Things to Do with Toddlers

Explore the best things to do with toddlers options for kids and families in National City

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.

San Diego Children’s Park

San Diego Children’s Park

Pool-like fountains & play equipment. Small park with wide, shallow fountains where ducks swim, plus a kids' playground under the pines.

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.

Fleet Science Center

Fleet Science Center

Hands-on exhibits & an IMAX theater. Educational center with hands-on exhibits, a planetarium, an IMAX theater & interactive displays.

San Diego Air & Space Museum

San Diego Air & Space Museum

Aviation history exhibits & a gift shop. Popular place with historical aircraft/spacecraft & interactive exhibits, plus a gift shop & grill.

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.

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.

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.

Waterfront Park Playground

Waterfront Park Playground

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Waterfront Park

Waterfront Park

Park with fountains, lawns & a play area. Public park featuring spray fountains, grassy areas & lots of play equipment for kids.

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.

Old Town San Diego

Old Town San Diego

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Eucalyptus County Park

Eucalyptus County Park

Standard open space & picnic spot. Park & gathering place with a playground, picnic tables, a pavilion & horseshoe pits.

Aztec Park

Aztec Park

Municipal park for outdoor recreation. 3.96-acre municipal park offering barbeque sites, as well as picnic areas & urban walking trails.

Lake Murray Community Park

Lake Murray Community Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Posh Playhouse

Posh Playhouse

Visit this great place for kids and families!

THE PLAYGROUND

THE PLAYGROUND

Visit this great place for kids and families!

My Ninja Factory

My Ninja Factory

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Play City

Play City

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Rancho Mission Canyon Park

Rancho Mission Canyon Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Mission Bay Park

Mission Bay Park

Bustling area for oceanside activities. Vast bayside spot popular for sand & surf sports, sunbathing, boats, picnics & dog-friendly beaches.

SeaWorld San Diego

SeaWorld San Diego

Aquatic theme park with shows & rides. Marine life shows, thrill rides, aquariums & up-close encounters with dolphins, penguins & more.

Northmont Park

Northmont Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Tierrasanta Park

Tierrasanta Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Bonita Cove

Bonita Cove

Swimming area, playground & picnic space. Waterfront park providing lifeguard-supervised swimming, a playground, picnic space & BBQ grills.

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.

Mission Beach Boardwalk

Mission Beach Boardwalk

Bustling promenade with ocean vistas. Longtime beachfront boardwalk featuring shops, an old-school amusement park & ocean activities.

Hilton Head County Park

Hilton Head County Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Big Rock Park

Big Rock Park

Park with a playground, sports & more. Park featuring tennis & pickleball courts, basketball, an off-leash dog area, a playground & more.

Le Funland

Le Funland

Visit this great place for kids and families!

San Diego Air & Space Museum Gillespie Field Annex

San Diego Air & Space Museum Gillespie Field Annex

Models & restored aircraft on display. This museum dedicated to aviation & space technology boasts a number of models & restored aircraft.

Tiny Tiger

Tiny Tiger

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.

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.

Miramar Overlook Park

Miramar Overlook Park

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.

Oma's Family Farm

Oma's Family Farm

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Sea Grove Park

Sea Grove Park

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

Powerhouse Playground

Powerhouse Playground

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Powerhouse Park

Powerhouse Park

Bluffside setting for play & leisure. Perched above a wide sandy beach, this green space has a children's playground & picnic areas.

Kid Ventures Preschool Academy - 4S Ranch

Kid Ventures Preschool Academy - 4S Ranch

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Fletcher Cove Beach Park

Fletcher Cove Beach Park

Waterfront viewing deck & a playground. Picturesque park with a viewing deck, grassy area & playground, plus tables & a basketball court.

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.

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.

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.

Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve

Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve

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

San Elijo Park

San Elijo Park

Picnicking, off-leash dog area & hiking. Green space with a dog park, community center & splash pad, plus playgrounds, trails & picnic areas.

Kidtopia Kids Club

Kidtopia Kids Club

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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.

Discovery Creek Children's Park

Discovery Creek Children's Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Kids & Coffee (Reservation Only indoor playground and cafe)

Kids & Coffee (Reservation Only indoor playground and cafe)

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Sky Zone Trampoline Park

Sky Zone Trampoline Park

Indoor trampolines & fitness classes. Chain of indoor trampoline parks featuring freestyle bouncing, dodgeball, fitness programs & more.

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.

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.

Imagination Zone

Imagination Zone

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Land Of Adventure

Land Of Adventure

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Lost Kingdom Adventure

Lost Kingdom Adventure

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Imagination Station

Imagination Station

Visit this great place for kids and families!

DUPLO Playtown

DUPLO Playtown

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Miniland USA

Miniland USA

Lego-built miniature cities & a cafe. Area of Legoland with mini models of U.S. cities from San Francisco to Washington D.C., plus a cafe.

Fun Town

Fun Town

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Pirate Shores

Pirate Shores

Visit this great place for kids and families!

LEGOLAND California Water Park

LEGOLAND California Water Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Play City

Play City

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Altitude Trampoline Park

Altitude Trampoline Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Campo Railroad Museum

Campo Railroad Museum

Old locomotives & popular train rides. Venue featuring historic engines & trains, plus a train ride across the Mexican border & back.

Boomers Vista

Boomers Vista

Family fun center with mini-golf & more. National amusement center chain featuring mini-golf, go-karts, bumper boats & arcade games.

Explore More Activities

Discover more events and activities happening in the city.