Best Things to Do During Spring Break for Kids in San Diego 2025

Surfing may not be the first thing you think about when you’re looking for activities to do with your kids for Spring Break, but I can tell you that if your family is even the least bit sporty, there is little like sitting on a surfboard in the lineup and looking at nothing but blue ocean. That is true for adults and kids alike. It’s my way of meditation!

Surf culture runs deep in San Diego. Southern California is known for its surfing and there are countless beaches that are perfect for everyone from the first time surfer to the experienced pro.

And so with kids, how about signing up for a surf lesson! All-age surfing lessons are available daily during Spring Break. Lessons will include everything you need in terms of gear and instruction. Trained and certified guides will teach you the basics and have you and your kids in the waves, making memories in no time.

And if you and your kids already know how to surf, get the best prices on surfboard rentals with a Go City San Diego pass using discount code GVSD5OFF.

There are few better places in all of Southern California to learn how to surf than La Jolla and its beaches, many of which have helped shape the history of surfing in San Diego, like Windansea Beach.

And while La Jolla is fantastic for surfing, there are plenty of great surfing beaches all around San Diego County. The Pacific Beach area can offer consistent waves for beginners, especially at PB Point and Tourmaline Surf Park.

As my first choice for our 2025 list of the best things to do with kids for Spring Break in San Diego, we also included this incredible family activity as one of the items on our Complete Guide to All the Holidays in San Diego.

Stay Near the La Jolla Surf

I promised you hotel recommendations on our 2025 list of the best things to do for Spring Break in San Diego with kids and my first will be the Grande Colonial La Jolla.

Located on the northern point of the La Jolla neighborhood and near multiple beaches perfect for surfing, this 4-star, historic 1913 hotel has been freshly modernized into a luxury boutique experience perfect for some R & R after a day in the surf!

The world-famous San Diego Zoo is the most popular attraction in San Diego for good reason. Listed as the most visited and 6th biggest animal park in the United States, the park features more than 12,000 animals and 600+ different species.

If your kids are like mine and love animals, take them to see the giant pandas which just returned from China in 2024. My kids also love the koalas, the largest colony outside of Australia.

The park is designed to educate kids and adults alike with information cards throughout the park.

For the adults, if your Spring Break falls in early May or perhaps you’re a local, Saturday May 3rd is the yearly Food, Wine and Brew event, an evening filled with entertainment, food, wine, and of course the animals! My niece, Mom and I loved the event last year and would recommend the VIP passes this year as they include perks like skipping the line, a cool hang out area and better bathrooms.

For the cheapest tickets to the zoo, get a Go City San Diego pass using discount code GVSD5OFF to ensure you get the absolute lowest prices for your family.

Stay Near the San Diego Zoo

While there are no hotels directly in Balboa Park, there are a number of really nice hotel options near Balboa Park.

I’d recommend The Dana on Mission Bay. Located in Mission Bay next to SeaWorld San Diego, a sea life themed park worth considering with your kids, the hotel has a relaxed family feel with two pools perfect for splashing around with your kids.

And at under 10 miles and usually about a 15 minutes rideshare away from Balboa Park, you can be at the zoo in no time!

Our 2024 list of the best things to do with kids for Spring Break focused on one of my kids absolute favorite museums in Balboa Park, the Fleet Science Center.

While this museum is perfect for kids with interactive displays that capture their imaginations, for 2025 we decided to leave the museum selection up to you and your kids interest as Balboa Park features more than a dozen museums to choose from!

My kids would recommend the Nat (San Diego Natural History Museum), Air & Space Museum, Museum of Photographic Arts. All of these museums are part of the All-inclusive Go City San Diego pass. Purchase your pass with our discount code GVSD5OFF to save on admission to each of these museums and all around San Diego.

Stay Near a Balboa Park Museum

My hotel choice here is the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa!

Located off Mission Blvd. between Pacific Beach and Mission Beach, the family-friendly Polynesian themed property features a pool, arcade and incredible koi pond. At just 10 miles from the Balboa Park, a stay at the Catamaran means you can enjoy Spring Break with your kids at the beach while still staying close to the museums in Balboa Park as well!

Another storied animal park in San Diego worth visiting with your kids over Spring Break is the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido.

Located about 45 minutes north of the San Diego Zoo, this park has more land and thus puts a special emphasis on big animals like elephants, giraffes and rhinos to name a few of my kid’s favorites.

My kids also love the Safari Excursions! While there are multiple options, the Wildlife Safari includes a 90-minute ride on an open-air truck that will get you up close and personal. It’s an opportunity to learn about the animals plus the conservation efforts at the core of the park's mission. This specific adventure is an add-on starting at $95.

My daughter would want me to also mention the Hidden Jungle, a habitat that’s home to the park’s butterflies and the Butterfly Jungle Safari.

Kids can learn about the life cycle of these insects and walk among them. Unique experiences like these can be found all throughout our list that covers not just Spring Break, but All the Holidays in San Diego.

The Butterfly Jungle Safari is a 20-minute activity running from March 29th – April 20th, 2025, which can be added on to any general admission ticket for an additional $18.

And to keep your Spring Break budget-friendly, grab a Go City San Diego pass with our discount code GVSD50FF to save on park admission.

Stay Near the San Diego Zoo Safari Park

While the San Diego Zoo Safari Park is inland from the beach, my recommendation here is the Mission Pacific Hotel in Oceanside.

Also known as the Mission Pacific Beach Resort – JDV by Hyatt, the family-friendly hotel offers chic, clean rooms and a rooftop pool with views of the Pacific Ocean.

Yes, it will be about a 40-45 minute drive to the park, but it will also allow for a Spring Break that includes time at one of our fantastic beaches as well.

New to our list for 2025 is a visit with your kids to the massive USS Midway on the beautiful San Diego Bay. This real naval aircraft carrier was the longest serving aircraft carrier of the 20th century and now is a museum with a large collection of aircraft onboard.

As an iconic piece of San Diego, a visit is more than an average experience, it’s an education exploring the military history of San Diego and beyond!

The USS Midway is part of the Go City San Diego pass, so grab a few before you go using discount code GVSD5OFF to make sure you get the lowest price.

Stay Near the USS Midway

The USS Midway is located in the San Diego Bay along the Embarcadero, so in Downtown San Diego. This incredible location means plenty of fantastic hotel choices nearby!

My pick here is the InterContinental San Diego, and IHG Hotel. Located in the Marina San Diego, this bay front hotel is a modern glass building featuring upscale rooms, quality dining and a pool perfect for your entire family.

For many, spring break is synonymous with the sea and sand. For families, however, the prospect of navigating the college Spring Break crowds can be daunting, as many of San Diego’s beaches attract young adults from all across Southern California.

If you’re looking to cool off in the Pacific Ocean in a more family-friendly atmosphere, head to the La Jolla Underwater Park in La Jolla. The Underwater Park is an excellent spot to swim, snorkel, paddle, and try out other water sports.

Besides surfing of course, kayaking is my family’s favorite water activity!

There are a couple of awesome kayaking tours I’d suggest you consider. The 2-hour Kayak Tour of the 7 Caves explores the sea cliffs and caves as you kayak through the La Jolla Ecological Reserve. You’ll get to kayak through three habitats - rocky reefs, sandy flats, and kelp beds.

My other choice would be the 2.5-Hour Kayak and Snorkel Tour. This adventure is a bit longer but also includes snorkeling which will get you close to garibaldi, sea lions, and possibly even friendly leopard sharks!

Stay in La Jolla

If you want to stay in La Jolla near where the kayaking tour starts, stay at La Valencia Hotel. The hotel offers old-world charm with modern finishes.

Located in the heart of La Jolla, the hotel has a Mediterranean feel offering views of the pool or Pacific Ocean.

For more options, check out our article reviewing the best hotels in La Jolla.

There are plenty of options for taking a tour of San Diego’s sights, but we chose the San Diego SEAL City Tour for our 2025 list because it’s the only one that will take you to locations both on land and on the sea.

Also featured in our list of the 13 Best Harbor Cruises & Boat Tours in San Diego, the SEAL Tour uses a unique “amphibious bus” that can drive around the streets and traverse the harbor.

SEAL Tours are $53 per person and are offered from 10:00am - 2:45pm daily. They depart from Seaport Village, a cozy shopping and dining center where you can pick up some souvenirs.

Stay Near the SEAL Tour

Leaving from Seaport Village, I’ll pick a hotel near Downtown San Diego with a little twist.

The Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa is a beautiful property just across the Coronado bridge on Coronado Island. The resort has three pools with views of the city’s skyline and is perfect for families.

Also found in the Embarcadero along the San Diego Bay next to the Star of India and USS Midway is one of my family’s favorite museums, the Maritime Museum!

San Diego’s seafaring and naval history is quite grand and a trip to the Maritime Museum is the perfect way for you and your kids to learn all about it.

If you just want to visit the Maritime Museum, tickets are about $24 per person. But if you want to visit more attractions like the USS Midway, get a Go City San Diego pass using savings code GVSD5OFF instead which will offer you discounted admission prices to both.

Stay Near the Maritime Museum

There are a lot of really nice family-friendly hotels in Downtown San Diego and near the Embarcadero but to stay near the Maritime Museum I’d suggest the Kona Kai Resort & Spa, A Noble House Resort.

Located on Shelter Island which lines the mouth of the San Diego Bay, this 3-star resort is family-friendly with skyline and bay views, fire pits and a great pool.

Belmont Park is a historic theme park spread over 7 acres that was built on Mission Beach in 1925 by none other than John D. Spreckels. The park has thrill rides like the iconic Giant Dipper Roller Coaster. My daughter is a huge fan of old wooden roller coasters and this is one of her favorites.

When I think of the park I think ‘part fair’ with games and cotton candy and ‘part theme park’ with rides and entertainment. What I know for sure is that the park is old-fashion family fun that is sure to be a hit with your family.

Admission can be had at a discount through the Go City San Diego pass using our code GVSD5OFF.

Stay Near Belmont Park

Belmont Park is located on Mission Beach and my hotel recommendation is less than 2 miles from the park officially in Mission Bay.

The Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina has a big pool with a waterslide and clean rooms large enough for families.

SeaWorld San Diego in Mission Bay Park is the perfect theme park to visit for families that are interested in animals and learning about our oceans. If your kids like marine life such as dolphins, penguins and seals or like to ride thrill rides, this park would be a great choice!

Another perk of visiting SeaWorld San Diego in the spring on the weekends is the Seven Seas Food Festival set for March 7th – April 27th, 2025. With more than 20 stalls and 150 items to choose from, this was the event that brought me back to the park after many years away.

And my kids and I loved it so much that we’ll be visiting SeaWorld over Spring Break this year to enjoy the wide variety of tasty food and drinks once again!

Stay Near SeaWorld San Diego

My choice for a hotel near SeaWorld San Diego is the Paradise Point Resort & Spa.

Located just minutes from the park on its own island in the middle of Mission Bay, the rooms and bungalows are clean and inviting. The complex is massive with a spa and five pools which is perfect for families with kids.

San Diego is home to more than 75 picturesque beaches that line our Pacific Ocean coast, and curl through the beautiful bays of Mission Bay and the San Diego Bay.

I’m a longtime resident of the Pacific Beach neighborhood so when it comes to family fun in the sand and sea, I really enjoy North Pacific Beach, but honestly there are many great choices.

If you’re in La Jolla, La Jolla Cove and La Jolla Shores have nice sand and are also great for a swim. If you’re in Coronado, Coronado Central Beach is very popular with families and the view of the iconic Hotel del Coronado, a Curio Collection by Hilton hotel is one that I personally really enjoy.

You could also pick one of the Mission Bay Park beaches like Bonita Cove as the water is smoother and safe for young kids. Mission Bay just so happens to be a great place to kayak or go stand up paddle boarding.

My kids also love exploring the tide pools, especially during low tide, when the sea creatures are easy to see up close. La Jolla Tide Pools is a good choice as is Point Loma Tide Pools. For a complete list, check out our article covering the best tide pools in San Diego.

Stay On Pacific Beach

If you’re looking for a family-friendly hotel on the beach, you’ve picked the right city!

Since North Pacific Beach is my first choice I’ll give you a recommendation near that beach that is great for families. Choose the 4-star Pacific Terrace Hotel. Located on the boardwalk, the hotel offers ocean views and a heated pool and hot tub.

Kids can experience the thrill of paddling, surfing, and sailing in San Diego at the Mission Bay Spring Break Camp. Held daily from 8:30am – 4:00pm, you can’t go wrong spending Spring Break in the water, and the camp allows kids to learn new skills and keep active.

Instructors will teach your kids the basics in their sport of choice, so beginners are welcome!

Spring Break Camp in 2025 will be held from March 31st - April 4th at the Mission Bay Aquatic Center. Class times vary, so check the official site for more information.

Stay Near the Mission Bay Spring Break Camp for Kids

My choice here is another beautiful family-friendly hotel on Mission Bay, the San Diego Mission Bay Resort.

Located on the east side of the bay, the contemporary hotel offers bay views, fire pits, a refreshing pool and all this along a white sand beach perfect for kids.

If you’ve made it this far down the list then you surely have a number of ideas of how to best spend some quality time with your kids during Spring Break.

But while much like the field of 68 college basketball teams in the field of March Madness where not everyone can quite get in, we felt our first activities not to officially make our 2025 list still were worth a mention!

If you have young kids, consider taking them to LEGOLAND California in Carlsbad. The park has rides and character meet-and-greets perfect for your elementary school kids plus the theme park’s newest land known as Dino Valley has LEGO dinosaurs which are an absolute hit.

Sesame Place San Diego was another attraction that just missed our list for 2025 but could still be well worth your time. The waterpark has slides, rides and splash zones plus parades, shows and of course the characters from Sesame Street.

Stay Near LEGOLAND California

I’ll stick with a hotel suggestion in Carlsbad near LEGLOLAND California for this one and say that the LEGOLAND Castle Hotel is my pick.

The theming of the rooms is incredible with Ninjago rooms and princess rooms to name a few. And the location connected to LEGOLAND California couldn’t be any better!