lake compounce: Hi. We are going to San Diego in July. We have done Sea World and the Zoo already. We have 3 small children, would it be fun to go to the Coronado Islands with them? What is there to do? What are the best things to do at Balboa park with the kids? Thank you so much for your help. Always great to get advice from the locals.|||Coronado Island is OK for kids: there's a beach there where they can play. The Hotel Del Coronado is world famous, though kids may not exactly find it interesting. One great thing about Coronado is that you can get there by ferry boat - kids will love that. A lot of people like to bike at Coronado because the Island has fewer cars.See here: http://www.san-diego-travels.com/city-of鈥?/a> http://www.san-diego-travels.com/coronad鈥?/a> Balboa park has lots of stuff: free gardens, museums (not free), and there is usually an organized event or exhibit ongoing every week end. This place is great for adults and children. Check here for Balboa Park info: http://www.san-diego-travels.com/san-die鈥?/a> Puppet Theatre: http://www.san-diego-travels.com/puppet-鈥?/a> Playground: http://www.san-diego-travels.com/pepper-鈥?/a> The Reuben Fleet Science Center is very good for children. and all the Gardens are pretty cool:|||I would not suggest taking three small children to Coronado. It is a nice area to explore but not with the kids. Shops, restaurants, etc only entertain the kids for so long. Balboa Park however is a great option. The carousel is always fun, their is a small train to ride, Fleet Science Center is a blast for kids and even has a special play area for younger kids, The Science air and space museum is great, The Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater puts on shows starting in June, and you might even be able to catch a show at San Diego Junior Theatre. I would also suggest checking out the new childrens museum. The kids will love it. http://www.thinkplaycreate.org/|||Coronado Islands are a dive destination. Unless you plan on diving I would not recommend it. Harbor Excursions are short and fun out of Downtown. A short ocean voyage is great Balboa Park has the Reuben H Fleet that has an interactive science area that is great. It has an Imax theater which is fantastic. On the weekends it is fun to go to the International Village The Aero space museum if fun as well. I live here and never get tired of the zoo Legoland in Carlsbad is fun. La Jolla cove is one of the places I would also suggest you visit. The Cave is fun for kids|||When in Balboa Park be sure to check out the Model Railroad Museum. It's 30,000 sq ft of model railroad exhibits and contains some of the largest model train layouts in the world. It is really impressive. Kids love it and they get in free. http://www.sdmrm.org/ Also in the park: The Ruben H. Fleet Science Center has hands on exhibits and an IMAX theater. http://www.rhfleet.org/exhibits.html In front of the zoo is the Balboa Park Minature Railroad which takes a 3-minute, 陆-mile trip through four acres of Balboa Park. http://www.balboapark.org/in-the-park/de鈥?/a> The Natural History Museum is having a special exhibit featuring Body Worlds, where over 200 real body specimens, including 20 whole bodies are on exhibit. They also have that kids favorite: dinosaurs! http://www.balboapark.org/calendar/detai鈥?/a> The Air & Space Museum contains one of a kind artifacts including the Apollo 9 Command Module. http://www.balboapark.org/in-the-park/de鈥?/a> If you're into vintage cars check out the Automotive Museum. http://www.balboapark.org/in-the-park/de鈥?/a> For free entertainment check out the Speckels Organ Pavillon. It's a one of a kind outdoor pipe organ that was built in 1914 for the Panama-California Exposition. There are free concerts, Sun. 2:00鈥?:00 p.m. from mid June thru Aug. During the week the stage is used for various performances. http://www.balboapark.org/in-the-park/de鈥?/a> Just For Kids http://www.balboapark.org/just-for-kids/ There are aso a variety of gardens and trails. http://www.balboapark.org/in-the-park/or鈥?/a> Be sure to get a Passport to Balboa Park. They have a zoo / park combo pack that allows you to go to the zoo and up to 13 museums. http://www.balboapark.org/info/passport.鈥?/a> If you're a movie buff, be sure to check out the facades of the buildings on The Prado (the main street in the middle of the park) These buildings were used in the film Citizen Kane as a stand in for Kane's oppulant mansion, Zanadu. Other Stuff: Legoland is a short trip (20 minutes) up the freeway in Carlsbad. It's ideal for small children. http://www.legoland.com/ There is also the New Children's Museum downtown. http://www.thinkplaycreate.org/ The Shedd Aquarium in La Jolla also has children exhibits including a tide pool where you can touch star fish, etc. http://www.sheddaquarium.org/ BTW The Coronado Islands are off the coast and are in Mexico. Coronado Island (which isn't an island, it's a peninsula) is referred to as just Coronado. Besides the beach, not much for kids to do.