Pssst… we have a confession to make. As life-long Californians, can you believe that we haven’t ever spent much time in San Diego? I know, I know. We’ve been missing out!
So when we asked our oldest son Levi what he wanted to do for his birthday, his only ask was to visit a zoo. Steven and I talked it over, and decided that it was time to take the kids to the best zoo in the United States (and maybe even the world?!). And because there’s so much to see and do in San Diego, we gave ourselves a week to camp, hand and explore this sunny Southern California gem.
Buy a City Pass
First things first: If you have a limited time and/or budget, we recommend buying a San Diego CityPass. Depending on which package you get, you can save up to 40% at San Diego’s theme parks and attractions. The pass includes the SeaWorld and/or Legoland California, as well as three choices between the San Diego Zoo or Safari Park, the USS Midway, a City Cruise or Trolley Tour. It’s an awesome (and affordable) way to see so much of what this gorgeous SoCal city has to offer. The tickets range from $129-209 per person depending on what you choose, and are valid for nine consecutive days once you use your first pass. It’s a great way to save money!
Visit the San Diego Zoo
All Levi wanted for his 9th birthday was to visit a zoo… so we decided to go to one of the best in the world: the San Diego Zoo!
This was EASILY the highlight of our trip to SoCal as there is so much to see and do. Here alone you’ll find over 12,000 animals on 100 acres of Balboa Park! We were a bit worried we wouldn’t see it all in one day, but we were able to view a majority of the animals before our legs got too tired. (The zoo’s app and printed maps are your friend! ?)
We absolutely loved seeing the wildlife here — many of which none of us had witnessed up close like this. I mean, when in this lifetime do we get to see a polar bear?! At each exhibit there is a placard with the animal’s information, including where it’s from and whether it’s a stable, threatened or endangered species. This led to some really great conversations with our kids about the importance of protecting wildfire and marine life for our generation, as well as those to come.
Tickets range from $52-62 per person if you buy outside of the CityPass.
Tour the USS Midway Museum
“Wow!” is something that came out of our mouths while touring the USS Midway Museum. This historic American ship was one of the longest-serving aircraft carriers in the 20th century (1942–1992), but now serves as a floating museum that is docked permanently in the San Diego Bay.
Throughout the self-guided tour, we learned what life was like on board this floating city, along with a ton of naval history. It was home for 4,500 sailors who once worked here, totaling 200,000 over the years.
The tour includes:
- Dozens of restored vintage aircraft, including jets and helicopters, on the outside 4-acre flight deck and below in the main hangar.
- The ability to climb into the cockpits of many of the aircraft and pretend to fly!
- Flight simulators that give you the sense of what’s it like to be an air combat pilot — you’ll roll, somersault, spin and loop — and likely realize how difficult of a job this is! (This is an additional fee.)
- Visiting below deck to see commanding officers and sailors living quarters, as well as the engine room, massive chains that anchor this enormous ship.
- Seeing the officers’ perspective from the flight deck, the bridge and command center.
Touring this impressive vessel gives you an immense sense of appreciation for not only our veterans, but our active military personnel. We also want to thank the many volunteers and docents on board, who are fantastic sources of military knowledge, and many of whom have served our country. My 90-year-old grandpa served on a similar aircraft carrier long ago, and this tour made me think of him and how much he has sacrificed for our family and our nation.
Tickets range from $18-26 (kids under 5 are free).
Sail Along the San Diego Bay
While in San Diego, we booked a one-hour cruise on the Hornblower along the city’s bay through our CityPass. As our captain guided us on this relaxing trip, he shared lots of fun facts about San Diego and pointed out tons of sights along the 13-mile coastline. Many of these are only viewable to the public by boat:
- San Diego city skyline
- Coronado Bridge
- Seaport Village
- Shelter Island
- Military ships & facilities
- Coronado Island
- Point Loma
- Cabrillo National Monument
- Tijuana, Mexico views
We all thoroughly enjoyed this sightseeing tour and learned so much about this incredible city. Our favorite part (besides the views) was learning how ships are built, and seeing how it’s done in person! ?
Tickets range from $15-30 (kids under 3 are free). On board, the cruise also offers snacks and refreshments. You can also upgrade to a 90-minute cruise through CityPass. Or, if you book separately through Hornblower, you can take a brunch or sunset cruise.
Have a Blast at SeaWorld San Diego
Levi also really wanted to go to SeaWorld, so we included a day here during our week in San Diego. This theme park is home to incredible marine life shows, as well as presentations and exhibits, all located on 100 acres at the beautiful Mission Bay Park. Between the thrilling rollercoaster rides (our fave was Manta) and the animal exhibits, there is so much to see and do in one day! Levi and Harvey absolutely love sea creatures and we got to see some of old favorites — and new-to-us sea life like an adorable beluga whale and the majestic orcas.
Now I recognize that SeaWorld can be polarizing for some, but we had a great experience! I encourage you to look beyond a one-sided documentary and focus on the fact that SeaWorld self-funds the largest marine animal rescue and rehabilitation program on the planet, with 24,000 successful animal rescues. It is also monitored by the federal and state government. With all that said, it’s entirely up to you on whether to include this on your San Diego vacay. Just don’t be a hater for those who want to experience the magic of this iconic 55-year-old sea park.
If you’re buying tickets separately, prices start at $60/person.
Where to Camp in San Diego
There are many options on RV parks within San Diego and surrounding areas. One thing to keep in mind is that these campgrounds tend to be pricey… like a lot of things you’ll find in SD. However, we’ve had some pretty good experiences. A couple years ago we stayed at San Diego Metro KOA and had a great experience. The sites aren’t super tight and the grounds are really clean. For our full review, check it out here.
Campland on the Bay
For this last trip, we stayed at Campland on the Bay because our friends Rove & Swig were going to be there. The campsites are a bit pricier than the KOA, but we figured it was a better location (right on the shores of Mission Bay) — and it’s touted as a “resort” for RVers. And it totally is! The amenities at Campland are awesome — two swimming pools, two hot tubs, a gym, a playground for the kiddos, an on-site restaurant/cantina and ice cream shop, a game room, a skate park, a beach with watercraft rentals, a basketball court, on-site laundry, a cafe and market and live entertainment! WHEW! It’s a dream place for families. The only downside is that a majority of the campsites are not waterfront, and those that are tend to run $265 and up per night. We stayed in the partial hookups area, which is much more reasonable. With ANY site you get, keep in mind that this place likes to pack RVs in tight. There’s really not much wiggle room between you and your neighbor! We found that during our stay in late October, the RV park was pretty empty on the weekdays, with the weekends filling up quite a bit. Another perk is that Campland is just a quick drive from Legoland, SeaWorld and the San Diego Zoo.
In Summary
You really can’t go wrong adding this beautiful city to your California road trip bucket list! There are so many more fun things to do here that I couldn’t possibly cover them all. I recommend checking out our friends Evan and Angela on Instagram at @squirrelmusttravel. They inspired us to hit up the San Diego Zoo, and have so many more recommendations for cool hikes and fun eats. Tell them we sent you! ?
