In which we ponder San Diego...

Is anyone on my flist from (or very familiar with) San Diego? 

I'm planning a little vacation jaunt there with my mom and the Valkyrie at the first of the year. We're going to hit the Zoo, SeaWorld, Fleet Museum, etc and want advice on good places to stay (we'll have a car, but don't want to have to navigate more of the town between destinations than we have to) and eat, other "must sees" for a three-generation girls' outting, etc.

Our current plans are to do the Zoo from opening to noonish (we've heard it's best to get there first thing, less crowds, more active animals, etc.) and then something else in the afternoon (museum? Wild Adventure?). Then SeaWorld the next day, from open to... whenever.  

We're considering buying one of these GoSanDiego cards as if we're going to do 3 or 4 "attractions" during the 2-3 days we're there, it seems like a good buy. The Zoo alone is 33$ per person, or 1/3 of the cost of the card for 2 days.  Assuming we do buy one, what out of this list of attractions would those of you in the know recommend we see during our time there? (We're probably going to avoid any waterparks or amusement parks where the major focus is rides/etc, out of respect for mom and a desire to do things everyone will enjoy.)