Springtime in San Diego

With warm temperatures and fewer crowds, spring is just the perfect time to visit San Diego.

This season, there are even more tempting reasons for families to visit for the Easter holidays.

Brand new attraction

On 26 March, the much-anticipated Sesame Place opens its doors in Chula Vista. The Sesame Street theme and water park offers seven rides, an interactive musical play area, and 11 water attractions including one of the largest wave pools in southern California. There will also be lots of opportunities for little ones to meet their favorite characters during the daily Party Parade and in the replica Sesame Street neighborhood

 Thrilling rides and experiences

This month, SeaWorld San Diego welcomed a thrilling new, penguin-inspired roller coaster, Emperor. Becoming the tallest, fastest and longest dive coaster in California, the ride plunges 90 degrees and reaches speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Through a series of twists, turns and loops, the roller coaster mimics the movements of an Emperor penguin as it dives underwater.

World-renowned San Diego Zoo recently unveiled Wildlife Explorers Basecamp, a high tech experience giving guests new opportunities to get up close with nature. Each of the four rooms that make up Basecamp embody a different ecosystem and invite families to encounter different animals with interactive elements.

In May, the world’s first LEGO Ferrari interactive experience will open at LEGOLAND, where little ones and their parents can build, test and race their own LEGO Ferrari. Families will have the opportunity to sit inside a life-size LEGO Ferrari F40 model, learn fun Ferrari facts from a LEGO pit crewmember, and race their creations on one of the three racetracks.

Festivals and events

The blooming Flower Fields opened at Carlsbad Ranch in northern San Diego this March. Running until 8 May, visitors can see numerous coordinated, colorful gardens – including one made of red, white and blue petunias in the shape of an American flag. Take a scenic tractor ride or pick fresh, sweet-tasting blueberries.

Fans of Top Gun can watch a special showing of the high-flying action film at the USS Midway on 8 April. Screened on the flight deck of the former naval aircraft carrier turned museum, families with older children can watch Maverick (Tom Cruise) in action ahead of the sequel’s hotly anticipated release in May. Beyond the screening, the USS Midway has lots of exhibits and activities that tell the stories of those who lived and worked aboard.

The weekend of 30 April – 1 May will see the 39^th edition of Fiesta Old Town, a Cinco de Mayo celebration in the heart of San Diego’s first neighborhood. The free event features live music, traditional dance performances, street food vendors and crafts by local artists celebrating Mexican culture and history.

British Airways flies direct from London Heathrow to San Diego International Airport .