tina bina has some good advice and i would agree with her. the san diego zoo will be easier and more enjoyable for a young child. plus it is in balboa park and you can stroll around there after you finish at the zoo.

i would recommend the carousel (you'll see it as you enter the zoo) off to the left of the parking lot. it is a wonderful experience. don't forget to ask about how to get the brass ring.

second, after the zoo i would also recommend walking down the prado in balboa park (it's less than a mile, maybe a half mile south of the zoo) there is a wonderful restaurant called the Prado which has lovely outdoor seating overlooking the eucalyptus trees.

right now it is 63 degrees (mid morning) near the ocean. the zoo is about 5 miles east and is probably a comfortable 70 degrees.

the wild animal park is inland quite a bit so it will always be hotter. plus it is east of escondido, a city about a 45- 60 minute drive north of san diego.

should clarify the Prado is the long street that runs thru balboa park. there are gardens, an arboritum, koi pond, fine art, history, science, photography museums as well as the Old Globe Theatre along the stretch. It is absolutely beautiful.

The Prado restaurant is named after the street it is on in Balboa Park.

The carousel is one of the best things about Balboa park! I just was there two weeks ago with my 11 yr old niece. Not sure who had teh most fun...niece, her dad, or me! BTW,it is $2 a ride, free if you caught the brass ring.

There is a great 3D Imax movie at the Reuben H Fleet museum right now. I think its called the Hubble. The theater is about 50 yards south of the carousel. You could move your car from the zoo parking or just walk.

Does your 6 year old have any interest in Dinosaurs? We were at the Natural History Museum in Balboa Park last Sunday and both my 8 and 11 year old boys found it fascinating. They also have several 3D movies that run throughout the day, one movie is included with admission. We saw the T-Rex one which may be a little scary for a 6 year old. The Model Train Museum would be another that your boy would love and it is almost right opposite the Natural History Museum.

As you can see, one day is not enough to do the zoo and Balboa park. Just in case the weather remains hot, you'll be glad to know many buildings in the park have AC and there are lots of shady trees!

"The Model Train Museum would be another that your boy would love and it is almost right opposite the Natural History Museum."

Absolutely. Kids (and adults) love it. It has several extremely large and detailed replicas of historical CA railroad track layouts, each with its own club whose members built it, maintain it, and run trains on it. If your memory of Lionel trains from childhood is a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood with one oval track, be prepared to be amazed:

http://www.sdmodelrailroadm.com/

The Modern Art Museum has a remarkable special exhibit from its Baldwin collection of works by Toulouse-Lautrec.

The Museum of Photographic Arts is showcasing photos selected by Graham Nash (of Crosby, Stills, Nash--and Young fame) of almost every major Rock and Roll or Folk performer of the past 50 years.

And that's just a few of the 20+ museums in Balboa Park.

Thanks d_claude_bear we may check it out.