Over 60 million LEGO plastic bricks make up Legoland California, which is popular with kids and adults
Visitors can explore miniature Lego cities, scenes from several Star Wars movies, more than 60 rides, two water parks, and a SeaLife aquarium.
Located in Carlsbad, to the North of San Diego county, this tourist attraction is referred to by many names – Legoland California, Legoland California Resort, Legoland California Theme Park, Legoland Park, etc.
In addition to the rides and attractions, Legoland California offers several educational experiences and workshops where visitors can learn about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts by building and playing with Legos.
Legoland California is a popular destination for families with children and Lego enthusiasts. It offers a unique and fun-filled experience for visitors of all ages.
This article shares everything you must know before booking your Legoland California tickets.
Table of contents
- What to expect at Legoland California
- Legoland California ticket prices
- Tickets for Legoland California
- Legoland California hours
- Best time to visit Legoland California
- How long does Legoland California take?
- Legoland California theme park
- Legoland Water Park California
- SeaLife Aquarium
- How to reach Legoland in California
What to expect at Legoland California
Most visitors book the LEGOLAND California 1-Day Ticket, the cheapest and the most popular way to get into the theme park.
Since exploring the main park is a full-day activity, this ticket makes the most sense.
On the booking page, you can include the Sea Life Aquarium in your day’s itinerary for an additional cost.
We recommend the two-day Legoland Hopper ticket if you have time and money.
Legoland California ticket prices
The one-day Legoland California ticket costs $112 for all visitors aged 3+ years.
The two-day Hopper ticket, which gets you access to both the Legoland Theme Park and the Sea Life Aquarium, is priced at $127 for all visitors aged 3+ years.
Whichever ticket you hold, to access the Water Park, you must purchase a US$ 30 upgrade.
Ticket discounts
The best Legoland California discount is reserved for kids two years and below who enter for free.
The next best way to score a discount on your Legoland Theme Park tickets in California is to purchase Go San Diego Pass.
The Go San Diego pass helps save up to 45% on entry fees on more than 55 of the top San Diego attractions, including LEGOLAND California.
The passes are available in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7-day options.
Most tourists don’t know this, but the Go San Diego card is cheaper than a 1-Day LEGOLAND California ticket.
Tickets for Legoland California
There are two types of Legoland California tickets – one-day and two-day Hopper tickets.
Both these tickets can be canceled up to 24 hours before to receive a full refund.
When you purchase these Legoland tickets, they get emailed to you.
Since these tickets help you skip the long lines at the ticket counter, they are also known as the Legoland skip-the-line tickets.
And on the day of your visit, show them on your mobile, at the entrance, and walk in — no need to take printouts.
Infants aged two years and below receive free admission to LEGOLAND.
LEGOLAND California 1-Day Ticket
This ticket gets you access to Legoland California Theme Park for one whole day.
You can enjoy more than 60 LEGO-themed rides, shows, and attractions.
Ticket price (3+ years): $112 per person
Infants 2 years and younger do not require a ticket and can enter for free.
LEGOLAND + SEA LIFE Aquarium
Besides the Legoland California Theme Park, this ticket also gets you access to the Sea Life aquarium.
At Sea Life, visitors see many underwater creatures such as sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, etc. Don’t miss the opportunity of holding a sea star at the Touch Pool.
You can visit the whole theme park over two days, and the second visit must occur within five days of the first visit.
Ticket price (3+ years): $127 per person
Visual Story: 13 must-know tips before visiting Legoland California
Legoland California hours
Legoland California has three parts – the Theme Park, the Water Park, and the Sea Life Aquarium, but their hours could be more consistent.
However, you can’t go wrong if you plan to reach the attraction by 10 am.
All three attractions are open at least till 5.30 pm.
Best time to visit Legoland California
LEGOLAND California is most crowded during the summertime and the holidays.
If you want to avoid the crowd, visiting Legoland Park when the kids are in school is best.
Purchasing LEGOLAND California tickets online helps you skip the long lines at the ticket counters, and arriving before 11 am helps avoid the park entrance queues.
It is best to start in the back of the Park.
Legoland officials recommend you skip crowd pullers such as Safari Trek, Coastersaurus, Fairy Tale Brook, etc., and return to those rides around 3 pm.
To avoid long lines at Legoland California’s water park, plan your visit before 11 am or after 3 pm.
How long does Legoland California take?
Depending on how much time they have, visitors explore Legoland California Theme Park over one or two days.
The LEGOLAND Resort has three attractions – the main park with the rides and other shows, the Water Park, and the SEALIFE Aquarium.
Exploring the main theme park is a full-day activity, so if you only have a day, it is best to purchase the LEGOLAND California 1-Day Ticket.
You will need two days and a two-day Legoland Hopper ticket to check out the water park and the Sea Life aquarium.
Legoland California theme park
LEGOLAND California Theme Park spans 128 acres and offers many exciting rides, shows, activities, and attractions.
The park has many sections, each of which has its theme. Download map (PDF, 3.1 Mb)
The different sections are –
- LEGO Ninjago World
- Imagination Zone
- Land of Adventure
- Castle Hill
- Pirate Shores
- Fun Town
- Explorer World
- Miniland USA
Legoland California rides
Legoland California has around 60 rides scattered all over the ten different sections of the Park.
Most of these rides have age and height restrictions.
Some of the most popular rides at the park are –
- Lego Technic Coaster
- Lego Ninjago Ride
- Adventurer’s Club
- Aquazone Wave Racer
- Beetle Bounce
- Safari Trek
- Splash Battle
- Captain Cranky’s Challenge
- Coastersaurus
- Dune Raiders
- Kid Power Tower
- Deep-Sea Adventure
- Pirate Reef
Download the age and restrictions map for the complete list of all the rides and restrictions.
The Legoland Theme Park also has numerous shows and meet and greets for younger kids.
Legoland Water Park California
Access to the Water Park is not part of the regular Legoland California ticket.
You must first buy the Legoland entry tickets and then upgrade them once at the venue for $30 to include Water Park admission.
The Legoland water park is seasonal, open every day in summer, but it remains closed depending on the weather.
The Water Park has three parts – the LEGOLAND water park, the CHIMA water park, and the Surfer’s Cove.
Together they have 20 unique aquatic attractions, enthralling kids and adults alike.
SeaLife Aquarium
SEA LIFE aquarium at Legoland California is an interactive way to learn about sea life.
Besides the close encounters with sea creatures such as sharks, octopus rays, etc., one can also listen to educational talks.
Don’t miss the new exhibit, ‘Sea at Night,’ a simulated bioluminescent tide.
Visitors can stroll in the gentle surf under a starry sky – during the day.
You can purchase the 2-day Legoland ticket, which includes entry to Sea Life aquarium, or buy the 1-day Legoland California ticket and upgrade at the venue for $25.
This Carlsbad attraction has two hotels – the Legoland Resort Hotel and the Legoland Castle Hotel. Both of them have 250 rooms each. If you plan to purchase the 2-day Legoland California ticket, it is better to stay inside the resort.
How to reach Legoland in California
Legoland California is at One LEGOLAND Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92008. Get Directions
It is east of the I-5 Freeway, just 30 minutes north of San Diego and one hour south of Anaheim. Exiting the I-5 Freeway at Palomar Airport Road would be best.
Public transport
Depending on where you are starting from, you must reach either of the three stations – The Oceanside Amtrak Station, Carlsbad Village Station, or Carlsbad Poinsettia Station.
Oceanside Amtrak Station is 12 km (7.5 miles) from Legoland, California, while Carlsbad Village Station is 7.25 km (4.5 miles), and Carlsbad Poinsettia Station is 5 km (3 miles).
It is best to cover this distance by cab.
Driving to Legoland Park
The best way to drive to the Legoland California Theme Park is to open your Google Maps and follow the directions.
This section will briefly overview the route you must take to the Legoland California Resort.
From San Diego North County
Take Interstate 5 South to Cannon Road, head East, turn right at LEGOLAND Drive, and follow LEGOLAND signs.
From San Diego North County Inland
Take 15 North or South to 78 West to Interstate 5 South, then take Cannon Road, head East, turn right at LEGOLAND Drive, and follow LEGOLAND signs.
From San Diego’s Coastal Area
Take Interstate 5 North to Cannon Road, head East, turn right at LEGOLAND Drive, and follow signs to Legoland.
From San Diego East County
Take 8 West to Interstate 5 North to Cannon Road, head East, turn right at LEGOLAND Drive, and follow Legoland’s signs.
From Los Angeles and Orange County
Take the 405 South / Interstate 5 South to Cannon Road, head East, turn right at LEGOLAND Drive, and follow Legoland signs.
Car parking
Legoland Theme Park’s parking rates depend on the vehicles’ size – $27 for cars, $27 for motorcycles, and $37 for motor homes.
VIP parking is available for $37.
Buses and bicycles can park for free.
Accessible parking spaces are available near the Park entrance and are well-marked.
Sources
# Mousesavers.com
# Legoland.com
# Funex.com
The travel specialists at TheBetterVacation.com use only high-quality sources while researching & writing their articles. We make every attempt to keep our content current, reliable and trustworthy.
Popular attractions in San Diego