Whether you’re planning a family trip to San Diego or a local looking for things to do with your kids this Spring Break, there’s so many options to cross off your list.
We try to spend as much time outside when we can and now that the weather is warming up, we plan to adventure outside and take advantage of activities that we usually don’t get a chance to do on a day-to-day basis.
If you’re a San Diego local and looking for activities (keep scrolling)
If you’re visiting San Diego from out of town
Right off the bat, you likely won’t be able to mark everything off your list unless you’re spending a few weeks in San Diego. Pick and choose your favorite activities because schedules fill up quickly.
Something a lot of people don’t realize when planning a trip San Diego is that its quite a big city and things can be pretty spread out from each other so sticking to one activity a day is something I strongly encourage.
If you’re wondering what location is the best for your trip, my favorite place to staycation in San Diego is Mission Bay. Not only is it easily accessible by freeway but it’s centrally located. A great hotel option in Mission Bay is the San Diego Mission Bay Resort.
They have a ton of free activities like corn hole in the gardens, splash pads, ping pong tables, jumbo jenga and fire pits (you can even get a room with a fire pit). There’s also paid activities available right on the property too- rent a stand up paddle board or a kayak, bike the entire bay with a family bike rental or have fun with water sports.
What to do in San Diego this Spring
Visit the San Diego Zoo
This is the very top thing on my last. The San Diego Zoo just opened up Basecamp, which is their New Children’s Zoo area and it look AMAZING. We’ve been excited for this for a long time and definitely plan to check it out. If you make it to the zoo, I recommend taking advantage of the giraffe feeding. You have to pay extra but it’s so worth it. Check the feeding times when you arrive to ensure you make it to the habitat on time and get a chance to experience it.
Check out the museums in Balboa Park
I grew up going to the museums in Balboa Park and they were so much fun. I love that the girls are at an age where they can experience them and enjoy them too. There’s more than 16 museums and they are all unique. Some of our favorites below!
- Fleet Science Center
- Comic Con Museum
- San Diego Air & Space Museum
- New Children’s Museum (HIGHLY recommend if you have little ones, also technically not in Balboa Park but it had to make the list)
- San Diego Auto Museum
- San Diego Natural History Museum
Visit the beach
This sounds like such an obvious one, doesn’t it? The weather in San Diego is nice in the Spring but not necessarily hot enough for the beach. If you’re looking to play in the sand, lounge and picnic, you will enjoy. Don’t expect warm ocean water when you get there, because you won’t get it this time of year. You can read my full breakdown here to decide which beach you’ll want to cross off your list here.
- Coronado
- Mission Beach
- Torrey Pines
- Sunset Cliffs
- La Jolla Shores
- Windansea
- Marine Street
Visit a Splash Pad
There’s many splash pads spread around the city. While not technically a Splash Pad, you’ll want to check out Waterfront Park if your kids want to play around and you can catch some amazing views. It’s right out-front of the courthouse downtown and centrally located to dining, beaches, etc.
Hike Torrey Pines
There’s a lot of hiking trails in San Diego and I’m sure a quick google search will pull up a lengthy list. My personal favorite for hiking with kids is Torrey Pines. It’s an easy hike with coastal views, making it perfect for the family.
Visit Cabrillo National Park
One of my favorite things to do with the kids is visit Cabrillo National Park and check out the tide pools. The views are gorgeous and it’s very likely you’ll spot sea creatures and crabs while you are out there. There’s a lot to explore in Cabrillo National Park and you might even spot whales migrating at the top of the hill.
Catch a movie at Rooftop Cinema Club
I’m not sure how we haven’t done this yet but it’s high up on my list. It’s an outdoor movie venue in Downtown San Diego. While they don’t show new movies and focus on popular films, it sounds like a great way to spend an evening during Spring Break. See what movies are playing here.
Legoland
After visiting Legoland a few months ago, the girls have been begging to go back. For their ages (5 and 7), everything was very age appropriate and they had so much fun. Costco currently has discounted tickets available for multi-day tickets.
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