26 Things to Do in San Diego with Kids

Beth Wood:  The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is located North of San Diego near Escondido. Over 300 different species call the 1,800 acre Safari Park home. Have fun exploring the park and seeing the 2,600 animals. Choose from 8 different Safari experiences for an up-close look at the animals in their natural habitats. Other park experiences include Animal Encounters, Africa Tram, Balloon Safari, Shows, Play Areas and more. Over a dozen dining and snack options are located throughout the park for guests to enjoy.

Cost: 1 Day Park Pass $44 Youth 3-11, $54 Adult 12+, FREE 2 Under

The Fleet Science Center is a science museum and planetarium that allows guests to experience the possibilities and power of science as they create, design, build and learn through hands-on activities and exhibits. While visiting the museum, be sure to visit Kid City indoor play space, where little ones will love to jump, run and play. Features include a ball wall, little learner's lab with age-appropriate computer games, fire truck to climb and pretend, grocery store with a working conveyor belt, block corner to build and knock down blocks, magnetic wall to play with magnets, factory to climb and infant area for young crawlers.

Beth Wood:  The award-winning San Diego Zoo is located in Balboa Park and houses 3,700 rare and endangered animals and more than 700,000 plants. The 100-acre zoo offers guided bus tours, an express bus and walkable paths that feature animal exhibits, aviaries and bioclimatic zones in the most natural way possible. Shows, animal presentations, play areas, Skyfari aerial tram, snack and dining options, retail shops and more add fun for all ages to your zoo visit. The zoo recommends a minimum visit time of three to four hours.

Cost: Day pass $44 Youth 3-11, $54 Adult, FREE 2 & Under

Beth Wood:  Balboa Park is a 1,200-acre "wonderland" located in San Diego that features 19 beautiful gardens and botanical areas, 17 museums, the San Diego Zoo, performing arts and musical theaters, restaurants, shopping, play areas, green spaces, fountains, attractions and more for visitors of all ages. Families will find something that interests everyone and works with every budget as well. Still not sure where to start in the park? Check out the kid's itinerary!

Cost: FREE

Beth Wood:  Petco Park is the state of the art baseball park located in downtown San Diego and home to the Major League Baseball team, the San Diego Padres. Have fun taking in a Major League baseball game during baseball season. High-end concessions, dining options, pristine grounds, unparalleled views of downtown, a family-friendly atmosphere and more make game time a one-of-a-kind experience for the whole family. If you can't catch a game but you want to check out all the park has to offer, guided tours of the facility are offered seven days a week year round.

Cost: Game Tickets start at $15

Beth Wood:  Located in downtown San Diego, the Gaslamp Quarter is a historic neighborhood with unique architecture and one-of-a-kind buildings. The area is known for its restaurants, bars, theaters, shopping and more. Walking tours, an artisan market, ice cream shops, a grassy area at Horton Plaza Park and an interactive fountain make the Gaslamp Quarter a great place for families to explore. Special events including markets, festivals and other family-friendly activities are held in the Quarter throughout the year.

Beth Wood:  San Diego Seal Tours offer passengers a 90-minute fully narrated tour on one of their tour bus/boat "Hydra-Terra" amphibious vehicles throughout San Diego. The tour departs from either Seaport Village or the Embarcadero in downtown San Diego and travels through San Diego before cruising the waters of the San Diego Harbor. See the California Sea Lions at play while learning about the history of San Diego on this one-of-a-kind tour. Click Here for Tour Schedule & to Purchase Tickets. You must check in 30 minutes before the tour starts.

Cost: $9 Youth 3 & Under, $22.50 Youth 4-12, $37.80 Adult

Beth Wood:  The New Children's Museum inspires children of all ages to explore and create through active play and interaction with contemporary art featured in a bold and bright space. Visitors will have fun exploring different interactive art installations including the Costume Cave, Wobbleland, Sandbox Gallery, Desert Derby, Sketch Aquarium and more. Museum guests are also encouraged to drop into different art studios and create their own artwork including painting, pottery, gardening and more. The museum's Bean Sprout Cafe offers healthy snacks, lunch items and beverages.

Cost: $14 Youth & Adults, FREE under 1 years old

Katie G.:  If you're visiting San Diego with the family, you won't want to miss Seaport Village. Located next to downtown on the San Diego Bay, Seaport Village has over 50 shops, waterfront dining restaurants and outdoor entertainment. Kids will love to take a ride on the carousel, have a cartoon character balloon or a caricature drawing to remember the day. During the summer months (busy season), enjoy outdoor concerts at the gazebo. Looking for a bite to eat? Head to my favorite restaurant, Buster's Beach House & Longboard Bar. Save room for ice cream at Ben & Jerry's or candy from Cousins Candy Shop.

Katie G.:  Experience the beautiful sights of San Diego atop the Hornblower Cruise. These sight seeing tours offer you two tours in one, sightseeing and wildlife watching. View several attractions throughout the San Diego Harbor, including the Star of India, Midway and Cabrillo National Monument. While on the ship, learn about the history of San Diego and search for marine animals and sea birds. Cruises are offered in one or two hour tours. In the summer and winter, check out the whale and dolphin watching tours.

Cost: $27 - $32/person

Katie G.:  Little ones will love looking at the tall ships at the Maritime Museum of San Diego. Located on the San Diego Bay, the museum is known for restoring, maintaining and operating historic ships. The most famous ship at the museum is the Star of India, which is the world's oldest active sailing ship. In addition to the tall ships, visitors can enjoy walking through several exhibits inside the museum to learn about the history of sailing in San Diego.

Cost: Tickets start at $8/person

Beth Wood:  The USS Midway Museum at Navy Pier features over 60 different exhibits located on the aircraft carrier Midway. Exhibits are located throughout the carrier on the hangar deck, flight deck, below deck and aircraft gallery. Over 30 restored aircraft and helicopters are on display and available to explore. Hands-on activities like the Junior Pilot Program, Flight Simulators, Guided Island Tour and more will keep guests entertained. The Fantail Cafe and Jet Shop Gift Store are great spots to check out on board. Click Here to Purchase Tickets

Cost: $8 Youth 6-12, $21 Adult, FREE 5 & under

Beth Wood:  The restort town of Coronado is located just across the San Diego Bay from downtown San Diego. Drive over or hop on the ferry and spend the day exploring its pristine beaches, historic downtown area, Bayside & the Ferry Landing, Glorietta Bay, Silver Strand and more. Be sure to visit the historic Hotel Del Coronado which is the inspiration for the Wizard of Oz's Emerald City. Hotels, parks, beaches, museums, bike rentals, kayak tours, restaurants, shopping, special events, trolley tours and more make a visit to Coronado action packed with fun for the whole family.

Beth Wood:  Do you have a train lover in the family? Then be sure to plan a trip to the Old Town Model Railroad Depot where you'll see a 2,500 square foot exhibit of model trains and their surrounding landscapes set in the 1950's. The exhibit features over 100 lit city buildings, a farm, mountain range, lake, ballpark, zoo, train depot and more. The interactive remote controlled display allows you to become the engineer for added fun. An on-site gift shop is a perfect place to find a train-themed souvenir to remember your visit.

Cost: FREE - donations encouraged

Beth Wood:  Old Town Trolley's Hop On Hop Off Tour offers passengers a narrated trolley tour that travels daily along a 25-mile loop through 10 neighborhoods with 10 destination stops throughout San Diego and Coronado. Passengers can hop on and off at their leisure throughout the day at designated stops to explore over 100 points of interest including museums, parks, the zoo, dining and shopping areas and more. It's a great way to tour the city of San Diego! Click Here to purchase tickets. You will get a full-color map with ticket purchase.

Cost: $22.45 Youth 4-12, $35.95 Adult, FREE 3 & Under