Bookable
An Apollonaut travel guide
The place behind the detail.
A first park outside Europe, a miniature America and a resort that keeps growing offer several ways into the story of LEGOLAND California.
On this page
A park in Carlsbad
LEGOLAND California opened on 20 March 1999 in Carlsbad, north of San Diego, the first LEGOLAND park outside Europe.
It covers 128 acres and is geared for families with children aged 2 to 12. Merlin Entertainments has held a controlling interest since 2005.
A miniature America
Miniland USA recreates places from seven areas of the United States at 1:20 scale, from more than 20 million LEGO bricks.
It is also home to the Model Shop, where models for LEGOLAND’s parks in the United States are designed and built.
A growing resort
SEA LIFE Aquarium (2008), the water park (2010) and two hotels (2013 and 2018) have joined the park, with new lands such as LEGO Galaxy in 2026.
This history belongs to the place and the people who shaped it. The History page offers a longer introduction, and the timeline gives a short route through selected milestones.
Read at the source
Sources & further reading
Links lead to the original publishers.
