What to do for 2-3 days before Disneyland?

[goofy4wdw2]

We'll be in California for 5 days in June. Planning for 2-3 days in DL, and 2-3 days doing something else. What would you recommend? We love Disney (we've been to DL once, WDW many times), so while we would love to spend 3 days in DL, we're wondering if we just do 2 days in DL and check out other things for 3 days. What beach do you recommend? Cute towns? Should we go into Hollywood, Beverly Hills? We're also thinking of the San Diego Zoo, but is the drive too far? Help us please!!!

 

[rentayenta]

I would do 3 days in Disney at 2 days at the beach. Huntington Beach is my favorite, went there from the time I was a baby until we moved in 1993. Great beach, even better shopping and food. The Pier has been redone. Balboa Island is another favorite. Fun boardwalk type of place. Newport Beach is good too. Fantastic shopping and good eats.

Basically I vote for the beach.

 

[HydroGuy]

The final section of this thread "A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599 will give you some common and not so common ideas of things to do in SoCal.

 

[mikayla73]

I would do 3 days in Disney at 2 days at the beach. Huntington Beach is my favorite, went there from the time I was a baby until we moved in 1993. Great beach, even better shopping and food. The Pier has been redone. Balboa Island is another favorite. Fun boardwalk type of place. Newport Beach is good too. Fantastic shopping and good eats.

Basically I vote for the beach.

I vote for the beach too! At least for one of the days SD is about a 90 min drive from DL, so you could definitely do that for a day too. We have also done USH before, but that didn't take an entire day for us.

 

[disneymom8589]

Hollywood and Beverly Hills are fun places to visit. DH and I LOVE Santa Monica (take Santa Monica Blvd. from Beverly Hills). The beach is beautiful and it has lots of shops within walking distance.

 

[I Heart Disneyland!]

I always enjoy spending a day in San Diego. It's a couple of hours away, but, there's so much to do and see there! You can go to the San Diego Zoo, or to Balboa Park or Old Town. There's a lot to do and I love the beach in S.D. too.

Also, we like Carlsbad, and areas like Laguna Beach, Santa Monica, Venice Beach....the beach towns.

 

[tmatthews]

We plan on spending 3 days in the parks too. Also spending time in SD to see the Zoo and Sea World. (Lajolla too) Then to the beaches and LA (rodeo drive). LOTS to do!!!

 

[rsjj]

depends on your party...children? young/old? adults only? there are lots of great places to visit/check out...

if young children...and visiting sd...i'd say legoland! it's around 2 hour drive to sd...give or take...depending on traffic.

there's the grove in la that's pretty interesting for adults...lots of shopping/eating/outdoor type mall area. this would be good if you're visiting beveryly hills/hollywood area. and of course, there's kodak theater & vicinity...kids would enjoy this too, i think. basically walking around, shopping/eating. there's a disney soda fountain (ice cream parlor) that might be fun, if you still "need" disney after your exposure to all things disney at the parks.

 

[goofy4wdw2]

It will just be DH and I. DD is staying home with my mom. I'm pregnant, so this will probably be our last adult trip for a long time. For that reason, we will probably skip Legoland, but we are considering San Diego Zoo, beaches, shopping, restuarants, etc. Thank you for all of your suggestions so far!!

 

[sharoncity]

We are spending a few days in SD - seeing the Zoo, SeaWorld and LegoLand. Even if it is only for a day, I would definitely drive down for the Zoo. It is one of the best, if not THE best Zoo in the world! Then we are heading to Santa Monica, spending time on Rodeo Dr, touring movie stars neighborhoods, Venice Beach, etc. Then we head to DL for 3 days. Don't forget to check out El Capitan Theatre too for a Disney flick. We will be there for Meet the Robinsons. I think in June it will be Pirates of the Carribean.