By Rena Dictor LeBlanc

If Peter Pan were to design a vacation destination for kids, he probably would come up with something pretty much like San Diego and its surrounding areas. It's a true wonderland of "togethering" for kids, parents, and grandparents, with new attractions making it even better.

The Wonders of Water at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla offers a combination of play and learning with rippling, streaming water in three new outdoor stations. Kids can build dams, create rapids, and design watersheds. Youngsters can put small boats in the water and watch the currents sweep them away, or change the speed of the current by putting plastic barriers in the water.

Water Fun For "Kids" Of All Ages

If it's giddy fun your kids are after, and you're an adult who wants to indulge your inner child, try Legoland's Splash Battle. It's the cornerstone of Pirate Shores, featuring rides and attractions based on water play.

As jaunty pirate music plays, passenger ships cruise through the twists and turns of a high seas journey past exploding volcanoes and through the open mouth of a huge skull. It's like being cast in a live video game as pirates of all ages shoot water cannons at onlookers on shore who shoot back with landlubber water cannons. Perhaps Legoland has come up with a light side to humanity's dark side, with a kinder, gentler form of warfare.

Robo-Coaster

If you thought R2D2 from Star Wars was a fun robot, wait till you experience the squeals and laughter we did from the first "robo-coaster" in North America. At the Knights Tournament area of the Legoland theme park, there's a one-of-a-kind adventure ride on robotic arms. Each of the six arms carries two passengers. The arms are 15 feet long, weigh more than two-and-a-half tons, and have six working joints. They rotate and swivel in various directions with 1.4 million variations.

Kidtopia

More water fun for kids of all ages is offered at the pool and play area called Splash Landing at La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad. There are three pools, three waterslides, an interactive WaterPlay Area, and the Splash Poolside Bar & Café.

La Costa also offers Kidtopia with a large variety of activities for kids, and Vibz, a teen lounge.

Endless Summer Program

Families with teens might also consider private surfing lessons. The Endless Summer program at Loews Coronado Bay Resort & Spa. It offers private surfing lessons for youngsters on surfboards that have been custom designed for each child. Prior to arriving, children select their surf boards' size and color. They even can add personal photos or other graphics to the backs of their boards. Anne Stephany, a spokesperson for the resort said, "What kids will like is that they can bring the surfboards home with them as wonderful keepsakes to use again and again."

And for a final star turn, the resort offers kids ages 4-12 the chance to create and perform in their own movie in the Movie Star Kids' Club. (Are you ready for your close-up?)

Previously published in the Los Angeles Times San Diego Travel Section