Beginning stages of planning:

[estherhead]

Hi all! We are planning a socal trip for February 2009. We are very high energy & have dh, me, 9 yr old, 7 yr old, 2 yr old (all girls.)

We're pretty interested in everything. Love WDW, love nature, love science, love history, love art. You get the idea.

I've only been to socal twice, once as a teenager, and once as a young couple. The first time I did only nature stuff and the second time we went to 4 TV tapings and a pro hockey game and ate a LOT of Mexican food and margaritas.

OK, so my first with kids trip. Does this sound like an OK itinerary:

Arrive Thursday night at LAX, stay there.

Friday: Legoland. Stay in San Diego.

Saturday: Whale Watching from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Afternoon on the beach. Stay in San Diego

Sunday: Sea World Stay in San Diego

Monday: San Diego Zoo. Drive to LA. Stay in LA

Tuesday: La Brea Tar Pits & Hollywood driving tour Stay in LA

Wednesday: Universal Studios Stay in Anaheim

Thursday: Disneyland Stay in Anaheim

Friday: Disneyland Stay in Anaheim

Saturday: Disneyland Stay in Anaheim

What do you think? I'm a Disney nut and don't want to short change myself, but I also adore nature and don't want my kids to miss out on the fabulous Cal. coast just to see Mickey Mouse. Ya know?

I'm not sure there will be enough to do at Universal for my kids, I'm not sure I should do Sea World & not an aquarium, I loved the LACAM when I was there before but wasn't sure about my kids enjoying it (they did enjoy the Met in NYC.)

One final thing: We're early awake & early to bed people which will be even worst since we're east coasters. So think 6 a.m. dressed & ready to go, 8 p.m. exhausted, ready for bed.

All ya'll in the know...Help!

 

[Minuet888]

I hate to tell you this, but February of 2009 has already passed : (

 

[disneynerd420]

I think that sounds like an amazing schedule. Though if you feel you may just want to go to an aquarium, Long Beach has an amazing one not too far from the Queen Mary. You can check it out at this website... http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/

If you enjoy history, I would check out the Queen Mary. It is not an all day thing, but it is worth visiting. If your girls are brave enough, I recommend taking the tour about the ghost sightings on the ship. Make sure you take the one that tells the real life events... not the one that has special effects and is designed as more of a haunted walk through more than anything else.

If you make any stops in Hollywood, you have to check out the Disney Soda Fountain next to the El Capitan and Amoeba music! Amoeba is the coolest music/movie store I have ever been to, and I am a total nerd for that kind of stuff. You can find some amazing things for very reasonable prices. This is a must do for me and all of my friends when we are in Hollywood. You can see more about them here... http://www.amoeba.com/

Another must do for me, just because it is pretty popular in SoCal, is a stop at Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles. This place has amazing soul food! A friend of mine can be quoted as saying "Roscoe's is where God would eat if he came to California." Check them out at http://www.roscoeschickenandwaffles.com/. I drool over the mac and cheese.

Well those are my suggestions for a little more "local" flavor. I hope you have an amazing trip!!!

 

[estherhead]

And, of course,I meant 2010. Duh!

Roscoe's & Amoeba sound awesome! I forgot about Queen Mary. I'll check that out for sure.

Any other local flavor? Is Pasadena interesting for kids? I LOVED Pasadena when it was just dh & I. But I don't know if kids would enjoy it. The soda fountain will go on my must list!

 

[Minuet888]

I know you meant 2010 I was just being sarcastic

 

[ashpinoza]

i think it sounds great!

 

[TamiV]

YOur trip sounds perfect! Please do not skip Sea World! We have been to almost all the places you mentioned (except Legoland and Universal Studios) and Sea World was by far my kids' favorite. LaBrea Tarpits was a little boring and as great as I thought the Zoo would be, it wasn't. Sea World was fabulous!

 

[perlster]

Tuesday: La Brea Tar Pits & Hollywood driving tour Stay in LA

You'll actually spend more time in the museum than at the pits outside. If this is the first Tuesday of the month, you'll get in free.

 

[estherhead]

Thanks everyone! It isn't the first Tuesday, I just checked. If we go when I'm thinking it'll be the 2nd Tuesday of the month. When we were in South Dakota this summer we went to see a mammoth excavation site. It was a little out of our way and I wasn't sure we would all enjoy it, but it ended up being one of our favorite things. So I figured La Brea Pits would be something the kids would like, and there just aren't very many tar pits in the world so we ought to see them if we're in the area, ya know?

And thanks for the Sea World comment. I haven't been to Sea World since there was one in Ohio and I was 13 or so. So I just wasn't sure.

 

[perlster]

Speaking of mammoth excavation, your timing couldn't be better.

 

[avalon451]

That sounds like a very busy, and very fun schedule!

February usually isn't that busy, but you are doing DL on Valentines' Day weekend (V Day is Sunday) so it may be busier than usual. However, by going over the weekend, you'll be getting the fireworks. I would read Hydroguy's What You Should Know about Off-Season at DLR (which includes the High Season/Low Season tradeoff rule)-- things might still be shut down for refurbishments at that time of year. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=18462889