Today is October 1, which means for the next 30 days kids and families can enjoy:

Free admission into the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park during Kid Free Days. All children ages 3 – 11 will receive complimentary admission into both parks for the entire month.

Free admission on any one- or two-hour Harbor Cruise of San Diego Bay with Hornblower Cruises & Events. Complimentary tickets will be provided for up to two children, ages 12 and under, per each paying adult for the entire month.

Half-priced admission into four museums in Balboa Park: the Mingei International Museum, the Museum of Man, the Museum of San Diego History and the Museum of Photographic Arts (MoPA) will offer half-priced admission every Saturday and Sunday morning from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.  Note: this offer is actually valid through May 31, 2010 with some blackout days effective after October 31; please check museums to verify for half-priced admission days.

Tags: balboa park, cruise, deals, free, harbor, museum, san diego bay, wild animal park, zoo

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Labor Day weekend is upon us, which unofficially marks the end of summer and the beginning of fall.  And while the transition of the seasons might go unnoticed in San Diego because our beach days and sunshine will last well into November (I’m not bragging, I’m just saying…), this weekend does mean “LAST CALL!” on some of San Diego’s summertime specialties:

1. This weekend, catch this year’s final celebration of  Summer Nights at SeaWorld with fireworks, live music, special animal shows like Shamu Rocks and Sea Lions Tonite and the award-winning dance show Riptide. The park will be open 9 a.m. – 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Monday. Note: It’s also the VERY LAST weekend to catch the Dolphin Discovery show before SeaWorld begins construction on a brand new dolphin show, Blue Horizons, coming in May 2010.
2. Spend your evenings exploring the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park during Park at Dark where you can see the park’s nocturnal creatures emerge, take a sunset tour on the Journey Into Africa tram and catch special summer shows. The park will be open from 9 a.m. – 8p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
3. Check out the Caras Silvestres celebration during Nighttime Zoo at the San Diego Zoo. Honoring the cultures of California and Central and South America, the Zoo will present live music, colorful dance performances and amazing shows with stilt walkers and exotic animals. The Zoo will be open from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
4. Hurry over and place your bets at the Del Mar Racetrack for the last weekend of horse races. Races will be in full swing Saturday through Monday but I suggest you try your luck on Sunday when the country’s top horses compete in the $1 Million Pacific Classic, Del Mar’s richest and most prestigious race (and if you win big, you owe me). Later that day, following the last race, stop by the Reggae Festival with featured performances from Ziggy Marley and Nikka Costa; entrance to the concert is free with racetrack general admission tickets.
5. This Saturday, Sunday and Monday, The New Children’s Museum in downtown San Diego is celebrating the FINAL weekend of its first exhibition, childsplay, before they close in preperation for their new exhibition Animal Art, opening in October. So come on by for your last chance to jump in the pillow room, navigate through a two story maze and dance around in the Rain House. Note: Ziggy Marley will also make a special appearance at the museum on Saturday while he debuts his new children’s album, “Family Time.”

Tags: 5 to try, animals, del mar, downtown, labor day weekend, mission bay, seaworld, summer, things to do, what to do, wild animal park, zoo

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Want to learn how you can get this up-close view of a giraffe?

Then, listen up.  This week’s Travel Like A Local radio show is all about the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park up in Escondido. 

Special guests from the park share tips that will help you to make the most from a visit to this incredible 1,800 acre preserve where wild animals roam free over vast expanses – just as they would in their natural habitats in Africa and Asia.

We’ve told you about the new Flightline zip line ride that opened at the park a couple of times before on the blog.  That’s hardly secret anymore. 

But, on the show, they dig into the new Dino Mountain exhibit that lets you step back in time to when dinosaurs ruled the earth with amazing animatronic dinos on display in the park’s conifer forest.  They also talk about the Photo Caravan - where you’ll get up-close with giraffes, rhinos and more – and the new Rolling Safari off-road segway tours that let you go deeper into the park and closer to the animals than ever before.

All this and much, much more from the Wild Animal Park on this week’s Travel Like A Local.

Tags: escondido, travel like a local, wild animal park

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Here’s your chance!

As you may recall, back in May I told you about the new Flightline zip-line adventure at the Wild Animal Park. You know, the one where you soar 400 feet above animals, flying at about 40+ miles per hour?

Well recently, some of my fellow bloggers and I took it upon ourselves to test out the Flightline adventure to ensure our trusted readers the highest quality and most accurate information. (It’s a tough job but someone’s gotta do it, right?)

Check it out!

Here’s what we thought…

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: adventure, things to do, wild animal park

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Treat dad to a special Father’s Day this weekend and check out these fun events :

1. This Saturday, watch adorable pups ride the waves during the 4th Annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition at Imperial Beach.  This free event, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., features talented surfing dogs as they surf in three different heats: small dogs, large dogs and tandem. 

2. Head over to the UCSD campus this Saturday and Sunday and check out the 23rd Annual La Jolla Festival of Arts and Food Fair.  The festival will have nearly 200 art displays, live music, food, book signings, and special events just for dads.  The festival will also have a new attraction, Calle Color, a live street chalking exhibition.

3. Beginning this weekend, explore  Park at Dark when the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park extends its summer hours to 8 p.m. As daylight turns to darkness, take nightime tours on Journey Into Africa, catch new summer shows with special animal encounters and watch as the park’s nocturnal creatures emerge. 

4. Eat, shop and explore the Little Italy Mercato this Saturday from 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.  More than 70 booths will take over Date Street and offer farm fresh produce, artisan foods and specialty items.  There will also be live music and a special pet place.

5. Celebrate Father’s Day this Sunday by taking dad on a special kayaking adventure.  Bike and Kayak Tours in La Jolla is offering all dads FREE kayak tours after 4 p.m. while the rest of the family will receive 10% off their tour.

Tags: 5 to try, coronado, dog, festival, free, kayak, la jolla, little italy, surfing, wild animal park

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Ben Stiller is hilarious but, I’m not sure I’d be up for spending a night at the museum when he’s on duty.  For families looking to make amazing memories without risking ancient Egyptian curses, San Diego has cool sleepovers in unusual places like:

• Ahoy, matey!  The San Diego Maritime Museum on San Diego Bay has family sleepovers aboard the world’s oldest active tall ship, the Star of India.  Sailors for the day can help set sail, haul cargo and stand watch at night.
• Grrrr…get wild with family sleepovers at The San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park and “Roar & Snore” camping at the Zoo’s Wild Animal Park in Escondido.  Both include behind the scenes access and animal encounters.
• Breakfast with the dolphins?  Over on Mission Bay at SeaWorld, the family sleepovers are just the beginning.  You can spend the whole following day exploring park’s rides, shows and exhibits - admission is included.   
  

  Good morning Mr. Dolphin!

Tags: balboa park, escondido, family, maritime museum, mission bay, san diego bay, seaworld, sleepover, wild animal park, zoo

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A relatively short drive out of downtown San Diego finds you at one of my very favorite spots to bring family and friends.  Affectionally called the WAP by locals, the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park is located in North County San Diego (Escondido) and encompasses nearly 1700 acres!

Being further inland than the Zoo, the climate makes it perfect for African and Asian animals.  And with so much land available, the WAP is able to create a more natural area for the animals to live in.

The Journey into Africa tour included in their Best Value ticket gives you a great overall perspective of lower enclosures of the Park in just 30 minutes.  Animals of different species mix freely in large “exhibit” areas – much in the way I would imagine them to do in nature.

 

Part of the really cool element of the Wild Animal Park is their “premium features”.  Take a Photo Caravan tour through either the African or Asian enclosures, and you will truly be up close and personal with these animals.  You’ll even get a chance to feed giraffes or rhinos!  If you don’t plan on going on a true African Safari in the next say 30 or 40 years, this is absolutely a once-in-a-lifetime experience!  The WAP’s new Flightline experience looks totally cool as well.  I haven’t had the chance to experience it myself yet, but am looking forward to it.  And in a truly imaginative way of mixing technology and nature, the Park’s Rolling Safari tour has you touring around the outside of enclosures on a Segway!  Too bad our caveman ancestors didn’t have these babies…hunting would have been much easier!

Another experience at the WAP that I have been wanting to do for YEARS is their Roar & Snore sleepover program.  They’ve got nice, canvas tents set up on a hill overlooking the African enclosure where you get to camp overnight!  Campers are treated to the growls of lions and the calls of various animals all night.  (You thought your husband snored loudly!)  The experience includes behind-the-scenes tours of the Park, your meals, and special animal presentations – this ain’t your typical camping experience!  They’ve got Family nights, Adults Only nights and even nights just for Girl Scout troops.  These experiences are so popular that they book up fast, so I’d recommend booking plenty in advance if you’re interested.

Tags: animals, camping, photography, segway, wild animal park, zoo

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Calling all adventure seekers…

Check out Flightline at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park.  This new zip-line adventure soars 400 feet above exotic animal exhibits at speeds up to 50 mph!

The 1.5-hour experience includes a brief training lesson, behind-the-scenes education and an unforgettable aerial adventure. 

Participants must be at least 10 years old and weigh between 75 and 250 pounds; the cost is $70 in addition to park admission.

Enjoy your flight…

Tags: adventure, what to do, wild animal park

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