Toddler in California but where to go?
 

I am getting a late start on spring break planning which is the week after April for us. We will be leaving from Houston and it will be me, my sister and my almost 3 year old son. She's suggested California, but where? I'm thinking San Diego so we could go to the beach. I have a cousin who lives near Monterey so that's also an option but I don't know if he will be in town that week.

We really are open to anywhere. We won't be spending much time in museums and I think he's too little in height to do a lot at Disneyland or Lego land plus I think my sister would hate it.

And if anyone has any suggestion for suite hotels or hotels with kitchens that would be helpful as well.

Lego Land was <i>designed</i> for little ones . . . and there is a LOT at Disneyland/California Adventure that don't have height requirements. (Anyone who hates Legoland is a curmudgeon ;) ). And in the general SD area there are tons of things for families.

In Monterey the aquarium is fabulous for children

>>And if anyone has any suggestion for suite hotels or hotels with kitchens <<

What is your budget?

Budget: less than the four seasons more than the Homewood Suites

And thanks for the info about legoland, that may have just swayed my decision. I know he will love legoland even though it's got to be crowded right after Easter.

My grandkids love Six Flags Magic Mountain. https://www.sixflags.com/magicmounta...ons/kids-rides
My DS and DIL and family live about 5 minutes away in Stevenson Ranch.
There is an Extended Stay just off the I-5 exit on the Stevenson Ranch side. There are other good places in New Hall and Santa Clarita.

And that would be my sister the curmudgeon who was like I'll drop you off. Typical. I love to travel with her but she and the three year old do not have the same travel tastes. Anyway,Moshe can go shopping while we go to legoland.

Legoland has a number of restrictions on many of the rides requiring a height limit. I took our grandson when he was 2 1/2 and all the rides he actually wanted to go on he couldn't. He was about a quarter of an inch too short and they wouldn't let him on!! Seriously annoying. Plus LegoLand (at least the one in San Diego) is expensive and there isn't that much to do IMHO.

I would recommend the San Diego Zoo and/or the Wild Animal Park. The Zoo has a children's zoo section where kids can pet the animals.

The Zoo is in Balboa Park which has a ton of museums for kids of all ages. There is the Ruben H. Fleet Science Center, the Museum of Natural History (with lots of dinosaur bones), and Air & Space Museum which has a lot of hands on activities for kids as well.

In La Jolla there is the Birch Aquarium which has a man-made tide pool that kids can observe sea life and they can also touch many of the starfish/sea cucumbers/hermit crabs, etc. They also have an educational - play area that is fun for kids as well.

http://www.rhfleet.org/

http://www.sdnhm.org/

http://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/

http://www.sandiegoairandspace.org/

http://aquarium.ucsd.edu/

http://sdzsafaripark.org/

I'm in the "greater San Diego" camp for your needs. And Legoland has quite a bit to do for kids, not just rides. If your sister passes on going into the park with you, the Carlsbad Premium Outlets should fulfill her shopping jones:

http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=66

The SD Zoo and/or Wild Animal Park is ideal, and Balboa Park is lovely. You might find Old Town SD amusing; the Whaley House is government-certified haunted, if you're into ghosts and such. Other posters have also remarked about other fun stuff in SD. And you can go to Disneyland as a day trip from SD and cross that off your list if you like, IF you haven't already been to Disney World; yes, Disneyland was first, but if theme park purity isn't important you will have already experienced Disney magic in Orlando, so this would be low priority. Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park skews a bit younger in the rides (Camp Snoopy), and it's also a day trip from SD.

Magic Mountain? Sorry, no. Valencia is smack-dab in the middle of nowhere in relation to anything else of interest in the greater LA area, and you would then be 100% beholden to travel on LA's notorious freeways. The I-5 corridor is VERY heavily-traveled and almost always packed with cars and trucks, and schlepping to and from the actually interesting parts of greater LA via combinations of I-5, US-101, I-405, CA-118, I-210 etc. will become old REALLY fast. Besides, that park is geared to older kids and coaster-mad adults. I'd give Magic Mountain a pass until your son is quite a bit older. Teenager, probably.

My young grandkids loved Legoland, San Diego Zoo and also, it's Safari Park, Sea World. San Diego is the perfect place to visit with children... Plus the beaches!

Ah, yes Safari Park. I keep refering to it as Wild Animal Park but that changed years ago. Err!

I also used to call it the Instant Teller until my much younger teaching partner started laughing uncontrollably and informed me it's been referred to for decades as ATM.

Don't get me started on the "tv clicker!"

The current idea is to fly into San diego Sunday night then fly out of lax the following morning. And we will stop at beaches along the way. There's certainly enough for us to do the whole time.

That would be the following Sunday morning

For a second, I missed the last reply, and was thinking, well that's a short trip!

We live in L.A. and when our son was that age, I'm going to agree that San Diego area is THE kid place to go. San Diego zoo is phenomenal for really little kids like yours, and actually good for all ages. When you get older, you forget how cool a zoo can be!

The bay -- especially Coronado -- has very kid-friendly beaches for kids to play and build san castles.

Nothing at all to do at 6 flags in northern LA for a 3 year old, although Knotts Berry Farm is good and has Camp Snoopy. Disneyland is great for kids that age too.

Children are stimulated by any new or unusual environment.
I never worry about how to entertain them.
San Diego has a great zoo and Sea World (which some find objectionable).
The Pacific Ocean is too cold for an enjoyable swim.
Monterey has an aquarium that will intrigue the tot.
Nearby Carmel-by-the-Sea is a delightful town.
Santa Cruz has an old-fashioned amusement park.
Children like the sea lions at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco.
The pelicans there intrigue them too.
A cruise under the Golden Gate bridge is bound to delight.
They like to ride on the cable cars and trolleys too.

HTtY

San Diego is great - good choice!

If you do go to Legoland the village of Carlsbad is also a good spot for your sister to visit. Just a few mins drive.
http://goo.gl/maps/tUpg1

You can also take a harbor cruise. I like the 1 hr north for the scenery and seeing the seals sunning themselves on the bait docks. And just a couple of mins walk from the cruise is the Children's Museum
http://www.thinkplaycreate.org/

And just up the street (Harbor Dr) is a park / playground. Lot's of obstacle course things for kids to climb on and water features to run through
http://www.sandiegocounty.gov/parks/Waterfrontpark.html