Off-Island: Balboa Park

While on our trip to San Diego, we visited a few other attractions in Balboa Bark in addition to the San Diego Zoo and the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.

We stopped by the Zoro Garden, which is a butterfly garden.  Unfortunately there were no butterflies due to it being winter.

 The boys took a ride on the Balboa Park Miniature Railroad ($3 per person).

We all took a ride on the Balboa Park Carousel ($2.50/pp or $10 for 5 tickets).

We also walked around the grounds to see all the beautiful fountains and buildings.

There is so much to see and do at Balboa Park, and we can't wait to visit again!

Balboa Park:  1549 El Prado  San Diego, CA 92101; (619) 239-0512

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Off-Island: SanSai Japanese Grill

A friend of mine had posted about SanSai Japanese Grill on Facebook and how much she loved it when she went to San Diego, so when we were in the area I decided to check it out.

I decided to order items that our entire family could share, so I ordered a Chicken Plate (teriyaki chicken), which comes with rice and two different Gourmet Salads, and I chose the Sumi Salad and the Corn and Bowtie Pasta Salad.

I also ordered a side of Vegetable Fried Noodles.

All of the servings were VERY generous and the prices were VERY reasonable, however, the chicken wasn't as tasty as I thought it would be.  The noodles were quite good, and the salads were both very good.

I would definitely try SanSai again, but I'd probably order something other than the chicken (I heard their sushi and tempura are really good).

SanSai Japanese Grill: 10545 Scripps Poway Pkwy. Ste. A San Diego, CA 92131; 858-536-1020

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Off-Island: Residence Inn San Diego Rancho Bernardo/Scripps Poway

Whenever our family travels and I'm searching for a hotel, in addition to a reasonable price and having good reviews, I always check to see if a hotel offers free parking, free breakfast, and a refrigerator and microwave in the rooms.

After doing a lot of research online, I found that the Residence Inn San Diego Rancho Bernardo/Scripps Poway had everything we were looking for, and more (click on all photos to enlarge)!

Room:
I reserved a 1-bedroom suite for $139/night (AAA rate).

The hotel completed renovations last year, and I was really impressed with the fresh decor and contemporary furnishings all throughout the suite - in the bedroom, the kitchen, the living area, and even the bathroom!

The sofa converted to a practical sleeper; the queen bed was comfy; the two TVs came in handy when our kids wanted to watch kids shows while my husband and I wanted to watch the news; and the kitchen was stocked with plenty of dishes, pots, pans, and utensils.

It really felt like a home away from home for us rather than just "another hotel."

Complimentary Breakfast/Evening Social:
The complimentary breakfast options were plentiful - muffins, bagels, toast, eggs, waffles,cereal, hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, parfaits, milk, juice, coffee, and more!

Every day there were several hot options that varied daily, such as eggs, seasoned potatoes, Canadian turkey bacon, potato pancakes, and English Muffin sandwiches.

Monday through Thursday the hotel offered a light dinner and drinks during the Evening Social.

We didn't hesitate to take advantage of the free dinners and drinks (soft drinks, beer, and wine).  One night there was chili, on another enchiladas, and on another a variety of soups. 

The dining area is spacious and nicely decorated, with plenty of seating, as well a large flat screen TV (which I thought was sometimes a little too loud).  

Other Hotel Features:
In addition to full-kitchen suites and complimentary breakfasts and dinners The Residence Inn San Diego Rancho Bernardo/Scripps Poway offers:

• Free Parking (lots of it - we never had an issue finding a stall)
• Fitness Room
• Pool/whirlpool
• 24-hour Market
• Business Center (very handy for checking into our return flight and printing boarding passes)

Check out the hotel's website for a full list of services and amenities.

Service:
Service was outstanding at the Residence Inn San Diego Rancho Bernardo/Scripps Poway.

Every single person we encountered was courteous and accommodating, from the person who checked us in, to the front desk employees who told us good morning every day as we went to breakfast, to the housekeeping employee who brought us extra towels.

Three individuals that stood out during our stay were Trent, the General Manager, Derek, the Assistant General Manager, and Ruth, who worked in the dining area.

Trent helped us get into our room the second morning when our key cards were still not working and made sure they were working by the time we returned to the hotel in the evening.

Derek came out to talk to us during breakfast one morning to see how our stay was going, and both he and Trent were always very friendly and helpful whenever we saw them.

One evening my husband had to get something from the car and he ended up being gone for a really long time.  I started to get a little worried thinking something my have happened to him, but turns out he saw Derek and they were just chatting (or "talking story" as we say in Hawaii) as if they were old pals!

As for Ruth, she'd always greet us (and all the other guests) and asked if everything was okay and if we needed anything.  She even gave my kids crayons and placemats to color one morning.  She was always very cheerful and pleasant and was always working hard to make sure all breakfast items were fully replenished.

Final Thoughts:
Despite having key card problems (besides not working the first night, our key cards expired 3 days too early), our stay at the Residence Inn San Diego Rancho Bernardo/Scripps Poway was terrific.  Our room was very nice, the staff was amazing, and the complimentary breakfast and dinners were great.

What I also liked about this hotel is the location.  The hotel is centrally located amongst the many popular attractions throughout San Diego.  On average it was just a short 20-minute drive to all the various attractions we visited, and there are several restaurants and stores nearby, which made the hotel's location ideal for us.

The Residence Inn San Diego Rancho Bernardo/Scripps Poway is a great choice for those traveling to the San Diego area, and we look forward to staying there again in the future!

Below are more photos of the property.

Enjoy!

Residence Inn San Diego Rancho Bernardo/Scripps Poway: 12011 Scripps Highlands Drive · San Diego, California 92131; 858-635-5724

Thank you to the Residence Inn San Diego Rancho Bernardo/Scripps Poway for the discount.  All opinions are my own.  I received no monetary compensation for this post.

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Off-Island: San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Our very last stop on our trip to San Diego was the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido.

Highlights of Our Trip:
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is a wildlife sanctuary home to thousands of animals, several of which are endangered species, as well as thousands of plants.

My kids loved watching the gorillas prance around in Gorilla Forest, the elephants roam in Elephant Valley, and the California Condors spread their wings in Condor Ridge.

One of the biggest highlights was going on the Africa Tram tour.  To see giraffes, gazelles, and other animals roam freely throughout the Africa Plains was quite an amazing sight.

On the tour we also saw a northern white rhino, one of only 8 left in the entire WORLD (click on all photos to enlarge)!

One of our favorite exhibits was the Bats.  Seeing all the fruit bats was very intriguing.  They look rather cute, but once they spread their wings, they started to look a little scary!

My kids also loved seeing all the various types of birds in the lagoon, and we all thought the Blue Shoebill Stork was such a cool bird (I actually thought it was a statue at first!),

My personal favorite exhibit was the Okapi. I love whenever I see this beautiful creature - a relative of the giraffe despite looking somewhat like a zebra. 

A fun moment for our entire family was when we found the animated Robert the Zebra.

He was quite a character, joking around with passersby and anyone who'd stop to chat.  Even my husband couldn't help but start a conversation with him, and my kids giggled whenever Robert spoke to them.

My kids also had a great time playing at the Fisher Price Samburu Jungle Gym, and we were able to watch two shows - Frequent Flyers Bird Show, which featured many types of birds both big and small, as well as Cheetah Run, where we watched a cheetah run a track in less than 6 seconds (people start lining up to get a good view at least 30 minutes before the show starts, so get there early!).

Food: 
For lunch we stopped at Samburu Terrace.

Although the wait was very long (only one window was open for a very long line), the food was quite good.  I ordered a Chicken Strips plate which I shared with my boys, my oldest ordered a Kids Meal Chicken Quesadilla (which also came with a drink, Pirate's Booty, raisins, and animal crackers), and my husband ordered a Chicken Salad.

Visiting with a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):
I know every child will behave differently in different environments, but for us, we try to prepare my oldest son, who has an ASD, as best as we can in order to minimize challenges whenever we visit a new attraction.

Prior to visiting, we made sure to let him know where we were going and what kinds of things we'd see at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (there's also a free San Diego Zoo Safari Park app that could come in handy for kids who love to play on the iPhone like my son does).

While at the park, he did fairly well in terms of following directions, but because he loves to walk (and walk and walk), and there are plenty of long paths throughout the park, there were times he did start to wander off and get ahead of us.  My husband did have to remind him quite often that we all needed to "stay together."

Because the Safari Park is rather large, we made sure to take plenty of snack or rest breaks whenever possible to minimize the chance of meltdowns.

He did have some meltdowns, but to help him self-calm we'd simply tell him to take several deep breaths, and if that wasn't enough, we'd tell him we'd go back to the playground, or any exhibit he enjoyed (like the lagoon to see the ducks) if he was able to stay with the group/not wander off/etc.

For those with kids on a GFCF diet or any other type of special diet, it's probably best to bring your own food to dine on (large coolers are not allowed).

Final Thoughts:
It was simply amazing to see all the different plants and animals that we saw at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Despite having a long wait at the restaurant, overall we had a great visit.

Every staff member we encountered was friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable, which made our visit even that much more enjoyable.

We can't wait to visit again!

Below are more photos from our visit.  Enjoy!

San Diego Zoo Safari Park:  15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd  Escondido, CA 92027; (760) 747-8702

Parking: $10 per car

Admission: $44 Adults (ages 13+); $34 Kids (ages 3-12) - includes Africa Tram tour; visit the San Diego Zoo Safari Park website for more ticketing options.

Thank you to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park for providing complimentary passes for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.  I received no monetary compensation for this post.

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Off-Island: SEA LIFE Aquarium at LEGOLAND California Resort

When we visited LEGOLAND California, we knew my kids would love visiting SEA LIFE Aquarium since they love seeing all kinds of sea creatures

Highlights of Our Visit:
After watching a short video about the SEA LIFE Aquarium before entering, a very cool exhibit complete with fish and a slide greeted visitors at the Gold Rush River (click on all photos to enlarge).

The kids loved going down the slide, but I secretly wished it was more towards the exit versus the entrance because I had such a hard time getting my kids to move on to other exhibits!

As we walked through the aquarium, it was obvious how excited the boys were to see all sorts of fish, crabs (the new CLAWS exhibit featured some HUGE crabs), seahorses, and other creatures, and they got even more excited seeing awesome LEGO creations all throughout the aquarium.

The kids also loved the Discovery Zone Touch Pool where they got to touch sea stars and horseshoe crabs.

I thought there were a lot of neat exhibits (my personal favorites were the Lost City of Atlantis and the Shoaling Ring). and I liked the interactive areas that allowed the kids to do more than just observe sea creatures through glass. 

Food:
We did not eat at the aquarium, but there is an Ocean Journey Cafe on-site, complete with a LEGO-building station and yet another awesome exhibit!

Visiting with a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):
My oldest child has an ASD, and although I know every child with an ASD behaves differently, I always like to share our experience whenever we visit attractions.

Prior to visiting we made sure to tell him where we were going, and since we've visited other aquariums before he knew what to expect in terms of what we'd be seeing.

Fortunately, because the aquarium was a small facility, my son did not seem over-stimulated and he never wandered off far (he can be prone to wandering) or had any meltdowns (if he had, we would've tried to find seating for him to calm down; although limited, seating can be found in such places as the Cafe and Shoaling Ring).

The only real challenge we faced was getting him to move on from the first exhibit (he kept wanting to go down the slide), but thankfully all of the aquatic and interactive exhibits helped to keep him focused.

Final Thoughts:
Although SEA LIFE Aquarium is a rather small aquarium, what it lacks in size it makes up for with intriguing and informative exhibits, and fun LEGO displays.

We all enjoyed our visit at Sea Life!

Below are more photos from our visit. Enjoy!

SEA LIFE Aquarium at LEGOLAND California Resort: One LEGOLAND Drive

Carlsbad, CA 92008; (760) 918-5346

Admission: $20 Adults (ages 13+); $15 Kids (ages 3-12); visit the SEA LIFE Aquarium website for more ticket promotions and offers.

Thank you to LEGOLAND for providing complimentary passes for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.  I received no monetary compensation for this post.

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Off-Island: LEGOLAND California

During our trip to San Diego, we knew a visit to LEGOLAND California in Carlsbad was a must, and everyone in our family was excited for our very first visit! 

Highlights of Our Visit:
As expected, LEGOLAND was full of fun rides and super cool LEGO creations.

Just about everywhere we looked there were animals, plants, vehicles, buildings, instruments, and even people - all made out of LEGO bricks (click on all photos to enlarge)!

 

Every single one of my kids thought the Musical Fountain in Water Works was the coolest thing.  They'd jump from circle to circle to activate various instruments which would start playing music while shooting water.  They had so much fun making music that we made numerous stops at the Musical Fountain during our visit.

 

My middle and oldest son both loved the Volvo Driving Schools.  There's a Junior Driving School for kids ages 3-5 in which kids drive around a track, and then there's the "regular" Driving School for kids ages 6-13 in which kids drive throughout a bigger area with more turns and even working stoplights.

My kids also loved DUPLO Playtown, and many of the rides, specifically Splash Battle, and Royal Joust.

My oldest also loved The Dragon and Coastersaurus coasters.

I personally loved the amazing LEGO masterpieces, especially those in Miniland USA.

The buildings, the scenes, and even the STAR WARS models were just incredible.

It's amazing what can be done with LEGO bricks!

Food:
For lunch we ate at Fun Town Market.

The boys ordered Kids Meals with either Chicken Strips or a Hot dog.  The meals came with a drink and a snack.  I ordered the Oriental Chicken Stir-Fry.  After seeing how huge the serving was, DH and I ended up sharing the stir-fry.  It was quite good and loaded with veggies and chicken!

Also, towards the end of our visit I couldn't resist getting some of Granny's Apple Fries.  They were quite delicious, but next time I'd try and get them earlier in the day, because when I bought them it was within a 1/2 hour of closing and they were a bit soggy (but still yummy!).

Visiting a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):
I know every child with an ASD is different, but whenever we venture out, we always try to prepare as best as we can to minimize challenges.

As with any attraction we plan to visit, I researched any autism-related information, and I was very pleased to find this post on LEGOLAND's Model Mom Mary's blog regarding autism awareness, and how they provide exit passes to families of children with autism.

So upon arrival at LEGOLAND I was able to obtain an exit pass for my son (I loved that a Guest Services window was open before the actual park opened, which meant as soon as we entered the park we could go straight to a ride!).

Upon receiving the pass, I was advised to simply show the pass to an employee at the exit of any ride (with the exclusion of Fairy Tale Brook, which the pass is not valid on).  The employee would then proceed to let us know when we could go on.  Also, we were told the pass can only be used once an hour per ride.

Because the day we visited was a "slow" day, we only ended up using the pass twice (on the Safari Trek - since it was one of the rides closest to the entrance the line got long rather quickly, and Treasure Falls, because that ride had a pretty long line), and any other rides my son wanted to go on was either very short or non-existent and he was able to wait in line without any major issues.

Throughout our visit the only meltdowns he had was whenever he finished with Driving School.  Whenever it was over, he cried and screamed because he wanted to go again and again, but once we specifically told him how many more times he could drive again before we had to leave, he was able to self-calm and we were able to leave the ride.

Also, for those who have kids on a GFCF diet or any other special diet, LEGOLAND has a very handy Dietary Guide on its website with allergy information of various dining venues.

Final Thoughts:
Overall we had a fantastic time at LEGOLAND.

I love that LEGOLAND is an autism-friendly attraction, and that there was so much to see and do.  I also loved that there were so many LEGO creations all throughout the park, and even several places where kids could get creative and build their own creations.

Although there were a few employees that we encountered that were not too friendly, just about everyone else on staff were super friendly and helpful.

My kids had an amazing time, and they keep asking to go back (and hopefully when we do we'll get to stay in the new LEGOLAND hotel, which opens on April 5!).

Below are more photos from our visit. Enjoy!

LEGOLAND California: 1 Legoland Dr  Carlsbad, CA 92008; (760) 918-5346

 

Admission: 1-Day LEGOLAND: $78 Adults (ages 13+); $68 Kids (ages 3-12); Visit the LEGOLAND website for more ticket promotion options.

Parking: $12 for Cars

Thank you to LEGOLAND for providing complimentary passes for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.  I received no monetary compensation for this post.

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Off-Island: Daily Scoop - San Diego

Whenever we travel, our family always makes an effort to find an ice cream shop, and on our trip to San Diego, we visited Daily Scoop.

Upper Left = Chocolate

Upper Right = Strawberry

Lower Left = Sweet Cream & Peanut Butter

Lower Right = Chocolate Mexicano in a Waffle Bowl

The ice cream is Niederfrank's - all-natural, creamy, and very delicious.  I had the Chocolate Mexicano (the server said there was cinnamon and nutmeg in the ice cream), and it was really good.

We all enjoyed our ice cream from Daily Scoop!

Daily Scoop: 3004 Juniper St; San Diego, CA 92104; (619) 624-0920

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Off-Island: Reuben H. Fleet Science Center

While visiting San Diego, we knew we wanted to visit a museum in Balboa Park, and after reading about Kid City and the great exhibits at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, we knew that it would be a great choice.

Highlights of Our Visit:
Housing over 100 interactive exhibits, the world's first IMAX Dome Theater, and Kid City, where kids 5 and under can pretend in their own special city, the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is an attraction terrific for both kids and adults of all ages.

Explor-O-Rama featured numerous hands-on exhibits throughout the center, and my kids were excited to try as much as they could!  They loved the interacting with such exhibits as the Gravity Well, the Kaleidoscope, and the Giant Chair (click on photos to enlarge).

My kids absolutely loved Kid City (for kids ages 5 and under; older kids are allowed to enter, but they had to remain by their parent's/adult guardian's side).

My middle son loved going "grocery shopping" (he'd push the shopping cart throughout Kid City and pick up any stray groceries he'd find), and my oldest and youngest son LOVED the Ball Wall.  They loved watching balls getting sucked up in vacuum tubes and falling down through metal pegs. They remained at the Ball Wall for a very long time, and really enjoyed all there was to do there.

Other exhibits at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center included Great Balls of Fire, where my kids learned more about comets and asteroids; Block Busters!, where the kids were able to create their own masterpieces with wooden KEVA (Knowledge-Exploration-Visual-Arts) planks; and Cellular Journey, where we saw several exhibits about human bodies, cells, etc.

At the end of our visit we watched an IMAX film, Flight of the Butterflies, a movie about a zoologist who was determined to track the flight of the butterflies and figure out where they migrated to each winter.

The IMAX Dome Theater allowed for a stunning view of the story. Although we had to constantly look around to absorb entire scenes, it made everything look that much more impressive - whether it was a single butterfly or thousands of butterflies on screen.

Food:
For lunch we bought food from Galileo's Cafe.

The boys got Pepperoni Pizzas ($2.95); I ordered a Fleet Club Sandwich ($6.75); my husband ordered a Greek Salad ($5.25).

My sandwich was quite good, and I thought the prices were pretty reasonable, especially considering the location!

Visiting with a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):
I know every child with an ASD is different, but we always try various techniques to minimize challenges whenever we travel.

Prior to our visit, we made sure to tell him where we were going and what he expected to see.  I anticipated that he would really enjoy the Ball Wall, which he did, and another exhibit he became fascinated with was the Kugelbahn exhibit.

This exhibit featured billiard balls rolling about through a sculpture via various forms of energy.

My son could have stayed at this exhibit for our entire visit, either turning the wheel himself to watch the balls move, or simply to watch the balls in motion as other kids turned the wheel.

Because he loved the exhibit so much, whenever we could sense him becoming over-stimulated, or to help him recover from a meltdown, we'd simply go back to the Kugelbahn exhibit.

Also, there were plenty of benches and other seating throughout the center available for us to use if he needed to take a mini-break to rest.

Final Thoughts:
Although I think the age limit could be increased at Kid City (I completely understand the limit due to safety reasons, but I could totally see older kids enjoying all there is in Kid City), I loved how it helps to foster kids' imaginations and creativity.

Overall The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center had a nice variety of exhibits and is a great attraction to keep visitors of all ages intrigued and entertained, while learning interesting facts about science.

Below are more photos from our trip.  Enjoy!

Reuben H. Fleet Science Center: 1875 El Prado; San Diego, CA 92101; (619) 238-1233

Free Parking

Admission: $11.75 Adults (Ages 13+); $9.75 Juniors (Ages 3-12 and Seniors Ages 65+); visit the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center website for special discounts and offers.

Thank you to the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center for the complimentary passes for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.  I received no monetary compensation for this post.

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Off-Island: Birch Aquarium at Scripps

After a 20-minute drive through rain and fog a couple of Saturdays ago, we arrived at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps, which turned out to be so much more than I expected (click on photos to enlarge).

Highlights of Our Visit:
Sitting atop a hillside with spectacular views, the Birch Aquarium at Scripps houses numerous exhibits and hands-on displays to help visitors learn more about ocean science and conservation.

In the Hall of Fishes, we saw so many amazing sea creatures, like a ray, a wolf eel, and a lionfish; and at the Tide Pool Plaza my boys got to touch sea stars.

The Kelp Forest Tank was one of my favorite exhibits. An enormous 70,000-gallon tank filled with a variety of ocean life was just an amazing sight. 

 

I also loved seeing all the jellies.  One interesting exhibit was full of plastic (below, right), demonstrating how predators who eat jellyfish could often times mistake floating pieces of plastic for jellyfish, and how ingesting them can do so much damage. 

The exhibits in There's Something About Seahorses were also very popular.  There were so many beautiful seahorses on display, as well as some very adorable baby seahorses in the nursery (the ones on the right were born on 12/25/12).

Both inside and outside of the aquarium there were numerous interactive exhibits.

Inside, Feeling the Heat: The Climate Change focused on environmental changes; outside, Boundless Energy showcased how natural sources of energy can power various objects (like see-saws).

All three of my boys' LOVED the interactive water exhibit by Tom Egan, in which they erected barriers and tried to get boats across the water through the energy of the water's currents. They literally could've played at that exhibit all day!

Food: 
We did not eat at the aquarium, but the Splash! Cafe is located near the entrance for those who wish to purchase food, snacks, and drinks.

Visiting with a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): 

I know every child with an ASD is different, but we always try various techniques to minimize challenges whenever we travel.

As with other attractions we visit, we told my oldest son, who has an ASD, where we'd be going and what he'd expect to see ahead of time, and during our visit we allowed him to peruse the map and help us decide where to go next.

We arrived at the aquarium when it opened, so there was no crowd, however, by the time we left (after an hour and a half), there was a very large crowd at the aquarium, so for children who may get overwhelmed with crowds, visit early to try and avoid them.

Because many children with an ASD are prone to wandering, like my son, it can be scary venturing out, but because the Birch Aquarium at Scripps is not very large, he was always well within sight even if he started to walk a few steps ahead of us (but still always keep an eye on your children!).

And if he started to get overstimulated, we simply found somewhere to sit so we could take a break (there are few places to sit both inside and outside the aquarium).

Final Thoughts:
Although the overall facility is small, Birch Aquarium at Scripps is packed with a lot of fun, informative exhibits.

I love that the Birch Aquarium at Scripps is both educational and entertaining, and that there were so many exhibits to keep my kids occupied and intrigued.

It's a beautiful aquarium with a great mission in helping to teach visitors the importance of the ocean.

Below is a slideshow of more photos from our visit.  Enjoy!

Birch Aquarium at Scripps: 2300 Expedition Way La Jolla, CA 92037 (858) 534-3474

Parking: Free for three hours.

Admission: $14 Adults; $9.50 Child (ages 3-17) 

Thank you to Birch Aquarium at Scripps for providing complimentary passes for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.  I received no monetary compensation for this post.

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