by Walter Allen

Created on: November 13, 2008   Last Updated: December 04, 2008

Looking for a great family vacation to take in the fall? Let sunny San Diego help you escape that chilly fall air and the end-of-summer blues. With its temperate climate and clear skies, San Diego provides some of the best family attractions in Southern California.

Without a doubt, one of the most family-friendly attractions in San Diego is Sea World. Featuring over 200 acres of attractions, rides, and exhibits, Sea World San Diego is a must-see for any family visiting the area. In addition to the Sesame Street Bay of Play and thrill rides like the Journey to Atlantis water coaster, Sea World San Diego's exhibits include the Penguin Encounter, Dolphin Discovery, and theShamu show, Believe. Plus, with a reservation, your family can have a personal dolphin encounter, eat dinner with Shamu, or even be a dolphin trainer for a day

But Sea World isn't the only reason to check out San Diego in the fall. You'll go ape over the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park. The Zoo is home to over 800 different species of animals on 100 acres of land.

One of the zoo's most popular exhibits is the Panda Research Station, where guests can see Bai Yun, Gao Gao, and their family and learn more about them at the Giant Panda Discovery Center. In addition, the zoo plays host to an arboretum containing a very special collection of rare plants and a collection of over 40 different varieties of bamboo.

San Diego's Wild Animal Park is located just north of San Diego. The park, set on 1800 acres of land in the San Pasqual Valley, is home to more than 400 species from six continents. Special VIP tours will take you and your family behind the scenes and show you the facility up close and personal including special non-exhibit areas that will give you and your family special views of the park's animals.

San Diego is also home to some great theatres and great shopping. The Old Globe Theatre, the San Diego Junior Theatre, the San Diego Repertory, or the Cygnet Theatre will surely provide an evening's entertainment. And spend your afternoons shopping in the stores at Horton Plaza, Fashion Valley, or Mission Valley Mall.

For a change of pace, check out San Diego's beautiful beaches. Although the waters of the Pacific are quite chilly, the beaches of San Diego are a hot place to hang out and relax a little bit after an active day on the town.

The carnival-like atmosphere at Mission Beach offers beachfront fun for the whole family including a roller coaster and an assortment of carnival rides and boardwalk food. Or if you bring the dogs along, be sure to check out Pacific Beach, where your four-legged family members can run leash-free and explore the breaking waves or play in smaller eddies.

And what fall family vacation would be complete without a little Halloween fun? San Diego is home to the Whaley House, one of only two haunted houses in California. If that's not enough, swing through Balboa Park to visit the Haunted Trail, a hike through fairy tales come to gruesome life. Even Sea World offers the Halloween Spooktacular, where your family can don their costumes and explore the maritime-inspired holiday fun.

You will definitely not have a shortage of activities to keep you busy during your stay in San Diego. In fact, after your fall family vacation, you might just fall in love and want to soak up the sun permanently.

For more information, check out www.seaworld.com, www.sandiegozoo.com, www.signonsandiego.com, www.whaleyhouse.org, and www.balboapark.org.

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