Guest Author - Terri L Griffin

We finally got down to Carlsbad to visit Legoland California. The kids had been asking to go for months and the choruses of "are we there yet" were all the more frequent due to their excitement. We were parked and waiting in line at the gate a good half hour before Legoland opened.

Legoland claims to be designed for kids ages 2-12, and I think they're right on the money there. If watching your excited children enjoy the rides and activities isn't enough entertainment for you, there are plenty of Lego sculptures (especially Miniland) to amaze and excite parents as well. And the boat ride around Miniland is a nice break from walking around.

The rides at Legoland are pretty typical amusement park rides, with one key difference – they all involve Legos in one way or another. From the dinosaurs and animals built entirely out of Legos that decorate the landscape, to the Lego Knights themed Dragon Coaster to the Volvo Driving School with its cars that look like giant Legos, you'll feel like you've been shrunk down to Lego size and transported into one of your child's Lego sculptures.

The best time to visit Legoland is any non-holiday weekday (holidays would of course include summer vacation). We went on a Monday, but it was also Presidents' Day so we had quite a crowd to share the sights with. We normally head for the rides that are farthest from the entrance first, but the boys were so excited they wanted to jump on the first ride we came to!

We had some long lines to wait in, but thanks to a bag of snacks and the Lego play areas at some rides, the lines moved pretty quickly. When you visit, pay attention to the estimated wait times. The times are generally pretty accurate, so if you don't want to wait an hour for a 60-second ride, come back later. We did wait in one line for about an hour, but all the rest were shorter.

In addition to the rides, Legoland runs several shows each day. Watching the shows is fun, but it's also a great opportunity to get off your feet and/or out of the sun for a few minutes. We saw Kevin Johnson, an excellent ventriloquist who was very funny, as well as the animated Lego Racers 4-D show. Shows change periodically so check the website before you go or pick up a schedule when you enter the park. Keep an eye out for other special events happening during your visit as well. We didn't see them, but several celebrities were on hand, signing autographs and such.

We were so busy with rides and shows we didn't take a lunch break. We snacked while we waited in lines, which saved us time and money. We did try "Granny's Apple Fries" which were tasty, but not quite sweet enough for the boys. We got a souvenir cup that included discounted refills through-out the day.

We came home with plenty of souvenirs, too. Pictures by roving photographers can be purchased as prints or put into key chains and other gifts. Several of the rides snap your photo as you make that final drop or race around the corner. We chose our picture from the Coastersaurus. You can also get a picture for your driver's license and get a special holder at the kiosk next to the Volvo Driving School.

What's a trip to Legoland without buying some Legos? The gift shop that sells Lego bricks by the pound was a blast. Wheels, bricks, plates and more are sorted by size and color. They have a whole rainbow of bricks, plus a rainbow of transparent bricks! There's even an assortment of hats and helmets for your mini-figures, but we were disappointed to learn they don't sell individual mini-figures. We bought about half a pound of bricks, wheels and axles – enough to build two cars, and then some.

We had a blast at Legoland California. I don't know when we've packed so much fun into 7 hours, and we could have gone several more. Summer hours are longer but lines are probably longer too, so if your kids are crazy for Legos, consider a 2-day ticket. We skipped all the rides in the Imagination Zone, mostly for lack of time, so maybe we'll start there next time!

We're already planning for another visit, maybe in the fall. Then we'll check out the new Pirate Shores area of the park (opening this summer) and hit all the rides we missed the first time around. If you have young children who love to build with Legos, visit Legoland for a great family vacation!