Unique & Hidden Gem Activities for Families

Explore the best unique & hidden gem activities for families options for kids and families in Coronado

The New Children’s Museum

The New Children’s Museum

Hands-on artwork & creative play spaces. From creative classes to climbable sculptures, contemporary art for kids, in a bright, modern space.

Harbor Island Park

Harbor Island Park

Bay views, a bike route & a walking path. Tranquil public park overlooking the bay with a shoreline path for walkers & a route for bicyclists.

Golden Hill Fountain Grotto

Golden Hill Fountain Grotto

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum

Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum

Bonsai trees, koi ponds & garden tours. Balboa Park's Japanese gardens have koi ponds, bonsai trees, garden tours & more.

Alcázar Garden

Alcázar Garden

Formal Spanish-style oasis. Landscaped garden with a gazebo & Moorish tiles, inspired by the Alcazar Castle gardens in Spain.

San Diego Model Railroad Museum

San Diego Model Railroad Museum

Scale models of California railroads. Kid-friendly museum featuring many working scale models of California rail lines & landscapes.

San Diego Natural History Museum

San Diego Natural History Museum

Big, comprehensive science museum. Large natural history museum with rotating displays on animals, dinosaurs & earth science.

Harper's Topiary Garden

Harper's Topiary Garden

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Moreton Bay Fig Tree

Moreton Bay Fig Tree

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Desert Garden

Desert Garden

Scenic park with a variety of cacti. Various cacti bloom in this unique, scenic garden with several trails for walking.

Balboa Park Miniature Railroad

Balboa Park Miniature Railroad

Antique train ride for kids & adults. Open-air antique train takes kids & adults on a 3-minute journey through the park.

Balboa Park Carousel

Balboa Park Carousel

Early 1900s carousel with a brass ring. Traditional merry-go-round built in 1910, with hand-carved animals & chance to catch the brass ring.

Lara's Labyrinth

Lara's Labyrinth

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park

Rocky cliffs overlooking the ocean. Natural cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean offer views of the coast & the occasional cliff diver.

The Stein Family Farm

The Stein Family Farm

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Living Coast Discovery Center

Living Coast Discovery Center

Exhibits on stingrays, turtles & sharks. Interactive center focuses on animals native to the San Diego Bay such as stingrays & sea turtles.

Old Trolley Barn Park

Old Trolley Barn Park

City park with a playground. City park on the site of an old streetcar barn, offering a playground & summertime concerts.

Chula Vista Bayside Park

Chula Vista Bayside Park

Waterfront strip with paths & a pier. Public greenway with paved walking trails, a fishing pier & picnic tables, plus bay & city views.

Belmont Park

Belmont Park

Beachside amusement park with retro vibe. Vintage games, gift shops, rides & an iconic wooden roller coaster right next to the beach.

Bonita Museum & Cultural Center

Bonita Museum & Cultural Center

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Lemon Grove Hidden Murals

Lemon Grove Hidden Murals

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Sunny Jim's Sea Cave

Sunny Jim's Sea Cave

Tunnel built in 1902 leading to a cave. Tours of a tunnel running from a shop to a sea cave, dug in 1902 & said to be used for bootlegging.

The Cave Store

The Cave Store

Tunnel leading to a smuggler's sea cave. Stairs lead through a bootlegger's tunnel to this sandstone sea cave sheltering birds & seals.

Birch Aquarium

Birch Aquarium

Up-close marine life & hands-on exhibits. Interactive tide pools & exhibitions for all things under the sea in an oceanside building.

Heritage of the Americas Museum

Heritage of the Americas Museum

Visit this great place for kids and families!

The Water Conservation Garden

The Water Conservation Garden

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

Trails, beaches, lagoons & wildlife. Acres of oceanside trails for exploring or exercising while spotting occasional dolphins or bobcats.

Jingle Bell Hill

Jingle Bell Hill

Visit this great place for kids and families!

FUNbelievable

FUNbelievable

Indoor play center catering to families. Indoor play spot for kids 12 & under, with toddler area, cafe & party facilities; sock-feet only.

Sea Grove Park

Sea Grove Park

Recreation lawn with an oceanfront view. Oceanside park offering lawns for relaxing & picnicking along with beach access.

San Elijo Lagoon and Ecological Reserve

San Elijo Lagoon and Ecological Reserve

Wildlife-watching & visitor center. Nature reserve with 7 miles of trails plus a visitor center with exhibits overlooking the lagoon.

Silverwood Wildlife Sanctuary

Silverwood Wildlife Sanctuary

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Moonlight State Beach

Moonlight State Beach

Volleyball, kids' play area & snack bar. Sandy beach with a snack bar, playground, volleyball & tennis courts & recreation equipment rentals.

Dave's Rock Garden

Dave's Rock Garden

Visit this great place for kids and families!

San Diego Botanic Garden

San Diego Botanic Garden

Sprawling locale with unique vegetation. Large botanical garden with vistas & four miles of trails featuring flowering trees, palms & bamboo.

San Dieguito Heritage Museum at the Heritage Ranch

San Dieguito Heritage Museum at the Heritage Ranch

Community history, artifacts & exhibits. 1-acre property & museum of the history of San Dieguito in photos, stories & hands-on displays.

Stonesteps

Stonesteps

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve

Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve

Spacious park for hiking & picnics. Large park featuring native plants, picnic areas & hiking, biking & equestrian trails.

Felicita County Park

Felicita County Park

Athletic fields, playgrounds & disc golf. Expansive area offers various sports fields, two playgrounds, walking paths & a disc golf course.

Queen Califia's Magical Circle

Queen Califia's Magical Circle

Sizable sculptures in a whimsical garden. Walled art space in Kit Carson Park featuring large-scale mosaic sculptures by Niki de Saint Phalle.

Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation

Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation

Coastal wetland & nature reserve. Protected wetland habitat with on-site parking & wildlife-viewing opportunities.

Leo Carrillo Historic Park

Leo Carrillo Historic Park

Historic park in the heart of a canyon. 19th-century hacienda in a secluded & meticulously landscaped park, home to numerous wild peacocks.

Discovery Lake

Discovery Lake

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Simmons Family Park

Simmons Family Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

K1 Speed - Indoor Go Karts, Corporate Event Venue, Team Building Activities

K1 Speed - Indoor Go Karts, Corporate Event Venue, Team Building Activities

Indoor go-kart racing. Chain of indoor racing centers featuring electric go-karting for all skill levels, plus food.

San Diego Children's Discovery Museum

San Diego Children's Discovery Museum

Playful, hands-on exhibits for kids. Lively indoor & outdoor museum providing interactive educational exhibits for children.

EcoVivarium

EcoVivarium

Reptile, amphibian & arthropod museum. Nonprofit museum dedicated to reptiles, amphibians & arthropods with hands-on encounters.

LEGOLAND California

LEGOLAND California

Vibrant Lego-themed hotel with a pool. Vivid Lego-themed quarters in a lively hotel offering dining, an outdoor pool & free breakfast.

SEA LIFE Aquarium

SEA LIFE Aquarium

Oceanic exhibits & play areas. Family-friendly exhibits featuring more than 5,000 sea creatures, plus a play area & group packages.

DUPLO Playtown

DUPLO Playtown

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation (Discovery Center)

Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation (Discovery Center)

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Rod McLeod Park

Rod McLeod Park

Picnicking, a playground & walking path. 18-acre green space offering a tot lot, paved trail & restrooms, plus benches, picnic tables & BBQs.

Play City

Play City

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Oak Riparian Park

Oak Riparian Park

Playground with a field & picnic spots. Scenic neighborhood green space next to trails with a playground, grassy field & picnic areas.

Magee Park

Magee Park

Scenic park with a rose garden & gazebo. This 2.1-acre public park features a rose garden, gazebo & historic buildings, plus picnic spots.

Buena Vista Audubon Society

Buena Vista Audubon Society

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Explore More Activities

Discover more events and activities happening in the city.