Legoland California

Located in Carlsbad, LEGOLAND California Resort is a 128-acre park with amusement rides, a two-story aquarium, hotel and a water park. The park features over 60 rides, shows and attractions, as well as restaurants & shopping for everyone. Though San Diego's LEGOLAND is geared towards families with children ages 2 to 12, everyone can find something to enjoy at one of America's most unique amusement parks.

Three Must-See Attractions at LEGOLAND

• Water Park: The kiddos will love getting splash and spray by giant LEGO friends.
• Miniland USA: Explore major landmarks of New York, Las Vegas, New Orleans and San Francisco made out of LEGOs. There's also a LEGO representation of every major planet from the Star Wars movies.
• SEA LIFE Aquarium: Watch real sea creatures swimming among LEGO models.

Where to Stay Near LEGOLAND

• LEGOLAND Hotel: Located just outside the front gate. All 250 guest rooms are LEGO themed. The hotel rates are standard for the area and it includes early access to the park.
• Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa: Located nearby the park, it offers a hotel package including tickets to LEGOLAND. The resort also has its own entrance to LEGOLAND.
• BeachFront Only: Rent a house or condo near downtown Carlsbad and stay on the beach in sunny Southern California! Most rentals come with full kitchens and are located in close proximity to California's major attractions.

Best and Worst Time to Go to LEGOLAND
The worst time to go is right when the park opens. Wait at least a half hour after it opens to avoid long lines at the entrance. Also, arriving a bit later saves you time parking, since you might find excellent general parking up near the premiere parking rows. Visit the park after 3:00 p.m. to skip long lines at rides, the water park and other amenities.

Discounts at LEGOLAND
Buy your tickets at least seven days in advance, since the earlier you book the less you pay. Here are a few places to get discounts.

• Omni La Costa Resort & Spa: Offers a vacation package for 2 adults & 2 children that Save $180 per night. It includes four one-day LEGOLAND California Resort Hopper tickets, which includes admission to LEGOLAND California Resort, SEA LIFE Aquarium and LEGOLAND Water Park.
• Costco: The Costco located at Palomar Airport Road sometimes sells discount tickets. Check Costco's website before purchasing.
• AAA: 10% off ALL adult/child ticket types, excluding Memberships, when members show their valid AAA membership card (valid for up to six guests).
• Lego Club: Sign up for free and make sure to subscribe to the bi-monthly publications. This includes "Kids Go Free" coupons where one child can go free with a full-price adult admission.
• Military: Active military personnel receive a 10% discount on one-day admission tickets at the ticket booths and Guest Services with valid military ID. Tickets can be pre-purchased at a greater discount at your Military Ticket Office on base or at www.LEGOLAND.com/military.

Food at LEGOLAND
Coolers and outside food are not permitted at LEGOLAND, however bottled water and any food or beverages required for specific dietary needs are allowed. The park has many restaurants that offer a great variety of family-friendly foods, such as wood-fired pizza, truly homemade pasta, ice cream, hickory-smoked ribs, barbecued chicken, freshly tossed salads, healthy made to order sandwiches, juicy grilled burgers and much more. The best meal for kids and adults can be found at Granny's Apple Fries. Warm Granny Smith apples are dusted with cinnamon and sugar and served with a vanilla cream dipping sauce. One order of the fries is enough for a family of four.

Parking at LEGOLAND
LEGOLAND parking is $15 per day and re-entry is available with a valid parking stub during same day of visit. Finding a parking space should be no problem, since the park has a very large lot. As mentioned above if you arrived in the afternoon, you can find a better spot than when the park opens.

Transportation Alternatives at LEGOLAND
To visit the park by public transportation take the Coaster and stop at either the Carlsbad Village Station (4.5 miles) or Carlsbad Poinsettia Station (3 miles) from there guests then travel to the park by cab.

Author's bio: Rose Wheeler has lived in San Diego for over nine years. She's been published in "La Jolla Patch," "Global Post" and Yahoo. Her blog regularly features great local finds and trending style tips.