fun things to do with kids in san diego california    
  Travel for Kids
  | California | San Diego
     
    San Diego - Mission Bay
Mission Bay
At Mission Bay, it always feels like summer. The bay is lined with sandy beaches, palm trees and grassy areas. No towering waves in the calm, warm waters of Mission Bay. There's nothing like a picnic dinner, where you can relax while the kids dig in the sand or splash in the water, as the sun gently dips over the horizon.
Kids at Sea World
  SeaWorld Adventure Park – SeaWorld is always fun for the whole family, from the littlest ones to bigger kids.
    Take in the shows – Shamu the killer whale, bottlenose dolphins, sea lions. You'll be oohing and aahing and laughing the whole time. If you sit in the front rows, be prepared to get wet!
    Get a close look at sharks, manatees and penguins in the exhibits. Touch a bat ray (they're rough and smooth at the same time), dolphins or sea stars in the touch pools.
    For a panoramic view of Mission Bay and the beaches, take a ride up the Sea World Sky Tower.
travel tools san diego

Standing in long ticket lines is enough to make anyone cranky, especially the kids. Order tickets online one week or more before you visit, and avoid racking your brain for games to play with your kids while waiting in ticket lines for SeaWorld:

SeaWorld Adventure Park tickets
Mission Bay
 

Mission Bay – Mission Bay is the perfect spot to picnic, play in the sand and swim in the warm water (no waves in the bay). All around Mission Bay there are grassy areas and picnic tables, some with bar-b-que pits, so bring your charcoal and hot dogs. Bike paths are perfect for biking, roller blading or scootering. There are lifeguards at the swimming areas in spring and summer.

      Boating, sailing and pedal boating – Mission Bay is also the perfect place for water sports. Rent a sail boat, motor boat, kayaks, and take a turn around the Bay. There are plenty of places to explore, and nice breezes if you're sailing.
      Pedal boating is great fun for kids. Rent pedal boats and boats at CP Watersports at Dana Landing, or on East Mission Bay Drive (near the San Diego Hilton) or at the Bahia Resort Hotel (at Bahia Cove), or Seaforth Boat Rentals (Quivira Basin).
      Crown Point Shores – Swimming area, picnic tables, bar-b-que pits, playground, bike path. The bike path extends west for miles around Mission Bay, ending at Sail Bay.
    Ventura Cove – Swimming area.
    Bahia Cove – Watersports.
    Dana Landing – Swimming area, picnic tables, watersports.
    Bonita Cove – Swimming area, picnic tables, bar-b-que pits, playground.
      Tecolote Shores Park Swimming, playground and picnic areas, watersports. Fly kites here.
Belmont Park
Belmont Park (Mission Beach) – Belmont Park is an old fashioned amusement park with a big Giant Dipper Roller Coaster, bumper cars, tilt-a-whirl, carousel, kiddie koaster, and indoor playland. Stop into the Roller Coaster Museum to see a model of the roller coaster. Belmont Park also has cafes and restaurants for meals and snacks. South of the amusement park is a grassy area, perfect for kite flying.
  Bring your swim suits for a swim in the Plunge swimming pool, or head out the beach (it's right there). At the beach, if you forgot your pails and shovels, there are shops at Belmont Park or Ocean Front Walk where you can stock up on plastic beach toys. For bigger kids, you can rent boogie boards, and hit the waves.
beach rentals San Diego

Here's our own Travel for Kids list of beach vacation rentals, all styles and price ranges, right on Mission Bay or Mission Beach (roll out of bed in the morning and walk to the bay or beach):

San Diego family beach vacation rentals
kids books san diego
     
 
Baby Whale (SeaWorld Library)
Baby Dolphin
Baby Penguin
Baby Sea Lion
Judy D. Shivley

Fun facts about baby whales (Shamu), dolphins, penguins and sea lions, illustrated with photos from SeaWorld. Super for little kids. (Board books)

 

(More children's books on other San Diego pages)