san diego hotel recommendations? san diego sightseeing suggestions?

[Dom262]

We live not far from San Diego and have stayed at many of the hotels near the Cruise Terminal.

Hotels:
Springhill Suites/ Residents Inn - Harbor Blvd. Walk across the street to the port. Safe area, lots of scooter rentals. Walking distance to the Maritime Museum (Star of India) and the USS Midway.
InterContinental Hotel - Brand new right next to SHill Suites. Full service.
Wyndham Bayside - Across the St and down a little ways from the first two. Older builder, but nice location
Hyatt Seaport Village - Full Service Hotel right next to Seaport Village. Walking distance to USS Midway. Trolley or Uber to Port (less than 5 mins). Hotel might have a shuttle as well.
Marriott Marquis - Next to the Hyatt. Full Service hotel and close to Seaport Village and Gaslamp area.
Marriott Downtown - Middle of the Gaslamp area Petco Park. You can walk to the other areas, just a bit longer of a walk.
US Grant Hotel - Middle of downtown. Farther away from places, historic beautiful hotel.
Residence Inn Downtown. Closer to LIttle Italy and the trolley. They have a shuttle to take you places downtown. You would have to ask about to the port however. 5 Min Uber to port.

Things to do:
USS Midway
Seaport Village
Gaslamp District Downtown
Liberty Station - former site of Naval Training Center San Diego
San Diego Zoo - Balboa Park (Natural History Museum, Aerospace Museum, RH Fleet Science Center, etc)
Sea World
Old Town San Diego
Cabrillo National Monument
Tide Pools/ Sunset Cliffs in Ocean Beach
Mission Beach - Belmont Park
Hotel del Coronado

Hvae a great trip.

 

[disneylandlocal]

Close to port and free parking: Pick one.

I would take shuttle to port and free parking. I need the shuttle so we don’t have to bring car seats like in an Uber. Thanks

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I would take shuttle to port and free parking. I need the shuttle so we don’t have to bring car seats like in an Uber. Thanks

My point is more that if you want somewhere with free parking, you'll need to pay a shuttle for port. If you want near port, you will pay for parking. Port is downtown, and downtown parking is basically never ever free.

 

[disneyholic family]

With only 3 days, I would recommend the SD Zoo over the Animal Park, as the Animal Park is a bit of a haul out of town.

In no particular order, here are some things I think are highlights in SD:

1. The zoo
2. Balboa Park as a whole. There are both free museums and others, depending on your interests. It is also fun to wander around there, and to get drinks at Panama 66 in the sculpture garden. The carousel is open weekends and is beautiful.
3. La Jolla - the Children's Cove for the sea lions, and if your party is active enough, the kayak tour of the sea caves is amazing.
4. Hiking at Torrey Pines State Park.
5. Visiting the Cabrillo National Monument. Depending on the ages and interests of your party, kids can do the junior park ranger activity, and the cliff-top hikes and tidepools are neato.
6. The Midway and Maritime Museums if you like military history.
7. https://flyingleathernecks.org/ at Miramar is overlooked but nifty.
8. Belmont Park

thanks for that list - the kayaking and hiking sound particularly interesting, but i'm not sure we'll be up to it after flying 15 hours non-stop!! but maybe that's the cure!
i'm debating about the rental car...
we fly into LAX, so i'm renting a car to get us to san diego...
i was planning on just using it for the drive down, but maybe i'll keep it so that i can get further afield...at least on friday..
then give it back friday evening..

I've been to SD alone for work several times and with DH for fun a couple of times. If you stay near Gaslight Quarter or Seaport Village you can walk almost everywhere including to the port, the Midway, the ferry to Coronado. Uber or taxi to the zoo - it's not far but there's a major highway in the way. Don't stay on Coronado ($$$$) but do visit.

As a lone female (north side of 60), I have never felt uneasy walking. As mentioned, there are a lot of panhandlers (warm weather year round) but just keep going past them.

Eat the fish tacos.

thanks for the safety comments!! my husband told me he thought san diego is considered safe, but i wasn't sure.
all the comments have convinced me..

.

 

[disneyholic family]

We live not far from San Diego and have stayed at many of the hotels near the Cruise Terminal.

Hotels:
Springhill Suites/ Residents Inn - Harbor Blvd. Walk across the street to the port. Safe area, lots of scooter rentals. Walking distance to the Maritime Museum (Star of India) and the USS Midway.
InterContinental Hotel - Brand new right next to SHill Suites. Full service.
Wyndham Bayside - Across the St and down a little ways from the first two. Older builder, but nice location
Hyatt Seaport Village - Full Service Hotel right next to Seaport Village. Walking distance to USS Midway. Trolley or Uber to Port (less than 5 mins). Hotel might have a shuttle as well.
Marriott Marquis - Next to the Hyatt. Full Service hotel and close to Seaport Village and Gaslamp area.
Marriott Downtown - Middle of the Gaslamp area Petco Park. You can walk to the other areas, just a bit longer of a walk.
US Grant Hotel - Middle of downtown. Farther away from places, historic beautiful hotel.
Residence Inn Downtown. Closer to LIttle Italy and the trolley. They have a shuttle to take you places downtown. You would have to ask about to the port however. 5 Min Uber to port.

Things to do:
USS Midway
Seaport Village
Gaslamp District Downtown
Liberty Station - former site of Naval Training Center San Diego
San Diego Zoo - Balboa Park (Natural History Museum, Aerospace Museum, RH Fleet Science Center, etc)
Sea World
Old Town San Diego
Cabrillo National Monument
Tide Pools/ Sunset Cliffs in Ocean Beach
Mission Beach - Belmont Park
Hotel del Coronado

Hvae a great trip.

thanks
i've made a tentative reservation at the hyatt.
springhill still isn't open for those dates...that is, reservations only go through oct 10 2020 right now..
in another 2 weeks i can check it to see what the rates are...

.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Given that we'll be there for 3 days, i definitely want to make sure i pick the right hotel.
I'd very much appreciate recommendations - whether on what hotel to stay in or what hotel to avoid.

Looks like you made a reservation. I was going to suggest that you not stay downtown. There's lots of other great areas to stay. Hilton Mission Bay Resort, Paradise Point (on a different side of Mission Bay), or pretty much any name brand hotel in La Jolla or Del Mar. While non of those are downtown, they are easy enough to catch an uber/lyft to get around if you won't have a car.

Does anyone know of a San Diego hotel that is close to port and offers free parking? We are driving down from LA. Thanks

The Wyndham across the street has parking. I parked there for my last cruise. It is directly across the street from the port and it was very easy to walk our luggage across the street from the hotel entrance.

 

[MaidMarian444]

I'm 39F and recently spent three nights solo with no car in La Jolla and loved it. So much within walking distance and an Uber to Balboa Park was easy. I stayed at the Grande Colonial and had the best breakfasts of my life in the hotel's restaurant.

 

[disneyholic family]

Looks like you made a reservation. I was going to suggest that you not stay downtown. There's lots of other great areas to stay. Hilton Mission Bay Resort, Paradise Point (on a different side of Mission Bay), or pretty much any name brand hotel in La Jolla or Del Mar. While non of those are downtown, they are easy enough to catch an uber/lyft to get around if you won't have a car.
The Wyndham across the street has parking. I parked there for my last cruise. It is directly across the street from the port and it was very easy to walk our luggage across the street from the hotel entrance.

I'm 39F and recently spent three nights solo with no car in La Jolla and loved it. So much within walking distance and an Uber to Balboa Park was easy. I stayed at the Grande Colonial and had the best breakfasts of my life in the hotel's restaurant.

i did make a reservation, but i can cancel it up to 3 days in advance...i wanted to lock in the rate that came up which i thought was pretty good for the hyatt...
i'm going to check out the places you both suggested......

.

 

[disneyholic family]

i checked la jolla......looks beautiful, but i live 10 minutes from a gorgeous blue flag beach on the mediterranean, so i'd rather see the city of san diego....i can see the beach every day of the week, and usually do when i take my mom for her daily walk on the promenade...

 

[Kathlini]

DH and i will be on the Disney Wonder next October, sailing out of San Diego.
This is the FIRST TIME we're cruising just the two of us

We'll have 3 days in San Diego before the cruise (arriving on Thursday for a Sunday cruise).

Given that we'll be there for 3 days, i definitely want to make sure i pick the right hotel.
I'd very much appreciate recommendations - whether on what hotel to stay in or what hotel to avoid.

Also, anything that you think we should definitely do.

I figured, we'd do a halfday tour that takes us around the city to give us a lay of the land so to speak.
And of course a visit to the San Diego zoo that i've heard so much about.
AS well as the USS Midway.
then maybe a walking tour or something like that.

Anything that you can recommend?

thanks in advance!!

Close to port and free parking: Pick one.

My favorite hotel is the Hotel Del Coronado. It is across the water but so wonderful. if you don't stay at least take the water taxi over for dinner. San Diego has an "old town trolley tour" which is wonderful. start early and you can get on and off along the way. It goes to Zoo, Balboa Park, old town, gas lamp, Midway, Coronado island.... you can stay at each stop as long as you want, best way to see everything in one day. start early! La Jolla has great restaurants and great shopping and a wonderful Segway tour with views of the sea lions

 

[DisMommyTX]

We purchased one of those multi-attraction passes that include a couple things we wanted with lots of stuff we would have skipped. It was great! We saw a lot more and sought out experiences we never would have paid to visit otherwise.

 

[bcwife76]

We've sailed out of San Diego twice (and are sailing again out of SD October 2020). Stayed at Wyndham Bayside both times, right across from the pier, and plan to stay there again in 2020. As someone else mentioned there is a huge park a block from the hotel that my kids loved and the area itself is very walkable with many restaurants and sights to see so it's a go-to for us.

 

[disneyholic family]

My favorite hotel is the Hotel Del Coronado. It is across the water but so wonderful. if you don't stay at least take the water taxi over for dinner. San Diego has an "old town trolley tour" which is wonderful. start early and you can get on and off along the way. It goes to Zoo, Balboa Park, old town, gas lamp, Midway, Coronado island.... you can stay at each stop as long as you want, best way to see everything in one day. start early! La Jolla has great restaurants and great shopping and a wonderful Segway tour with views of the sea lions

i few people have mentioned that hotel..
i'm going to check it out as well as the trolley...thanks

.

 

[disneyholic family]

We purchased one of those multi-attraction passes that include a couple things we wanted with lots of stuff we would have skipped. It was great! We saw a lot more and sought out experiences we never would have paid to visit otherwise.

oh that's a great idea....i assume i can find it by googling...
thanks!!

.

 

[disneyholic family]

We've sailed out of San Diego twice (and are sailing again out of SD October 2020). Stayed at Wyndham Bayside both times, right across from the pier, and plan to stay there again in 2020. As someone else mentioned there is a huge park a block from the hotel that my kids loved and the area itself is very walkable with many restaurants and sights to see so it's a go-to for us.

oh is that like those timeshare wyndhams?
i'll take a look...
our cruise is also october 2020....october 18th i think (the 5 night)..
we're doing the ABD tour the week after and since we were going to be in california, i figured i'd see if the wonder had a cruise that would work..
as luck would have it, there was one!! woo hoo!!!!

 

[disneyholic family]

so springhill finally came up (it opened for the dates i need)..
so why is it the same cost as staying at the Hyatt club level????
that makes no sense to me...

.

 

[bcwife76]

oh is that like those timeshare wyndhams?
i'll take a look...
our cruise is also october 2020....october 18th i think (the 5 night)..
we're doing the ABD tour the week after and since we were going to be in california, i figured i'd see if the wonder had a cruise that would work..
as luck would have it, there was one!! woo hoo!!!!

We're sailing just before you, October 12-16th. And no this Wyndham is just a hotel, no timeshare at this location.

 

[disneyholic family]

We're sailing just before you, October 12-16th. And no this Wyndham is just a hotel, no timeshare at this location.

if you're on the 12th to the 16th and we're on the 18th to the 23rd, that means there must be a 2 night cruise between our two.....
wow, i can't imagine going on the wonder for only 2 nights!!

 

[bcwife76]

if you're on the 12th to the 16th and we're on the 18th to the 23rd, that means there must be a 2 night cruise between our two.....
wow, i can't imagine going on the wonder for only 2 nights!!

Yes there is a 2 night in between and I agree, I could never go for that short. Heck we are doing a 3 night on the Dream which I said we would *never* do, but it's our Grand Slam, on a CDN residents rate and we'll be in Florida for a week total so yeah....never say never I guess lol
If I lived in SD, yeah I'd probably hop on the Wonder for two nights, but otherwise, nope.

 

[Alicatt]

Thr martiot pulse is excellent.