Let friends in your social network know what you are reading aboutTwitterGoogle+LinkedInPinterestPosted!A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. Log InSubscribed, but don't have a login?Register your digital access.When you have a toddler in tow, a vacation can feel anything but relaxing. Juggling naps with sightseeing, sitting in restaurants or spending hours getting there can be punishing when your active 2½-year-old just wants to get up and run.Still, my husband and I wanted to take advantage of a rare three-day weekend last month and do something fun with our daughter. We picked Legoland California Resort in Carlsbad, a theme park that caters to young kids. It was a fairly easy six-hour car trip, and it ended up being the perfect choice.Situated 35 miles north of San Diego and 87 miles south of Los Angeles, Carlsbad is a beach town of about 110,000 people. Legoland arrived in 1999, and the Legoland Water Park was added in 2010. This 128-acre park is specifically for children ages 2-12.
There are 60 rides, and many of them have controls kids can operate themselves.My husband was initially skeptical about taking a 2½-year-old to a big theme park. We discovered she's about 34 inches tall, which is tall enough to ride plenty of small-scale rides, but most rides are for kids at least 36- to 40-inches tall. In addition to rides, we took in a live show on the outdoor Fun Town Stage and spent hours at the Duplo Playtown and Hideaways play structures. After one full day and two partial days at the park, our daughter still didn't want to leave. Ultimately, we felt like the three of us had a vacation.Discounts: My first mission was finding a deal on tickets. Admission is free for ages 2 and younger. One-day Legoland tickets are $88, $82 for children 3-12. When you have a toddler who still needs to nap, I figured we would need more than one day. , I found a three-month pass to Legoland California for $89.99 per person that included admission to the on-site Sea Life aquarium (but not Legoland Water Park).
Ultimately, we liked it so much we upgraded to an annual pass, which starts at $149 per person.Go early: You'll avoid the biggest crowds if you arrive early. Legoland's rides don't open until 10 a.m., but the turnstiles open at 9 a.m. and some rides open at 9:30. Check the website to get an idea of what you want to see and what exhibits, if any, are new or closed. The Legoland Water Park, which requires additional admission, is closed during winter months. It opens the first weekend of March.Rides, slides: Our daughter's favorite rides were the Sky Patrol helicopters and Flight Squadron airplanes, with joysticks she could control. She laughed at the slapstick live show in Fun Town, and loved getting her "driver's license" at a paid kiosk ($14.95 including a Legoland lanyard), even though she was a little too young for the Junior Driving School (ages 3-5). We almost couldn't get her out of the Hideaways, a multilevel play structure that's a sprawling maze of slides, climbing rope-walls and more.
My husband spotted one kid there with a note scrawled in ink on his arm: "If lost, call ..." Not a bad idea.Treats, more: We didn't explore many food options, but I had read about Granny's Apple Fries, selling fried apple sticks rolled in cinnamon sugar and served with vanilla whipped cream. My daughter and I shared them twice. The Lego Movie Experience, the miniature movie "set" on which the movie was filmed, had no line and was another fun thing to see in Duplo Village.Lines: We never managed to ride the Lost Kingdom Adventure — one of the few sophisticated rides for accompanied toddlers — because the line was always way too long (at least 45 minutes) for a 2-year-old to tolerate. Some rides do offer play areas with Legos for kids while parents shuffle through the queue, which is nice (and helps cement the Lego theme). With all the rides and hoopla, Legos sometimes seemed like an afterthought, although there were several building opportunities. Also, in the Lego Factory, I found most of the machines were temporarily shut down for repairs.
The only miss was the glut of carnival-type game stands throughout the park. And when we arrived early at Duplo Playtown, there were piles of Duplo Legos that were wet and muddy. This was the only time I thought cleanliness (and general wear and tear) was an issue. I had heard that in 16 years, Legoland has lost some luster, but for the most part, we thought the park with its mature trees and pretty landscaping felt resort-like.For the most part, hotels in Carlsbad aren't cheap. The weekend we arrived, the city was hosting a marathon, which meant most hotels were booked and rates were higher. Plan ahead, because rooms can book up quickly. We ended up at West Inn & Suites, an independent hotel known for family-friendly amenities. They really worked hard catering to their guests, from the free breakfast buffet to the nightly milk and cookies and complimentary shuttle to Legoland. They even had a long list of free movies you could borrow. We would stay there again. We also glimpsed a seaside hotel within walking distance to shops and restaurants that might be fun to explore.
There are several partner hotels that even have a private entrance to Legoland. But it's not hard to park in the Legoland lot ($15 daily) and drive a few miles away. (And if one person has a $189 Merlin annual pass, parking is free).Initially, I had hoped to stay at the Legoland Hotel at the park, but prices were in the $350 to $450 range during our visit, so that was definitely out. It didn't stop us from enjoying a cocktail in the hotel's main lounge while our daughter played happily in a giant pirate ship and adjacent castle, and with piles of Legos, of course. We could see why families — especially larger families — would make this hotel a priority, budget willing. From its fun elevator to Lego-themed suites with children's bunk beds, it's a unique place.Since writing this, we've been back twice with our annual pass. Our 3-year-old is able to do more every time, and we still like the low-stress family fun. Legoland has since added Heartlake City with a carousel and a Lego boat-building area.