Legoland California
Big Fun for Families

If you or your kids are crazy for Legos, you've got to take a trip to Legoland California, located north of San Diego in Carlsbad. Remember when you were a child and you put together all those cool Lego toys? Now you can visit a place with your family where Legos are literally larger than life!

Legoland is fun for all ages, but it is especially geared toward children younger than 12. Rides are small and not really "thrilling" for bigger kids, so if you have only teens in your group, you may think Sea World or Disneyland is a more fitting destination, unless your kids are ready to get super silly!

And now, Legoland isn't just a plain ol' theme park anymore! Besides the main area, you can also check out the:

• Sea Life Aquarium
• Legoland Water Park

When you visit, you'll get to enjoy more than 60 different rides, attractions, and entertaining shows. Some rides are made for the entire family, while others have a height requirement. However, they are all made for fun and excitement to be enjoyed by the entire family, no matter height or age.

Legoland is broken up into eight themed areas:

• The Imagination Zone, where you'll find several rides ideal for the bigger kids (Project X and Aquazone Wave Racer are a couple favorites with our kids!) and many play areas where children can let their creativity run wild.
• Castle Hill looks like Camelot and boasts a fun dragon roller coaster and amazing wood playground, with rope climbs and slides. Perfect for letting the grownups get a break while the kids run free. Big kids and adults may enjoy the Knights' Tournament ride, where robotic arms twist and turn you at various levels of intensity (you pick the level).
• Fun Town is where kids can get behind the wheel, driving cars, planes, and boats. The entrance to the Water Park is here, too.
• Dino Island offers a fun roller coaster, a jungle-themed adventure ride, and lots more to keep the kids interested.
• Miniland will please even teens and adults who "have seen it all." Comprised solely of Legos, these miniature reproductions of sights and scenes around the United States will amaze you. Keep an eye out for funny scenes behind the scenes, like a Lego guy getting arrested or hidden Stormtroopers.
• Pirate Shores is where kids go to get wet, so be prepared! Riders on the Splash Battle ride are armed with water guns and they love nothing more than spraying unsuspecting guests wandering by the attraction. Good thing Carlsbad is often warm, so you dry off quickly!
• Duplo Village is perfect for the little ones. There are lots of fun playgrounds and water attractions for them to explore.
• Land of Adventure is an Egyptian-themed area, with many fun areas and rides for kids of all sizes to explore.

Check out fun attractions such as the Lost Kingdom Adventure in the Land of Adventure area where you take a ride through an ancient temple and try to recover ancient treasures and shoot laser guns at Lego bad guys. It's like the Indiana Jones Ride married the Buzz Lightyear Ride. Fun!

For something a little more medieval, check out the Knight's Tournament at Castle Hill, where kids can have their very own jousting tournament on their own Lego horse.

Kids of all ages will love testing for and earning their own laminated driver's license, found in Fun Town at the Volvo Driving School. Pay a few dollars and spring for a lanyard to attach the license to; smaller kids love skipping around the park wearing their licenses around their necks.

While at the park, be sure to take in some of the exciting shows available. Legoland offers live shows like Fun Town Fire Department where you compete against other families, as well as enticing 3-D and 4-D shows from off-road racing to a world of sorcerers and knights in a battle of good versus evil. You and your family will feel as though you've been pulled into the show.

The park is small and just right for a one- or two-day adventure. Legoland California is a place where everyone is sure to have a great time, whether young or old. Who ever said growing up couldn't be fun, just didn't know where to play!

Legoland is becoming a real destination resort! Visit the Sea Life Aquarium, right next door, for an educational, fascinating look at life under the sea or spend time at the new water park and see how much fun you and your family can have. Legoland is now offering park hopper tickets so you can enjoy one, two or all three parks for one low price.

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