Legoland California

Rating: 5.0/5. From 1 vote.
Please wait...

Children who love the colorful building blocks known as LEGOs will want to include a trip to LEGOLAND California to their San Diego-area vacation. This 128-acre park sports everything visitors want in an amusement experience from an official hotel to an aquarium (Sea Life Aquarium) and waterpark. This park is specifically designed to appeal to visitors between the age of 2 and 12, making it the perfect family-friendly destination.

Money Saving Tip! Legoland California is included on the Go San Diego Pass. If you are sightseeing in Southern California, then you can save a lot of money with the card. PLUS SAVE AN ADDITIONAL 10% OFF off a Go San Diego Pass with coupon code CMGOCITY10.

Legoland California History

The LEGOLAND chain of parks actually started in Europe back in 1968 with the opening of LEGOLAND Billund (Denmark). The original park is located right next door to the original LEGO factory in Billund and remained the only LEGOLAND Park until a second park opened in Windsor, Great Britain in 1996. LEGOLAND California is the third park of the franchise and first U.S. location. It first opened its doors on March 20, 1999. Since that time, the LEGOLAND brand, which has been operated by the European-based Merlin Entertainments Company since 2004, has opened subsequent parks in Günzburg, Germany, Winter Haven, Florida, USA, and, as of September 2012, Nusajaya, Johor, Malaysia.

As the first park to open outside of Europe, LEGOLAND California had a lot riding on its success, a challenge it has risen to meet. Unlike many other U.S. amusement parks, LEGOLAND is specifically geared to children under age 12. Currently, there are over 50 family-centered rides, a slew of “hands-on” attractions designed for education, and daily shows geared specifically towards this age group. Worldwide, the LEGOLAND brand employs over 13,000 individuals and entertains over 41 million guests each year. Clearly, the child-centered focus of this chain of amusement parks has led to success with that group as well as the adults who love them.

Legoland California: The Main Attraction

The California LEGOLAND Park is located in Carlsbad, CA. It is conveniently broken up into eight separate areas, each with a different theme that is popular among LEGOs-brand sets. This includes, Dino Island, Fun Town, Pirate Shores, Castle Hill, Land of Adventures, Imagination Zone, and Mini Land USA. A final area, DUPLO Village, is specifically geared for children ages 18 months to 5 years. There is a separate play space for younger children in this area of the park which includes a padded play area with slides, age-appropriate LEGO activities, a splash pad, face painting, and more.

Each of the other areas has its own appropriately-themed rides, attractions, and shows and will include several options for a variety of age groups. In addition, each area has several characters, buildings, and other attractions made entirely of LEGOs, which helps to emphasize the theme of the park and its sections.

Visitors who are interested in the “complete” LEGOLAND experience can also choose to buy a dual pass to the LEGOLAND Waterpark which is located adjacent to LEGOLAND proper. The Waterpark is open seasonally through October and features 10 additional rides and attractions highlighted by a 45-foot tall tower, two sandy beaches, a lazy river (Kid Creek) and more. Unlike other waterparks in the southern California region, LEGOLAND Waterpark, like the theme park next door, is geared to younger kids aged 2-12.

One final option for visitors who just cannot get enough of these LEGOs is to stay at the LEGOLAND Hotel located right at the entrance of LEGOLAND Park. The hotel is chock-full of child-friendly features including indoor play stations, early entrance to the LEGOLAND Park, fun themes throughout the hotel, and the classic bright colors of the LEGO brand at every turn.

Why Legoland California is a Must-Do

As the first park of its kind in the United States, LEGOLAND California is truly a unique experience that will thrill children under 12 and the parents and friends who accompany them on this adventure. Southern California is full to the brim with theme parks of every sort, but no other park is so focused on the younger children in a travelling party, which makes this the ideal stop for families who are looking to include even their youngest members in on the fun of the California theme park experience.

Where to Buy Legoland California Tickets


There are a number of ways you can enjoy admission to this attraction.

Pay Full Price and purchase a ticket from Legoland California either online or in person.

Purchase a Tourist pass. Legoland is available on the Go San Diego Card.