Advice needed on where to stay in So. Cal please

[mermaidwannabe]

I'm planning another trip to DL in late June after we had SO much fun there on our first DL trip last June. After DL, we went to San Diego to do the SeaWorld/Zoo/Beaches thing. We stayed on Shelter Island in San Diego which was good; we paid $180 per night and it was on a marina so it was pretty.

My dilemma is that I'd love to stay somewhere RIGHT on the beach. I'd be willing to pay $250-$280/night but probably not more. Anywhere between San Diego and L.A. would be fine by me since we'll have our own car. The kids do want to go back to SW and the Zoo, but we could drive it. From where we stayed last year, it was 20 minutes tops to get to either SW, the Zoo, Coronado Beach, La Jolla Beach and Mission Beach so it was a great location...just wasn't on the beach.

We'll only be there for 4 nights, a Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon so I don't think I could get a condo since a lot of those seem to be 1-wk minimums. Also, my kids REALLY have to have a pool. They like the ocean but love pools too.

I really have looked at several websites but a lot of them say I have too many people in one room (family of 5, but youngest daughter still can sleep with Mom and Dad in a bed on vacation).

Thanks for anyone's input on this. I'm just excited to be going back as I thought we'd have to wait a few years before we went back!!

 

[Tina]

Have you checked out the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach? I'm not sure about the number of people per room, but the location is right on the beach (across PCH with a bridge over the road). I've seen some discounted rooms from time to time in the $220 per night range. I'm considering this resort for my late June trip as well. We're thinking of spending 3 nights in Huntington Beach, followed by 4 nights at the Grand Californian.

http://huntingtonbeach.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp

 

[mermaidwannabe]

That place would be perfect with the pool and being on the beach, but it says a maximum of 4 people in the rooms.

 

[Tina]

That is a bummer. But if you really like it, you may want to call and ask if they have any rooms that can accomodate 5. You never know if they may have another option or will allow a roll-a-way.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Thanks, I did ask about the rollaway and they said there wasn't enough room. They obviously haven't been vacationing with me because I can fit A LOT in a hotel room.

 

[c&m]

We've stayed at the Hyatt Huntington Beach. The standard rooms are not big enough for a rollaway. However, if you have a little one who can sleep with you, would they allow 5 in the room? The room can be big enough to fit a family of 5 with small children. The hotel is beautiful, with a nice pool area -- you can hear music underwater. The hotel's casual restaurant is fantastic for lunch. Loved their pulled pork sandwich. The beach is huge and is great fun.

At the pier, there's Ruby's Diner for hamburgers, and for better dining, there's Chimayo's and Duke's. Our kids loved it there.