Let there be lights! This was a beautiful exhibit. Not…read morespecific to the holiday but a mix of color scapes. I took my husband for his birthday which falls on Thanksgiving week. Paid for parking and anytime tickets for flexibility. Along the lit path are benches to sit and sip. Booths with hot cocoa and other snacks and beverages. I ordered the spiked hot chocolate. We look forward to visiting other botanical gardens to experience the holiday lights in the future - as it has been a trend from LA to SF too. Fan of the California Poppies!' #LetThereBeLights #Encinitas #BotanicalGarden #Holiday

What a fun winter activity…read more A walkthrough of endless loop in lights at the botanical garden is such a cute family activity. Parking was a bit tough because there were multiple lots but they had many parking attendants working them which is great! The walkthrough is literally a loop and it takes about an hour to go through the whole thing. Super interactive and beautiful!! I wish it was a little longer. Also super packed!! Be sure to go early or late, that would be my recommendation. Layer up too, it gets quite cold. It's running through January 4 so get ur tix now :)

This is one of my favorite parts of Legoland in California. We waited until the evening hours of…read moreour first night at Legoland, on Tuesday at the end of July to walk through Miniland USA. We're from Vegas, so it was really cool to see Las Vegas in Legos! There were entire city models of San Diego, San Francisco, New York and more! Since I visit New York City often for work, it was cool to see all of the Lego models! I'm not too familiar with the San Francisco or San Diego area, so it was cool to see all of the different attractions and themes. It's amazing how many different Lego sets are built at the Miniland USA! It took us about an hour to walk through Miniland USA and see all of the Legos! It was super cool! Loved it!

This is one of my favorite spots to check out at Legoland. It looks like they are always updating…read morebecause they had a Sofi Stadium that looked newish. Always cool to see how people build these incredible art pieces.

San Elijo Park has a recreation center that you can rent out that holds 80 people max and tables…read moreand chairs are provided. There's also a kitchen, private bathrooms and the yard is included in your rental. The place is huge!! It has a dance floor and plenty of lighting. We used it to throw our son's 1st birthday party. The tables were a little used but put a table cloth cover, it's all good! Chairs were fine. Kitchen had a fridge and microwave and even dish washing soap. The supply room had paper towels for the bathrooms and supplies. Weekend rental is an extra $$ compared to weekdays. They do give you an extra hour for clean up. We rented from 11-3 (4pm with free extra hour for clean up) and the cost was around $450ish. Pretty good for indoor space! One thing is the front door is not open and looks closed. Many of our caterers could not find this place. No clear signage to go to the parking lot for entrance.

Cool park in San Elijo that looks very new and well-kept. They have baseball fields, play areas for…read morekids, walking trails, and two fenced in dog pins...one for small and one for bigger dogs. I think this is definitely a great part of San Elijo. The grass is green and there are always people walking, running, sitting, and playing games here.

My son just attended two weeks of the tide pool camp and LOVED it!!! He was eager to go to camp…read moreeveryday and came home with a big smile. I originally signed him up for one week and then added the second one because he had so much fun. He loved exploring the tide pools and playing in the ocean. The owner Brooks was great with the kids and the other staff were amazing as well.

My 4 year old daughter went for Memorial Day camp and loved it. She said it was her favorite camp…read moreever (we've tried quite a few). Run by two young women, well organized, and so much fun for the kiddos - some of the favorites were holding beetles, face painting, and making tie dye shirts. We even got pictures and a recap over email which was a nice personal touch and gave us curious parents more insight into the day's activities. We will definitely be back this summer!

This is a nice little park located in Encinitas at the top of a hill with sweeping panoramic views…read moreof the ocean. The parking is limited street parking, it just depends on day and time, but busier on weekends. There is a picnic table located under a tree, see my photos. There is some other seating and another table further up at the top but it is not shaded. Next door is a bigger grass area, and some play structures for the kids. I am not sure if it is all 1 big connected park, or 2 separate parks. Regardless the views at this park are great and it is a nice spot for a picnic lunch.

Really nice playground that is ENCLOSED for more peace of mind as the little ones run around. It…read morehas a forest theme with the brown and green colors and a play US Forest Service van that kids love. It has a good variety of things for swinging, seesawing, sliding, and climbing. Surrounding the playground is a grassy area where dogs are running around and providing great entertainment. It's convenient that it's across the street from the library. Best part is for mid to late afternoon, the trees provide shade that covers practically the entirety of the playground.

This is definitely a hidden gem amongst the San Diego beaches…read more There's a smallish strip of beach that sits between a bluffside hotel and a jetty. There's limited free parking, but there's a pay lot at the south end that is smallish for a beach parking lot. I think it is $15 but not sure. We arrived a little after 10am and some of the early crowd was just leaving so we got a spot off the road. This weekend....what a relief! It was 100+ degrees in most of San Diego but because of morning marine layer it was maybe mid-70s. Obviously, all of the beaches would be similar in that regard, but there weren't a lot of people while we were there and that was the huge win. There is an upper and lower beach that was separated by a rocky patch that was likely eroded sand. We set up shop on the beach that was closer to the water, unsure if the tide was going to come up and wash us away. It didn't though, so it was perfect!

South Ponto beach is a popular beach in Carlsbad. There is some free parking along the street or…read morepaid parking in a private lot operated by the State Parks. You can have a bbq using an electric or gas grills. Charcoal is no longer allowed nor wood bonfires. The beach closet to the paid parking lot and the Alila Marea hotel has too many rocks so I prefer the beach closest to the campground because it has less rocks. Dogs are not allowed on the beach but you can walk along the street or in the campground with your furry friend.

Top notch staff! All three of my kids have benefited from BGC programs. The club runs the sports…read moreteams for the local middle schools. I have nothing but praise for the coaches and especially for Davion.

I have been coming here with my children for various activities since 2011. The best part- I see…read morethe same staff!!! Same smiling faces. They offer so much! Teen-dance, athletics and anything in between. It's wonderful how they work together with local middle schools. They do a fantastic job making you feel like you belong and welcomed. http://bgcsandieguito.org/

This was our first visit and I highly recommend coming!! We spent the day here because I was the…read moreinstagram winner of two passes and a plant!! Upon arrival we were greeted, given a succulent and tickets. The Dickinson Family atrium is a fabulous space with hanging plants and so many examples of indoor/rainforest plants. We walked the entire grounds!! My fitness tracker said it took me two hours to walk two miles- I kept stopping to take pictures and read the plant placards. We walked around though many different gardens. From the rainforest of Africa and past the waterfall to the desert area with native plants. There was an example of a Native American village complete with hut and grinding stone. We hiked up to the look out point where you can see the Pacific Ocean. There is a children's garden, playhouse, and a sandbox with toys. There are walking trails through out and many benches. I highly recommend bringing water, a hat, sunscreen and snacks. There is a small gift shop with a small selection of snacks. They have a large selection of plants to purchase!!

Had very unpleasant attempt to visit botanical gardens. We…read morebrought our service dog with us and had all the documents to prove it. The women at the front desk kept asking millions questions and expressing unreasonably doubts. Ny kids and I felt like being on lie detector.Very humiliating feeling. After finally being admitted, we left shortly. Our experience were ruined.It was no place for enjoyment. Very bitter,sad feeling... I didn't know people can be so mean at botanical gardens. This woman should work somewhere else,like border patrol or security check point. It would be better for everyone. Never come back to this place.

We visited Olivenhain Farms for the first time for their Monday morning animal play session with my…read morealmost 3-year-old and had such a fun morning! It's a cute, small farm right across from the San Diego Botanic Garden with easy parking right out front. They have miniature ponies, goats, a pig, rabbits, chickens and quail. The experience was very hands-on the kids fed the animals lettuce and Cheerios, brushed the ponies, went inside the rabbit enclosures, and got to interact with the pig and chickens outside their pens. They also had painting activities, a super cute mud kitchen with bubbles and utensils, and ended with fresh fruit in the shade and story time. Just wholesome, messy toddler fun! The instructor was great with the kids--laid-back, friendly and informative. I think the Monday morning session is especially perfect for kids under 4. We drove up from Chula Vista, so I'm not sure I'd make the drive specifically to do the same session again, but it was absolutely worth experiencing once for $40 and we had a great time! Bonus: walk across the street to the San Diego Botanic Garden afterward and make a whole day out of it!

I enrolled my grandson in a summer farm camp at Olivenhain Farms. He had a great time. Ms Natalie…read moreis very organized and surrounds herself with great volunteers to help with the camp. The area used for camp is well kept and clean. The kids made crafts, held some of the animals, planted sunflowers and washed the pig. It was a great place for my 4 yr old grandson to spend outside time and play with other kids.

SwimLabs has been our family's swim lesson destination for years. The coaches and staff are very…read morekind and accommodating. Our eldest started private lessons with coach Josh and coach Havana. They both helped him progress well in a short period of time. Our youngest is now with coach Josh who helped him transition from beginner to intermediate. Coach Josh is very patient. He understands the student's needs and tailors the lessons accordingly. Our youngest one also has private lessons with coach Kim for the past few months. She has been instrumental in getting him to relax and feel comfortable in the water. She makes the lessons fun and encourages him when he gets the strokes/kicks right. I would highly recommend coach Josh, coach Havana and coach Kim for their dedication and commitment in teaching kids how to swim.

My twins look forward to going to Swim Labs. One of my daughters was very afraid of the water, but…read moresince taking classes here we have seen so much improvement in her technique as well as her confidence. I would definitely recommend signing up with Swim Laps Trevino Family