What would you do?

[Harlie]

My DH and I are trying to finish up the last portion of our 2 week vacation. He really wants to go to San diego to go to SW and san Diego Zoo. I am not sure if I would rather just spend more time at DLR. We already have 5 days planned (first trip for all but Dh who has not been there in 20 years) for DLR and 2 for Knotts. after that is when we were going to San Diego. My thoughts are that I really am not sure how much my kids will get out of SW and the Zoo as we have been to Calgary Zoo and Vancouver Aquarium many times.

We still have four days to plan, should we do the San Diego area or should we stay in Anahiem and do more disney or tour Hollywood area or what?

We do not want to go to legoland or universal studios.

So if you have four extra days to plan for what would you do with them or recommend we do with them lol!

 

[mystic_path]

I would spend...

1 more day at DL

1 day Hollywood shopping or tour

1 Day at the Zoo

1 Day at Sea World



This all sounds like a great trip to me. I dont think your ideas are bad, thats how I would plan my trip

 

[cirquelovers]

I think the San Diego zoo is amazing! You could actually spend two days there trying to see everything! There is also the wild animal park. I have never been but it looked really interesting, kind of like an African Safari. It is outside of town though but looked very well done.

Have you looked into Seaworld? There is more than just fish, they have rides and shows. My son had a blast at SW. We saw Shamu and fed dolphins. I saw not only the Clydsedales but the cute donkey from the commercials too!! I can't remember the other animals but seeing that donkey was adorable! We went on rides and they had a sky gondola that you could see all over the park and beyond. I remember a few shows that were educational and fun. Also a few live action shows. I think you should at least check it out online before you dismiss it.

 

[bumbershoot]

Van Aq is great! And we have a smallish aquarium in my town that we visit often. But I still go to Seaworld.

If only for the Pets Rule show, where get to see ecstatic dogs, trained cats, and even some tamed geese, I'd go to seaworld.

The SD zoo was cool, but in 3 visits to San Diego we've only gone once. It's HUGE and overwhelming and needs more time, but we've had other things we wanted to do.

With 5 days at DLR and 2 (two?) days at Knotts (I figure once DS is a teen we'll start going there, since I've heard it's full of "real" coasters) you might just want to take naps on the beach once you get to SD. So I would probably take at least one of those days as a REST day. I always tell myself we're going to do that, but we never do, and although we've had good trips, they are exhausting.

Is there a way to plan something that can be cancelled a day or two before, in case you find you're exhausted?

 

[mindylovesmickey]

I would definitely do at least one day at SeaWorld, but we love Shamu, dolphins, Clydsedales, penguins, polar bears, beluga whales, walrus, sea lions, otters, feeding some of the above, etc. The new Atlantis ride and exhibit is pretty cool, too. Pets Rule is cute. As far as I'm concerned it really isn't like any other aquarium I've ever been too.

Also, a day for the beach down in SD would be excellent. The beaches in Orange Country are great, I love the ocean, period. But the beaches down in the SD area are totally different, the sand changes, and it's not hawaii, but it's pretty cool. We love to BBQ, play volleyball, fly kites, etc. And it's pretty restful.

 

[Harlie]

Yeah we ruled the beach out since we are going next month and I am not sure how if the weather is good for beaches. I like 20 degrees celcius but We don't go to our beach when it is only that temp. It would have to be at least 25 degrees celcius. We are thinking of just going to see the beach. As for sea world rides I looked and it seems as though those rides get you soaked. My DS7 thinks he is made of chocolate and would throw a fit(screaming like a banchee for hours on end-he does this every night at shower/bath time) if he were to get wet so that is why I have my reservations about it. I was thinking that is would be better when our children are older. My DD8 would LOVE it, but the two boys would get very restless very fast!

What about Sequoia National Park. Is it open in late February? I know its a 5 hour drive(after 24 hours of driving whats another 5 lol) but I would really love to see those trees! Would it be realistic to to leave our hotel at 5 am and drive there for lunch and come back late like at 11pmish?

 

[c&m]

You should maybe skip Seaworld, if some, but not all, in your family would enjoy it. When we go to SoCal in July, we will be going to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, which I hear is one of the best aquariums on the West Coast.

The SD Zoo is worth going to. However, it would be a lot of walking. Very tiring if you plan this as the last leg on your trip. Having said that though, your kids are at the best ages for visiting Legoland. I think there are sometimes special offers, so the admission prices aren't as high as going to DL. Our kids love Legoland, and always have fun there. However, if your son hates getting wet, he may not like the place, as there are rides where you will get wet.

Next door to Legoland is the fabulous Carlsbad Factory Stores. If you want to shop, that is quite the place. Their Coach bags are about $20 less than what you'd find at the Seattle Premium Outlets' Coach store at Tulalip Exit 202. They also have a Crate & Barrel outlet store there.

Some beaches that we have been to and recommend are Coronado Beach and Encinitas Beach (both in SD), and Huntington Beach (about a half-hour drive from DL park).

 

[brenda1966]

I think Sea World, San Diego Zoo, or any beach are all fine options. But I will tell you that when we did a DL and San Diego vacation my DD, age 4 at the time, kept asking when we would go on more "rides" when we were at Sea World (and there's very little there to ride). So, I was very glad that we had saved one last day at DL for the last day of our trip because it was the highlight and was fun to end the trip with another day at DL riding all of our favorites.

 

[Sally_fan]

We loved the San Diego Zoo & Sea World. We spent 3 days at DL, 1 day at Sea World & 1/2 day (not nearly enough) at the San Diego Zoo. I would go back to both places in a heartbeat especially the Zoo as we didn't even get 1/4 of it done. It is an amazing place! We live near the Vancouver Aquarium & have been many, many times over the years but didn't find Sea World to be all that similar with the rides, huge shows, fireworks, etc. I would recommend doing it!
edited to add: sorry I did not see your post about thinking that your son might not enjoy the rides at Sea World, that would definatley be a factor in your decision! Whatever you decide....enjoy your trip!

 

[Monkey Monkey]

I would recommend SeaWorld, as it's very different from an aquarium in that there are live shows that are very entertaining, plus aquariums with freshwater and saltwater fish (including a giant octopus).

I would also recommend the Wild Animal Park, as it too is different from a regular zoo. It's worth the drive in my opinion, and you can take the 30-minute tram tour to see some of the bigger animals like the rhinos and giraffes.

For a more relaxed day, you could always do the Old Town Trolley Tour, which is educational and stops at 6 different locations in San Diego where you can pick up the tour at a later time - Coronado, Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego, Seaport Village, the zoo, Balboa Park, and Old Town. It's a great way to see a lot of sights in San Diego and not have to drive to them yourself.

If you are adventurous, you could take a cab or trolley to Tijuana for some shopping, or stop just short of the border in San Ysidro. The Coach outlet there is just like the one in Carlsbad, but they have more signature items and is usually less crowded during the week.

Have fun!

 

[DLR29]

Not many people have mentioned this but, I would do only 1 day at Knotts. 2 days is a bit much I think. I would go with mystic_path's plan. And I have personally been to the Calgary Zoo, Vancouver Aquarium, Seaworld AND San Diego Zoo. The two zoos are ENTIRELY different and the two "aquatic life parks" are ENTIRELY different. I say go for San Diego!