The Settlemoir Family Blog: Our Fall San Diego Trip

Toward the end of October, we took a family trip to San Diego. We spent Saturday through Wednesday in beautiful, warm, sunny San Diego.

DAY 1

We started our trip at Legoland Hotel. We were on the Adventure floor. The other choices were Pirate or Castle themes, but we thought the boys would appreciate the Indiana Jones feeling of the room.

We always appreciate rooms with bunk beds and a trundle!

The boys finished a treasure hunt to find the combination to the safe. Chocolate coins and Lego minifigures were inside the safe.

This guy talked when we got on and off the elevator. Inside the elevator, there was a dance party every time the doors shut.

On the first night, we attended Legoland's Brick-or-Treat event. We incorrectly assumed that this event would be similar to Magic Kingdom's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party with a smaller number of park visitors and shorter lines. It seemed Legoland actually oversells the special event because it was extremely crowded. We chose to ride only a few rides because the lines were so long, but it was fun to see all the Lego Halloween decorations.

Lil' Indy on Safari Trek

Kieran passes Jr. Driving School

Beetle Bounce--This was a favorite when Caden and Cole visited 6 years ago. At that time, Curt could ride too, but they've changed the ride rules and adults are no longer allowed. The boys had to convince Kieran to ride because he wasn't so sure. He ended up loving it!

DAY 2

We started the day with brunch at the hotel. So many choices! So yummy! I loved all the Lego creations around the hotel. Here are just a few...

While waiting for Legoland to open, the boys made their own Lego creations.

Kieran in the castle/pirate ship play area

The boys and their Lego weaponry (of course!)

Park time...

Staying at the hotel allowed us to enter the park early. Thankfully, the crowd was significantly less than the night before.

We started out the day with a little leg work since we had to pedal our way around this ride.

Next up was an arm workout for the boys on Kid Power Towers.

Fairy Tale Brook

We LOVE all the Lego creations!

Happy we didn't stand in the long line the night before to snap this photo because we just walked up to the Lego jack-o-lantern this time!

Aquazone Wave Racer--Kieran took a pass on this one.

Arms up on Beetle Bounce this time


Caden and Cole were great big brothers, riding some of the younger rides with Kieran.

Waiting for our ride on Lost Kingdom Adventure, a laser/target ride...It should be noted that I hit more targets than Curt, which never happens. (According to Curt, his laser gun was faulty.)

Knights' Tournament

Caden is upside down here.

Cole and Curt chose a tamer ride, but still spent some time upside down.

Royal Joust

Miniland is so impressive! I loved the added Halloween features this time.

The guys were impressed by Miniland, but they were AMAZED by Star Wars Miniland! (Captions provided by the boys.)

Death Star

Luke's X-Wing blowing up the Death Star

Hoth

Echo Base

Millennium Falcon on Tatooine

Endor

Ewok Village

Imperial Shuttle

Tatooine

Mustafar

Clone Wars

Geonosis

The guys taking in Naboo

Seas of Naboo

Kieran with Captain Rex

Cole with Boba Fett

Caden with Luke Skywalker

The boys and Chewbacca

Out of Star Wars Miniland and back to more rides

Captain Cranky's Challenge

Flight Squadron

I will be sad when we don't ride these types of rides together anymore.

Caden and Cole racing to the top

Cole won. Caden had all kinds of excuses about why he lost. (Sounded like his dad with the faulty laser gun.)

Lego Factory Tour

The newest addition to Legoland will be Ninjago World. Unfortunately, it doesn't open until May, so we were a few months too early.

Cole with a Bionicle

On the Coast Cruise

Bidding farewell to Legoland after a full day of fun

DAY 3

After our full day at Legoland, we drove to La Jolla and checked into our hotel, La Valencia. We spent the next morning on the USS Midway, one of America's longest-serving aircraft carriers. It was commissioned in 1945 and decommissioned in 1992. It opened as a museum in 2004. The Midway is amazingly huge, basically a floating city with so much to see, including aircraft from World War II to Operation Desert Storm. We enjoyed the self-guided audio tour and learned a lot.

Finding our audio tour path on the map by an aircraft from World War II

Trying to tie a few knots

Photo opp at the ship's jail

We were able to climb aboard several of the aircraft and check out the cockpits.

Lounging in one of several eating areas

On the Flight Deck

Getting their Junior Pilot wings

Great experience on the USS Midway!

After eating lunch at In-N-Out Burger, we visited a beach around La Jolla. The boys were not supposed to get soaked because we were heading back to the hotel in our rental car. That didn't last long! Kieran was taken down by a wave, and then everyone got soaked.

After a swim in the hotel pool, we took a walk along the La Jolla coastline, enjoying the beautiful ocean bluffs and beaches. We did NOT enjoy the smell of the harbor seals! There was a small area about as long as a block that smelled so bad that Kieran gagged both times we had to pass through.

Checking out harbor seals at the Children's Pool

So cool to see harbor seals in their natural environment!

Watching the sunset--nothing better than a sunset over an ocean

Photo opp on the walk back to the hotel

The plaque says "Abraham Lincoln, Centennial Memorial February 12 1809-1909, Erected by the People of La Jolla"

DAY 4

We got in all of our steps with a full day at San Diego Zoo. Tons of walking (felt sorry for families with strollers because it is a hilly zoo), lots of active animals, and overall beautiful zoo!

We could watch orangutans all day. So entertaining!

Excited to see a panda!

Lots of adorable, sleepy koalas

Penguins are always a favorite.

This guy was super funny.

After the zoo, we had a little time to waste before dinner, but we didn't want to drive back to the hotel in La Jolla just yet, so we made a stop at Mission Beach.