MOST CREATIVE BIRTHDAY PARTY The Hot Spot There are loads of ceramic-painting cafés, candle-making studios, and succulent nurseries across the county, but seldom are they under one roof. Liberty Station’s The Hot Spot has those crafting options and more. In need of a fidget toy? Make slime. A handmade gift? Tile mosaic. The wide array of options at the warehouse space with both indoor and outdoor seating makes it an excellent party venue for creative people of all ages. –DS thehotspotstudio.com
T H E K I D S
BEST FURRY FREAK OF NATURE Platypus Exhibit
The quirky residents at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s platypus exhibit playfully swim and climb like aquatic cats through the multi- level enclosure. A reverent hush falls once you enter the dimly lit tunnel that shields the platypuses from sunlight, offering artificial night for the nocturnal creatures. Unless you have visited Australia, this will probably be your first time seeing the peculiar mammals. Insider tip: They are most active in the morning and evening. –DS sdzsafaripark.org/animals/ platypus
BEST AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR –STYLE OBSTACLE COURSE Aqua Jungle at Plunge San Diego Kids can bounce between tunnels, hurdles, and other challenges atop this new floating obstacle course inside Fit Mission Beach at Belmont Park. With a retractable roof and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the boardwalk, Aqua Jungle is an increasingly popular spot for swim parties. While the heated, 175-foot pool is one of the largest in Southern California—offering lots of space to play and swim with lifeguards on duty—it can get crowded on weekends. –CG plungesandiego.com
BEST BIRD-WATCHING ARCHITECTURE William E. Cole Family Hummingbird Habitat With the spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza across the western US, many of the aviaries in the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park became less welcoming for visitors. By contrast, the gorgeously designed William E. Cole Family Hummingbird Habitat still hosts a wide variety of brightly colored birds. Its square footage matches the size of its eponymous fowl, but a soaring, sky-lighted ceiling makes the trail through winding walls of plants and water features feel spacious. –DS sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org
BEST PLAYGROUND THAT’S ALSO A GYM Tecolote Shores North in Mission Bay Let’s face it, taking your kids to the playground usually involves parking yourself on a bench and reading your phone. Maybe you’re pushing your toddlers on the swings or wandering around slowly and monitoring their antics, but none of that does much to get your own heart rate up. The new playground in Mission Bay, Tecolote Shores North, has workout equipment for adults in a ring around the periphery. There are lots of ellipticals, plus strength equipment and cool bay
BEST FREE TIME TRAVEL Old Town
Play tourist for the day and rediscover Old Town. There’s so much here that little ones love: petting Seeley Stable’s donkeys, hearing the sizzle of the blacksmith’s red-hot metal, perching in desks at San Diego’s first public schoolhouse, and taking family photos in a covered wagon. There’s even an interactive scavenger hunt that teaches curious kids more about the area. Live mariachi and folklorico performances, lots of free parking, a grassy knoll for a picnic, and happy hour make it fun for parents, too. –CG oldtownsandiego.org
breezes. –CT sandiego.gov
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