This Is The Ultimate Family Vacation Guide To San Diego

With a balmy, Mediterranean climate that averages 22°C year-round and bucket-list attractions like LEGOLAND and SeaWorld, California’s second-largest city has all the makings of a five-star family vacation. —Katie Nanton

Stay & Play

After picking up a rental car at the San Diego International Airport, head due north along the Pacific Coast Highway scenic route to pass Cali-cool beach towns like Del Mar and Encinitas—and immediately shift into vacation mode. Keep an eye out for surfers through the sea fog and snack stops (put Leucadia Donut Shop in your Google map) before pulling into LEGOLAND Castle Hotel, about an hour later, in Carlsbad. Nothing hits the “stay and play” mark quite like this property, which is castle-themed inside and out with little wannabe knights and princesses in mind. Naturally, the little bricks are everywhere: there’s a life-sized wizard in the lobby made from the stuff; a LEGO-filled play pit in the on-site restaurant, Dragon’s Den; a playground featuring massive foam bricks; and an outdoor big screen playing The Lego Movie steps from the swimming pool. Guestrooms are just as whimsical. Draw back a red curtain to uncover bunk beds in the colourful kids’ room then keep them busy with a scavenger hunt to unlock a treasure chest filled with packets of buildable LEGO animals. Adults can rest easy in a four-poster bed fit for a king before the whole family sets off for the LEGOLAND theme park, an easy five-minute walk away. When the Carlsbad castle fantasy is over, check into a hotel closer to the heart of town, like the San Diego Mission Bay Hotel—perfectly suited to waterfront dining, beach walks and lazy days by the pool—or the newly renovated Sheraton San Diego Resort & Marina. Among the nicest “airport hotels” we’ve ever stayed at, it has private-balcony views of the marina, luxuriously appointed suites and a to-die-for braised beef breakfast burrito at lobby-level Rumorosa restaurant.

See & Explore

Did you know that LEGO is a Denmark export? The word itself comes from the Danish leg godt, meaning “play well”, and the LEGOLAND California Resort was inspired by the first of its kind in Billund, Denmark. Guaranteed, you’ll play very well here in Carlsbad—LEGOLAND’s 60+ rides, water park and aquarium will make sure of that. An accessibility element we loved throughout: sensory guides accompany all the attractions, with posted ratings about how each affects the five senses. The resort is also a Certified Autism Center and has conducted a staff-wide autism sensitivity and awareness training. Our toddler loved posing with giant LEGO creatures throughout the park (the tarantula was a fave), searching for dinosaurs on the Dino Valley Explorer River Quest adventure ride, and collecting aquatic stamps in a Dive Log Book throughout the aquarium. Us parents appreciated the short mid-week ride lines and the biggest playground we’d ever seen in our lives, the LEGO NINJAGO Training Camp, complete with obstacles, slides and a giant ship. Moving from LEGO spiders to real ones, no trip to San Diego is complete without a visit to the 100-acre San Diego Zoo. We recommend immediately hopping on the top of the double-decker bus tour to spot a few of the 4000+ animals from a comfy seat before taking to the myriad walking paths. From giant pandas to tigers and flamingos, there’s plenty to see, so pick favourites beforehand to make sure nobody leaves disappointed and snag a frozen margarita to stay cool while you stroll. You’re technically already in the massive Balboa Park while at the zoo, but it’s best to factor in a separate day to check out one or two of its 18 museums including the Comic-Con Museum, Japanese Friendship Garden, and San Diego Museum of Art. Keep an eye out for the exact replica of London’s famed Old Globe Theatre, one of only three in the world. Last but not least, set aside a full day for SeaWorld, which celebrated its 60th anniversary last year. As one of the largest marine animal rescue organizations in the world there is ample sea life on show, plus dolphin and orca shows if you’re into it, but in true American spirit it really was about the rides. Daredevils should head straight to the Emperor, which opened two years ago as the state’s tallest and fastest floorless dive coaster. We can confirm, it was a thrill for our toddler (on solid ground) to watch her dad in the front seat take a 90-degree drop at 60 miles per hour.

Savour & Sip

When in Carlsbad, skip the LEGOLAND Castle Hotel buffet one morning and drive to a coastal breakfast under the white patio umbrellas of Cafe Topes. Order the cinnamon roll pancakes with fresh fruit then watch the palm trees sway as laid-back locals swing by for lattes. When in San Diego, take note; it would take 10 lifetimes to eat your way around this city. Get your fill by starting downtown in one of the best Little Italy’s in the USA; locals love Fillipi’s Pizza Grotto, a family-owned institution with red-and-white checkerboard tablecloths, and be to check out the Little Italy Mercato Farmers’ Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Old Town San Diego is the epicenter of step-back-in-time historic Mexican culture. If you go, eat at colourful Casa Guadalajara where everything is bigger than the competition, including the enchiladas, the patio and the Birdbath Margaritas. Another day, explore hipstery North Park for secondhand bookstores, vintage shops and vibrant murals before a pit stop at Pâtisserie Mélanie for French pastries (get the buttery Kouign-amann) by Cordon Bleu-trained pastry chef Melanie Dunn. For dinner, head to the cozy-cool patio at Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded Cesarina. Expect hearty plates of handmade pastas with mix-and-match sauces, plus a full vegan menu, which includes a tiramisu with homemade ladyfingers and plant-based mascarpone that kept the regulars sitting beside coming back again and again. For a sports pub experience with elevated fare and unmatched water views, head to Wonderland Ocean Pub in Ocean Beach. When executive chef Elias Gonzales took over the kitchen last fall, he revamped the menu with unprocessed ingredients (high-quality fish, hand-cut fries) and fresh twists on pub classics. Try the pimento bacon burger oozing with housemade chipotle-pimento cheese and caramelized onion, the fresh clam chowder in a bread bowl and the curried cauliflower share plate served with a bright sriracha vinaigrette. As the sunset dipped, the Padres won the baseball game on TV and the restaurant erupted in applause, we felt like moving to San Diego right then and there.