Disneyland/San Diego

[Redpoppy]

We are going to Disneyland at the end of August for 7 days (arrive mid-morning Saturday and leave on red eye Friday night). We are staying in Anaheim at a hotel within walking distance to Disney and got 6 day park hoppers. I don't think we will be doing 6 full days at the park but the difference between a 4 day and 6 day wasn't much.

Aside from a Red Sox/Angels game one night, we don't have any other specific plans aside from Disney. We aren't much for the beach, but DS loves a great playground. The hotel has a splash park. I was thinking of heading over to Griffith Park for part of a day, unless we go to the Los Angeles Zoo as well, and then would stay longer. Also thinking about Aquarium of the Pacific. We are flying into LAX (wanted non-stop on Jetblue and Long Beach only had one flight a day) and I figure it would be best to do anything near the coast on the day we arrive or the day we leave.

A coworker suggested going to San Diego Zoo as a day trip. Is it significantly better than the Los Angeles Zoo? DS will be 4 and I wonder if it is going to be too much walking/long day at San Diego Zoo for him. If we do this, is it best to drive down on the weekend traffic-wise? We'd probably go to San Diego on another vacation in the future though not for a several years (when he is tall enough for all the rides at Lego Land/Disneyland).

Does anyone have any suggestions on other activities with a 4 year old? Thanks for the help!

[anakenzie]

I think San Diego Zoo is definitely better than LA, but I'm a bit biased being from SD.

As far as traffic, it is worse on weekdays, but the Zoo crowds are worse on weekends, so it depends on which would be worse to you. It's about a 1 1/2 hour drive from Disneyland. On weekdays, traffic is bad until 8 or 9 am, but not completely horrible coming down to SD. leaving SD traffic will be bad from around 4 till about 6, so if you time it right, it doesn't have to be too bad.

It can definitely be a lot of walking, but there are places you can sit and relax for a bit too.

As for other activities with a 4 year old, beaches! The end of August is perfect beach weather all down the coast!

[sarahbear]

While I think the San Diego Zoo is better than the LA Zoo (I live in San Diego so I'm biased) I wouldn't make the trip from Anaheim if the LA Zoo is closer. Which zoo is closer?

[Redpoppy]

I'm presuming LA zoo is closer and near other activities. It sounds like we could time it well enough to go on a weekday.

Any beach recs?

[Deleted]

I would do San Diego Zoo, unless you really wanted to do other LA based stuff (Hollywood Blvd, Tar pits, etc)

The Aquarium is really nice. We go there all the time. They just opened a new penguin exhibit. If you do go here, I would check out 2nd street in Long Beach. Pretty cool little shops and good food options.

Beaches: Bolsa Chica State Beach or Laguna Beach are great. Seal Beach or Huntington both have piers, surfers, playgrounds and main streets with food/shopping options.

[rootbeerfloat]

The SD Zoo is better, but it is a lot of walking. We took the tram the last time we went, and that cuts down on the walking a bit, but not entirely. It was about a 1.5 hour drive each way; we drove mid-week.

FWIW, we did Legoland when DS was 4, and he could ride a lot even though he's on the small side. He loved it, but I'm not sure you really need to do another amusement part after a week at Disneyland.

[Deleted]

If you are looking to kill some time and maybe get out of the heat, Bowers kidsseum in Santa Ana (right next to Anaheim) is good for an hour or two. www.bowers.org/kidseum.php


Also, the Discovery Science Center is fun for kids (Santa Ana). We have a 3 yr. old and take him there all the time. www.discoverycube.org/

In August it can get really, really hot at Disney in the afternoons. You may find yourselves visiting that splash pad alot. We went yesterday and it was only 75 but standing in that heat in line for 45 minutes with a toddler is not fun.

Also, a little further down the freeway is a fun kids petting zoo called Zoomars. It's in downtown San Juan Capistrano. We always go here, have lunch at one of the little restaurants in the old town and visit the mission. Our son loves the zoo, mission and lunch as the amtrak station is right down town and you get to see trains zoom by all the time.

The SD Zoo will be great but the traffic getting there will horrible on the weekends. I would definately go during the week. I would take a bit more crowd than to have to deal with traffic. Also when you are at the zoo you can visit Balboa Park (the zoo is in the park) it is soo beautiful and has some great play grounds and play areas for kids. Balboa also has a science center that has some great stuff for toddlers as well in an area called Kid City. www.balboapark.org

[Redpoppy]

May 31, 2012 15:19:48 GMT -5 rootbeerfloat said:

FWIW, we did Legoland when DS was 4, and he could ride a lot even though he's on the small side. He loved it, but I'm not sure you really need to do another amusement part after a week at Disneyland.

DS absolutely loves all things Lego, but my parents are less than an hour from the one in Florida and we went in February. Otherwise we probably would go.

Depending on how well DS adjusts to the time difference, he could be up and ready to leave at 5 am so we can probably head to San Diego early and then head back after rush hour. Off to look up the tar pits and other suggestions The only thing that my husband mentioned doing is going back to some deli he ate at last time, which I happened to find with his vague details (Eastside Market Deli? - if it makes him happy I'm adding it in), Thanks everyone!

[honeybadger]

Something else to consider---in August, traffic in SD will be especially crappy due to Track Season at Del Mar---even on weekdays. I find that the 5 gets clogged up at that stretch practically any time of day during track season.

[Redpoppy]

Good to know. We've been leaning more towards sticking to LA area.