Never a Dull Moment for Kids in San Diego, California

NEVER A DULL MOMENT FOR KIDS IN SAN DIEGO

San Diego is a perfect destination, custom-made for kids. With opportunities to sleep with rhinos, swim with dolphins, eat lunch with Shamu (SeaWorld's killer whale), test drive a life-size LEGO car, learn to surf and get an up-close view of a giant panda, it was no surprise San Diego was rated in 2001 "The most family-friendly city in the southwest United States" by readers of Family Fun magazine, for a second consecutive year. No matter how young or old, San Diego is a great place for children of all ages.

Following is a sampling of some of San Diego's kid-friendly activities:

ANIMALS, ANIMALS, ANIMALS!

Kids love animals - especially baby animals - and the World-Famous San Diego Zoo has an abundance of them. With more than 4,000 animals representing 800 species, there's a new baby born at the Zoo nearly every day. At Horn and Hoof Mesa, two baby giraffes are a sight to see; just 6 months old, the half sisters are gaining self-confidence through trials and errors in negotiating their long, lanky legs. Polar Bear Plunge is home to two polar bear yearlings that romp and dive in a giant-sized pool chilled to a perfect 55 degrees. During the summer, Nighttime Zoo provides kids the opportunity to feed the giraffes, encounter surprise encounters with animals and their keepers and view a number of nocturnal animals, such as Indo-Chinese Tigers on the prowl and snow leopards peering from their rocky outposts.

At the San Diego Wild Animal Park, just 30 miles north of downtown, kids can see wild animals roam free over large natural habitats, similar to the animals' native homes in Africa and Asia. Taking the 50-minute, five-mile, guide-narrated monorail tour is the best way for children to view the park's 3,000 animals. During the Park's summer program, Park in the Dark, kids and their families can bed down in tents during a campout and pretend they're in Africa as they go to sleep to the sounds of rhinos, giraffes and gazelles, which can meander within a few feet of their tents.

No visit to San Diego is complete without a trip to SeaWorld San Diego. Starring Shamu, the famous killer whale, jumping and splashing at the Shamu Adventure show, SeaWorld San Diego also features six other major shows and dozens of state-of-the-art exhibits containing marine life from around the globe. Kids are fascinated with the popular Wild Arctic, Penguin Encounter, Shark Encounter, Manatee Rescue and Pirates 4-D. Kids also enjoy the newest shows, "Pets Rule," a zany, mischief-filled show where cats, dogs, birds and even a pet pig leap into the air, weave through obstacles and pounce around the stage, and "Cirque de la Mer," a fanciful vision of whimsical, half human/half sea creatures performing spectacular cirque-style acts on a beautiful water stage along Mission Bay.

Seaworld San Diego's Trainer for a Day program allows kids and other guests the opportunity to work with a real trainer and interact with the animals. Another great way for an up-close encounter is to dine with Shamu and see the magnificent killer whales eye-to-eye.

SeaWorld San Diego's exciting water ride, Shipwreck Rapids is one of the park's most popular attractions, as well as Shamu's Happy Harbor, a 2-acre play area with net crawls, slides, a water maze and a two-story fun ship. Older kids also enjoy the Coco Loco Games and Arcade recreation area.

Little budding Jacques Cousteaus will enjoy the state-of-the-art Birch Aquarium at Scripps in La Jolla, where they can watch science come to life. In its newest exhibit, kids can join Scripps scientists and fellow researchers live from their field sites, which are amid the active volcanoes of Costa Rica, and receive daily, detailed reports of research findings, including video of the scientists in action and dramatic photographs of this spectacular tropical region.

AMUSEMENT PARKS/RIDES

Offering a full day of interactive adventures, located 30 minutes north of San Diego in Carlsbad, delivers fun, imagination and entertainment in a country geared for kids ages 2-12. Offering a "hands-on" experience like no other, this 128acre theme park features more than 40 interactive attractions and rides that are "kid powered," where kids push, pull, steer, pedal, squirt, climb or build their way through a wonderland of activities. LEGOLAND California's newest ride, LEGO TECHNIC Coaster, is a wild roller coaster ride featuring dips, turns and top speeds up to 26 mph. The park is open daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day and during specific holidays in the spring and winter. During the remainder of the year, the park operates on five days a week, closing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Kids are guaranteed a splashing good time at Knotts Soak City U.S.A., located in San Diego's South Bay. This large 32-acre water park features 22 major water rides and attractions, including 16 tube, body and speed slides; Coronado Express, a family raft adventure; the 500,000-gallon Balboa Bay wave pool; Sparkletts Sunset River, and the Gremmie Lagoon kid's water playground. During the 2002 season, the park is open on the weekends during May 4-27 and September 7-29, and open daily from Memorial Day (May 27) through Labor Day (September 2).

Located in the heart of the Mission Beach Boardwalk along one of San Diego's most popular beaches, Belmont Park is a favorite hang-out for older children, and features the Giant Dipper roller coaster, a national historic landmark that is ranked among the best wooden roller coasters in the country. Other park highlights include the Mission Beach Plunge, an indoor Olympic-size swimming pool, and the Pirates Cove Family Playland.

Family Fun Centers, located throughout San Diego County, offer hours of fun for kids of all ages, with miniature golf, bumper boats, go-carts, batting cages, arcade rooms and more.

Balboa Park offers plenty of rides for kids, all located near the entrance to the World Famous San Diego Zoo. The Butterfly Rides are for children ages 5 and younger and feature butterflies and airplanes that move slowly in a circle. The Carousel, built in 1910, features a menagerie of animals, hand-carved by European craftsmen. This carousel is one of the few in the world that still offers the brass ring game for everyone taking a five-minute ride. The Miniature Train is a locomotive that holds up to 48 passengers and takes a three-minute, half-mile trip through four acres of Balboa Park. The train is a model G16 - now a rare antique with as few as 50 currently remaining.

BEACHES

From swimming and snorkeling to playing volleyball and building sandcastles, San Diego's 70 miles of beaches offer a stretch of sand for kids of every age. Wetsuits, snorkeling gear, surfboards and boogie boards are available for rent at stands located on most beaches, and bikes and rollerblades can be rented along the Mission Beach Boardwalk, as well as other locations throughout the county.

La Jolla Shores, a true jewel of the southern California coast, is recognized as one of the most family-friendly beaches in San Diego County. The sandy shore stretches approximately one mile and features a wide concrete boardwalk that separates the beach from a large grassy park, ideal for picnicking and volleyball games. Kayaking is also popular along the shore, as families can paddle during low tide to the La Jolla Caves to the south and Scripps Pier to the north. Between the two is the La Jolla Underwater Park and Ecological Preserve, a popular recreational area for scuba divers and snorkelers.

Just south of La Jolla Shores is La Jolla Cove, a popular area for snorkeling. Offering some of the clearest waters on the California coast, kids can be seen here at any given time in full snorkeling gear, exploring the waters for unique sea creatures. Further south is the Children's Pool, a small picturesque beach partially protected by a large seawall. The Pool's original intent was to be a fully-protected swimming area for children, but sand has filled in much of the area inside the wall. Today, the beach is popular for numerous sea lions that have made this beach their home.

The coastal communities of Pacific Beach and Mission Beach are also popular among families and young, beach-going crowds. Connected by a three-mile boardwalk, popular for jogging, biking and rollerblading, Pacific and Mission Beaches bustle with activity day and night. Both beaches feature designated areas for surfing and swimming, and beach bonfires after sunset become the centerpiece for barbecues and lively gatherings.

Kids who want to learn to surf can contact the San Diego Surfing Academy, which offers surfing lessons and surf camp year-round for the entire family.

FUN TRANSPORTATION

A fun way for kids to get around San Diego is by taking the Coronado Ferry or San Diego Water Ta3d. The Coronado Ferry leaves from the Broadway Pier commercial boat area in downtown and travels to the Ferry Landing Marketplace in Coronado. The Water Taxi offers scheduled service to and from Seaport Village, the Ferry Landing Marketplace, Coronado Island Marriott Resort and the Glorietta Bay Marina, across from the Hotel del Coronado.

Kids will love Old Town Trolley Tour's Seal - Sea and Land Adventures tour, an amphibious experience offering a 90-minute land and water adventure. The amphibious vehicles, measuring approximately 40-feet long and the height of a double-decker bus, splash down into both San Diego's Big Bay and Mission Bay and feature fun sights of Coronado's North Island Naval Air Station, Point Loma, SeaWorld San Diego and the picturesque San Diego skyline.

The red San Diego Trolley is another great way to get around town. The trolley travels quickly, reliably and safely to destinations around San Diego County, including the international border, Center City, Mission Valley and Fashion Valley shopping, the harbor and historic attractions, as well as other stops along the way. Kids who like train rides are sure to enjoy the Coaster, an express rail train that travels from Oceanside to downtown. Also, the Amtrak Surfliner is a great way for families to escape busy freeways between southern California cities.

With so many activities and attractions, children will never have a dull moment in San Diego.

For Hotels and Resorts in California go to California Hotels and Resorts

For Family Attractions in California go to California Family Attractions

Article and pictures courtesy of the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Seaworld picture courtesy of Seaworld San Diego

Legoland picture by M.J. Goldstein

San Diego Zoo picture courtesy of San Diego Zoo

Balboa Park picture by Brett Shoaf

San Diego Wild Animal Park picture courtesy of Zoological Society of San Diego

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