San Diego Best Attractions

Knott’s Soak City is in Chula Vista in the southern part of San Diego. It isn’t as big as some water parks, but it will definitely give you a fun place to cool off during the summer. It has about 15 different water slides, 2 multi-person rides, a wave pool, a lazy river, a giant climbing water jungle gym, games, souvenir shops, and food vendors. There are a lot of lounge chairs available around the park to put your towels on. Pool-side cabanas and lockers are available to rent, as well.

Parking is $10 and you are not allowed to leave the parking area once you are in. You cannot bring food or drinks into the park but you can leave them in your car and eat in the parking lot. This may be a good idea if you have a lot of kids, as food is pricey in the park. There are a few food choices (Subway, Panda Express, etc) close to the exit you take to get there so that may be an option if you don’t want to bring food from home.

You can’t bring your own rafts from home.

Lines get long in the middle of the day so it is best to get there early, or come after 3pm when the lines die down significantly.

If you sit in the raft with your butt in the hole on the lazy river it is easy to spin around, which I find super entertaining.

Food portions are large enough to share.

If you get there when it opens go right to the Pacific Spin and Coronado Express before the lines get too long and then spend the busiest part of the day in the wave pool and lazy river.

Soak City is only open May- September.

Look for coupons in the local coupon magazines

Don’t forget:

Sunscreen, towels, bathing suits, a change of clothes, sunglasses, hats, money, and possibly stuff to wash yourself with in the showers after you’re done for the day.

Official Soak City Website

I had the opportunity to visit the new Octopus Garden exhibit opening at the Sea Life Aquarium at Legoland California. I  must say it was pretty cool to see the elusive creature up close. The tanks they are in are small enough to get a really great view.

I enjoyed the other tanks there, as well. There is a large ocean tunnel with sharks and other sea creatures swimming all around you.  I loved the hammerhead shark that kept swimming over my head! Some of my other favorites were the clownfish (yay for little Nemo’s!) and jellyfish exhibits. All of the tanks allow you to see the creatures up close and there is even one where you can pet the starfish.

Although it doesn’t really compare to Sea World, it is still fun. I like the Lego people and things around the exhibit. I would definitely check out the aquarium if you are at Legoland, especially if you don’t have time to go to Sea World.

Honestly, I always thought the Wild Animal Park (recently renamed the San Diego Zoo Safari Park) was kind of boring. Especially compared to the zoo and Sea World and all the other cool places in San Diego.

It gets hotter there than most places in San Diego since it’s inland, so be prepared for that. In summer especially, you really need to dress for the weather and don’t forget sunscreen and water. You will get a lot of exercise walking around the park, as there is no other option for getting around.

I don’t want to give the impression that it is a terrible place to go, because that’s definitely not the case. It’s just that if you are trying to decide between two or three places, I would recommend somewhere else… unless you have the extra $70-250 to do the really cool things not included in the admission price.

On the bright side, they have a large open space where you can see all the animals living together like they would in Africa. The coolest (cheap) thing there, in my opinion, is the Lorikeet exhibit where you can actually feed the birds and they land on you.

There are some other really cool things you can do, but they are not cheap and not included in the admission price. You can feed giraffes and rhinos or get close to some cheetahs. They have a hot-air balloon ride to get an aerial view. You can even arrange to have a sleep over there.

For more information, park hours, and ticket prices click on the link… Wild Animal Park

Boomers family fun center is a great place for a Saturday night outing (or any time really).

Challenge each other to a miniature golf game, race each other with the go-karts, splash each other with the bumper boats, try your luck at the batting cages, or see who is the champion of lazer tag. There is also an area with rides for the kids.

There are actually two mini-golf courses. If you don’t play the 18th hole you can save your ball and sneak over to the other course when you’re done with the first. Also, the storybook land course has a wheel where you have a chance at winning a prize.

The lazer tag is kind of lame compared to the bigger lazer tag centers in San Diego, but it is still fun. It’s just small.

For more information, hours, and ticket prices click on the link…

Boomers San Diego

There are five major San Diego theme parks! We also have some smaller amusement parks that I will share with you. Most of them are open all year, except Knott’s Soak City which is open May-September.

Whether you are looking to get splashed by a killer whale, watch a polar bear swim underwater, see a free-roaming giraffe, go down a giant water slide, or ride a roller coaster, you can it all here at one of our awesome theme parks!

Click on the links for more information on each one.

Theme Parks with an entry fee:

San Diego Zoo
Sea World San Diego theme park
Wild Animal Park
Legoland theme park
Knott’s Soak City

These amusement parks have no entry fee, you just pay per ride:

Belmont Park
Boomer’s

Belmont Park is a great place to hang out. You pay per ride and there are carnival games, as well. You can ride a roller coaster built in 1925 named The Giant Dipper. It is fun for all ages!

There are thrill rides, an indoor mini golf course, bumper cars, shops, indoor swimming pool, and an arcade.

If there are no waves in the ocean, you can try your luck with the Flowrider waves. The Flowrider is an artificial wave maker that you can surf on. I’ve never done it, but you can watch people from the boardwalk and it looks really fun.

If you plan to ride more than four rides, you can get an unlimited ride wristband. When you are done with all the fun, grab an ice cream and go for a walk on the boardwalk. For more information, hours, and prices click on the link…

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