Southern California trip 7-8 days with young kids

Question

Hello all, can you help me decide what to do on our southern cali trip this July? It'll be 7-8 days including flight days. I will have a 1 year old, 4 year old, and 6 year old with me.

I'm debating either flying into Santa barbara and flying out of San Diego, spending 1-2 days in Santa Barbara, heading down and hitting up Legoland (1 day) and then the rest of our time in San Diego (zoo, la jolla, museums).

Alternatively, we can spend the entire time in San Diego. I guess 7-8 days there seems like a lot?

I have visited LA many times and don't really have an interest in staying there, but I know we'll have to deal with traffic if we do Santa Barbara to San Diego.

Thanks!!

Answer

For a 7-8 day Southern California trip in July with young kids, both itineraries you’re considering have merits, but your choice depends on how much driving you want to do versus staying in one base and exploring.

Option 1: Santa Barbara → San Diego (1-2 days in SB, then Legoland + San Diego)

This plan gives you a mix of scenic coastal towns, beach time, and iconic kid attractions, but involves significant driving along the I-5/US-101 corridor.

Santa Barbara: 1-2 days is perfect for strolling the waterfront, visiting the Santa Barbara Zoo (small but manageable for little kids), and enjoying beaches and parks.
Drive to San Diego: Expect 3-4 hours driving from Santa Barbara to Carlsbad (Legoland) without stops. Traffic can add extra time, especially in LA area, so leaving early morning is advised.
Legoland: Allocate a full day. This is ideal for your 1-6 year olds, as rides are geared toward young children.
San Diego: Spend 4-5 days exploring family-friendly attractions:

San Diego Zoo (plan for a morning to early afternoon, with breaks for younger kids)
La Jolla Cove / Children’s Pool for marine life and short walks
Balboa Park museums with kid-oriented options like the Fleet Science Center
Coronado Island or Mission Bay for beach and gentle water play

Option 2: Stay Entirely in San Diego

This reduces travel stress and maximizes time at kid-friendly attractions. With 7-8 days, you can have a relaxed pace, alternating busy zoo/museum days with easy beach or pool days.

San Diego Zoo and Safari Park
Legoland is doable as a day trip from San Diego (about 35-40 min drive from central San Diego)
Beach days at La Jolla, Mission Bay, or Coronado
Balboa Park and its interactive children’s museums
Optional short excursions like tide pools, harbor cruises, or kid-friendly hikes in Torrey Pines

Considerations:

With very young children, minimizing long drives is generally recommended. Option 2 offers a more relaxed pace.
Option 1 allows for a scenic coastal drive and a brief visit to Santa Barbara, which is charming, but adds extra travel time and possible traffic stress.
July is busy in Southern California, so booking hotels and attraction tickets in advance is strongly recommended.
Both itineraries can include a mix of beaches, zoos, and attractions suitable for your age group; the main difference is travel versus relaxed base.

Recommendation: If you want a stress-free vacation with small children, spending all 7-8 days in San Diego is likely the best choice. If you value the scenic Santa Barbara experience and don’t mind the driving, go with Option 1 but plan carefully for early departures to avoid LA traffic.

Southern California trip 7-8 days with young kids

More Los Angeles Travel Questions

The attractions mentioned in this question

Popular Destinations

Popular Travel Questions