San Diego Area Attractions: Legoland, Sea Life Aquarium

No Southern California family vacation is complete without a visit to Legoland, mecca for the ankle-biter set, and its new addition, Sea Life Aquarium. The parks are located in Carlsbad, Calif.—30 miles north of downtown San Diego and 20 miles north of the resort town La Jolla—and are monuments to their namesake tiny building blocks.

The Lay of Legoland

Pass through the giant Lego entrance gates at Legoland to a beautifully manicured and manageably scaled theme park decorated with oversized Lego creations, such as the full-sized giraffe poking his head through a roof and life-sized Star Wars characters dotting the landscape.

The park is divided into several themed zones, including Dino Island, Fun Town, Explore Village, Pirate Shores, Castle Hill and the newest Egyptian-themed Land of Adventure, each with attractions and rides to match. And don’t miss the chance to putt your way through Wild Woods Golf, a Lego-themed miniature golf course (a round is an additional $6).

The 50-plus rides and attractions—many powered by kids via pedal pushing, water squirting and rope pulling—are fun to look at and exhilarating to experience, without being too frightening. My daughter’s favorite part of the park has always been Miniland USA, featuring scale models of a handful of famous U.S. cities. More than 20 million Legos were used to design Miniland, and no detail is left out to convey the flavor of the cities. Look for the Lego seals off the faux Fisherman’s Wharf in the tiny version of San Francisco and the stacked Lego women calling, “Throw me some beads, Mister!” in miniature New Orleans.

 

• Legoland California was the third Legoland to be opened and the only one located in the United States.

Neeta Lind

1 Legoland Dr., Carlsbad. Tel. 760-918-5346; www.legoland.com. Admission: $62 for adults 13 to 59; $52 for kids 12 and under and seniors over 60. Open Thurs. to Mon. from September to May, and daily from June to August and during traditional school holidays; opens 10 a.m.; closing hours vary seasonally.

Sea Life Aquarium

In late 2008, Legoland welcomed a new sister attraction next door. Sea Life Aquarium features a colorful collection of mostly local marine life displayed in imaginative aquariums adorned with sea-themed Lego creations.

The highlight of the aquarium is the Lost City of Atlantis, an underwater world dominated by an 11-foot-long Lego submarine and a Lego statue of Poseidon. Guests can walk through a 35-foot-long acrylic tunnel to view the lost city from every angle, a fun experience for kids who will feel as if they are walking at the bottom of the sea (all without getting wet). You’ll also find interactive science displays here, including quiz trails and conservation talks. Separate admission tickets are required for each park—but significant discounts apply if you purchase them together.

 

• Kids gather around the Ray Tank at the Sea Life Aquarium.

Courtesy of Legoland California

1 Legoland Dr., Carlsbad. Tel. 760-918-5346; www.legoland.com. Admission: $18.95 for adults 13 to 59, $15.95 for seniors over 60, $11.95 for kids 12 and under. One-day ParkHopper pass: $72 for adults; $62 for kids and seniors. Open daily at 10 a.m. (except certain school holiday seasons, when the park opens at 9 a.m.); closing hours vary seasonally.

Read Tips for Getting the Most From Your Legoland Visit.