LEGOLAND: California

It’s no Disneyland, so be sure to keep your expectations low. However, if you’re looking for a simple, fun place to take the kids for a few hours, LEGOLAND in Carlsbad, Calif. more than adequate. My niece had a blast here running through all the mock towns.

Ticket prices are a little on the extravagant side at $87/adult and $81/child for just the park alone. Expect to spend close to $30 more per person if you want to try out the waterpark or sea life sections. Sometimes they do have great specials going on if you purchase tickets for multiple-day entries, but you’d be hard pressed to find something to keep you busy here for more than one.

© Enrique Gomez | Dreamstime

As far as the attractions go, the Lego towns and figurines were in desperate need of a makeover in certain areas. That’s probably to be expected due to the hot San Diego sun shining down on it all the time and fading out the colors.

My niece enjoyed the rides but, be warned, if your child has anxiety riding alone they might pose a problem. Rides are designed with small children in mind and many of them can’t accommodate adults.

© Jovani Carlo Gorospe | Dreamstime

We weren’t able to bring food into the park so expect to shell out a pretty penny to eat if you plan on spending a few hours there. The carnival-like games were an excellent idea as the prizes were easy to win even for small children.

The park definitely aims to please the younger children, so if you kids are 10 and up, you might have a hard time keeping them entertained. Overall, I’m sure my niece would love a second trip some day soon, but I’ll take along my iPod next time to keep myself occupied.