San Diego, California

While urban destinations may not normally come to mind for sunny family getaways, San Diego is the exception. Located in the southwestern corner of the country just sixteen miles from the border with Mexico, the city has seventy miles of coastline facing the Pacific Ocean. It also has a temperate year-round climate that is the envy of, well, just about any other any other sizeable city in the continental USA. But while San Diego’s population has been growing rapidly in the past few years, so has its list of attractions — and the roster is full of fun for the whole family.

What to do:

San Diego exerts a powerful animal magnetism. Start with the world-famous San Diego Zoo, with its engaging polar bears, koalas, and pandas (and much more besides). The Zoo now operates a sister property, the Wild Animal Park, where many of the animals roam freely within massive enclosures (such as the Lion Camp), and where you can explore a re-creation of environments like an Australian rainforest. SeaWorld is a top family-entertainment center, with multiple daily shows featuring sea lions, orcas, dolphins, and otters, among other stars. This isn’t to say that everything is nature-themed in San Diego: one of the biggest draws for children is the fantasy world of LEGOLAND, which has amazing models, building contests, and theme-park rides. Balboa Park balances nature and art: the beautifully landscaped grounds are home to fifteen museums, including the San Diego Natural History Museum, the Mingei International Museum of folk art and culture, the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, and the San Diego Aerospace Museum. Also in Balboa Park is the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater, which has been entertaining children since the late 1940s.

Where to Stay:

The Holiday Inn hotel chain is always welcoming to families, and the San Diego Holiday Inn on the Bay (1-888-HOLIDAY) is no exception. The usual child-friendly policies apply (for example, kids under 12 eat for free at the restaurant), there’s an outdoor pool, and there’s free shuttle service to the San Diego Zoo and other attractions. Doubles start at $119. A more luxurious choice is the Sea Lodge resort (1-800-640-7702), which takes full advantage of its beachfront location to offer surfing, kayaking, boogie boarding, and whale-watching excursions. If the ocean water is too chilly, kids can always swim in the Sea Lodge’s outdoor pool, which is heated to 82 degrees year-round. Doubles start at $249.

For More Information:

Visit www.sandiego.org.

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