Where is LEGOLAND California?
Legoland California is located in Carlsbad, one hour south of Anaheim/Disneyland, or half an hour north of San Diego.
Legoland California is the only LEGO theme park in the US. The original is in Denmark, the birthplace of the famous toy building blocks. (The word "Lego" was invented in 1932, and blends two Danish words meaning "play well"; in Latin, it translates as "I assemble".) Other Lands of LEGO are located in Windsor England, not far from London (-- see pix), and in Germany.
What's special about LEGOLAND California for families?
• For starters, much of this 128-acre theme park is constructed with Lego blocks. Kids love that!
• The theme park is designed as a "country just for kids" aged two to twelve, with rides including a Dragon roller coaster, attractions and mini-lands such as Ancient Egypt, made from some of the 30 million Lego blocks at LEGOLAND.
• Halloween is a great time to visit LEGOLAND California: in October, the theme park has Brick-or-Treat festivities on several weekends.
• Holiday Seasons brings special displays and activities too
LEGOLAND California is steadily adding new attractions:
- 2008: new Land of Adventure, with first-ever "dark ride" Lost Kingdom Adventure, Cargo Ace airplane ride, Beetle Bounce, and more.
Also in 2008: giant 175,000 SEA LIFE Aquarium with Lost City of Atlantis theme, and with LEGO models in it such as a 7-foot long LEGO submarine. Guests can walk through SEA LIFE inside an acrylic tunnel.
- 2006: Pirate Shores large expansion brought four new water-play attractions: Splash Battle (riders sail ships with water cannons through pirate-infested waters) ; Treasure Falls flume ride; and two water play structures.
- 2005: Knight's Tournament: ride on one of six passenger-carrying robotic arms
- 2004: Coastersaurus, a junior roller coast in Dino Island "interactive animated area", and Dig Those Dinos, a sand pit where kids dig for dinosaur bones; Fun Town Fire Academy (LEGO® fire trucks race to a "burning building" where then riders pump water through a hose)
Beyond LEGOLAND California-- other fun stuff to visit in Carlsbad:
North Carlsbad Beach, and South Carlsbad State Beach which has campsites on a cliff; Carlsbad Children's Museum; side trip to 600,000 acre Anza-Borrego Desert State Park; many attractions in nearby San Diego.
*photos courtesy of LEGOLAND California
