Expert: Ernest Tufft - 2/18/2011

Question
Hi there, my family will be in Carlsbad from feb 23-march 8. We will spend some time at the zoo, sea world, etc, but were hoping to find something more inland/desert to explore. my kids are 8 and 10..any suggestions? A day trip would be ideal...we will have a car and don't mind driving a couple of hours. Any suggestions??
Also, we will spend 1 night in LA (kids want to go to Universal) can we expect crazy traffic delays? Would going on a Sunday morning make a difference?

thanks !!!

Answer
Jennifer,

I thought I had already sent out this message.  Sorry for the delay.  I recommend that you visit the Wild Animal Park in Escondido, and then out that direction on CA 78 (see road map), you can take the kids into Borego Desert State Park.  Flowers will be in bloom about then.  If you keep driving, eventually you'll get California's largest lake, the Salton Sea.  Then, go north to Indio, the center of the nation's date palm growing region.  Shield's Dates is a great place to stop and let the kids browse date related foods and such.  In Palm Desert, the Desert Zoo there is very good.  Then, return over the mountains to Temecula, and then back to Carlesbad.  This would probably need an overnight stay in Indio.

Yes, going on Sunday wlll be easier in terms of traffic than the weekdays, but going to Universal Studios will require lots of time in traffic nevertheless.  Have fun.