When you have young children it can be hard to know the best place to go for a great holiday together.
There are so many options available, from a staycation in the UK to a long haul flight to experience a new culture together.
If you fancy heading somewhere a bit further from home, then San Diego is a great option for a family holiday. Whether you decide to stay in a hotel or choose from the amazing range of vacation rentals in San Diego, there is so much to see and do in this vibrant city.
Here are some of the reasons to add San Diego to your list of perfect family holiday locations.
The beaches
San Diego is in Southern California, on the Pacific coast and is home to miles of stunning coastline and beaches perfect for visiting with children.
There’s moonlight state beach in north San Diego which has all the amenities a family could want, from toilets and showers to places to buy and rent any beach equipment you might need.
If your family fancy giving boogie boarding or surfing a try then mission beach is worth a visit, and after you’ve worn yourselves out in the waves you can head over to Belmont Park where you can ride the rollercoaster and refuel with a classic hotdog. And if you get a second wind you can grab some roller skates and skate along the boardwalk.
For a slightly different beach experience you can head to La Jolla shores, where you can spot seals and sea lions. At the north end of La Jolla shores is La Jolla cove where you can explore rock pools and have a go at snorkelling with snorkels hired from the shop right on the cove.
Whichever beach you end up choosing, a day spent with the sand and the waves is the perfect way to enjoy the California sunshine!
The attractions
Keeping your children entertained is really easy in San Diego, thanks to the variety of attractions in the city.
The first place I would visit with my children would be San Diego zoo.
There is such a variety of animals to see there, it really looks amazing. And on the off chance that your children get bored after seeing the elephants, leopards, snakes, monkeys, penguins and polar bears, there are 4 play areas for them to run wild in too.
Next on my list of places to visit would be SeaWorld San Diego.
There are dolphins, whales, otters, penguins, sea lions and seals to meet and have fun watching. And for the thrill seekers there are 15 different rides around the park to add to the fun. There really does seem to be something for the whole family at SeaWorld and I think you could easily spend a whole day there exploring and saying hello to all the amazing sea creatures!
To balance out the excitement of SeaWorld and the zoo there’s a whole range of museums around San Diego that you can visit when you want to slow the pace down a bit.
For creative types there’s the San Diego museum of art, with over 18,000 works of art on display, and there’s the museum of photographic arts too, with thousands of photographs in their permanent collection.
The nightlife
Just because you have your children on holiday with you doesn’t mean you can’t have fun after the sun goes down.
If you’ve spent the day at the beach, instead of heading back when it starts to get dark you can carry on the fun by getting a fire going in one of the fire pits on the beach and gathering round to have a go at making s’mores with the children.
For a real all-american experience, hop in the car and go to a drive-in movie at either the Santee drive-in or the South Bay drive in. You can take your own snacks along with you, or buy something from the concession stand when you get there.
For a completely free option, you can head outside and make the most of any clear nights with a spot of star-gazing. If you happen to be in San Diego on the first Wednesday of the month, then head to Balboa park where the San Diego Astronomy Association sets up telescopes for the public to use for free stargazing. Even better, each telescope is manned by an expert who can teach you about the constellations as you gaze at them.
Hopefully after all that you and your children will be ready for a good night’s sleep!
From the gorgeous beaches and the amazing attractions, to the cultural destinations and family-friendly nightlife, there really is so much to see and do in San Diego, for the whole family.
As long as you’re prepared for the long flight from the UK (flights are normally around 11 and a half hours from London), then San Diego really might be the perfect family holiday destination.
Just make sure you stay long enough to fit it all in, and squeeze in some time to just relax and enjoy the sunshine too!
Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post.