Hello! When planning our vacation to San Diego last summer, we wanted a hotel with plenty of amenities, a good central location, and a great value. We also needed something to sleep six! The Holiday Inn Express & Suites San Diego – Mission Valley on Hotel Circle ended up being the perfect choice. We loved […]
Hello! Want to make the most of your LEGOLAND California vacation? LEGOLAND California Resort is a favorite Southern California attraction for many families. SEA LIFE Aquarium is located next to the theme park and visitors can enter from inside or outside LEGOLAND. This fun and educational attraction is included with many LEGOLAND California Hopper tickets. My […]
Hello! Every time we go to LEGOLAND California in Carlsbad, California, there is something new to try. LEGOLAND Water Park was something we missed on our first couple of visits and my 9-year-old son BEGGED us to plan another San Diego trip so he could try it. We made it happen last October while we were there for […]
Hey there! My name is Bryanna and my husband and our 4 kids and 2 dogs sold our house in May 2014 and have been living, working, and traveling full time in our RV around North America ever since. We call it our Crazy Family Adventure. I am super excited to be here and look […]
Hi there! SeaWorld San Diego has been one of San Diego’s top attractions for families for 50 years. Recent controversy has caused some families to re-think plans to visit the park. However, if you support zoos and aquariums, and you enjoy theme parks, don’t be too quick to write off SeaWorld. I have visited SeaWorld San Diego […]
Hello! We recently returned from a fall trip to LEGOLAND California in the beautiful seaside community of Carlsbad. We were excited to check out Brick-or-Treat, LEGOLAND’s Halloween celebration! SeaWorld and a day at the beach were also on our list. This trip was especially fun because my sister recently moved to Southern California and she visited […]
Happy Halloween! We just returned from a Fall Break trip to LEGOLAND California! Even though my kids are older now (ages 9 and 12), they were really excited to return to this fun family park. We made sure to visit LEGOLAND on a Saturday so that we could attend its special Halloween event, Brick-or-Treat. Brick-or-Treat is […]
Hi there! If you’re planning a trip to LEGOLAND, you’re in for a treat! We visited LEGOLAND California twice in the same year because our LEGO loving son loved it so much. The rest of us are not quite as excited about LEGOS, but we all had a lot of fun at this colorful and innovative theme […]
Hello! You must love nature, beaches, and adventures like I do. One of my favorite places is La Jolla cove in Southern California, so I was excited to try an ocean kayak tour to the La Jolla caves. I went with Bike and Kayak Tours. They offer a half-day bike and kayak package that I wish I’d had […]
Hello! Planning a trip to San Diego? San Diego has over 70 miles of coastline and boasts some amazing beaches. How do you decide which San Diego beaches are best for families? Many beaches have a little different flavor, depending on what types of activities you are looking for. Do you want to play in […]
Hello! Planning a trip to San Diego? Balboa Park is one of my family’s favorite destinations. On two different trips, we have reserved two full days for Balboa Park – one day for the San Diego Zoo and another to roam the museums, gardens and playgrounds. Our two visits were several years apart, and my kids […]
Hello! Looking for a family-friendly hotel in San Diego with a great pool and convenient location? I had the opportunity to spend a couple of nights at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay in San Diego last November. It was cold and snowy at home, but I enjoyed warm sunshine, swaying palms and morning walks by […]
Hello! Ready for a relaxing, family-friendly getaway? Omni La Costa Resort and Spa is a luxury resort in sunny Carlsbad, California. It is one of the best-rated family resorts in the U.S. and is a top golf and spa destination as well. I stayed at Omni La Costa for a family travel conference, and was […]
Welcome! I’m pleased to announce that Tips for Family Trips has partnered with Get Away Today Vacations. I was excited about this opportunity because I was already a satisfied customer of this family-focused travel agency. Get Away Today bundled our Disneyland hotel and theme park tickets for a competitive price, so planning my daughter’s 6th birthday at Disneyland could […]
UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2016 Hello! San Diego is one of my favorite vacation destinations. It has everything: beaches, major theme parks, top zoos, excellent museums and just about anything else your family might want to do under the sun. That reminds me of another of my favorite things about San Diego. The weather is beautiful year-round. Families have […]
La Jolla Cove is a beautiful, small beach nestled between sandstone cliffs near San Diego. La Jolla Cove is part of a marine ecological reserve, making it one of the best places to snorkel or scuba dive in Southern California. We visited on a sunny day in August to check out the tide pools […]
Hello! Planning a trip to San Diego? Last summer, my family set out to visit tide pools in the San Diego area and ended up at Cabrillo National Monument. We saw amazing scenery and learned that we should have planned a little better to enjoy the tide pools. If you want to visit the tide […]
UPDATED NOVEMBER 2014 Bistro West is one of two onsite restaurants at the top-rated West Inn and Suites in Carlsbad, California. I have had the opportunity to dine at Bistro West on two different trips to Carlsbad – with my children and without – and it is one of my favorite restaurants in the San Diego […]
Hello! Looking for a hotel in Carlsbad, California? West Inn and Suites is one of my favorite hotels ANYWHERE. Here’s why. We stayed at the highly rated West Inn during a family trip to the San Diego area, and the comfort and service were indeed superior to comparable hotels we have visited. I especially liked the long […]
Hello! Planning a trip to the San Diego Zoo? The world-famous San Diego Zoo is one of the top attractions for families in the San Diego area. It is conveniently located near downtown San Diego and offers visitors the chance to see exotic animals that are not commonly found in other zoos. Our family recently […]
Hello! Every family vacation should have at least one perfect moment. Here’s one of mine. I was relaxing in a beach chair next to my husband, our toes buried in the sand. Our children were building sand castles and collecting sea shells nearby under a rising full moon. We had a beautiful view of San […]
Hello! Planning a trip to San Diego? The USS Midway Museum is a retired aircraft carrier in San Diego that has been turned into an amazing museum. This floating city on the sea was in service for 47 years before it was decommissioned. The USS Midway Museum is a world-class museum with over 60 exhibits […]
Hey there! Planning a trip to San Diego? Way to go! It’s a no-fail family destination. Before we visited San Diego for the first time we wondered… What is the difference between the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park? Which one is the best? Or should we visit both? Since then, we’ve visited […]
