Field Trips in San Diego Archives

Where To See Wildflowers in Southern California

Posted on March 5, 2020 | Filed Under: Field trips in Los Angeles, Field Trips in Orange County, Field Trips in Riverside, Field Trips in San Bernardino, Field Trips in San Diego | Leave a Comment

Even though California is on the verge of another dry winter, it doesn’t mean you can’t catch Golden State blooms up and down the coast and out in the California desert. Peak season for seeing wildflowers in Southern California can vary somewhat from year to year, based on rainfall amount and temperatures. So, it pays to check official websites to get the most updated information.

Where To See Wildflowers in Southern California

Wildflowers are already starting to bloom in certain areas across the state. To help you find the best places to see wildflowers in Southern California, here’s where and when to find them in California’s national parks, state parks, public beaches and gardens this spring—and beyond—super bloom or not.

Just remember proper etiquette is not to touch the flowers, pick them or go into the fields. The flowers are here for everyone to enjoy!

Where To See Wildflowers in Los Angeles

Spring is my favorite time of year to go on a hike with my family and explore the various areas in and around Los Angeles where you can view wildflowers. Now through May is prime time for flower fans like myself. From Antelope Valley all the way down to the coastal shores of Malibu, you can see several species of wildflowers including the California Poppy, Giant Coreopsis and Hummingbird Sage. To enjoy the views, take a look at this round up of 20+ places to see wildflowers in Los Angeles.

Where To See Wildflowers in San Diego

San Diego is a wildflower enthusiast’s paradise! From the annual Flowers Fields in Carlsbad to the beautiful backcountry roads on the way Julian, there are numerous places to stop and enjoy the sprauling wildflower fields in San Diego.

There are also many opportunities to join other wildflower enthusiasts. Check out the ranger-led programs at the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park or stop by the visitor center at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. To help you find the ideal location, here is a list of the best places to see wildflowers in San Diego.

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Best Time to Visit Carlsbad Flower Fields

Posted on February 5, 2020 | Filed Under: Field Trips in San Diego | 25 Comments

Soon it will be prime time to visit the Carlsbad Flower Fields in Carlsbad, California. The Flower Fields are in 90% bloom around Easter and there are literally flowers everywhere you go. The dates for the 2020 season are March 1 – May 12, 2020. My kids and I went to visit and see the flowers for the first time back in 2016. Since then, we have been back many times to enjoy the beautiful fields.

The Flower Fields grow a gorgeous flower known as the Tecolote Giant Ranunculus, which is one of the finest strains of ranunculus plants in the world. The ranunculus flower is native to Asia Minor and is a member of the buttercup family. This unique blossom also is known as a Persian Buttercup or Ranunculus Asiatic.

I’m always enamored with the beautiful flowers around me when I walk through the flower fields. Pictures simply don’t do them justice!

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$35 Tickets For Kid’s College Community Day at LEGOLAND CALIFORNIA

Posted on January 29, 2020 | Filed Under: Field Trips in San Diego | 5 Comments

LEGOLAND California has done it again! Not only are they offering $35 tickets to visit LEGOLAND California on February 29, 2020 but they’re also offering $29.99 early bird 1-park tickets to visit LEGOLAND California on Sunday, March 1, 2020 in celebration of Kid’s College Community Day.

The Community Day is a great way to enjoy this amazing theme park and is LEGOLAND’s thank you to their local community. Additionally part of the proceeds benefit enrichment opportunities for children in North County San Diego school districts through The Kid’s College extended learning programs.

New this year! Even though Community Day is on March 1, you can use your admission ticket on EITHER Sunday, March 1, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., OR Monday, March 2 – Friday, March 6, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

How To Order Tickets For Kid’s College Community Day at LEGOLAND

The cost to attend Kid’s College Community Day at LEGOLAND is regularly $35 for a one-day ticket or $60 for a two-day ticket.
Hurry though! The $29.99 Early-Bird 1-day ticket sale ends at midnight on Thursday, February 6.
Tickets will be emailed to you from tickets@thekidscollege.org within three days of the date of your order.
Please print the tickets as soon as you receive them as they will not be able to resolve issues at the park.
Limited number of tickets available. Orders are processed on a first come, first serve basis.
Tickets purchased through LEGOLAND will be full-priced.

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$35 Tickets to Celebrate Carlsbad Day at LEGOLAND

Posted on January 27, 2020 | Filed Under: Field Trips in San Diego | 27 Comments

The annual Celebrate Carlsbad Day at LEGOLAND California will take place on Saturday, February 29, 2020 from 11:00 am – 8:00 pm. Specially priced LEGOLAND tickets are available for sale online.

New this year! They are hosting a $29.99 Early-Bird 1-day ticket sale which ends at midnight on Thursday, Feb. 6.

All proceeds from this event support robotics for every 2^nd-grade student in the Carlsbad Unified School District.

Even though Celebrate Carlsbad Day is officially on February 29, you can use your admission ticket EITHER on Saturday, Feb. 29, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., OR from Monday, March 2 – Friday, March 6, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

How To Purchase Tickets For Celebrate Carlsbad at LEGOLAND

The cost to attend Celebrate Carlsbad Day at LEGOLAND is normally $35 for a one-day ticket or $60 for a two-day ticket.
Hurry though! The $29.99 Early-Bird 1-day ticket sale ends at midnight on Thursday, Feb. 6.
Two-day tickets are for LEGOLAND only.
SEA LIFE tickets are available for only $10 as an add on.
To attend SEA LIFE on both days of a two-day ticket, purchase one regular-priced SEA LIFE ticket at the gate to attend the second day.
Parking is not included.

Tickets for Celebrate Carlsbad Day at LEGOLAND are available for individuals ages 3 and up. Advance tickets may be purchased online at carlsbaded.org.

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Where To Go Whale Watching in California

Posted on January 22, 2020 | Filed Under: Field trips in Los Angeles, Field Trips in Orange County, Field Trips in San Diego, Field Trips in Santa Barbara, Field Trips In Ventura | 7 Comments

This post may contain an affiliate link.

Did you see the video last spring of the birth of a False Killer Whale that a group of tourists who were whale watching in California got to experience off the coast of Dana Point? The whales were swimming alongside the catamaran, when suddenly a little calf was pushed up by his or her mother to the surface to take its first breath. The false killer whale is the third-largest member of the oceanic dolphin family and lives in temperate and tropical waters throughout the world.

In addition to the 40 or so False Killer Whales that they saw, they also got to see 27 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whale, a Minke Whale, over 2,000 Common Dolphins, a dozen Bottlenose, and a handful of Pacific White-sided Dolphins.

Best Time To Go Whale Watching California

Southern California is a wonderful place to see whales at their finest. During whale watching season in Southern California, which takes place along the coast from Santa Barbara to San Diego, you’ll find plenty of ways to see the migration.

The season itself runs from mid-December through April with migrating Gray Whales being the most common species. Every winter, more than 20,000 Pacific Gray Whales travel 10,000 miles round-trip from Alaska to the lagoons of Baja California. To see females with their calves, it’s best to go late in the season as they take their babies back up north with them.

The best way to see whales migrating in Southern California is to go on a whale watching tour. Most whale watch trips are fairly short and some companies even guarantee that you can go again for free if you don’t see any whales the first time.

Whale Watching Near Los Angeles

Anytime you want to go whale watching in Los Angeles your chances of spotting whales are very high. From January through May you can actively spot California Gray Whales in the Greater Los Angeles Area. On the way down to Mexico, the majority of pregnant females end up giving birth just above Los Angeles and swim down along the coast with their small babies in tow.

The Blue Whale season starts in early summer. June through September you can see one of the world’s largest animals, weighing up to 400,000 lbs, feeding on krill and swimming right off the LA coast.

You can take a highly rated whale watching boat tour for one, two or four people in Los Angeles with either LA Waterfront Cruises or San Monica Cruise Tour & Travel Center.

Best Places To See Whales Near Long Beach

When you go whale watching in Long Beach, you never know what you might see! You could catch a glimpse of the majestic Pacific Gray Whale during its annual migration from Alaska or you just might see the incredible Humpback Whale flip breach the surface. No matter the time of day or season, creatures of the sea are never far from view, from orcas to fin whales, minke whales to dolphins, and so much more.

Harbor Breeze’s Whale Watching Cruise is your best chance to channel your inner Jacques Cousteau and create some lifelong memories. And since one of the country’s best aquariums is right next door, you’re in good hands on this seafaring adventure. An educator from the Aquarium of the Pacific will guide you as you marvel at gray or blue whales (depending on the season), plus others majestic creatures, like the distinctive humpback, killer whales and several kinds of dolphins.

Marina Del Rey Whale Watching

The waters around Marina del Rey teem with seasonal gamefish. Beneath the ocean’s surface, halibut, sand bass, and barracuda swim from Rocky Point to the Big Kelp Reef. Sea lions, dolphins, sea birds, and several whale species also make their home in the water.

This diversity of wildlife prompted the owners of Marina Del Rey Sportfishing to start their whale and eco tour, during which sightseers can admire the ocean’s majestic creatures and the teams of Aquamen who groom them.

Marine Del Rey Whale Watching offers a 3-3.5 hour on water adventure that departs at 10 am on weekdays, and at 10 am and 1:30 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. From a 65-foot-long sightseeing boat, passengers might spot gray whales, blue whales, fin whales, and other species. Other wildlife may make appearances, including dolphins, sea turtles, and seals.

Whale Watching Near Newport Beach

Newport Beach offers some of the best whale watching California has to offer. With one the largest marine protected parks just outside of Newport Bay, whales and dolphin of all types can be viewed as soon as you leave the bay. It is not uncommon to see giant blue whales and finback whales just outside the bay during the summer and fall months. Multiple gray whales are often seen in this same area during the winter and spring months while on their annual migration.

Some of the top rated whale watching companies in Newport Beach include:

Whale Watching Near Dana Point

Dana Point is located about halfway between San Diego and Los Angeles. Along with hosting such events as the Festival of the Whales, Dana Point also is home to the Ocean Institute a non-profit research educational center teaching kids about marine life and marine mammals.

As you would expect, whale watching in Dana Point is a very popular activity amongst locals and visitors alike. Dana Wharf Boats and Dana Wharf Whale Watching offers a great captain narrated two-hour tour through the Pacific in search of gray whales, dolphins, and sea lions.

Whale Watching Near San Diego

If you want to get up close and personal with Pacific Grey Whales migrating along the San Diego coastline, a whale watching tour around San Diego harbor is your best bet. You can book a tour through any number of whale watching companies. Most depart from Point Loma, San Diego Bay or Oceanside. Besides seeing some beautiful whales, you will often spot sea lions, dolphins and other types of marine life.

Some of the top rated whale watching companies in San Diego include:

Whale Watching Near Santa Barbara

Whales splash around Santa Barbara entertaining onlookers eight months out of the year. Tour companies offer gray whale watching trips from late December through mid-April from Ventura and Oxnard while Blue and Humpback whale watching trips are available from mid-June through mid-September.

Humpback and endangered Blue whales feed on swarms of unsuspecting krill around Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary. Feeding whales tend to be near the western end of the northern Channel Islands and the journey there is often filled with playful visits from dolphins, seals, and California sea lions, and occasional visits from Orca whale pods.

Blue whale watching trips take visitors on a journey past Painted Cave, one of the largest sea caves in the world on the west end of Santa Cruz Island. Weather and sea conditions permitting, you might have the opportunity to see the cave up close. Gray whale watching is a half-day adventure that takes about 4 hours. Since Gray whale watching occurs in the winter, visitors are encouraged to dress warm.

Channel Islands Whale Watching out of Oxnard specializes in Eco-Tourism and Wildlife Adventures. Their whale watching trips take place in the pristine waters surrounding Channel Islands National Park and National Marine Sanctuary. During a whale watching tour, the company offers wildlife interpretation with informative narration of this unique region, often referred to as the Galapagos of the Northern Hemisphere.

Happy Field Tripping!

Jilleen