Hotel Question; AND General Planning Review/Advice

[chttyangel]

Headed to So Cal for a week with my two youngest children. We are starting in SD and heading North. I think we have MOST of our plan together but not sure on where to stay when visiting the Wild Animal Park. Should we just stay in SD and then head up or stay somewhere closer? I am not familar with that area. Here is our plan so far;

Couple of notes; 1) We chose John Wayne due to price 2) I know one day at DL is not enough BUT we have been many times and this trip was really about SD. Just couldnt resist one day with Mickey. 3) We are the type of family who like to go...go..go (well at least the ones coming are). So full days are okay by us!

Friday; Arrive at noon at Orange County. Drive to San Diego. Dinner/exploring at Coronado (if time, only hour flight so no jet lag). Hotel in SD hotel circle area

Saturday; Zoo and explore Balboa Park. Dinner in Old Town. Hotel in SD hotel circle area.

Sunday; Seaworld. Dinner/exploring Gas Light area. Hotel ??????

Monday; Wild Animal Park. Hotel in Carlbads; dinner/explore beach there.

Tuesday; Legoland (son is 6, daugther is 14...so he should love and she should hate). Drive to Anahiem and stay in hotel there.

Wednesday; DL

Thursday; flight home at 10:40

Any suggestions/changes? Thoughts on Sunday's hotel? How long does it take to get from DL to John Wayne (we usually do LAX and a shuttle, this time we will have rental car). THANKS!

 

[sonnyjane]

For your Sunday night hotel, for the sake of convenience, just stay at your Hotel Circle hotel. The Safari Park is really in the middle of nowhere so you may as well just stay here in San Diego and drive up there in the morning, and Hotel Circle is close to Gaslamp downtown so I wouldn't change hotels.

 

[usnuzuloose]

You need to leave enough time for going back to JW airport. You will hit traffic. I would leave around 7-7:30 at best to give yourself enough time to get there and turn in your rental car.

 

[chttyangel]

Thanks for the hotel tip and the travel time. We booked our hotel in San Diego through Monday and will just travel from there to the Safari Park.

For Monday night we decided to stay in Oceanside; it says 5 miles to Legoland. So seems not too bad of a drive from the Safari Park and put us in good shape for Lego's in the morning!