25 Fun Things to Do In San Diego with Kids

Do you ever wish that your teens, tweens, and twenty-somethings would just unplug from their electronic devices?

If a California Spring Break is in the works and you are looking for fun things to do in San Diego with kids, the promise of “beach time” should be just enough incentive to have them unplugging and joining in the fun.

25 Fun Things to Do In San Diego With Kids for Your California Spring Break

And, a trip to San Diego doesn’t just have to be for Spring Break trips for families. California is awesome all year round with kids, as a couple, with a group of friends, or when you are traveling solo.

1. Explore Balboa Park

Balboa Park has a little something for everyone—science, art, music, good food. When you are planning things to do in San Diego with teens and kids, be sure to set aside some time to explore the park. I recommend at least one day to begin your explorations.

At 1,200 acres, Balboa Park is definitely one of the unique things to do in San Diego.

You’ll have 17 museums to choose from including:

• San Diego Natural History Museum
• Comic Con Museum
• San Diego Air and Space Museum
• House of Pacific Relations International Cottages
• Fleet Science Center

There a variety of gardens and trails including the Japanese Friendship Garden, the world-famous San Diego Zoo (which deserves a day all its own), and plenty of hands-on experiences for kids of all ages.

2. Relax at the Beach

Is there anything more quintessential California that spending a day at the beach? With 70 miles of stunning coastline, your California Spring Break in San Diego won’t be complete without a day or two spent relaxing and playing at the beach.

A few of the beaches you may wish to visit include:

• Coronado Beach
• Cardiff by the Sea
• Mission Bay
• Ocean Beach
• Oceanside
• Solana Beach
• Torrey Beach

3. Ride the Coaster at Belmont Park

It wouldn’t be one of the best Spring Break trips for families if you didn’t plan some time a Belmont Park at Mission Beach. This beachfront amusement park features the Giant Dipper roller coaster.

A staple along the Mission Beach Boardwalk since 1925, Belmont Park has something for everyone from rides and restaurants to ziplines and laser tag.

You’ll want to check the schedule as hours vary each week, especially in the spring.

4. Discover Cabrillo National Monument

Notable features of this national monument include the Visitor Center where your kids may enjoy completing a Junior Ranger activity or visiting the Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo statue, the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, and tide pools which are a lot of fun to explore.

If you have an American the Beautiful National Park pass, you can use it at the entrance kiosk, otherwise day fees are an option.

5. Visit Coronado Island

It is hard to miss Coronado Island just across the bay from downtown San Diego. It boasts beautiful beaches, the famous Hotel del Coronado, quaint shops and dining along the main street, and spectacular sunset views.

Coronado, meaning “the crowned one” in Spanish, has been nicknamed “The Crown City”.

Whether you plan to spend the day relaxing at the beach, meandering through shops, spotting shells at low tide, walking along the boardwalk, or renting bikes, a day on Coronado offers more unique things to do in San Diego for your California Spring Break.

Check availability for an iconic stay the Hotel del Coronado

6. Book a Family Photo shoot

If you are like me, you take lots of photos when you travel. Photos of your kids. Photos of delectable desserts. Photos of the beach. A selfie in front of a famous landmark. A family selfie as you travel.

Have you ever considered a family photoshoot while on vacation? Family photography creates lasting memories and adds more fun travel moments to your vacation experiences. Spring break trips for families means that you are all together hopefully, and it is the perfect time to snap some photos.

How do you capture epic photos of family that you’ll want to download, hang on your walls or give as gifts?

Hire a vacation photographer for a family photoshoot. Even better? Schedule a BEACH family photoshoot!

Booking a family photoshoot is not something you do everyday. Discover 10 reasons to hire a vacation photographer and capture amazing family photos.

7. Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery

As you drive to Cabrillo National Monument, you’ll pass by Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. It is a sobering view with rows upon rows of crosses. Stop for a moment of gratitude.

Did you know that all available space for casket remains was exhausted in the 1960s, though cremated remains are still accepted?

8. Dine in the Gaslamp Quarter

The Gaslamp Quarter welcomes you as you search for trendy restaurants, a variety of nightlife entertainment options, and unique things to do in San Diego.

Plan for dinner, whether it is a quick bite or upscale dining, followed by a comedy show, live music performances, and even just a rooftop treat for a little people watching and catching up with friends.

9. Kayak on the Ocean

There a plenty of companies and excursions to choose from if you want to enjoy some water activities along the San Diego coastline. Besides kayaking, you can also snorkel, surf, scuba dive and paddleboard.

Kayaking in the ocean might just be among the best fun things to do in San Diego with kids that they will remember forever. (Our girls will for sure because we all got dumped from our kayaks as we tried to maneuver our way back to shore!)

10. Explore La Jolla Cove

La Jolla Cove features stunning cliffs, beaches, sea life and plenty of outdoor fun. You can find gear and tours for above water and underwater adventures.

If you prefer, check out the seals, find a quaint restaurant for lunch with a view or check out the shops.

11. Experience Little Italy

Little Italy on a Saturday morning is hopping with crowds; everyone is looking for the best parking spot to visit the Saturday market. You’ll find a little something for everyone at the market with plenty of fresh produce, baked goods and smoothies. If you have a little more time to spend, perhaps a food tour and cooking class would be among the fun things to do in San Diego with kids.

If you are looking to learn the history of the area, an Urban Adventure Quest scavenger hunt is just the thing.

12. Visit the Mormon Battalion Historic Site

The Mormon Battalion Historic site, located in the heart of Old Town, introduces you to the 500 Latter-day Saint enlistees of the United States Army who signed up during the Mexican-American War in 1846. The hope was to receive financial support for their families as they journeyed across the United States to Utah.

You and your kids will enjoy more unique things to do in San Diego with the hands-on brickmaking and gold panning displays as well as the interactive video tour.

13. Explore Old Point Loma Lighthouse

“Today, the Old Point Loma Lighthouse still stands watch over San Diego, sentinel to a vanished past. The National Park Service has refurbished the interior to its historic 1880s appearance—a reminder of a bygone era. Ranger-led talks, displays, and brochures are available to explain the lighthouse’s interesting past.” ~ NPS

14. Meander Through Old Town San Diego

Looking for fun things to do in San Diego with kids? You’ll love the walkability and convenience of Old Town San Diego. As the oldest neighborhood and first settlement in San Diego, it has been refurbished to display original homes and businesses including a livery, the newspaper, and the first public schoolhouse.

Want to peruse some fun shops for your California Spring Break? You’ll find plenty of options in Old Town as well as museums, art, and restaurants.

15. Rent a Sailboat

One of the fun California spring break activities in San Diego is to rent a sailboat. Obviously, this suggestion is only going to work if you know how to captain that sailboat. But there are certainly charters you can find if you want someone else to do the navigating for you.

Fortunately for our family, Chris’ dad is a captain of many crafts and knows how to sail boats and fly airplanes!

Make a quick stop for lunch, snacks, and drinks before arriving at the marina if you plan to spend the day sailing in San Diego Harbor. If you are traveling with kids, this is one of the fun things to do in San Diego with teens, tweens and twenty-somethings.

16. Ride the Trolley

“There are three trolley lines (Blue, Orange and Green) that service the downtown San Diego communities and beyond, covering 65 miles of double-track railway and 62 stations total. Trolley and bus adult fares are inexpensive and children 5 and under ride for free.“ San Diego

Another fun way to travel to the main tourist areas of San Diego is via the hop on hop off narrated history tour. Start your tour Old Town San Diego with stops in Old Town, Seaport Village, Gaslamp Quarter, Coronado, Little Italy and Balboa Park and hop on and off as you reach different stops.

17. Visit Seaport Village

Seaport Village is a fun area to visit along the San Diego Harbor with a multitude of tourist shops, dining areas, and plenty of people watching. If you are staying in downtown hotel close to the Gaslamp District and Little Italy, walking over to the village and finding a memento will surely bring happy memories as one of your favorite spring break trips for families.

18. SeaWorld San Diego

SeaWorld San Diego is a must visit if one of your kids wants to be a marine biologist someday. It makes a perfect spring break activity regardless of career aspirations!

There are plenty of animal experiences, daring rides, shows and seasonal events.

19. San Diego Zoo & Safari Park

You should note that the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Safari Park are in two different locations. The Zoo is in Balboa Park and the Safari Park is outside of Escondido about 30 miles away.

You could easily spend a day at each. I have visited the Safari Park and can definitely advise that you will need good walking shoes, sunscreen, a hat, and a packed lunch (which you can leave in your vehicle in a cooler).

You can see goats, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, condors, birds of all kinds, lions, tigers, cheetahs, and koalas at the park.

20. Explore Tide Pools

While you are visiting Cabrillo National Monument, make sure to check the tide schedule and then spend some time exploring the Point Loma Tide Pools below the sandstone cliffs.

This “intertidal zone” is abundant with plants, fish, snails, and tiny crabs. If you’re lucky, you might even spy lobsters and octopuses. Be kind to the marine wildlife and look only.

21. Tour the USS Midway Museum

The USS Midway Museum is prominent in the San Diego Harbor along the Embarcadero at Navy Pier. Spend a couple of hours exploring this aircraft carrier, once a lead ship of the United States Navy.

Decommissioned in 1992, the USS Midway serves as a museum showcasing flight simulators, aircraft, self-guided audio tours, and guided tours of the bridge.

Did you know that Tom Cruise arrived on the flight deck of the USS Midway prior to the premier of Top Gun: Maverick complete with celebrities and fans excitedly anticipating the long-awaited sequel?

22. Book a Whale Watching Excursion

If you are lucky, you could spy a gray whale during its migration from the shore at Cabrillo National Monument (as well as Birch Aquarium at Scripps and Torrey Pines State Reserve). However, to get a closer look, book a whale watching tour with an experienced guide who knows the migration habits of these majestic creatures.

23. Take a Day Trip to Disneyland

Your children would thank me if they knew I was recommending a day at Disneyland. Your pocketbook, maybe not so much.

According to Wikipedia, the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California opened in 1955 “as the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney.”

Want to have a truly magical experience? How about a visit to Disneyland Paris?

24. Enjoy Universal Studios Hollywood on a Day Trip from San Diego

You could have a similarly exciting day trip from San Diego if you spent the day at Universal Studios Hollywood where you can experience the Hogwarts Castle, the Mushroom Kingdom, the Fast & Furious-Supercharged, Jurassic Park and so much more.

25. Watch the Sunset

While there are a myriad of fun things to do in San Diego with kids for your California spring break, no doubt the end to a perfect day can be viewed along the San Diego coastline at sunset.

Travel Must-Haves

• Travel Backpack: Chris and I both like our North Face Recon Backpacks. They have a standard version and a woman’s version. Check the prices here.
• Get a Travel Credit Card: We often travel worldwide for free with a travel credit card as well as using travel rewards. The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of our favorite travel credit cards.
• Favorite Camera: I am all about taking photos and keeping memories alive from all of our trips. My favorite camera is the Canon 6d Mark II.
• Favorite Electronics: We are a family of Apple users. We love our watches, phones, tablets, Airpods, and Air Tags. Don’t forget the cables and chargers too! Check out our electronic suggestions here.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Final Thoughts on 25 Fun Things to Do In San Diego with Kids

With so many fun ideas for things to do in San Diego with teens, tweens, and twenty-somethings, surely this list gives you some ideas for a California Spring Break…or any time of the year break.

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