Planning on taking a 10 day spring break road trip with my 10 year to Southern California at end of March. We'll be starting in Portland, OR and plan to get as far south as San Diego.
Looking for recommendations for where to stop.
I would like to pick one 'big' activity.
There are so many options around San Diego and LA so I'm looking for suggestions.
So far I'm looking at San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Legoland, Disneyland, or Birch Aquarium. My son said he would like to go to an aquarium, he is a Lego fan, and he has never really been to an amusement/theme/water park.
Disneyland would be the high end at $240 for the two of us to just get in the park (and honestly sounds like hell for me) and Birch Aquarium on the low end for $30 for the both of us. Legoland sounds interesting, but spendy and I could see us just building all day, which we could do at home. We will be driving all the way through California so we could stop somewhere else but are hoping for sun and warm weather.
Have you been to any of those places? What would a 10 year old like best? Best value? Anything else I should consider?
Also, if you have super great accommodations or food recommendations, I'm open but I have some Airbnb leads and some friends along the way. Thanks!!!
I live in Santa Barbara, and so we've done a lot of these things.
1. Legoland. We love legoland. We've been several times. We are going again in 1.5 weeks. I have a 10 year old son and a 4.5 year old son.
Legoland can be expensive (but they do have a lot of online deals, so get on their mailing list). Like any theme park, the food will get you. Legoland has rides, carnival games, food, entertainment, and a water park that won't be open when you go (but is FANTASTIC). For my kids, they like the rides and some of the entertainment. They also like the carnival games - these are expensive, and kind of a ripoff. But there are several that will "guarantee" you a prize (stuffed animal kind of thing), so we usually set aside a set amount of money per kid ($20) and when it's gone, it's gone.
We don't build a lot of things there, but do enjoy looking at all the things that they've built, and taken some tours. We do buy each kid a lego on the way out.
2. Disneyland. I never really understood Disney until I went. Wow, it's amazing and I totally get why it's so expensive now. A TON of things to do, activities, and it's clean and a happy place. Our trip on my son's 8th birthday cost $1200 (3 adults, 1 kid, 1 toddler, that was 2 day park-hopper plus 3 nights in a 2 BR condo). I really loved it but we haven't been back, and probably won't go back until our younger son is older. End of March will be hit or miss. That's when we went (spring break), and we got a discount. However, I checked ahead of time and it was NOT Los Angeles, Ventura, or San Diego spring break. (It was, however, OR and ID and CO spring break. Saw a lot of sweatshirts.) So the lines were not super long.
3. Sea World. I liked it, kid didn't, but he was only 4 at the time.
4. Knott's Berry farm. Did thing a different spring break, kid was ... 7? It was fun.
5. California Science Center in LA has the space shuttle. It was fun. That was another spring break trip, or maybe it was the Knott's Berry farm trip? Don't remember.
6. I really enjoy Joshua Tree NP, if you are into the desert.