What else in CA to do? Hope its ok to ask here.

[NicholeB630]

While we are taking our first real Disneyland Trip hopefully in April and dedicating 4 days to the Disney parks and one at Universal we will have a couple extra days. I know nothing about the area and whats fun and where we should go. Our kids are a 10 year old girl and 6 year old boy. Then my husband and I. We'd like the beach if theres a nice one close by. Were pretty up for anything and are adventurous and like new things.

Hope its ok to ask here, with all the Disneyland experts

 

[chickapin parterre]

does Virginia have a desert?
does Virginia have date groves
does Virginia have the only tram in the world?
does Virginia have a mountain range where children can explore caves, dry creek beds and leap from boulder to boulder?
do Virginians really understand the pseudo overlay of the U2's album The Joshua Tree and the song titles that came from the Irish band and its great romance for the US?

If you are adventurous and like new things.....three hours due east of Disneyland will make for a great trip report for the 10 year old

 

[DLRExpert]

San Diego - Sea World, SD Zoo, Lego Land, Wild Safari Park
Anaheim OC Area - Beaches, Knott's Berry Farm, Angels Baseball game at Angels stadium
Los Angeles - Chinese Theater / Hollywood and Highland, Los Angeles Zoo, Griffith Park, Universal Studios, Staples Center Lakers Game, Dodgers Game at Dodger Stadium, Citadel Shopping Outlet, Six Flags Magic Mountain (BIG roller coaster park about an hour outside of LA).
In-N Out Burger - Located all over the area.
Las Vegas about a 4 hour drive away

ME

 

[NicholeB630]

San Diego - Sea World, SD Zoo, Lego Land, Wild Safari Park
Anaheim OC Area - Beaches, Knott's Berry Farm, Angels Baseball game at Angels stadium
Los Angeles - Chinese Theater / Hollywood and Highland, Los Angeles Zoo, Griffith Park, Universal Studios, Staples Center Lakers Game, Dodgers Game at Dodger Stadium, Citadel Shopping Outlet, Six Flags Magic Mountain (BIG roller coaster park about an hour outside of LA).
In-N Out Burger - Located all over the area.
Las Vegas about a 4 hour drive away

ME

We did San Diego years ago and loved it. But will probably try and explore other areas. Ill look into some of these Thanks.

 

[DLgal]

The Discovery Cube is a fun science museum near the parks.

Newport Beach/Balboa Island is a beautiful beach town to explore and only about 30 minutes drive. April will still be cold for the beach, though.

You could do a whale watching tour off Dana Point.

You can visit Griffith Park near LA and ride the famous carousel where Walt was inspired to build Disneyland. There is also the Griffith Observatory/Planetarium if your kids are into space stuff.

 

[OneTrackMind]

Our kids were about that age when we first went to the Aquarium of the Pacific, and we still have fun there years later. In addition to seeing all the sea creatures, you can buy small cups of nectar and go into the lorikeet area. The birds will perch on your hand while drinking the nectar. If you want to do that, early morning when it first opens is best because the birds are hungriest. The Medieval Times dinner show is also fun. It can be expensive but if you check the website they often have discounts for tickets. I can’t remember if anyone already mentioned this, but if you are going to LA, the California Science Center is outstanding - you can even see one of the real space shuttles.

 

[chickapin parterre]

California is the most naturally diverse state in the Union, and I can say that coming from the pacific northwest. From the rain forest Redwoods to Death Valley, San Diego surfing to Snowboarding at Squaw Valley, where Walt Disney purchased a flag pole, from the southern Mexico Border to the Jeffersonian state of the northern border, San Francisco to well....the little village of Joshua Tree where in the 60s the desert wilderness streets had no names . Joshua tree national park would be the final destination of a trip east of Disneyland, first, there are the two famous Dinosaurs just west of Palm Springs, at the northern end of Palm springs is the Tram, the only one like it the world for several reasons. Morongo Valley has a truly unique oasis, and at one time, the only one like it the world, then science got in the way, but truly breath taking for first time visitors to the arid landscape, up to Yucca Valley ( a Jeopardy answer clue this week) for folk art sculpture and Frank lloyd Wright. Then on to Joshua Tree and once out of the village...plug in the U2 The Joshua tree and feel the romantic wilderness of California.

 

[sharksfinatic17]

La Brea Tar Pits and Museum would be a fun side trip for your family.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Laguna Beach is a beautiful place to go to walk around, have lunch, go to the beach, explore the resorts, take in the views.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

If you're up for another theme park, I recommend Knotts Berry Farm. It has always been a personal favorite of mine.

 

[DLfan4]

check out Mary-Jos "Day 6" podcasts from the old Dis unplugged disneyland . "Day 6" means "things to do in the area on your non disneyland day". She has lots of great ideas.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...st-episode-index-for-2012-2017-shows.2855816/

 

[HydroGuy]

A second for La Brea Tar Pits - lots of sabertooth tigers right there in the middle of LA.

I did not see anyone say anything yet about...

• going on a movie/TV studio tour or catching a live taping of a show
• Catalina Island day trip (which I think @WebmasterMaryJo usually talks about here and probably does on the podcast too)
• Go on a whale watching tour
• In San Diego, a visit La Jolla to is nice

As for the Space Shuttle Endeavor exhibit suggestion, great idea and I did that last summer myself, but I believe there is one in the Smithsonian Air & Space museum in or near Virginia.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I'm going to move this to the CA & the West forum -- let's see what other answers you get! And do check the podcasts for "Day 6" -- great ideas there!
DAY SIX Podcasts of Things to Do Around Disneyland
Things to Do Near Disneyland - Blogs Index
*** Things to Do When Visiting California & the West ***

 

[1911]

If you're up for another theme park, I recommend Knotts Berry Farm. It has always been a personal favorite of mine.

This! knotts is so close to disney might as well do a day there before going to universal.

 

[NicholeB630]

These are all really great ideas. We def would like to visit something on the coast like Laguna beach or Balboa island and do whale watching. Then maybe somewhere in the desert? Ive never been anywhere scenic like that .. So not sure which is better to do Death Valley? Where the Tram is? Or the maybe the Redwood Forest.

 

[DLgal]

These are all really great ideas. We def would like to visit something on the coast like Laguna beach or Balboa island and do whale watching. Then maybe somewhere in the desert? Ive never been anywhere scenic like that .. So not sure which is better to do Death Valley? Where the Tram is? Or the maybe the Redwood Forest.

The Redwoods are up in the bay area, about a 6-8 hour drive from Anaheim. Definitely not a day trip.

The desert is something I would never recommend as a "destination", personally, but everyone is different. To me, it's just a vast wasteland of nothingness. Although, popular desert areas are Joshua Tree, Borrego Springs, and Palm Desert/Palm Springs.

 

[bcla]

The Redwoods are up in the bay area, about a 6-8 hour drive from Anaheim. Definitely not a day trip.

The desert is something I would never recommend as a "destination", personally, but everyone is different. To me, it's just a vast wasteland of nothingness. Although, popular desert areas are Joshua Tree, Borrego Springs, and Palm Desert/Palm Springs.

The natural range of the coast redwood is about as far south as Big Sur, but that would be quite a trip because the roads there aren't major freeways.

As for a place to go, I recommend the California Science Center and other parts of Exposition Park.

 

[NicholeB630]

The Redwoods are up in the bay area, about a 6-8 hour drive from Anaheim. Definitely not a day trip.

The desert is something I would never recommend as a "destination", personally, but everyone is different. To me, it's just a vast wasteland of nothingness. Although, popular desert areas are Joshua Tree, Borrego Springs, and Palm Desert/Palm Springs.

Oh damn ok yeah thats way to far so just kidding on that visit haha.

 

[NicholeB630]

The natural range of the coast redwood is about as far south as Big Sur, but that would be quite a trip because the roads there aren't major freeways.

As for a place to go, I recommend the California Science Center and other parts of Exposition Park.

OK I'll look into the Science Center. Theres seems to be so many good choices its hard to decide where to go.

 

[StageTek]

I would highly recommend a desert trip. Extraordinarily beautiful and very, very different than anything you will see in Virginia.

Red Rock Canyon State Park is amazing and you'll never see anything like Joshua Tree.