San Diego is a wonderland for young children at any time of the year and the holiday season provides its own set of special delights.   No visit to San Diego is complete without visiting our world-famous  San Diego Zoo .  I recommend getting there by 10 a.m. and heading straight for the Skyfari over to the polar bear exhibit for the most likely time to see them frolicking in their plunge pool.  Don’t miss the huge kimono dragon at the reptile exhibit, or the monkey trail for a fascinating encounter with apes and gorillas.   Visit the Zoo and the Wild Animal Park within 5 days to receive a discount price; it’s your final opportunity to see the spectacular Festival of Lights before it moves to the zoo next year.  Beginning December 13^th until Jan 3^rd, from 4 -9 pm, this 1,800 acre park is glowing with thousands of colored lights, with night-time  up-close tours of Journey into Africa, a real Snow Hill for sliding fun (bring kid’s water-proof clothing or a change of clothes), a Black Light Puppet Show and a visit from Santa and the Winter Princess.

Between the Zoo and Balboa Park is the beautiful 1910 Carousel, an absolute favorite of my daughter’s when she was a tot.  There is a menagerie of animals, still the originals, some of which move and some don’t; you’re allowed to stand beside your little one.  Then all aboard on the Balboa Park  Miniature Train ride, a fun 3 minute ride, including tunnels.

Balboa Park has many interesting museums (alternating with free  admission on Tuesdays), but our favorite is the Reuben H. Fleet Science Museum with its 100+ hands-on exhibits and brand new IMAX theatre.  Kid City provides fun for infants through age 5, and until January 4^th, the Animal Grossology exhibit will teach your little one gross facts about vomit munchers, slime makers, blood suckers and other such disgusting information.  The Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theatre is featuring The Merry Christmas Show, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rumpelstiltskin in the upcoming weeks.   The San Diego Air and Space Museum has a Star Trek exhibit for trekkies and little boys also love the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.  For a true San Diego tradition, get tickets  through December 28, to How The Grinch Stole Christmas at the Old Globe Theatre (for ages 3-19); it’s excellent!

Another fun venture for a rainy day is The New Children’s Museum at 200 West Island Avenue; there are lots of craft activities and a fun pillow fight room.  Of course, Legoland in Carlsbad,  is great for kids aged 2-12, and Sea World also offers lots of interactive activities and a wonderful playground.

Catch the San Diego Bay Ferry from 1050 N. Harbor Drive at the Broadway Pier in downtown over to Coronado, have lunch at one of the many restaurants by The Ferry Landing Place, and rent a bike with Burley trailer or a surrey-on-top 2-4 person pedaler which have extra jump seats for children in the front from Bikes and Beyond (they have kites for rent too).   The bike path offers magnificent city views and takes you to a great children’s playground by the Coronado bridge.  On 12/21/08, from 5:30-9 pm, you can enjoy the San Diego Boat Parade of Lights, a traditional Christmas present to San Diego from the boating community.

And we are here to take traveling stress away, offering a wide variety of clean, quality, baby equipment rentals from cribs to toys to strollers to car seats with delivery service.  Have a wonderful holiday season!