What is there to do in san diago with a 18 mo?

[cleoowen]

Been invited to a wedding and trying to decide whether to go or not. We know sea world is there, but is it super expensive? What are the beaches like ? Are there nice land marks to visit?

Plus thinking of going in August? What will be weather be like? Too hot?

Ps, anyone recommend somewhere to stay which is more a villa than hotel or villa in a hotel complex? Want somewhere child friendly and with a pool but easy walking distance to beaches/sights and restaurants.

Legoland (it's in Carlsbad, a short drive from San Diego) is good for the under-2s. In summer they have waterplay stuff for the little-uns and very gentle rides. It is not cheap but look around for coupons.

For completely free fun, the beaches are beautiful and you could spend every day there. You can rent bikes with buggies attached.

The zoo is very, very big and very expensive - I'd skip it with one so little. Ditto SeaWorld to be honest. Unless you want to go, in which case it will be fun for both of you.

Disneyland is just up the highway, too, less than an hour's drive away.

Hire a car and drive around the beaches and up to LA for a change. Beaches are gorgeous.

Thanks everyone. Just cannot decide what to do . Costs of flights are same as week in sardinia in lovely villa which we've been looking at?

Depends on how close you are to the marrying couple. i LOVE San Diego. Although I went before kids so not sure on child friendliness - but imagine it is good. If I was you i would go for it the wedding is a great excuse. I would do a road trip. Fly to LA - the flights are bound to cheaper than SD. Travel to Las Vegas and SD too. If you have the time you could also go to San Fran and cross the border to Tijuana.

If you in any way care for the couple just go - as there will be plenty of chances for short haul in the years to come. Once your 18 months old is at school you are so restricted with school holidays and the prices you might not get the chance for this sort of hol again.

Thanks for the replies. An up date for you. We have decided dh will go alone for a few days. He wasn't keen on the sort of family holiday it would be and so don't want to spend that kind of money on something not keen on . I think it might be pushing it expecting ds to do an 11 hour flight on his first trip abroad. A nice easy holiday to start with so we can suss out what ds is like taking abroad and what it's like for us in our first family holiday is better.

Plus if went to Europe could go in term time and found some fantastic deals in 5 star hotels which we never usually can afford. Less than the cost of just the flights to la.