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The Hotel Del Coronado is historic and gorgeous! It's a bit pricey (not sure what your budget is) but there are pools, restaurants, it's right on the beach, etc. You basically drive across the bridge from San Diego proper, it's easy.

If you are looking for a resort, check out the Grand Del Mar. I've stayed a few times and it is amazing. ETA: it is located in between legoland and the zoo and they can arrange childcare through the concierge.

Paradise Point is a gorgeous resort.

If you are planning to go to both Legoland and Downtown SD then La Jolla or Del Mar might be the middle ground in terms of location. There is the La Jolla Shores Hotel which is right on the beach. Coronado is close to Downtown but far from Legoland. If you have a car this may not be an issue, but if you will be using public transportation it'll be a hassle.

I actually made a post on things to do in SD, if you're interested: http://www.hellobee.com/2016/10/07/sunny-san-diego-staycation/

@SweetiePie: You're welcome. Also, if you are planning to go to some museums at Balboa Park, you might want to look at this: http://www.balboapark.org/visit. There's also this which also includes amusement parks and the zoo: http://www.smartdestinations.com/san-diego-attractions-and-tours/_d_Sdo-p1.html?pass=Sdo_Prod_Go

@SweetiePie: I've stayed in the Gaslamp for conferences before. There's lots of restaurants and it's very walkable etc. I've stayed at both westins. The pools are pretty small, but that wasn't an issue since I was working. Check and see if there are conferences on while you're there.. it could impact where you want to stay.

@SweetiePie: We drove to all the places mentioned above (Legoland, Old Town, Balboa Children's, the Science Center, the sea lions cove, safari, zoo) and then just planned to grab what I needed from convenience or grocery stores as I went to and from those places. The freeway is zippy as long as you don't go during rush hour.
La Jolla is the best beachy area with little shops. I have never stayed there only visited. Also walked along the beach by Torrey Pines. I have only stayed at Hotel Circle (convenient, right off the freeway), Sorrento Valley (friends,burbs) and Old Town-cheap, we love Mexican anything. Old Town is pretty walkable and they have a trolley.

No problem, here's a couple more tips to help you decide on your accommodations.

SD is pretty spread out in comparison to other cities and having a car makes it a lot easier in terms of getting around but here are a couple suggestions for where to stay and what to do in those areas.

Downtown: If you decide to stay in the downtown area you are near good food places and touristy things are convenient (Horton Plaza Mall, Little Italy, Seaport Village, Waterfront Park, the Midway, New Children's Museum). You can take the trolley to get around and a car is not needed as much. You can get to Old Town, the Zoo and Balboa Park by transit too. In fact having a car might even be a burden since parking can be a pain unless there's a parking structure dedicated to the hotel. If you aren't afraid of walking around this is a great place to be.

La Jolla: This is about 20 minutes away from DT SD without traffic. If you stay at the LJ Shores Hotel you are right on the beach but you would need to drive to Downtown LJ for food and touristy things. (There may be a bus, but I haven't taken it) You can also visit the Birch Aquarium (free if you have BofA during the first full wknd of every month) and LJ Cove to see the sea lions.

Legoland: This is 45 minutes north of DT SD and 20 mins north of LJ. You can visit the Carlsbad Outlets while you're there. There is a hotel nearby and also a beach there. Legoland closes at 5 or 6pm so I recommend getting there early and doing what you can since you will still have the rest of the evening to do something else. I think one day is enough for Legoland.

Hope this helps!

We're going in February and staying at an airbnb next to balboa park.