It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since I was five months pregnant with our youngest son and soaking up the sun in Coronado. We also have a 5 year old so as you can imagine he wanted to go-go-go the entire trip and luckily for us there really is a TON to do in the Coronado/ San Diego area.

1 Cabrillo National Monument 

For me the most memorable excursion was Cabrillo National Monument (and not just because my husband managed to drop and decimate his phone). My father lived in San Diego long before I was born and this was the one spot he insisted we go to and for an amazing reason, this gem of a spot is a nature-lover’s delight with accessible tide pools, a fantastic view, and  the historic Old Point Loma Lighthouse.

My son loved wading through the tide pools and examining all the scurrying crabs, mussels, anemones, and other creatures the waves had left behind. If you get really lucky occasionally an octopus or two can be spotted!

The view from the visitor center is truly spectacular, just be sure to keep a close eye on your kiddos as the drop in some areas made me a little nervous. There is also a small museum dedicated to 16th century navigation and armor which any history buffs will be sure to love!

Pro-tips

• Water shoes are a must for the whole family
•  Be sure to plan your arrival for low-tide.
• The parking situation can be a bit chaotic on weekends and peak times so either bring some entertainment for the kids or plan this visit on a weekday

2 Sail on the High Seas

Full disclaimer, we didn’t get to partake in this adventure this trip because I didn’t even know it existed until we visited Cabrillo. As we peered across the bay from the viewing area something unusual caught my eye: two historic ships headed out to sea.

After a bit of internet research upon returning to our hotel room, I discovered that my far-fetched fantasy that Johnny Depp was onboard filming a spectacular “Caribbean” boat chase was sadly untrue, but what I DID find made a pretty fantastic consolation prize.  The Maritime Museum will actually take you out in these historically themed vessels for a one of a kind experience! The next time when we head back it will undoubtedly be the FIRST excursion I book!

3 USS Midway Museum

I won’t lie I was NOT too worked up about this excursion before we went, but with one military history major and another military history buff in the mix it was a forgone conclusion that we HAD to go. I am happy to report that my sister, my 5 year old, and I had a blast along with our two history aficionados.

The exhibits were actually pretty fascinating and our little one LOVED looking at all the historic planes. But by far the group favorite were the flight simulators! There were two separate types one was more of a virtual experience and is suitable for the kiddos, and the other was an extremely realistic simulator and it was hilarious watching my husband and sister try to NOT crash within 30 seconds after ” take-off.”

4 San Diego Zoo

We are members at our local zoo and love using the opportunity to teach our son about conservation and WHY taking care of the environment is so important. You may be wondering why you would eat up a vacation day when their is a zoo much closer to home, and let me just say The San Diego Zoo by far outshines any other zoo I’ve ever been to.

The zoo is composed of 3,700 animals and is situated on ONE HUNDRED acres. It is one of only four zoos in the United States where you can find Giant Pandas which in and of itself makes it worth the trip! Hearing how zoos across the globe are cooperating to attempt to save these magnificent animals truly brings home how important it is to protect the species that share our planet.

Pro-tips

• You ARE allowed to bring food and non-alcoholic drinks into the park but coolers are not allowed.
• If little legs get tired use the Skyfari Gondolas which link the two sides of the park!
• If this isn’t enough animals for you or you aren’t sure you want the “traditional” zoo experience be sure to  check out the Safari Park located approximately an hour from the zoo. This Park has 300 species on 1,800 acres and is a truly unique experience meant to show the animals in a more natural environment.

5 Enjoy The Beach

Okay this one isn’t some fancy museum or activity but with the ocean laid out in front of you, you NEED to get out there and play. Depending on where you are staying you may need to drive to the beach and I highly reccomend traversing the (slightly scary) bridge over to Coronado if you are staying on the mainland.

On our trip my son got to boogie- board in the albeit slightly chilly water. He also had WAY too much fun both being buried in the sand and burying my husband. Kids don’t care how much you spend on activities they ONLY care about how much fun they have, making the beach a perfect inexpensive all day activity.

Pro-tips

• Depending on the time of year the water can be a little chilly (even in June) so I highly recommend long -sleeved swim shirts for kids ( and they help with UV protection)
• The remnants of the S.S. Monte Carlo are located south of the historic Hotel del Coronado at the Coronado Shores Beach. The shipwreck is an awesome sight just be sure to keep your kids close while visiting as there are some potentially hazardous pieces poking out of the sand.
• Search for “Coronado Sand Dunes” I promise the results won’t disappoint!

If you have older kids another activity my husband, sister, and father greatly enjoyed was a San Diego ghost tour. If nothing else they learned a TON about the history of San Diego and had a few laughs along the way!