Southern Ca - Which Parks/activities

[chellej Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close chellej]

We are going to Marriott's Newport Coast for my DD's Graduation trip (first week of june). She is 18, her boyfriend 20.

We are trying to decide which parks/activites to do.

DD's boyfriend has not traveled much - went to chicago once & is like a big kid.

We are familiar with Orlando parks but have not gone to the one's in Southern California so don't know how to compare. We have also spent lots of time at seaworld in San Antonio & Orlando so unless it is radically better - it is not a "must"

We are considering the city pass - 2 day disney hopper, seaworld, Universal & San Diego WIld animal park - but are afraid it is too much for one week.

DD loves to kayak & they both want to try parasailing, maybe surfing & we want to spent some time on the beach.

Also considering Knotts & 6 flags. They like the rollercoaster's & thrill rides. If I understand, legoland is for the younger crowd.

I would love some proposed itineraries & must do's - I am afraid of overplanning.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

That's a LOT of ground to cover if you're talking about San Diego up to where 6 Flags Magic Mountain is.

Newport Beach to San Diego (Seaworld, San Diego Zoo) is 90 miles south, at least 1 1/2 hours. Wild Animal Park is actually not in San Diego, but in Escondido which is 31 miles from San Diego (northeast) and 73 miles from Newport Beach.

Newport Beach to Valencia (6 Flags Magic Mountain) is 82 miles north, at least 1 1/2 hours

Newport Beach to Universal is 52 miles north, at least 1 hour

Just to get perspective the distance from San Diego to Valencia is 172 miles.

The closest parks to Newport Beach are Disney (Disneyland and California Adventure) and Knott's. I've never personally cared for Knott's all that much, but some kids like it better as it has more of the thrill rides (but not as many as Magic Mountain)

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

I just got back from that area. A 2 or 3 day Disney hooper is good but if you buy the 3 day you get to go in 1 day an hour before the park opens. I would do an early trip to universal and once inside the park upgrade to a fast pass so you can finish universal in 1 day. Knotts is near by Disney and if you have AAA you can get a discount.

[DeniseM Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close DeniseM]

The other thing is that driving takes a long, long, long time in Southern CA - did I mention that it's S-L-O-W? Very frustrating. We spent 5 days near Disneyland last summer and drove to Universal Studios one day - 36 miles took about 2 hours in bumper to bumper traffic. Not fun.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

The other thing is that driving takes a long, long, long time in Southern CA - did I mention that it's S-L-O-W? Very frustrating. We spent 5 days near Disneyland last summer and drove to Universal Studios one day - 36 miles took about 2 hours in bumper to bumper traffic. Not fun.

Hey you got a bargin at two hours. One day it took us 4 hours one way and 3 hours the other way.

[chellej Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close chellej]

How does universal hollywood compare to Universal in Florida?

I'm from Houston - I get traffic but don't want to spend the whole week driving. How far is Knott's Berry Farm?

How about the best beaches? I did see something about Kayaking to some caves? We kayaked at Hanalei Bay last fall & it was a lot of fun & I think they would also like to try surfing. They are both very athletic - I can find a nice spot on the beach & read. They definitely want to go parasailing as well.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

How does universal hollywood compare to Universal in Florida?

Can't answer this one. Haven't been to the one in CA for many, many years and have never been to the one in FL.

I'm from Houston - I get traffic but don't want to spend the whole week driving. How far is Knott's Berry Farm?

Not sure in miles, but not too far. I always check mapquest when I'm not sure of distances.

How about the best beaches? I did see something about Kayaking to some caves? We kayaked at Hanalei Bay last fall & it was a lot of fun & I think they would also like to try surfing. They are both very athletic - I can find a nice spot on the beach & read. They definitely want to go parasailing as well.

My favorites (but it's been years since I've been to the beaches in southern California) are Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach. But sorry again, I can't help with surfing, kayaking or parasailing. The water will not be all that warm. Don't expect temps like Hawaii. Most likely it will be in the 60's.

[dvcforus Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dvcforus]

Can someone tell me what ages Legoland is best for? We would like to try that in the next year or two.

[4ARedOctober Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close 4ARedOctober]

I would say ages 3 to 14 but opinions vary. There is more discussion on this at this thread.

http://www.timeshareforums.com/forum...tml#post130090

Can someone tell me what ages Legoland is best for? We would like to try that in the next year or two.

[dvcforus Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dvcforus]

Thanks for the link.

I was also going to add that we enjoyed US in Hollywood much more than Florida, I think because it felt more "authentic" and had more elements of a real studio to us. The only thing we didn't like was the layout of the park. While I don't want to go back to US Orlando anytime soon, I would consider US Hollywood.

[barndweller Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close barndweller]

For the OP:
Skip Legoland, it's for younguns.
Go to the San Diego Zoo rather than Wild Animal Park.
Some great museums in Balboa Park, too.
San Diego Gaslamp Quarter & Old Town area are fun.
US, Knotts & Six Flags are for the thrill rides with Six Flags first choice by far.
Disneyland & Ca Adventure would be worth the drive.
The Pacific Ocean is just plain cold. Not fun without a wetsuit.
Perhaps an excursion over the border to Mexico would be fun although I have never done it myself. Some people think it's fun.
Take a drive to Malibu just to say you went there.

[chellej Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close chellej]

Just curious why the zoo over the wild animal park. DD is a photographer & thought the Wild animal park would be better.

I was thinking also about santa monica pier - is it worth it?

And what about venice beach?


We've decided to just do disney - not sure if for one or two days and the wild animal park. (we may reconsider & do the zoo) and then just to beaches etc. I did find a website you can sign up to extras in films - Thought they might get a kick out of that.

DD's BF is a US permanent resident (Has Card) but has a Mexican Passport. I would be a little hesitant to go to Mexico for fear we would have trouble coming back. It may be easy as can be but I would hate to have any issues. Although it would be nice to travel with someone who is fluent in the language.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

Just curious why the zoo over the wild animal park. DD is a photographer & thought the Wild animal park would be better.

Here's my two cents, it will be interesting to see what others think. And this is based on only going to Wild Animal Park once, many years ago.

I would choose the zoo over Wild Animal Park because it is a wonderful zoo. It's right in San Diego, Wild Animal Park is about 30 to 45 minutes away. Also, my memory of Wild Animal Park was taking a tram ride around where we were quite a distance from the animals, and unless you caught them at an "active" time, most of them were unviewable and/or sleeping (this can also happen at the zoo of course, but you're usually up closer). The tram goes at its own pace, no ability to get of and on. If you want to spend more time viewing certain animals, tough luck. Again, I haven't been for a long time and things might have changed completely. What we usually do when we go to the zoo is take the tram tour around the zoo. Then we're we're done we either walk to the areas where we want to spend more time, or take a different tram where you can get on and off, at the designated stops, at will. Information on both websites would probably be helpful in giving you a better understanding of both. I don't think you'd have a "bad" time either place you chose.

[4ARedOctober Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close 4ARedOctober]

We are members of the Zoological Society of San Diego which includes both the Zoo and the Wild Animal Park. We go to the WAP about 4 times more than we go to the Zoo. We love both places but for us the WAP is much more attractive. They have many static animal displays and shows just like the Zoo but it is great to see the animals with more space in a more natural setting. Plus if you can plan ahead to do the photo safari where you will drive into the enclosures to take pictures and see everything even more closely. We were even able to feed Rhino's and Giraffes.

WAP has also expanded and has a great Lion exhibit and their new tram ride called Journey Into Africa that just opened.

If you are looking for the Balboa Park and Downtown San Diego type experience then the Zoo is part of that. To us those are separate activities as when we go to the zoo we usually focus primarily on just that.

But we are spoiled as San Diego is only 1.5 hours away.

Welcome to the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park

[Fisch Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fisch]

Like 4AREDOCTOBER, we belong to the Zoological Society of San Diego.
We hit the Wild Animal Park monthly, yet only go to the Zoo once or twice a year.
Ifyou only get to do one, you can't go wrong by whichever you choose. My suggestion is for you do is get there at opening of the park you choose. The animal are more active in the AM and evening cool weather. They usually hide during the heat of the day.