Going to SW & ZOO, do I need to stay right in San Diego?

[mermaidwannabe]

Hi, we booked CCI for a Mon-Fri so we could go to DL/DCA T, W, and Thurs which leaves Fri, Sat, Sun and Mon to do SW, the Zoo, Balboa Park and beach time. It seems like the beachfront hotels north of San Diego are cheaper, but I don't want to be driving too much to SW, the zoo, etc. either. Should we stay somewhere very close to these attractions or could we stay near Huntington Beach or San Juan Capistrano without incurring too much traffic?

On a side note, I was thinking Fri could be a beach day, Sat could be Balboa Park and possibly Coronado Island Beach day, SW could be on Sun and the Zoo could be on MOnday. Is it crazy to do SW on a weekend or Coronado Island for that matter?

TIA!!!

 

[Laurabearz]

Hotels in San Diego are $$$$$ lol

We are doing kind of the same thing as you... Half at DL half in SD.

Right now it looks like the Embassy La Jolla is winning for us... (we are a family of 5, so most hotels require us to get 2 rooms)

It's give and take.. the closer you are to the things you want to do in SD the more the hotels cost. We have opted to pay a bit more to save us daily driving time... (although we are not paying $150 more anight to stay in the Embassy in Down Town SD, which would be even closer to everything we want to do, for a 150 a night savings I will drive more! lol)

 

[Lilypaige]

We were stressed about this too. Luckily we scored on getting a very good rate that this place: http://www.paradisepoint.com/paradise_resortinfo.aspx

I'm hoping it is close enough to everything for us. We plan on going to SW (it's only 1.5 miles away) and WAP (34 miles ) so I'm hoping that everything will work out. We also plan on a beach day, but can have that at our resort.

 

[Laurabearz]

Wow Lily Nice hotel!!! ANd one of the few to admit they have connecting rooms!

Now I have some thinking to do...

 

[Lilypaige]

Wow Lily Nice hotel!!! ANd one of the few to admit they have connecting rooms!

Now I have some thinking to do...

I know!! We feel in love with the place and lucked out with a F&F rate. Can't do much better. Now I'm trying to talk DH into an extra day to play there !

 

[Laurabearz]

What is a F& F rate?

 

[Lilypaige]

Friends and Family. We know someone who has a family member that works high up in the resort.

 

[Laurabearz]

Friends and Family. We know someone who has a family member that works high up in the resort.

Could I be a friend of a friend who has family high up in the resort...

 

[Lilypaige]

Could I be a friend of a friend who has family high up in the resort...

I wish I could do it for others, but think we wre lucky enough to get it for ourselves and don't want to push our luck!

 

[Lilypaige]

Hi, we booked CCI for a Mon-Fri so we could go to DL/DCA T, W, and Thurs which leaves Fri, Sat, Sun and Mon to do SW, the Zoo, Balboa Park and beach time. It seems like the beachfront hotels north of San Diego are cheaper, but I don't want to be driving too much to SW, the zoo, etc. either. Should we stay somewhere very close to these attractions or could we stay near Huntington Beach or San Juan Capistrano without incurring too much traffic?

On a side note, I was thinking Fri could be a beach day, Sat could be Balboa Park and possibly Coronado Island Beach day, SW could be on Sun and the Zoo could be on MOnday. Is it crazy to do SW on a weekend or Coronado Island for that matter?

TIA!!!

I also wanted to add that we have family members who are going to stay at the Hampton Inn in DT SD and I believe that they got a rate of $120ish/night midweek which included free breakfast (an actual meal ) and is right on the beach and has transportion to SW and the SDZ. I will have to recheck to make sure it was the Hampton, but I'm 90% sure.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

I also wanted to add that we have family members who are going to stay at the Hampton Inn in DT SD and I believe that they got a rate of $120ish/night midweek which included free breakfast (an actual meal ) and is right on the beach and has transportion to SW and the SDZ. I will have to recheck to make sure it was the Hampton, but I'm 90% sure.

Thank you for that info. That sounds perfect for us, price-wise, transportation-wise and beach-wise. I love the place you are staying, but definitely out of our range.

The Embassy La Jolla looks nice, but I would love to be right on the beach.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

I don't think it was the Hampton Inn? I checked Tripadvisor and it's not on the beach and seems to be amidst several strip joints. Thanks though!

 

[Lilypaige]

I don't think it was the Hampton Inn? I checked Tripadvisor and it's not on the beach and seems to be amidst several strip joints. Thanks though![/QUOTE

I will contact the family member shortly and ask them again.

 

[Katie0677]

We are doing the same thing. We booked a room for 2 nights at Mission Bay Holiday Inn. It looks nice and got good reviews! It is very close (less than a mile) to SW. We are a family of 5, and were able to book one of their suites.
Good luck-
Katie

 

[sandiegoDeva]

I have a zoo membership and go about once a week...I don't know much about hotels and driving distances from the LA area, but I can tell you that the best time to go to the zoo is a weekday morning. The zoo opens at 9, and during this time the animals are most active and the crowds usually light. It is a completely different experience from going to the zoo on a weekend afternoon when the zoo is crowded.

Also, going to the beach on a Friday is a good idea...the beaches and parking lots fill up on the weekend.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Lilypaige - thank you for offering to ask your friends, but please don't go to any trouble!

Katie0677 - I really liked the looks of that hotel for the price but I don't like the idea of having to pay the nonrefundable total at time of ressies! I'm just a worrywart and like 48 hour cancellation policies. I am going to keep it bookmarked though.

sandiegodiva - thanks for the the info on the crowds. I'll have to do either SW or the Zoo on the weekend so maybe I'll opt for SW on Sunday.

I found a place called the Surfer Beach Hotel in Pacific Beach with a pool and it's right on the beach but there are several reviews saying it attracts a younger rowdier crowd. I don't mind the older motel feel that several say it has, but rowdiness isn't what I have in mind. I'll just keep looking!!

 

[Laurabearz]

Yeah I found a bunch of great deal hotels right on the beach with the reviews of how the party is right out the front door and all the places for cheap drinks up and down the beach...

 

[Katie0677]

"Katie0677 - I really liked the looks of that hotel for the price but I don't like the idea of having to pay the nonrefundable total at time of ressies! I'm just a worrywart and like 48 hour cancellation policies. I am going to keep it bookmarked though."


They have other options that don't require advance purchase, I believe.

~katie

 

[mermaidwannabe]

"Katie0677 - I really liked the looks of that hotel for the price but I don't like the idea of having to pay the nonrefundable total at time of ressies! I'm just a worrywart and like 48 hour cancellation policies. I am going to keep it bookmarked though."


They have other options that don't require advance purchase, I believe.

~katie

I'll look into that. I did find the Bay Club Hotel & Marina for $209 that is on Shelter Island (now I don't remember if that was the name of the island). It looks pretty nice and includes a hot breakfast every morning. I don't know...I'm so torn...I could stay further north for the same price at San Juan Capistrano and be on the beach which my kids would love and so would I but at the cost of having to drive more miles and being in the car. Finding a place at DL was SOOO much easier.

 

[Etoile]

Mission Bay is a good area price-wise. Right this minute I am at the Inn at Mission Bay, which is a member of the America's Best Value Inn network. I think it was $62/nt here. Free wireless internet, free breakfast, right off I-5, walking distance to a 7-11 convenience store. SeaWorld is one or two exits away and downtown San Diego is only a little farther.