Fall Break came earlier than usual for us this year. With a wedding in San Francisco, we decided to add a few days in San Diego, knowing our kids would love it. So we packed up our family of six — ages 7, 5, 3, and 1 — and headed to California for a mix of kid-friendly adventures, good food, a wedding, and lots of time with friends and family.
San Diego gave us big kid days filled with animals, rides, and SeaWorld, while San Francisco was slower-paced and centered more around family and friends, with some sightseeing mixed in.
Traveling with four kids always requires some flexibility (and comes with a few very tired kids!), but overall, it was such a fun way to spend Fall Break.
San Diego Highlights
For the San Diego portion of our trip, we stayed at the Westin Carlsbad, which was a great home base for our family. After full days of exploring, it was so nice to come back to a comfortable, high-quality hotel with plenty of space to relax with four little ones.
A few things we especially loved:
Beautiful, upscale hotel: The Westin felt polished and comfortable without feeling overly formal or difficult with kids.
Very close to LEGOLAND: The hotel is just minutes from LEGOLAND, making it especially convenient for families visiting the park.
Great for families: With a pool and plenty of space to unwind, it gave us an easy place to relax between busy sightseeing days.
Convenient location: It was a great base for exploring Carlsbad and the surrounding San Diego area without needing to change hotels.
We thought about staying at the Legoland hotel, but after researching reviews, I felt unsure about it. For our family, having a nice hotel that was also convenient for the kids' activities made a big difference.
SeaWorld San Diego
Our first big outing was SeaWorld, which was such a fun experience with kids of different ages. We also appreciated seeing how SeaWorld has increasingly incorporated animal rescue, rehabilitation, education, and conservation into the park experience, alongside the rides and entertainment.
Since we visited during Fall Break, we also got to experience Halloween Spooktacular, SeaWorld's family-friendly Halloween festival. This year's event runs Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from September 11 through November 1, 2026, with trick-or-treating, a pumpkin patch, character meet-and-greets, and the new Baby Shark Halloween Show.
What worked well for our four kids:
🎢 Older kids (7 & 5): Loved the rides and bigger attractions.
🐠 Younger kids (3 & 1): Enjoyed seeing the animals and taking in the shows.
🎃 Everyone: Spooktacular added an extra layer of fun with Halloween activities and characters.
👨👩👧👦 Mixed ages: There was enough variety that we didn't feel like anyone was being left out.
San Diego Zoo
We also spent a day at the San Diego Zoo, one of the most renowned zoos in the world and a longtime leader in wildlife conservation. With its huge variety of animals, immersive habitats, and interactive experiences for kids, it felt like much more than just a traditional zoo day.
A few kid highlights:
🐼 Giant pandas: Panda Ridge was a must-see, especially now that Yun Chuan and Xin Bao have returned to San Diego. We also loved the Red Panda there!
🐆 Leopards & big cats: Our kids loved getting a closer look at the leopards and other big cats.
🧗 Wildlife Explorers Basecamp: A great spot for kids to climb, explore, and burn off some energy between animal exhibits.
🚠 Skyfari: A fun way to give little legs a break while getting a bird's-eye view of the zoo.
🚌 Guided bus tour: Another helpful option when you're traveling with younger kids and everyone needs a break from walking.
With four kids, we try not to underestimate how much energy a zoo day takes! We gave ourselves plenty of time to explore without feeling like we had to see absolutely everything, which made the day much more enjoyable.
LEGOLAND California
Of course, we couldn't take our LEGO-loving kids to Southern California without making a stop at LEGOLAND California!
This was probably one of the most anticipated parts of the trip for our kids. Between the rides, LEGO displays, and all of the little details throughout the park, there was plenty to keep them entertained.
A few highlights for our kids:
🧱 LEGO everywhere: From massive LEGO models to Miniland U.S.A., there was so much for our LEGO-obsessed kids to stop and look at.
🎢 Rides for different ages: There are plenty of family-friendly rides, plus bigger attractions for the older kids, which worked well with our 7, 5, 3, and 1-year-old.
💦 Water play: The younger kids especially loved having opportunities to cool off and play between rides.
🏎️ Driving experiences: The LEGO-themed driving attractions were a big hit with our kids, who loved getting behind the wheel.
🐉 Themed areas: Each section of the park has its own LEGO theme, which made walking around feel like part of the experience rather than simply moving from ride to ride.
👶 Toddler-friendly options: There are plenty of areas and attractions for younger kids, so our 3- and 1-year-old weren't left watching their older siblings all day.
Wrap-Up
For us, San Diego ended up being the perfect place to let the kids really be kids. We filled our days with the things they love most and then headed back to the hotel for some downtime — which, with four kids, is just as important as the activities themselves!. But of course, would any California trip be complete without multiple stops at In N Out Burger?
San Francisco Highlights
After San Diego, we headed up to San Francisco for the second half of our trip. The main reason for San Francisco was actually a wedding, so this part of the trip looked very different from San Diego. A lot of our time was spent with friends and family, which was honestly one of my favorite parts. Because we weren't trying to cram every San Francisco attraction into a few days, we were able to mix sightseeing with lots of family time.
We stayed at the Westin Union Square, and loved our location! I always love a clean, nice hotel that is walking friendly to restaurants and shops.
A few things we loved about staying here:
🏨 Clean and comfortable: A nice, polished hotel made a great home base after long days of exploring the city.
🚶 Walkable location: We could easily walk to restaurants, coffee shops, shopping, and many of the areas we wanted to explore.
🛍️ Close to Union Square: Being right near Union Square made shopping and exploring the area especially convenient.
☕ Easy mornings: Having plenty of food and coffee options nearby was a huge plus with four kids.
🚕 Easy transportation: When we needed to go farther, it was simple to grab a car rather than having to navigate parking with four kids and all of our gear.
For us, the biggest win was having a comfortable hotel in a central location. With kids, I would much rather be able to walk out the door and have plenty of options nearby than spend our vacation constantly getting in and out of a car!
Fisherman's Wharf & Ghirardelli
We made our way to Fisherman's Wharf, one of those classic San Francisco stops that is just fun with kids. There is plenty to see without needing a strict itinerary, which made it a great stop for our family.
A few kid-friendly highlights:
🦭 Sea lions at Pier 39: Watching the sea lions lounging on the docks was probably one of the kids' favorite parts.
🎠 Carousel rides: The kids loved riding the historic carousel at Pier 39.
🍫 Ghirardelli Factory: Of course, no trip to the Wharf would be complete without a stop for chocolate! Chocolate + kids + San Francisco was a pretty easy win.
🚤 Waterfront views: We enjoyed walking along the water and taking in views of the Bay and Alcatraz.
🛍️ Shops & street performers: There was plenty to look at and explore without having to plan every minute.
We kept this part of the day casual and let the kids enjoy the sights without trying to turn it into a marathon sightseeing day. With four kids, sometimes the best city experiences are the ones where you simply wander, stop when something catches their attention, and keep moving when everyone is ready!
Union Square
We also spent some time around Union Square, which was an easy area to explore with kids and a convenient spot for a little shopping. We loved being able to walk around, pop into stores, and grab a coffee or snack without needing to plan out a whole afternoon.
And before the wedding, I squeezed in a special mother-daughter date with my five-year-old at Drybar to get our hair done. It was such a fun little break from our usual family-of-six routine and made getting ready for the wedding feel extra special.
A few things we loved about this area:
🛍️ Shopping: Lots of familiar stores within an easy walk.
☕ Food & coffee: Plenty of casual options when the kids needed a snack or break.
🚶 Easy to explore: Union Square is centrally located, so it was convenient to combine with other downtown stops.
💕 Mom-and-me time: Drybar gave me a chance to have some one-on-one time with my daughter — something that's not always easy to find when you're traveling with four kids!
Golden Gate Bridge
We couldn't visit San Francisco without seeing the Golden Gate Bridge. Even with kids, it's one of those iconic San Francisco landmarks that's worth making time for, and there are plenty of ways to experience it without committing to a long outing.
A few tips for visiting with kids:
📸 For the classic photos: Head to Crissy Field for pictures of the bridge.
🌉 Walk across the bridge: The pedestrian walkway is open during the day, and you can walk part or all of the way across. For little legs, you definitely don't have to do the entire 1.7-mile span!
🚶 With a stroller: The bridge can be windy and busy, so a stroller or carrier can be helpful with younger kids.
🌊 Crissy Field: For another family-friendly viewpoint, head to Crissy Field for beautiful views of the bridge, plenty of room for kids to run around, and a more relaxed waterfront setting.
We mostly stopped for the views and photos this time, but next time, we'd love to actually walk across the bridge. With four kids, we'll probably aim for a shorter walk rather than trying to tackle the whole thing!
Burma Superstar
One of the biggest food highlights of our San Francisco trip was Burma Superstar — and yes, we went more than once!
It was that good. My favorites were the Thai iced tea, tea leaf salad, khow suey, and sesame chicken. Everything was flavorful and family-friendly, making it an easy choice for our group.
We love finding restaurants that work for the whole family while still giving us a chance to experience the local food scene, and Burma Superstar definitely became a favorite for us.There are a few locations, make sure to book in advance!
Sees Candies
One of my personal must-dos was a stop at See's Candies, one of our all-time favorite chocolate shops. No San Francisco trip feels complete without picking up a box (or two!) to bring home.
My all-time favorites: Chocolate Buttercream Squares, Molasses Chips, Mochas, and Chocolate Brittle. 🍫
Tunnel Tops
We also spent some time at Tunnel Tops, which ended up being such a fun spot to let the kids run around and enjoy the outdoors. After several busy days of sightseeing, it was nice to have a place where the kids could simply play while we enjoyed the views.
A few highlights:
🛝 Great playground: Multiple play areas kept our 7-, 5-, and 3-year-olds entertained.
🌉 Beautiful views: You get great views of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Bay, and Alcatraz.
🍕 Food nearby: There are a few casual spots with easy options for coffee, snacks, and a casual meal.
👨👩👧👦 Perfect for groups: With open green space, picnic areas, and plenty of room to spread out, it's an easy spot to meet up with friends or family.
It was the perfect mix of kid entertainment and beautiful scenery, without needing a packed itinerary.
Ferry Building & Embarcadero
We also made our way down to the Embarcadero and Ferry Building, which was another fun area to explore with the kids. The Ferry Building has a great mix of local food vendors, shops, and restaurants, so it's an easy place to wander and grab a bite.
A few highlights:
🥐 Food & treats: Lots of options for coffee, pastries, ice cream, and casual meals.
🛍️ Local shops: Fun specialty shops to browse while walking through the building.
🌊 Waterfront views: The Embarcadero is perfect for a stroll along the water with views of the Bay Bridge.
👨👩👧👦 Easy with kids: Plenty of space to walk around, and you can keep the visit as short or long as your group feels up for.
This was one of those stops where we didn't need a complicated plan — we could walk around, grab something to eat, take in the waterfront, and just enjoy being in the city.
What We'd Do Next Time
If I'm being honest, I wish we had more time in San Francisco.
Between the wedding, seeing friends and family, and trying to squeeze in some sightseeing, our time in the city flew by. And because we have so many people we love there, I think our next San Francisco trip would be less about checking off attractions and more about slowing down and spending even more time with friends and family.
There are also a few things we didn't get to that are officially on our list for next time:
Riding a San Francisco cable car
Visiting the Exploratorium (and a lot of other children museums)
Visit the Palace of Fine Arts
Eating more Afghani food
And, of course, finding more great family-friendly restaurants!
Overall, this California trip was such a fun combination of everything we love about traveling with our kids. San Diego gave us the big kid adventures, while San Francisco gave us time with people we love and a chance to experience a little bit of the city.
Traveling with four kids isn't always easy, but trips like this remind me why we keep doing it. You don't have to see everything or have a perfectly planned itinerary for a trip to be memorable. Sometimes the best parts are the chocolate stop, the playground break, the meal you keep talking about, or the afternoon spent with people you don't get to see often enough.
