• San Diego offers a multitude of activities for kids.san diego harbor image by Earl Robbins from Fotolia.com
  
  Only a short drive from the Mexican border, San Diego sits near the extreme southwestern corner of Southern California. The Golden State's second-largest city and its environs collectively make up one of California's most popular tourist destinations, offering a variety of attractions, including sun-soaked beaches, fine restaurants, quality lodging and plenty to do. Those diverse activities include many that will entertain and engage the interest of young travelers.
  
  

Balboa Park

• This sprawling, 1,200-acre city park contains a multitude of attractions, many of which will appeal to kids. In addition to recreational activities, the park is home to museums that offer hands-on activities that most children will enjoy. These include the San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum, Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, San Diego Air & Space Museum, San Diego Model Railroad Museum, San Diego Natural History Museum and San Diego Automotive Museum. The San Diego Zoo (covered separately) is also in Balboa Park.
  
  Balboa Park
  
  1540 El Prado
  
  San Diego, CA 92101
  
  619-239-0512
  
  balboapark.org
  
  

Cabrillo National Monument

• Located on Point Loma, this national monument, maintained by the National Park Service, celebrates the 1542 visit by Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. He is believed to be the first European to have set foot on what is now the West Coast of the United States. There's plenty here for kids to do, including a chance to earn a Junior Ranger badge.
  
  The property is also home to the Point Loma Lighthouse, which has served as an aid to captains navigating their vessels in coastal waters since the mid-19th century. Although the lighthouse tower is generally off limits to visitors, there are three exhibit rooms on the ground floor that chronicle the lighthouse's colorful history. From December to March, Point Loma offers visitors an excellent vantage point from which to spot migrating gray whales.
  
  Cabrillo National Monument
  
  1800 Cabrillo Memorial Dr.
  
  San Diego, CA 92106
  
  619-557-5450
  
  nps.gov/cabr
  
  

Legoland California

• The interlocking plastic building blocks known as Legos have been wildly popular with children for decades and were introduced to the market by a Danish company in the 1950s. This theme park in Carlsbad, California, 30 minutes from downtown San Diego, showcases the many applications of the building block toys. It also offers rides and other attractions that are suitable for kids of all ages. Legoland is divided into a number of themed areas, including Castle Hill, Dino Island, Fun Town, Pirate Shores and Imagination Zone. One of the park's most popular areas is Miniland USA, which features models of seven famous areas in America that have been constructed entirely from Legos.
  
  Legoland California
  
  One Legoland Dr.
  
  Carlsbad, CA 92008
  
  760-918-5346
  
  legoland.com
  
  

San Diego Zoo

• Kids will love this world-famous zoo in Balboa Park, close to downtown San Diego. Covering 100 acres, the zoo is home to more than 4,000 creatures representing over 800 species. The zoo can be enjoyed from a variety of vantage points, the most popular of which is the pathways that take visitors in and out of aviaries and different bioclimatic zones. Visitors also can take a 35-minute guided bus tour to get an overall view of what the zoo has to offer. Another express bus service carries visitors between different thematic areas of the zoo.
  
  San Diego Zoo
  
  2920 Zoo Dr.
  
  San Diego, CA 92101
  
  619-231-1515
  
  sandiegozoo.org