beach, year-round, to walk, look for shells, build sandcastles, etc., but if you are hoping to get in the water, wait till afternoon.

Having said that, keep your schedule flexible and watch the local weather forecast - there may be a day where we aren't going to have that marine layer - and you could quickly switch your plans around.

HTH and let me know if you have any other questions!

 

[HydroGuy]

As far as June Gloom - with El Nino, our weather has been a bit unpredictable this year, but in general, especially in early June, there is a marine layer every morning at the coastal areas, clearing up anywhere from 9 - noon. The ocean water, quite honestly, is never warm, lol, although my children will get wet even in the dead of winter! I believe about the warmest it gets, in August, is about 70. Swimming in a heated pool would be fine even with the June Gloom - and we love going to the beach, year-round, to walk, look for shells, build sandcastles, etc., but if you are hoping to get in the water, wait till afternoon.

Having said that, keep your schedule flexible and watch the local weather forecast - there may be a day where we aren't going to have that marine layer - and you could quickly switch your plans around.

HTH and let me know if you have any other questions!

Adding to the June gloom concept, the gloom does not always happen in June and June does not always have gloom! But when it does happen the PP is quite right that it tends to dissipate by noon. Basically do not worry about it too much. And the water temperature will be, uhhh, refreshing.

 

[annacali]

In Carlsbad...Rubys in the outlet mall is GREAT! We usually eat there for breakfast and dinner at least once each. It is an old fashioned diner but with trendier food...yummy salads, vegetarian options, great burgers and to die for shakes. Breakfast is fabulous there too. Fun stuff for the kids with someone making balloon animals at dinner, trains overhead, fun kids menus etc. The outlet mall has other options for counter service too...and a Starbucks.

Fidels is yummy for Mexican food too.

Marie Callendars is good for breakfast too.



As long as you are at the zoo by 9 or so, coming from Carlsbad on a weekend you should be fine traffic wise---it can get more congested in that direction later morning on the weekends. We always stay in Carlsbad because we have friends there and haven't ever had any problems...you can take coast highway for part of the way and it is a really pretty drive!