8 days in So Cal - what to do?

[new_mommy25]

*Mods, I wasn't sure which forum to post this in since it applies to both vacation forum. Please move if necessary.

We're going to So Cal the first week of May. We plan to do Disneyland for DD's 3rd Birthday. I'm trying to get an itinerary together because DH and I want to prepay as many things as possible before we leave.

My DS will be 5.5 and DD will be turning 3. I've been to California many times because my Dad and best friend live there but my DH and children haven't seen much. The last time we went was 2005 for a wedding and we did Universal (left DS with my Dad), Disneyland, and Legoland. My Dad no longer lives there so we won't have that child care option.

We will have 8 full days there. We plan to fly Friday May 1 and return Saturday May 10. We will be flying in and out of LAX and renting a car.

So, what to do? I'm trying to decide if the City Pass is worth it? Is that too much to cram into a week with 2 young kids? We don't really care about Universal. I like the Sea World and SD Zoo options. I wish there was Legoland instead of Universal. I also wish it was a 4 day hopper instead of 3.

Some options are: Spend 2 nights in Carlsbad and do Legoland and Wild Animal Park and then drive up to Anaheim and spend the rest of the time doing Disney.

Or we could do 2 nights in San Diego. Go to Sea World and Zoo. Stop at Legoland on the way up to Anaheim.

We'll be staying at the HOJO in Anaheim. Check in May 4 and check out May 10. The good thing about HOJO is that it's cheap. The Carlsbad and SD hotels are much more expensive. Any tips on getting a decent hotel and a price about $100? We could also stay in Anaheim the entire time and do 2 day trips to Lego Land and Wild Animal Park.

DD's birthday is May 5 and we will be doing Disney and bday stuff that day. How many days do we need in Disney? I am thinking a 4 day hopper. Or do I want a 3 day and spend the other 2 days doing other area stuff. I don't think I want to do Knott's but I would consider Soak City. The Palm Springs location will be open. I would also love to do some LA area sight seeing but am not sure if that will be too boring for the kids. FWIW, I've never done LA. When I visited in the past I always spent my time in Orange County.

I'm also interested in Medieval times or the Pirate dinner. Is that too much for the kids?

I would appreciate any and all input. We are very excited about this trip and want to make it as fun as possible for the kids. Thank you!!

[niccig]

You can easily do day trips to Legoland from Anaheim. I live closer to Los Angeles and it took us 2 hours to drive to Legoland. From Anaheim, about an hour or less. I like to stay at one place, packing and moving is a PITA to me.

DS loved Legoland. It's something for younger kids, older kids like 8 and up may not get as much out of it.

[kozachka]

It's a tough call because your DS and DD are different age. When DS was younger, he liked SD Zoo and Legoland. Now he prefers Seaworld, which I think offers the best value for the money. Last May when we were visiting San Diego (we used to live in the area) DS spent two days in Seaworld and would have happily gone back for more.

We got discount on passes with AAA and Costco used to sell discounted tickets as well. We got annual membership for DS (as it was the cheaper than for an adult) to get free parking, which we immediately recouped.

Make sure to leave some time to just enjoy beaches and the area. There is plenty to do. I like Del Mar State Beach. And DS loved watching seals in La Jolla. He's been fishing off Pacific Beach Pier since he was less than two years old and thinks we should move back to San Diego because of the pier, which DH fully supports.

[new_mommy25]

It's a tough call because your DS and DD are different age. When DS was younger, he liked SD Zoo and Legoland. Now he prefers Seaworld, which I think offers the best value for the money. Last May when we were visiting San Diego (we used to live in the area) DS spent two days in Seaworld and would have happily gone back for more.

We got discount on passes with AAA and Costco used to sell discounted tickets as well. We got annual membership for DS (as it was the cheaper than for an adult) to get free parking, which we immediately recouped.

Make sure to leave some time to just enjoy beaches and the area. There is plenty to do. I like Del Mar State Beach. And DS loved watching seals in La Jolla. He's been fishing off Pacific Beach Pier since he was less than two years old and thinks we should move back to San Diego because of the pier, which DH fully supports.

Thanks for the tips. I will check out AAA and Costco. I forgot to add that we live in Honolulu so beaches aren't really a big draw for us. I do love the idea of seal watching though.

[mdb78]

In L.A., how about Griffith Park? They have different train rides, pony rides, the Griffith Observatory (free!), Western museum (they can do some panning for gold on Saturday and Sundays between 11-1pm), carousel, L.A Zoo, Travel town, etc...

There's also the other touristy places like the La Brea Tar pits, Chinese theater, etc...

[mamalia]

Hi! I hope you guys have a great trip! Here's my two cents summarized...
1. Disneyland
2. California Adventure
4. San Diego Zoo
5. Legoland

I'd cut Sea World just because you probably have been to Sea Life Park, and while Sea World is more impressive (and that's not said lightly because I still consider myself a Hawaii girl with pride in the islands!), I think San Diego Zoo with the pandas and gorillas and the sheer amount of animals (compared to Honolulu Zoo especially) would win out due to time limitations. Wild Animal Park, to me is not as impressive as the zoo, and it is a bit passive because you mostly ride in your car. So if there are real time concerns, I would cut that out too. I'd also choose Sea World over Wild Animal Park because of the Polar Bear, Penguin, and Shark exhibits at Sea World. I've never been to Legoland, but I've heard such great things, and from another post it seemed like your son really likes Legos so I put that on the list. And if you can go as a daytrip like a pp suggested that seems perfect.

Some other fun stops:
Los Angeles Vicinity
Huntington Gardens in Pasadena/San Marino (children's garden, chinese garden, japanese garden) - closed on Tuesdays*
Kidspace Museum in Pasadena - kind of $ because everyone pays but lots of fun*
Descanso gardens in La Canada - not as impressive as Huntington but cheaper
The Grove in Los Angeles (permanent farmer's market, small trolley, american girl store)
OC Vicinity
South Coast Plaza - large shopping mall in Orange County
Long Beach Aquarium - much larger than Waikiki Aquarium, but personally I like Waikiki's better because its so new.

* Bring change of clothes so that the kids can play in the water attractions.

I left out the beaches, but if you change your mind Santa Monica pier is fun and very different from Hawaii and there is third street promenade nearby (outdoor shopping and people watching).

Unsolicited Disney info (LOL)
At Disneyland I would highly recommend at least one character dining experience. We liked Minnie Mouse's Breakfast in the park because then you can get in early, and DD was more familiar with the characters (Pooh, Chip, Dale, Minnie, Captain Hook, Eeyore, Tigger, Fairy Godmother, etc). But dinner at Goofy's dining was nice too, and more interactive (they do dancing in the middle of dinner!). For Cali Adventure pack a change of clothes (or swimsuit) and slippers/sandals because the water play areas are so much fun for your children's age group. The two websites recommended in the Disney forum of BBB is also really helpful (mouseplanet and xxxx). One of the highlights for us...DD LOVED getting messages from Tinkerbell (I printed out notes beforehand, and picked up trinkets and disney dollars while she napped to hide with the notes at night). And if you get sick of Disney food, there's a REALLY good Chicago hotdog restaurant in nearby Buena Park (probably less than ten minutes from Disney) called Portillos.
http://www.portillos.com/portillos/

ETA: I've been to Medieval Times, and I could see it being a lot of fun for children (jousting, a story about a Princess, very interactive, and pretty good food). But my friend took his sons to the Pirates one, and they LOVED it. So if/when we go, I think we'll go to the Pirates one, especially since my DD loves Pirates.

[new_mommy25]

Hi! I hope you guys have a great trip! Here's my two cents summarized...
1. Disneyland
2. California Adventure
4. San Diego Zoo
5. Legoland

I'd cut Sea World just because you probably have been to Sea Life Park, and while Sea World is more impressive (and that's not said lightly because I still consider myself a Hawaii girl with pride in the islands!), I think San Diego Zoo with the pandas and gorillas and the sheer amount of animals (compared to Honolulu Zoo especially) would win out due to time limitations. Wild Animal Park, to me is not as impressive as the zoo, and it is a bit passive because you mostly ride in your car. So if there are real time concerns, I would cut that out too. I'd also choose Sea World over Wild Animal Park because of the Polar Bear, Penguin, and Shark exhibits at Sea World. I've never been to Legoland, but I've heard such great things, and from another post it seemed like your son really likes Legos so I put that on the list. And if you can go as a daytrip like a pp suggested that seems perfect.

Some other fun stops:
Los Angeles Vicinity
Huntington Gardens in Pasadena/San Marino (children's garden, chinese garden, japanese garden) - closed on Tuesdays*
Kidspace Museum in Pasadena - kind of $ because everyone pays but lots of fun*
Descanso gardens in La Canada - not as impressive as Huntington but cheaper
The Grove in Los Angeles (permanent farmer's market, small trolley, american girl store)
OC Vicinity
South Coast Plaza - large shopping mall in Orange County
Long Beach Aquarium - much larger than Waikiki Aquarium, but personally I like Waikiki's better because its so new.

* Bring change of clothes so that the kids can play in the water attractions.

I left out the beaches, but if you change your mind Santa Monica pier is fun and very different from Hawaii and there is third street promenade nearby (outdoor shopping and people watching).

Unsolicited Disney info (LOL)
At Disneyland I would highly recommend at least one character dining experience. We liked Minnie Mouse's Breakfast in the park because then you can get in early, and DD was more familiar with the characters (Pooh, Chip, Dale, Minnie, Captain Hook, Eeyore, Tigger, Fairy Godmother, etc). But dinner at Goofy's dining was nice too, and more interactive (they do dancing in the middle of dinner!). For Cali Adventure pack a change of clothes (or swimsuit) and slippers/sandals because the water play areas are so much fun for your children's age group. The two websites recommended in the Disney forum of BBB is also really helpful (mouseplanet and xxxx). One of the highlights for us...DD LOVED getting messages from Tinkerbell (I printed out notes beforehand, and picked up trinkets and disney dollars while she napped to hide with the notes at night). And if you get sick of Disney food, there's a REALLY good Chicago hotdog restaurant in nearby Buena Park (probably less than ten minutes from Disney) called Portillos.
http://www.portillos.com/portillos/

ETA: I've been to Medieval Times, and I could see it being a lot of fun for children (jousting, a story about a Princess, very interactive, and pretty good food). But my friend took his sons to the Pirates one, and they LOVED it. So if/when we go, I think we'll go to the Pirates one, especially since my DD loves Pirates.

:bowdown:Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Your post is exactly what I needed. It really helps with planning my days. Question: Do you think we should get a hotel near SD Zoo? Maybe d o that the first day and then drive to Anaheim?

I didn't know there was an AG store. Is 3 too young? I was thinking about buying her Bitty Baby for her birthday.

[AnnieW625]

**So, what to do? I'm trying to decide if the City Pass is worth it? Is that too much to cram into a week with 2 young kids? We don't really care about Universal. I like the Sea World and SD Zoo options. I wish there was Legoland instead of Universal. I also wish it was a 4 day hopper instead of 3.
Universal might be kind of fun, I haven't been in 20 years but it's an hour drive from Disneyland. I much prefer the San Diego Zoo to Sea World, much more fun. The Wild Animal Park is also lots of fun, but it can get hot out there; don't go if it's going to be more than 75 in San Diego; however San Diego in May is actually cool so that might be a good time to go WAP. I still like the Zoo over WAP, but that's just me.

**Some options are: Spend 2 nights in Carlsbad and do Legoland and Wild Animal Park and then drive up to Anaheim and spend the rest of the time doing Disney.
Carlsbad is a nice location if you want to do Legoland (never been) and WAP, and then skip the Zoo, however with traffic Carlsbad is probably 2/1/2 to three hours from LAX (in most cases though it should only take 2 hrs). Not sure if you can switch airports but if you really want to do this I'd fly into San Diego, and fly out of either LAX or John Wayne (SNA)

**Or we could do 2 nights in San Diego. Go to Sea World and Zoo. Stop at Legoland on the way up to Anaheim.
again probably three hours from LAX to SD with traffic. Again not that overly excited about Sea World, but also recommend the USS Midway in San Diego Harbor. There are a bunch of family friendly hotels in the Mission Valley area (aka Hotel Circle) in San Diego. Everything from a Marriott, to an Embassy Suites, and a few comfy Holiday Inns and or Comfort Suites. It's probably a 45 minute drive to Legoland from this area, but more affordable than Carlsbad and would make sense if you did the Zoo first, and then Legoland the same day as you drove up to Anaheim.

**We'll be staying at the HOJO in Anaheim. Check in May 4 and check out May 10. The good thing about HOJO is that it's cheap. The Carlsbad and SD hotels are much more expensive. Any tips on getting a decent hotel and a price about $100? We could also stay in Anaheim the entire time and do 2 day trips to Lego Land and Wild Animal Park.
I highly recommend Priceline or Hotwire.com for San Diego hotel recs. Last time we went we used Priceline and got the Hyatt Regency La Jolla for $79 a night (parking was $20 a night, but well worth it; because hotels start around $110 a night in the general area). Also FWIW my brother likes the Super 8 next to Disneyland for trips when they are going to be at D-Land all day and not spending much time in the hotel (he doesn't have kids though)

**DD's birthday is May 5 and we will be doing Disney and bday stuff that day. How many days do we need in Disney? I am thinking a 4 day hopper. Or do I want a 3 day and spend the other 2 days doing other area stuff. I don't think I want to do Knott's but I would consider Soak City. The Palm Springs location will be open. I would also love to do some LA area sight seeing but am not sure if that will be too boring for the kids. FWIW, I've never done LA. When I visited in the past I always spent my time in Orange County.
My only tip is to register @disney.com to get your daughter's birthday free; not sure how this works if you buy a park hopper pass, but for season pass holders they are giving out gift cards in the amount of the price of a 1 day admission. I haven't been to Knotts, but have actually heard good things; not sure when Soak City opens. Personally I think you'll be fine with just Disney. I also don't think any sight seeing in LA is really needed unless you end up at Universal, but all of the Hollywood stuff is not close to the airport at all.

I'm also interested in Medieval times or the Pirate dinner. Is that too much for the kids?
I've only been to Medieval Times and it's okay, but I think for the complete Disney experience I'd do a character breakfast or dinner. The food at Medieval Times is subpar, but somewhat tasty and the show is okay, but I've been once and that's enough for me.

[sariana]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but Disneyland (and most other places) is free for children under 3. If you go to Disneyland before DD's birthday, she won't need a ticket. (Of course, it is free on her birthday, too, because of the special Disneyland has this year.)

[elektra]

Question: Do you think we should get a hotel near SD Zoo? Maybe d o that the first day and then drive to Anaheim?


I live near Disneyland and when we went down to the San Diego Zoo a few months ago we just went down for the day. However, BIL and SIL (also from OC) went to the zoo with us on day one, stayed in a hotel that night (a bit closer to Legoland IIRC), went to Legoland the next day, and then drove home that night.
So that might be what you want to do too, start in San Diego, spend one night there and then work your way back up.

Also, DH's Hawaiian relatives are basically all about Disney when they come. BIL works there and they go for several days out of their trip. I don't think you will be dissapointed if you devote the bulk of your time to that. They also love the shopping and go to South Coast Plaza all the time too.
I was also going to suggest the Long Beach Aquarium. :)

Another thing to think about might be taking a train somewhere, if you think that might be fun for your kids. I have never taken it to San Diego, although I know alot of people do that. I just wouldn't want to recommend it because I have no idea how you would get to the zoo or anything from the train stop.
However, it's a pretty short ride from the Anaheim stop right by Angel stadium up to Grand Central in LA. And you could walk around downtown LA for the day, maybe check out one of the museums up there. You can check out Amtrak.com for the schedules and I think (but am not totally sure) that Metrolink goes out of that station too.

[AnnieW625]

Elektra brought up some good points the LB Aquarium is nice too. I have taken the train from San Diego to Anaheim (and well continued north to LA) and it is very nice. That would be a great option if you decided just to go to the Zoo and forgoed Legoland, and WAP because San Diego has pretty good mass transit and there are hotels including an Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn, Best Western all near the San Diego train station. Amtrak, and the SD Trolley system don't go as far as the WAP; and I am not sure how close the Metrolink (commuter train) is to Legoland.

Metrolink trains (not real subway trains, jut light rail trains) sort of go to the airport, but you have to get off at the last stop and take a shuttle to the airport (at least at the green line) and I have no idea how ideal that is esp. with kids and travel gear. There is no mass transit from Anaheim (besides busses) to Long Beach, or the South Coast Plaza (or really any other part of Orange County, unless it's an Amtrak station, and those are few and far between! :()

South Coast Plaza is fun too, but really another huge shopping mall and you're kids might get bored.

[mamalia]

No problem! I get super excited about trips and travel, so I'm really glad to help and I hope that you guys have a GREAT time. To answer your questions...

Question: Do you think we should get a hotel near SD Zoo? Maybe d o that the first day and then drive to Anaheim?

Yeah, I think a hotel in the SD vicinity (not necessarily right next to the zoo though b/c SD is pretty compact) would be better just because that way you can get an early start and avoid traffic. I don't know when you're flying in, but in general, Cali traffic is peak between 7-9am and 3-7pm or so. There's also some clogging around the lunch hour, especially on the 5 and 10 fwys. You could get the zoo done in one day with an early start, or even a not so early start if you are fine to just do a couple of main animals up close (which to me is the pandas, polar bears, and gorillas) and mostly ride the shuttle for views of the rest. On the drive up to Anaheim you could stop at Legoland, do that from whenever you arrive till evening and then drive to your Disneyland hotel after dinner and traffic is over. Depending on how pooped your kiddos are and when you arrive, you could spend that first night checking out Downtown Disney (free) or seeing if the disney hotels have any story hours planned. The next morning the kiddos will definitely be hyped to see Disneyland. <Side Note: My DD was so excited to wake up to find a note and gift from Tinkerbell (aka Mom) welcoming her to Disneyland and telling her about how excited everyone was to meet her. I even left DH a note to get him in the spirit too.>

I didn't know there was an AG store. Is 3 too young? I was thinking about buying her Bitty Baby for her birthday.

My DD is almost four, and she enjoys the AG store. But I haven't taken her to the cafe, or to any events (I think most are geared for 6+), and we have a Bitty Baby so we can't do the hair salon. So it may seem like no big draw for this age group, but the two times we have visited the actual store, she got a kick out of pushing the babies around, holding the different dolls, and just absorbing it all in. And when she was potty training, she specifically asked for an outfit for her baby as the reward for filling out her chart. So it did make an impression on her that there were lots of "accessories" available. But that's probably why we've only gone into the store twice...the doll and accessory obsession can be a little creepy. For me the big draw at the Grove is the Farmer's Market, and the "experience." The guy who planned the mall went all out, the fountains were designed by the people that did Bellagio's. And there are little green play areas, a trolley; it's like a mini oasis...they even make it snow during winter. :) Oh at the Farmer's Market, the crepes and the homemade ice cream are goooood. And the Greek kiosk has good chicken shawerma. :) What's not fun though is the parking prices...if you go, be sure to get validated!

Have fun! :)

[AnnieW625]

I love the LA Farmers Market, and if you park in the little lot (not the garage) directly across it's validated for 2 or 3 hours and you just have to eat or buy something at one of the Farmers Market shops (not one of the Grove ones). Highly recommend the middle eastern place the pp recommended. They have food for everyone there though too so that's a plus!

I have an almost 3 year old too and I was thinking of taking her to the AG store later on this summer so she could pick out her own baby to get her ready for #2.