San Diego Theme Parks to Visit

SeaWorld - San Diego

Shamu

Experience the legacy of Shamu. ©2006 Busch Entertainment Corporation. All rights reserved.

Face it—while you can distract yourself with other San Diego attractions, the reason you are going (especially if the kids have anything to say about it) is to have fun at the most popular San Diego theme parks. What is it about theme parks that people of all ages enjoy? Without getting too scientific, the easy answer is: the thrilling rides, the exotic animal life and the interactive electronic fun! What are the best San Diego theme parks to visit? Without even thinking you may be able to name three of the top San Diego theme parks to visit: Disneyland, SeaWorld and Universal Studios. Here are a few impressions of those three big names along with a fourth option that you won't want to miss.

Start with SeaWorld, the home of Shamu and one of the best attractions for all three activities: exciting rides, interactive animal life and electronic fun. SeaWorld offers a wet experience on all levels. You get to ride below the surface, above the waves and even completely soaked, which is a welcomed rush in the hot summer. There are many water rides, as well as interactive features such as the Haunted Lighthouse in 4-D, the Journey to Atlantis and a helicopter simulation. After relaxing from all the excitement you can touch and feed the dolphins, a welcome change after hearing "no feeding" rules from the zoos. You can also enjoy exciting shows such as Meet Shamu, the killer whale with a gentle spirit, and the spectacle that is Mystique de la Mer.

With the Disneyland Parks experience, you get round-trip transportation from San Diego to either Disneyland or the new, Disney California Adventure! Disneyland has over 60 different attractions and has earned a reputation worldwide as one of the most exciting theme parks. All of your favorite characters are part of the Disneyland experience, from Buzz Lightyear of Toy Story to Indiana Jones to fairy tale beauties like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. Disney's California Adventure has much of Disney's charm with more emphasis on the California area, as opposed to the Disney Empire. Guests can still find a variety of rides and roller coasters, live shows, fine dining and anything but typical theme park fun.

Universal Studios may appeal to more teenagers, as it forgoes the lovable cutesy characters but still includes many of your favorite characters from movies past and present. With a ticket to Universal Studios you get round trip transportation from San Diego to the famous park-studio. Many of the rides are directly tied in to top grossing movies such as Jurassic Park and Terminator. You can also tour actual studio back lots where movies have been filmed, dressing rooms of the stars and actual productions being filmed. If you love action or have an ongoing love affair with great cinema, then Universal Studios is a must-see attraction.

Finally, there is LegoLand, California, a unique alternative to the other parks and one just as entertaining as it is informative about the history of Legos. LegoLand will particularly appeal to Lego fans, who would appreciate elaborate Lego constructions of famous places, while the everyday theme park fan will enjoy exciting rides like the Coastersaurus and Aquazone Race, along with comedy shows.

Experience the best side of San Diego with these four world-renowned theme parks!