Jam-Packed Family Trip to San Diego

We decided to try taking in the model railroad museum as it was drizzling outside and we wanted to give the kids one last thing to do before we dragged them over to the Hotel Del Coronado. Perhaps it was just too full of a day, but they didn't seem that thrilled with the trains for very long and our eldest was pretty cranky within under an hour.

They do have a number of different train model sizes within a variety of scenery. There are also a wide variety of them on display. The kids did enjoy looking at the room with the more kid-centered theme which also had a bunch of Disney themed traincars in a display cabinet. Though there are a lot of displays, I personally enjoyed the large setup at the Chicago Science and Industry museum over this musuem. The positive side is this only cost us $12 as the kids were free.

With all this being said, still make sure you get over to the buidlings where the museum is located. It's all part of the Balboa Park system. The buildings are really pretty and you may find something else that suits your fancy. You can get an idea of the look of the buildings and what's at the railroad museum by checking out their website.

Of course if you have a child that is really into trains, he or she will enjoy being able to climb up a couple stairs and watch the trains go around and around before moving over to the next exhibit.

I had read an article prior to our trip to San Diego that a group was trying to get this memorial taken down because it's a cross. I'm very happy it was left as a tribute to many fallen heroes, especially since so many people used their own money to have it put there.

It has one of the best views from the city as it sits upon the highest spot for miles around. My husband and I enjoyed the view while my kids were entertained by jumping on the steps. This is by no means a long stopping place, but it's certainly worth a short side-trip to take in the view, pay tribute to our veteran's, and talk about the cross with your kids.

I'm torn on whether I enjoyed this resort, Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort, or French Quarter in Branson more. Both have some great sounding tours if you are traveling without young kids, some unique activities on-site, and outdoor pools. The best part about Carlsbad Beach Inn Resort are the beds - they aren't tempur-pedic or anything, but they are still the best beds I've used away from home. I usually sleep terrible on vacation so having a bed friendlier than usual was REALLY appreciated.

The staff was very friendly and there wasn't nearly as much of a push in trying to get you to tour the resort. It was offered at a nearby one they just opened, but not forced down your throat like other resorts. If it weren't that we own more than enough right now, I would have considered viewing it. We also got the bonus of getting an upgrade from 1 bedroom to 2 bedroom since they had availabilty being the off-season (February).

Another great plus for this resort is you are within a block of the beach and you can see the ocean from the shared balconies. The onsite playground is really tiny so it's a good thing the beach is there for some relaxation with the kiddies. If you are looking for a playground, there is one near the expressway where you exit into Carlsbad on the way to the resort.

Other tips: The drive down to San Diego wasn't bad at all and the overnight parking is quite a bit cheaper at this resort compared to San Diego.

This is nice small aquarium with a really neat set of outdoor exhibits. We managed to time our visit so we could see the shark feeding. They actually use a feeder stick and make sure that each one gets the amount they need so the whole feeding time takes over 30 minutes. It was pretty interesting.

They also have a set of very cool shallow tide pools on the ocean side of the building where you can touch some marine animals including starfish and anemone which are really sticky. Other animals out there include crabs which not surprisingly, you can't touch.

Inside they had a really cool octopus, some jellyfish, seahorses, angelfish, and a host of other fish. There are also some interactive games and flannel board activities for the kids young and old. My kids liked the flannel board where you could put the fish among the seaweed.

The interactive portions of the aquarium definitely made it a worthwhile visit. You can find small discount coupons pretty easily online. The kids enjoyed looking through their cute gift shop and picked up anemone bracelets that feel somewhat like the real thing. The kids had a great time here, and it was a great place to let them play with their cameras as we didn't have to deal with stowing them away like you would at an amusement park.

Several years ago my husband had mentioned that some day he wanted to head out to San Diego, CA with the main purpose of seeing Legoland and the other attractions. Even with all the anticipation, this park did not disappoint in the slightest.

Besides the awe-inspiring creations made by millions of legos everywhere, small kids will love the rides, 4D shows, and especially the waterplay area. Our favorite was the pads you jumped on to make the musical instruments play and squirt water in the fountain. Of course there are tons of great photo ops throughout the park.

Going in February was an awesome time to be at the park. It was so easy to move around the park and we finished much of what our kids could do in one day. Do pay attention to which days the park is open when going off-season. Looking back we should have spent less time the first day and used the option to return a second day so our kids wouldn't have gotten run down.

The ticket prices are high just like any amusement park but worth the money. We got our tickets through my office in connection with 'LifeCare' and were able to save about $40. Be extremely careful when purchasing tickets ahead of time because they usually are only posted for the current year.

Lastly, be a kid - have a blast!