Category: Attractions

The highly-anticipated New Children’s Museum of San Diego finally opened downtown in May 2008 and is well worth the wait. The 50,000 square-foot space is all-new and full of clever and unique activities for kids of all ages.

Upon entering the museum, kids are immediately drawn to the foot-powered Segway-type scooters. On the same level is “Tent City”, a multi-level cloth structure through which children can climb and play house, as well as the Outdoor/Indoor Art Studio with the popular Painted VW Bug and a clay studio. If you plan to let your child paint, make sure you both dress appropriately as you are almost guaranteed to be covered in blue paint by the time you’re finished.

In the basement is the shadow puppet theater where kids can cut out their own shapes and characters, a dress-up and performance area complete with a huge mirror for posing, and Delphine, the ocean-themed video installation that kids like to turn into a shadow puppet show as well.

Teens will appreciate the areas made especially for them on the top floor, including The Costume Project and the Tech Studio. Also on the second floor is the “No Rules Except” exhibit, which my sons call the “pillow-fight room”. This room is completely covered in mattresses and tire-shaped pillows and is fun for toddlers all the way up to teenagers (who doesn’t love to jump on the bed?). This room is my kids’ favorite part of the museum. They love to slide down the leaning mattresses and see how high they can stack the tire pillows before they fall.

Also on the top floor is a climbing wall and another indoor/outdoor studio. This studio has loads of wooden sticks that children can use to build (think Lincoln logs), a ramp for racing handmade cars, and a bubble studio that is sure to keep the little ones busy and happy.

One thing that I really appreciate about the New Children’s Museum is how “green” it is, in both its construction and the materials that they use. If you’re interested in teaching your children about conservation and sustainability, be sure to point out all of the eco-friendly items at the museum, from the recycled concrete stairs to the huge wall of windows that all but eliminate the need for light bulbs inside during the day.

The New Children’s Museum is a bargain. Children over age one and adults are $10/each, but for just $75, your entire family can enjoy free admission for one year.

Even if you don’t have sons with more Legos than Toys R Us like I do, you and your family will enjoy yourselves at Legoland. From the exciting Dragon roller coaster to the extremely mellow Fairy Tale Brook, Legoland is a fun outing for toddlers to tweens, and even for adults.

I started taking my oldest son to Legoland monthly around his 2nd birthday and was pleasantly surprised at how much there is for a little kid to do there. When my kids were toddlers, their favorite rides were the helicopters, the airplanes, the Safari Jeeps, and the Duplo Town train. As they got a little braver and taller, their new favorites were the Jr. Driving Course and the Royal Joust. Around age 5, they started riding the Dragon Coaster, Wave Racers, Bionicle Blaster (think Disneyland’s tea cup ride, only made out of Lego Bionicle pieces) and the Knight’s Tournament.

Most adults will marvel at the intricate Lego models in Miniland. There are reproductions of many major cities, such as New York City, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. The details of the buildings are absolutely amazing, from the Victorians in S.F. to the marching band in front of the Capitol that actually plays music. Take the Coast Cruise (no height requirement) to see the models of Mt. Rushmore, the Sydney Operahouse, and the Taj Mahal. No trip to Legoland is complete without strolling through Miniland and admiring the miniature architecture.

If it’s warm outside, bring your child’s swimsuit and a towel and let them get soaked in the new Pirate Shores area. Water trickles, sprinkles, and dumps out of many different gadgets that the kids can control. There are also water slides and rides in this area, so prepare to get very wet!

When you’re exhausted, but the kids still have energy, head over to either Duplo Town or the Hideaways, depending on your child’s age. At both of these places, you can sit back and relax while your little munchkin runs off the rest of his crazies. Beware: there is no gate at Duplo Town, so keep an eye on your child in case he wants to wander off. When it’s very hot out and you want to sit in the air conditioning, take the kids to the Build and Test area, where they can check out wheels and build their own cars to race against other kids. Next door is a Duplo room where toddlers can play with every type of Duplo ever made.

One of the best things about Legoland (especially compared to Disneyland) is that you can go on an “off” day and not sit in lines for hours. The last few times we’ve gone have been days when it was either a school day or the weather was a bit iffy. It was totally worth it because most of the lines were 10 minutes or less. However, if you go on a school holiday or when the weather is gorgeous, prepare to wait in line. The waits still won’t be as long as at Disneyland, though.

Another bonus at Legoland is that the food is better than most other amusement parks. It has gotten a bit more expensive over the last few years, but your pass gets you a 20% discount. My favorite restaurant is the Garden Restaurant, which serves healthy fare like turkey or tuna sandwiches, salads, and soups. The Fun Town Market Restaurant is also pretty good—you can order Chicken Stir Fry or make your own salad at the large salad bar. Other dining options include a medieval-themed barbecue restaurant, a pizza restaurant, and several hamburger, hot dog, and ice cream stands.

From my six years of going to Legoland, I’ve figured out a few money-saving tricks. First of all, if you have preschool-aged kids, especially Lego-lovin’ boys, I highly recommend buying a Membership Plus annual pass. For about $10/month, you get free parking ($10/car) and admission, plus 20% off dining and 10% off purchases. I always packed lots of snacks and drinks, which you’re allowed to bring into the park, as well as our Legoland cups, which can be refilled for only .99 instead of buying a soft drink for $3. Once inside the park, if you bring a bucket and shovel, you’ll save yourself $5 at the Dino Dig, where kids dig in the sand to uncover dinosaur fossils.

Opening in March is a whole new area of Legoland, Land of Adventure, which is set in 1920s Egypt and will feature the park’s first dark ride, Lost Kingdom Adventure. You can bet that my family will be there!

Balboa Park, the gem of San Diego, is not only an incredibly beautiful place to stroll through gardens and enjoy lovely architecture and views of the city, it is also a place to take pleasure in entertaining and educational museums. When taking a child to Balboa Park, there are enough activities to fill several days, so pace yourself. Here are some of the must-see and must-do activities in Balboa Park:

Balboa Park is home to a large variety of museums that will appeal to many different interests. Among the most kid-friendly are the San Diego Model Railroad Museum, the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, and the Natural History Museum.

The Model Railroad Museum is like a train-loving boy’s vision of heaven. The whole building is filled with elaborate displays of towns and countrysides with working model trains running through them. The details are impressive, from the teeny-tiny towns complete with stores and houses, to the itty-bitty people, cars, and trees. My kids especially love the train display with the ‘50s theme in the back room, mostly because they can press buttons to make different trains move.

Whether your child is interested in trains or not, he’ll enjoy a ride on the Balboa Park Miniature Railroad, driven by a friendly conductor. The short and sweet ride takes you on a ½ mile loop through 4 acres of the park.

The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is a popular spot for field trips and playgroups for good reason. This interactive museum features hands-on activities for kids of all ages on topics from space exploration to the creation of sound. There is even a toddler area called Kid City, where younger children can build, create, and dress up. If you have time, check out a huge-screen movie or a planetarium show in the IMAX theater.

The Natural History Museum is another kid favorite, especially when there is a dinosaur exhibit. Consider attending on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 11 a.m. for Nature, Mommy, and Me, when you’ll get a tour of the museum along with story time for your little one.

Be sure to visit the lily pond in front of the botanical gardens. My kids love to run alongside the pond watching the large koi swim. Adults will enjoy the view of the Botanical Building, the most-photographed building in the park. Step inside to show the kids the carnivorous plants eating insects and steal a few moments for yourself to check out the extensive collection of more than 2,100 plants and flowers.

The World Beat Center features African Drumming and Dancing classes for infants to adults, which are popular with playgroups. Nearby is the most popular playground at Balboa Park, Pepper Grove Playground, which has plenty of slides, swing sets, and climbing equipment, as well as picnic tables and shade trees.
Other popular attractions for kids are the Balboa Park Carousel, the Butterfly Garden, the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater, the San Diego Air and Space Museum, the San Diego Automotive Museum, and the San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum.

Be sure to take advantage of Free Tuesdays at the Balboa Park museums. For a complete listing of dates, visit http://www.balboapark.org/calendar/detail.php?EventID=370. Note that some free museum admissions are offered only to San Diego residents. See website for details.

There’s no little fun to be had in San Diego’s Little Italy these days since the neighborhood’s revitalization and renaissance of the last 20 years. With a calendar of events as vibrant and lively as the residents themselves, the little neighborhood that could--east of the harbor and north of Downtown--is the place for a big ol’ time, anytime!

Come to San Diego’s oldest continuous neighborhood business district in February for Carnevale and a taste of the old country with food, music, and costume to rival the best of Brazil and the most of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras. Perhaps you like a nice, invigorating stroll among the latest masterpieces of the up-and-coming masters? You’ll love the assemblage of local artists, and galleries, bands, and eating establishment making the Little Italy Art Walk a unique experience in April of each year. And October’s Chalk Festival offers the budding Da Vinci his or her moment in the sun—literally!

Unless of course you prefer your enjoyments year-round? And who doesn’t? Kettner Blvd. is the gallery lover’s stroll through heaven. Interior design issues are straightened out for you at Adorn, while Mixture has home furnishings right where you want ‘em. Of course, the arts are never any finer than at PLMeyer Fine Art.

Public art displays and installations, too, give Little Italy a flavor all its own, the walls of India Street annually enjoying the artistic efforts of area locals, thanks to the sponsorship of The Precious Cheese Company, whereas the New York stickball tradition has found its West Coast home right here in town.

Because we know some of you may think of eating as a year-round activity, too, Little Italy makes a wide array of food traditions available for those bent on following this line. Buon Appetito, Café Zucchero, and Mimmo's Italian Village afford the cuisine of the ancestors, as do Cabo Café, China Camp, and Bud's Louisiana Food Shoppe if your ancestors happen to come from Mexico, China, or Louisiana, respectively.

Little Italy has everything available to the visitor or area resident with an itch for culture they’re eager to scratch. Only a minute’s drive from downtown and everything it has to offer, what could be more convenient?

At first sight, Downtown San Diego's famed Horton Plaza appears to be just another Southern California mall: shops, restaurants, vending carts, teenagers – the works. However, once inside the structure named for the same San Diego family whose name Dr. Seuss used for his famous character and you'll soon see why the famously "fun" architectural plan has been baffling visitors and regulars alike for over two decades. If you enjoy searching for your ride after a day of shopping, you'll soon see why Horton Plaza is the go-to location for those with the patience of Job or the sense of humor of the good Dr. Seuss himself. After all, when the parking structure and the shopping mall itself enjoy different numbering schemes, hilarity is sure to ensue.

But go for the adventure and you'll stay for the shops, stores, and eating establishments. Macy's and Abercrombie & Fitch enjoy residence here, right alongside less well known names such as Chico's and Wet Seal. Sam Goody's has your music needs covered, while Coach has bags for those on a budget, albeit a large one.

Drop the kids at the Foot Locker, the GameStop, or the Gap, and you're free to enjoy lunch at La Salsa or Panda Express. Royal India Express and the Boston & Maine Fish Company have what you need to rejuvenate, unless a tasty Wetzel's Pretzel or Cinnabon are all you need. Of course, there is fine dining to be had at Samba Grill, where the Brazilian all-you-can eat barbecue is literally an on-going feast, while Napa Valley Grille is one San Diego's best dining experiences anywhere. Of course, the Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream shop has a sweet treat for you, as well. And once you think you're ready to go in search of your car you're going to want an invigorating mug of coffee first – fortunately there's now a Starbucks on nearly every level of the mall.

So if you're anxious to blur the distinction between shopping adventure and bewildering ordeal, and relish the opportunity to cry: "dude, where's my car?" then Horton Plaza is where you'll want to shop till you drop.

For a taste of younger, hipper, less trendy San Diego, Ocean Beach (O.B. to its friends) offers the experience of a neighborhood nestled against the magnificent Pacific Ocean. Having largely resisted the trend toward the mall, the multiplex, and the franchise chain in general, O.B. has remained true to its roots in 1960’s attitudes, allowing the visitor a glimpse into several generations of youth culture of the last 40 years. Here, surfers, hippies, punks, and college-types peacefully co-exist in this reprieve from corporate San Diego just 7 miles removed from Downtown. Right on, brothers and sisters!

Long a bastion for alternative lifestyles, Ocean Beach offers its own Jazz Festival in late June, the Ocean Beach Christmas Parade in early December, a March Kite Festival, and their Annual Chili Cook Off every June, so if you think you’re gonna drive down and find nothing to do in O.B., think again. Better yet – just go!

You can fish year 'round off the West Coast’s second-longest pier, home of the Ocean Beach Pier Bait Shop and the Ocean Beach Pier Café. Load up on chum in the morning and shovel in some chow in the afternoon right after you land the big one. Don’t forget to tell 'em the story of the one that got away – they never get tired of hearing that one. Or, you may just want to walk the pier for the view and the fresh air alone. Tens of thousands of visitors apply their own two feet to the nearly 2,000 feet of the Ocean Beach Municipal Pier marking O.B’s southern end. On the northern end, meanwhile, a local ordinance provides for a section of the beach where man’s best friend can roam free, if you know what we mean. That’s right, leash-free living is the promise offered every canine visitor on the "Dog Beach" end of O.B.

Between the two poles is a mile of boardwalk, sea and sand, as well as dozens of local shops, eateries, music venues, and single-family dwellings defining the very individual character and charm of the area. You may not find your Starbucks, but you will enjoy your fresh ground coffee, tea, pastry and the full breakfast menu at The News Room. With a view facing the undulating waves, you’ll love reading the morning paper courteously left for the next fellow to read by the guy just finishing his Mexican omelet with croissant and homemade jam – its that kind of place, it’s that kind of neighborhood.

Comfortably residing alongside numerous Mexican Restaurants and beer 'n seafood establishments is yet another Ocean Beach staple: its live music scene. You can shake it on down to Winston’s to get your reggae on, mon, then have your Latin, Jazz, Funk itch scratched at Portugalia.

Mom 'n pop surf shops abound, and if you like your t-shirts tie-dyed and psychedelic, this is San Diego’s Mecca for the retro fashions you’ll love. The second-hand stores are all first-rate! All in all, Ocean Beach has got a vibe that just won’t quit, and once you get there – neither will you!

Looking for a romantic dinner cruise for yourself and a loved one? How about an edifying tour of historic San Diego Bay replete with narrative history? Perhaps whale watching inspires the Captain Ahab in you. Well avast, ye matey and all aboard a Hornblower Cruise. They’re setting sail multiple times a day, all year ‘round.

From its origin as a two vessel business operating out of the San Francisco Bay, Hornblower Cruises has expanded down the California coastline to permanently drop anchor in several ports of call, bringing with them their unique brand of seafaring entertainment. In partnering here with the San Diego Natural History Museum, The Maritime Museum, the Ruben H. Fleet Science Center, and the USS Midway, Hornblower brings guests not just an entertaining afternoon, but genuine science education supplementing the experience of the area’s rich, oceanographic history. Not only will you spend an afternoon in close proximity to the sea lions who call the San Diego bay home, or with the whales and dolphins further out, but you’ll benefit from the knowledge of some of the world’s finest researchers broadening your understanding of the world before you.

Or maybe it’s a romantic dinner and dancing cruise you’ll be wantin,’ ye scalliwags! Well, they’ve got that, too. Steak dinners with all the fixins and as much champagne as you can toast are yours for the asking on the Hornblower evening dinner and dancing cruises, seven nights a week. Evenings all tied up? Try the Saturday and Sunday brunch cruises. You won’t believe the menu.

Of course, you might prefer privacy. Easy! Just charter a Hornblower yacht for yourself and your guests. With over 10,000 private and corporate charters under their belts, who better than the crew of a Hornblower cruise to navigate you and your party to a good time? Besides, what prom would be complete without an evening-ending cruise around the bay? They’ll provide the band, the refreshments - and won’t getting the captain to marry you and your date make it a night to remember? It can’t hurt to ask!

There’s a Hornblower leaving port any minute - landlubbers, don’t miss out!

Feeling the need to get your sea and sand on? Then Mission Beach is the place you want to go. With miles of continuous boardwalk running north from Ocean Beach to and beyond Pacific Beach along the Southern California coast, the beach known for the giant roller coaster ride has almost as many attractions as an amusement park. Ask not "what's there to do there besides swim?" but rather: "what don't they do down on Mission Beach?"

Care to shop? You can buy your swimwear, t-shirt, towels, and tanning lotion at Gone Bananas Swimwear, or right across the boardwalk at the Wings Swimwear Store #101, while cute-girl shopping goes on relentlessly at The Basement.

If you've forgotten your board at the office, try Emerald City Surf and Sport or Liquid Foundation Surfboards. They'll sell you all the long or short boards you need to begin your professional career. You say you don't already know how to surf? Impossible! That's why there's Endless Summer – an official surf camp for the City of San Diego. They'll rent you a board, teach you to surf, provide you the latest surf conditions – even congratulate you when you win your first competition. They do it all! You can test your new-found skills "surfing" the artificial wave machine at Mission Beach's famous WaveHouse.

Of course if you're not quite ready to hang ten just yet, why not surf the boardwalk instead? Try hanging two, four, or eight with the bike, skateboard, or rollerblades available at Cheap Rentals.

Now since all this activity is sure to work up an appetite, you'll want to remember to bring your burgers, buns, and charcoal briquettes to the BBQ containers the city provides (on a first come, first served basis, of course). Not that you have to cook for yourself, of course. At Mission Beach?!?! You'd never begin to run out of places to get your food and beverage on if you tried: Cane's Bar & Grill serves food and beer all day and live bands (and more beer) all night; Saska's Steak & Seafood's got your surf and turf, while Mission Bar-B-Que…well, you can guess their specialty. And there are more burger joints and taco stands than you can shake a burrito at.

You only think you're having fun now! Get yourself down to Mission Beach and find out where it's really happening – and don't forget to park in the public lot!

The San Diego street fair scene is a popular one, boasting a calendar as full and as robust as can be imagined, given the world's most perfect climate. Framing the season with both pre-Memorial Day and post-Labor Day events are fairs sponsored by the Adams Avenue Business Association featuring as many arts, crafts, and food vendors, performances stages, and happy, smiling patrons as eight blocks of Adams Avenue can contain.

The last weekend of September (the 29th & 30th) bids summer a final, rockin' farewell with the somewhat less adventurously named Adams Avenue Street Fair. The fair will provide copious amounts of music…with as many as 75 bands set to grace the stages this year. Throw free admission into the mix and there's just no excuse not to take part in the festivities along with upwards of 100,000 revelers sharing in the fun over the course of the 2-day event. Giant carnival rides and assorted children's activities are available for a family-oriented experience, while some three hundred vendors – supplemented by three beer gardens, cater to the kind of powerful thirst anyone is liable to cultivate while keeping up with the sounds of the rock, blues, funk, swing, reggae, and soul outfits spread over the Fair's six different stages.

In addition to the grilled sausage and gyro merchants, there is always an eclectic array of local businesses with booths at the Adams Avenue Street Fair. Morning shower not all it should be? The folks from Culligan Water Filters will be there just waiting for you to pay them a visit; beautiful skin is yours for asking at the L'Bel Paris booth; while the vintners from PRP Wine already have something fermenting in a bottle waiting for you to take back home with you for immediate uncorking.

Artists and art dealers from all over the region come to the Adams Avenue Street Fair to display their talents and the talents of those from as far away as Bali, Morocco, East Africa, and Southeast Asia over the course of the two day event.

And if all that were not enough, adding to the excitement of this Fall's 26th annual Fair will be the raffle of a Martin D-16GT guitar (value: $1,350) from the Hawley Boulevard Blues Stage on Sunday, September 30th at five o'clock: the proceeds going to benefit the Fair itself. Raffle tickets are $3 each (4 for $10) and are available at over a dozen San Diego locations (see The Adams Avenue Street Fair website for a list of locations).

Long an enclave for area aesthetes, Ray Street plays host to a gathering of the artistic, the inspired, the imaginative, and the merely curious eager to rub elbows with the creative element in this nocturnal celebration. Convened on the 2nd Saturday of each month in San Diego’s North Park neighborhood, and located between University Avenue and North Park Way, the PM gallery walk takes place between the hours of 6 PM and 10 PM. It affords access to as many as a dozen venues with live entertainment, food vendors, and even finger food and glasses of wine made available in galleries themselves (in exchange for a small donation).

Participating galleries include: Clay Artists of San Diego Gallery; The Arts & Entertainment Center; Warp 9 Imaging; Andrea Rushing Fine Arts; John Stewart Studies; Sharp Gallery; Planet Rooth Studios; The Rubber Rose; 4 Walls Gallery; Expressive Art Institute; Gallery 3060; ART Produce Gallery; and Gallery 504.

In addition to the galleries, there are those establishments on the surrounding streets whose doors remain open later on Ray at Night nights. Dessert and coffee after the walk? How about Clare de Lune or Heaven Sent Desserts? What about dinner? Try Ranchos Cocina, Old Word Restaurant, or Lumber Jack Grille.

Feeling the need to get your nature on or stick it to the man - or how about both? The Sierra Club is open during Ray at Night to fulfill your every environmentally friendly need, while The Controversial Bookstore has what ails rabble rouser in all of us. Fight the Power!

But Ray at Night is really about the galleries and it is the art and the artists that will keep you coming back - many locals make the pilgrimage all twelve times each year and you will be tempted to as well once you too have caught a little bit of the spirit and the joyous celebration that is Ray at Night.