The KidPaths Family Adventure Series
First morning in San Diego. Where do you even start?
50 family outings and three budgeted day plans, from the zoo and Balboa Park to the coast.
$9 USD · one-time purchase
For kids roughly 3 to 12 · 55 pages · Full-size PDF plus the same pages in a smaller file · Download right after payment, no account needed
14-day refund promise if it isn’t useful for your trip.
8-page sample with the complete Nature Day. No email or payment needed.
Any tax is shown at checkout.
What the $9 adds: a page from the full San Diego guide
Page 3 · Start here · Choose your first day
Where do we even start?
First morning, everyone up early, and San Diego has a zoo, a park full of museums and a whole coastline. You don’t need all of it.
- A lower-cost outdoor day → Nature Day · p. 53
- Start with Cabrillo’s lighthouse and views. Half a day or younger children? Omit the rocks and make the playground optional.
- An indoor day → Science & trains · p. 54
- Begin at Fleet; add Model Railroad after lunch only if energy holds. Kid City suits ages five and under. Transfers are outdoors.
The free directory lists the places. The guide puts them in order, with what to book first and what to do when the day changes.
Not sure which plan fits?
Optional: answer three questions and we’ll point you to a starting plan. Use your youngest child’s age, then adjust for everyone’s interests and stamina.
Suggest a plan for us
Budget examples use two adults and children ages 5 and 9, standard admission, stated parking and food allowances. Your ages and choices change the total. Fuel and lodging are excluded; this is a starting recommendation, not a price quote.
Choose all three to see a suggested plan and its tradeoffs.
See what you’re paying for.
See actual pages from the guide: choose a plan, follow its stops, and adapt it when someone has had enough.
Compare the outings
Age recommendations, visit lengths, price details and tips for each stop.
Follow a budgeted plan
A nature day, a classic weekend and a rainy-day plan, each with a clear cost basis and a fallback.
Know the tradeoffs
Practical distinctions, such as museum walk-up versus online pricing and which experiences cost extra.
Try it for your trip.
If the guide isn’t useful for your trip, email hello@kidpaths.com within 14 days of purchase for a refund. Include your order number and purchase email.
A good fit for your trip?
This guide is most useful for families with children roughly 3 to 12 who want to compare outings and save a few dependable plans. Individual entries show their recommended ages.
It covers San Diego and nearby communities, with selected outings in Poway and North County. It is an activity guide, rather than a hotel or restaurant guide. Attraction tickets, food and transportation are purchased separately.
Browse the free San Diego directory →Seven ways to spend your time
- Outdoor adventures
- Sports and recreation
- Zoos, gardens and nature
- Museums and learning
- Family entertainment
- Free outings
- Quieter corners
Before you buy
How do I get the guide?
Download both PDF versions as soon as your purchase is complete. Your emailed receipt includes a link so you can download them again later. Save the guide to your phone, tablet or computer. No KidPaths account needed.
What are the two PDFs?
A full-size PDF (15.0 MB) and the same 55 pages in a smaller file (6.4 MB) that downloads faster on a phone. The page layout is the same in both. One payment covers both, with no subscription.
Can I use it offline?
Yes. Download the PDF before you head out. Its text, photographs and map remain available offline; live venue and directions links need an internet connection. The page layout is easiest to read on a tablet or computer, and can be zoomed on a phone.
Does it include attraction tickets?
No. You are purchasing the guide only. The itinerary budgets state their assumptions, including example family ages, admission and parking. Food figures are planning allowances; fuel and accommodation are excluded.
What if I need help with my purchase?
For a missing download, a factual correction or a refund request, contact hello@kidpaths.com with your order number. Do not send payment-card details.
Also in the series
Same format for other cities, $9 each.
Not buying today? Get free weekend ideas instead.
The Weekend Scout is a free KidPaths email that arrives once a week. Each one has a family outing idea for the weekend, with age fit and cost notes. It is one national edition, so the ideas work in San Diego and wherever else you travel.
Free. One email a week. Unsubscribe from any email.