LegoLand

 

Location: Carlsbad, California

 

 

If your child loves Legos, this is the trip of a lifetime for him or her!  They say Disney is where imagination comes to life.  Well, the same is true for Legoland, just in a different way. 

 

Legoland California is a beautifully designed theme park designed for 2 to 12 year olds, with over 50 rides, attractions, shows, splash park and outdoor play areas plus creations made out of millions of LEGO blocks.  Even if your child is not “into” Legos, they will undoubtedly enjoy Legoland as there is something for everyone.

 

If your child loves Star Wars, they will be thrilled! As soon as we entered the park we were "greeted" by a life-size Darth Vader made completely out of Legos. Kids all stopped to marvel at him and get their picture taken.  For those Indy lovers, there was also a life-size replica of Indianna Jones made of Legos!

 

Like many other theme parks, there are rides for different age groups. There is a Safari Ride, Helicopter ride, Race Cars and much more for younger kids. Older kids will enjoy the thrills of the Bionicle Blaster, Dragon Roller Coaster & much more.  

 

To make your ride seem more realistic, Lego creations are scattered throughout. For example, during our Safari Ride there were animals made of Legos such as lions, monkeys, giraffes, zebras and more.  The small children loved picking out all the animals and noticing how they were built of Legos!

 

For younger children & toddlers Legoland also includes an outdoor play area with tunnels, tubes and outdoor play equipment.  Pirate Shores includes all of the “splash” rides, so prepare to get wet!  If you didn’t bring a bathing suit, many are for sale as Pirate Shores also features a large splash pad for kids to cool off.  When we went, it was a little too cool for us Texans to enjoy the splashing, but many Californians came prepared with their suits & splashed for the 2-3 “warm” hours of the day in April.

 

For the more inquisitive child or those just fascinated by Legos, be sure to check out the Lego Factory.  You can take a self-guided tour to see how Legos are assembled. My son is always asking questions how things are made, so he found it very interesting!  It answered a few of his questions too!

 

The factory is connected to a Lego store that true Lego fans will love. This store features large bins brimming with Lego pieces.  Now is your chance to fill up a bag (kind of like the candy you see in the grocery stores) with individual Lego pieces! If you’re missing certain parts or need more of them, this is an excellent way to obtain them! They even have bins of the pink Legos for the female Lego brick-layer.  :)

 

The most spectacular section of LegoLand is Mini-Land.  Replicas of famous landmarks at 1:20 of their size made entirely out of Legos can be found in Mini-Land.  It took a very talented person (or probably a team!) to create these Lego masterpieces made of 20 million Lego bricks! In Mini-Land you will find the Eiffel Tower, the Taj Mahal, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Las Vegas strip, New York City, Fisherman’s Wharf, New Orleans Bourbon Street and much, much more! 

 

My son “oohed” and “ahhed” as we gazed at each different replica.  He couldn’t wait to point out the details to me like push the button and the couples get married at the Vegas wedding chapel or how the trucks actually drive on the streets or the cannons fired on the pirate ships. I found myself doing the same thing as they were all so amazing!  In case you’re wondering, these creations are super-glued together so they can’t be damaged or stolen.

 

If you’re going to southern California any time soon, be sure to add LegoLand to your itinerary.  Your Lego fan will be glad you did!!  Carlsbad is one hour south of Anaheim/Disneyland, or half an hour north of San Diego. 

 

MOMS TIPS:

*Pack your sunscreen. The southern CA sun can be deceptively strong year round. 

*If you are going during warm weather season, bring your swimsuit. 

*Feel free to pack snacks and drinks.  While LegoLand includes restaurants & snack areas, there are many benches around the park where you can stop and enjoy your own treat from home.  Not only does it save you a little money, it’s great if you have a fussy eater.

*If you purchase anything at the stores on property, the store will send your bags over to the market for you to pick up when you leave so you don’t have to carry them around with you.  Be sure to hang onto your claim ticket to take advantage of this handy service!

 

DISCOUNTS:

If you want to make your vacation dollar stretch further, check out LegoLand discount tickets. Costco members can enjoy about a 30% savings.  LegoLand discounts can be found on brochures that you can pick up at hotels and other attractions, although most of them save only $5-10 per ticket.  The Entertainment Book for southern California also includes discount tickets. Anyone can buy a southern California book.  Redeem one coupon for a major attraction and you’ve recouped the cost of the book!  There may be other ways to save, but these are the ones we heard about.

 

Happy Building to all you Lego brick-layers!  Enjoy your trip!

 

 

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