101 Family Day Trips and Day Trips Around San Diego
**Follow each link to get details about your visit directly from your destination, since some places operate seasonally or by reservation, as well as to check each venue's COVID requirements (masks, limits, social distancing).
Free activities and splurges that are worth it. The coolest stuff for a staycation in town and road trips for less than a tank of gas from San Diego. Kids Out And About has tons of ideas for family travel, with places to explore, learn, and have fun!
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Take A Deep Breath In the Garden
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Fork and Plow Lavender Farm |
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Balboa Park Gardens |
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San Diego Botanic Gardens |
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The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch |
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Alta Vista Botanical Gardens |
Get Wild on a Hike
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Crest Canyon |
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Doane Valley Nature Trail |
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Lake Cuyamaca Trails |
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San Elijo |
Time Travel Today
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Leo Carillo Ranch |
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Estudillo House |
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Heritage County Park |
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Heritage Park Village Museum |
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Julien Pioneer Park Museum |
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Mission San Diego |
Make Life a Beach
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La Jolla Shores Beach |
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Swami's Beach |
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Coronado Beach |
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Shell Beach |
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Mission Beach |
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Fiesta Island Beach |
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Ski Beach Park |
Splash into Some Water Fun
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Sesame Place San Diego |
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SeaWorld San Diego |
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The Wave Waterpark |
Spend the Day at a Museum
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The New Children's Museum |
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San Diego Children's Discovery Museum |
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San Diego Firehouse Museum |
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San Diego Archaeological Center |
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Fallbrook Gem and Mineral Society |
Explore These Cities
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Coronado |
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La Jolla |
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Julian |
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Carlsbad |
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San Clemente |
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Temecula |
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Mission Viejo |
All Aboard Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (and Boats!)
Grow Some Fun at the Farm
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Bates Nut Farm |
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Pumpkin Station Farm Rancho Bernardo |
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Corcoran Ranch Apple Orchard |
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Kenny's Strawberry Farm |
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Temecula Berry Company |
Play Ball!
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San Diego Lawn Bowling Club |
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Mira Mesa Lanes |
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Pelly's Mini Golf |
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Stadium Golf Center and Batting Cages |
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Barnes Tennis Center |
Treat Yo' Self
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Mariposa Ice Cream |
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Handel's Ice Cream |
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Stella Jean's |
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Famous Oasis Ice Cream Parlor |
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Hammond's Ice Cream |
Connect with Nature
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The Rocky Intertidal Zone - Cabrillo National Monument |
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Inez Grant Parker Rose Garden |
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Anza-Borrego Desert State Park |
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Tijuana River Valley Park: Bird and Butterfly Garden |
Amuse Yourself at These Amusement Parks
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Belmont Park |
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Legoland California |
Talk to the Animals
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Sugar Sweet Farm |
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San Diego Zoo Safari Park |
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Oasis Camel Dairy |
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San Diego Zoo |
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ZooMars Petting Zoo |
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Living Coast Discovery Center |
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Children's Nature Retreat |
Explore the Globe Close to Home
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Centro Cultural de la Raza |
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Mingei International Museum |
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Japanese Friendship Garden |
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San Diego Chinese Historical Museum |
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Little Italy San Diego |
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Chicano Park |
Let's Go Chasing Waterfalls
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Cedar Creek Falls |
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Los Penasquitos Falls |
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Cottonwood Creek Trail |
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Maidenhair Falls |
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Copper Creek Falls |
Get Active Indoors
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Kid Ventures |
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Rockin Jump San Diego |
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Gymboree |
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FUNBelievable |
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Ninja Factory |
Challenge Yourself
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San Diego Symphony |
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City Ballet of San Diego |
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Museum of Contemporary Art |
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Lockdown Escape Rooms |
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Surfside Ranch |
Shop Your Heart Out
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The Library Shop |
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The Book Catapult |
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Seaport Village |
Limiting our list to 101 ideas meant some great destinations may have been left off the list - if there is something you’d like to see added, share it with us on Facebook!
Most of these destinations are within an hour from downtown San Diego. For those that are a bit farther away:
= Less than 1 hour away
= 1 to 2 hours away
= 2 to 3 hours away
= Just over 3 hours away