San Diego is somewhat unique for Southern California. Only 120 miles from Los Angeles, its average temperatures are about 7 degrees cooler than its neighbor during the summer. This is due to the maritime climate. While San Diego rarely gets hot like LA (think over 80 degrees), it does stay warm most of the year. The evenings are relatively mild too. Combined, this makes San Diego a great destination for adventurers year-round – particularly from March through November.
My family first visited San Diego in the summer of 2013. During that trip we combined typical tourist attractions, like Legoland and SeaWorld, with a few learning opportunities for our kids. Since then, we’ve been back several times. The most recent being last July. Each time we experience San Diego, we find something new to do or learn.
Here are some of the best adventures in San Diego that we recommend to friends.
San Diego Maritime Museum
The San Diego Maritime Museum proclaims to have one of the world’s finest collections of historic ships. This includes the world’s oldest active ship, the Star of India. However, it was the HMS Rose (now renamed HMS Surprise) that I wanted my kids to see.
Twenty years ago, I sailed a leg of the Tall Ships 2000 race as a crewmember aboard the HMS Rose. My journey took me from New London, to Halifax, and on to Boston. Because of this adventure, I know firsthand what a beautiful replica this ship is; a faithful interpretation of an 18th century British frigate of the same name. To this day, I still remember how I helped the bosun pour gunpowder into self-made aluminum tubes. Why? To give the good people of Halifax an early morning cannon salute as we departed their Harbor, of course. I also recall what it was like to unfurl the mainsail, as well as how exhilarating it was to climb the rigging – particularly when the ocean was rough.
Today tourists can wander around the HMS Surprise. You can see everything from the galley, the gun deck, and the bridge. It is even possible to catch a glimpse of the berthing compartments below. The Maritime Museum also allows visitors to tour a number of other vessels, including an 1898 steamboat ferry from San Francisco, and the deepest diving submarine in the world. However, for our next visit, we will try the San Salvador On the Water Adventure sailing trip, so that my kids can experience a little of what I did back in the day.
Old Town San Diego Historic Park
As you know from my Family Day Trip Ideas for a Pandemic post, I have a great appreciation of California’s Sate Historic Parks. Coming from England, I have grown up believing in the importance of preserving historically significant sites.
The Old Town San Diego State Historic Park is no exception. It does a great job showcasing the history of early San Diego. There are also plenty of interactive exhibits to keep children interested. In terms of history, there are not only various original adobe buildings – that highlight how San Diego morphed from a Mexican pueblo into an American settlement – but also several significant 19th century buildings. These include a restored one-room schoolhouse that was the first publicly owned school in San Diego County, as well as San Diego’s first courthouse (also the first fired-brick structure in San Diego), and an old newspaper building that was originally shipped, pre-fabricated, from the East Coast in 1851. There is even a working blacksmith shop, in an old stable, that will fascinate your kids.
To top it all off, on Saturdays, you can enjoy various living history events. In addition to the aforementioned blacksmithing, there are demonstrations on how food was prepared and cooked in the 1800’s, as well as demonstrations of historic art forms like wool spinning, soap making, weaving, quilting, woodworking, and adobe brickmaking.
Surfing
While my kids haven’t surfed in San Diego itself, they have ridden the waves of nearby Encinitas. Located only 25 miles away, Encinitas was named one of the top 10 surf neighborhoods in the U.S. by Surfer Magazine. And, judging from the countless surfers coming and going from the beaches, surfing is just as popular today as when then the accolade was given in 2017. When we were there last summer, there was even a line down the block for a sale at Hansen Surfboards.
Our favorite beach to surf is Cardiff Beach because it is less crowded. However, the small city of Encinitas is well worth a side visit, even if you are not looking to surf. If you go, keep a look out for the Old School Shave Ice bus. It serves the best slushies we’ve ever had!
Jet Pack America
What kid, big or small, hasn’t dreamed of becoming a superhero? Jet Pack America offers its San Diego customers the chance to channel Iron Man and take to the skies. Located in Mission Bay, this really is a one-of-a-kind adventure. In our opinion, the closest thing it compares to is iFly. Except, instead of air holding you up, it is a water-propelled jetpack.
I’m not going to lie, it does take a couple of minutes to get used to the sensitivity of the two arm controls. However, once you do, you’ll have a blast directing yourself up, down, and across the water. And if you have a wobble, and fall out of the sky, the bay is there to cushion your fall.
Pint sized adventurers have to be 12 to fly solo. However, children 5 and up can go tandem with a certified flight instructor.
San Diego Air & Space Museum
Balboa Park may seem like an unusual spot for an air and space museum, but don’t let appearances fool you. Inside you will be surprised by how many different types of aircraft are on display. There are reproductions of Wright Brothers gliders, biplanes, a triplane, a seaplane, racing planes, various World War I and World War II planes, a supersonic pioneer, and a Huey Cobra helicopter. The museum also houses the original Apollo 9 Command Module, as well as a jet rocket. And you can see the only thermal test GPS satellite on exhibit in the world. However, my favorite aircraft is, and always will be, the “Blue Angel” hornet.
The museum does a great job of keeping things interesting for kids. There are plenty of interactive exhibits, as well as miniature planes and mock-ups that children can climb into. There are also some high-tech interactive rides, simulators, and a 3D theatre. That said, when we first visited, my kids were only 3 and 5. Yet, we easily spent a couple of hours checking everything out.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
We can’t talk about the best adventures in San Diego without mentioning the Safari Park. After all, getting up close and personal with wildlife is always an adventure. At San Diego Zoo Safari Park this happens via one of their safari tours.
On our visit, we did a guided Caravan Safari in an open-air truck because I wanted to give my kids a home-grown version of the safaris I experienced in Africa. It didn’t disappoint. The tour took us into both the African and Asian savanna habitats, where we were able to drive among free-roaming giraffe, zebra, rhino, and other animals.
In addition to the safaris, the park has plenty of other wildlife that you can see at your own leisure. One of our favorites was the kangaroo and wallaby enclosure, where you can actually walk inside the habitat. We also loved the platypus exhibit (the only two platypuses’ outside of Australia), the gorilla habitat, and the condors of Condor Ridge.
The park also has a hot air balloon ride, as well as a zipline ride that gives you a birds-eye view of the savannah habitats. (You know my family loves a good zipline). And, if you want to stay longer, you can pack an overnight bag and sleep in one of the park’s glamping tents.
Hiking
Like most of California, San Diego has plenty of hiking trails for families that like to stretch their legs. I can highly recommend the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve, which is about 30 miles outside of the city. However this hike is definitely not for kids under age eight, unless you are prepared to carry them. It has a steep climb up, although there are man made shelters where you can rest and catch your breath along the way. That said, the climb is worth it; the views from the top are spectacular! If you have time, consider packing a lunch, so that you can enjoy the picnic tables above the reservoir.
Other popular San Diego hikes include Mission Trails Regional Park, Tecolote Canyon Natural Park, and Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve. For kids under 5, check out these 21 trails.
Mormon Battalion Historic Site
This was rather a random find for us. In fact we kind of stumbled across the Mormon Battalion Center by accident. However I’ve added it to our best adventures in San Diego list because, in my opinion, the museum does a really good job of keeping kids engaged. Their interactive video tour helps bring to life what it would have been like for pioneers in 1846. And, at just 45 minutes in length, it isn’t too long for pint sized attention spans. Best of all, the whole experience is free!
The museum tells the story of 500 Latter-day Saints, who journeyed from Iowa to San Diego in the U.S. Army. The battalion was formed in response to the Mexican-American War. Yet they never actually fought in the war. Instead members of the battalion went on to make lasting contributions to pioneer settlements. Some were even part of the gold discovery at Sutter’s Mill, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Happy Travels!
