WHERE: SeaWorld, San Diego

A family visit to SeaWorld requires planning if you want to pack in as much as possible. The park hands out a map with the day's schedule at the entrance, and we find it's best to spend a little time using that to decide where to start. A good first stop is the Shamu show, showcasing the big black-and-white orcas for which the park is famous. When the big mammals start swimming, it's riveting.

The dolphin show is also fun. Kids are always thrilled at the sight of the animals leaping and twirling above the water.

If you're feeling adventurous, sit in the "splash zone" — the front rows where you're warned you may get wet. They're not kidding. Unless you have something waterproof to protect expensive cameras, etc., you really should move. You may get cat-caught-in-the-rain drenched.

The park also offers quieter attractions such as the bat ray pool (stingers removed) where kids can stroke their soft, velvety backs. Feeding the rays is fun, too, although it's definitely an odd sensation the first time you feel them suck the fish out from your fingers.

At night there's Sea Lions Tonight — running in the summer and during a few weeks in the spring — parodying the park's other shows with surprisingly irreverent wit.

WHAT'S NEARBY: If you have energy left over after a day at SeaWorld, check out San Diego Zoo but be prepared to walk. There are signs pointing out steep and less steep inclines and a bus for those who are not up to long treks. This year we were just about done when we got to the polar bears (they were doing some serious napping) and were more than ready to ride the cable car back to the park entrance.

Another family option is to take the ferry to Coronado and rent bikes for a spin to the famous Hotel del Coronado and its beach. In any weather, it's cheap fun to take a long walk at the water's edge looking for shells, followed by a snack at the Coronado's beach-side diner.

IF YOU GO: $65, $55 ages 3-9. SeaWorld's 2 Park Flex Ticket includes unlimited admission for 14 consecutive days to Universal Studios Hollywood and SeaWorld San Diego, $104; $94 ages 3-9. www.seaworld.com.