San Diego Hotel?

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10-07-2007, 08:52 PM
Mom on a Mission

San Diego Hotel?

Hi everyone,

We are coming to CA from CT the first week of November. We have 4 days at the Grand Californian:mickey:, then two at LEGOland and 2 more in San Diego. We plan to do the SDZoo and have a little down time to enjoy Southern CA and regroup before flying home.

Can anyone recommend a good but not too expensive hotel :confused: in San Diego???

We would love to be near the ocean, but I can't seem to find anything. If the beach isn't possible, how about a good heated pool?? We would also like a fairly easy drive to both the zoo and the SD airport.

Any info would be helpful. Thank You!!
10-07-2007, 11:19 PM
tamquilts

Carlsbad Hotels

I live in Carlsbad, close to Legoland. If you are looking for near Legoland, nice, next to the ocean, but not expensive, I recommend the Hilton Garden Inn. It's on old Hwy 101, west of I-5.

The zoo is another 45 miles South of Legoland. I'm not familiar with hotels in that area. Have fun!
10-08-2007, 12:50 AM
NotaGeek

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mom on a Mission

Hi everyone,

We are coming to CA from CT the first week of November. We have 4 days at the Grand Californian:mickey:, then two at LEGOland and 2 more in San Diego. We plan to do the SDZoo and have a little down time to enjoy Southern CA and regroup before flying home.

Can anyone recommend a good but not too expensive hotel :confused: in San Diego???

We would love to be near the ocean, but I can't seem to find anything. If the beach isn't possible, how about a good heated pool?? We would also like a fairly easy drive to both the zoo and the SD airport.

Any info would be helpful. Thank You!!

In San Diego there are lots of hotels downtown ... I love the Marriott at the Yacht Club ... great pool, and since the ocean will be WAY to chilly to swim (IMHO) the pool there rocks.

There are lots of great hotels in the Gas Lamp District. Just Google San Diego Hotels or check out the area on Trip Adviser or consult a GOOD travel agent for some suggestions. There's also a hotel zone by Sea World with very affordable properties ... but on a good note all San Diego attractions are an easy drive away from each other (minus some traffic), but the better ocean side hotels are in Dana Point. There's a beautiful Marriott there, too.

Just be smart, do some research and figure out your budget... closer to the ocean is more money, but luckily after November 1 is low season in the San Diego area!

Oh yeah, I took my parents on a Duck Tour (that crazy jeep/boat thing) and it's goes all over the city and then into the Marina for some ocean time. It's great and really affordable!

Good luck!
10-08-2007, 07:03 AM
Mom on a Mission

Thank You!

Thanks for all the info. This is exactly the kind of "what is where" overview I needed. I've been looking at the travel sites, but not knowing anything about San Diego it was hard to get a feel for. Thanks again!:D
10-08-2007, 10:39 AM
future_imagineer

Of course, the nicest hotel in San Diego is the Hotel del Coronado, but it is absolutely absurdly expensive.

There and many nice hotels downtown - the Marriot and the Hyatt come to mind - and a very decent Sheraton on Harbor Island right near the Airport (in an excellent location if you are planning on sailing in San Diego Bay).

San Diego is quite possibly one of the greatest cities in the country to visit in. I recommend staying somewhere downtown, near the airport (including Harbor Island), or in Coronado, as it is all very densely packed and no more than a few minutes drive from wherever you want to go. The City of San Diego itself is actually rather large, and I wouldn't suggest Carlsbad, La Jolla, or any of the northern suburban communities, because you will have a decently long commute.

You will love San Diego, though!
10-08-2007, 12:36 PM
tamquilts

San Diego Area

Quote:

Originally Posted by future_imagineer

Of course, the nicest hotel in San Diego is the Hotel del Coronado, but it is absolutely absurdly expensive.

San Diego is quite possibly one of the greatest cities in the country to visit in. I recommend staying somewhere downtown, near the airport (including Harbor Island), or in Coronado, as it is all very densely packed and no more than a few minutes drive from wherever you want to go.
The City of San Diego itself is actually rather large, and I wouldn't suggest Carlsbad, La Jolla, or any of the northern suburban communities, because you will have a decently long commute.

You will love San Diego, though!

I must interject on this one. Hotel Del is a fine hotel, yes. But Coronado is far removed and you must cross the bridge or take a ferry to get there. The Hotel Del is also reputed to be haunted, and I've been there enough times to tell you that it does give one the willies. It's lovely at Christmas Time when it's lined in lights, has Dicken's style carollers, and an outdoor ice skating rink. Otherwise, it's much over rated.

As for staying near the airport. Sure, if you love traffic, noise, and congestion.

Hotel Circle is hands-down the best area to stay in downtown. Every-hotel chain imaginable is there, it is centrally located, and there are tons of restaurants - not to mention Fashion Valley Mall (the best mall in San Diego) right there. Hotel Circle is also a fairly congested area.

Anywhere you stay in San Diego you will need a rental car. Everything is spread out - and will take travel time and traffic to get to.

As for La Jolla - ask any local. It is without a doubt the most exclusive and beautiful area of San Diego. The beaches, coves, restaurants, and hotels are beautiful (and pricey). The coves are world famous as are the seals that lay on the beaches. I would highly recommend squeezing at least a visit to La Jolla proper into your trip.

The ramblings of a local girl. As for Carlsbad, as I said previously - it is 45 miles north of San Diego. It also is home to the famous Flower Fields and Tamarack beach (great surfing).

Legoland will be a huge letdown for your kids if they are over 12. It is geared towards kids 7-10 years old - and definately focuses on the male gender interests.

We were annual passholders for Legoland for a several years, and now my DD is 9 and has no interest and is quickly bored. You can get through the entire park in half a day.

Speaking of age- if you get advice to go to Pacific Beach - beware. This beach is a party place for young adults (and some old) and is not family friendly. The local news is always reporting some drunken fight after a holiday weekend. It's the only beach in San Diego that allows alcohol.

Good luck on your trip. No matter where you decide to stay - you will love San Diego.
10-08-2007, 12:37 PM
BrerGnat

Just so you know, the airport is almost smack dab next to downtown. Any hotels near the airport are ALSO near the water, so any of them would be a good bet.

As for beaches, it will be cold and probably pretty gloomy and cloudy in the mornings at least in November. The nicest family friendly beach in the area is in Coronado, and that's a bit of a drive over the bridge to get to.

I would not rule out the Hotel Del Coronado for November. They have some pretty decent pricing in the off season, especially if you stay in one of the outer buildings (i.e. NOT the main, original building where the lobby is). It is a very family friendly resort with a great pool and beautiful beach.

The Zoo is a bit east of Downtown, located in Balboa Park.

For your days in Legoland, where are you staying? Legoland is pretty far from Downtown (enough to make it a pain with traffic/commuting). A nice hotel about 3 minutes from Legoland is the Hilton on the beach in Carlsbad.

I would suggest staying in separate hotels for your time in Legoland/Carlsbad and San Diego, just for convenience sake.

Also, literally right down the hill from Legoland, between Palomar Airport Road and Canon Road (Legoland sits between these two roads), there is an awesome Outlet Mall that you should consider visiting if you like to shop!
10-09-2007, 12:12 AM
*tinker_belle*

I agree with everything Tamquilts said. Being a San Diego native as well, i know about everything there is to know about the area.
To cover the basics, Hotel Circle or even Mission Valley would be a good place to find a hotel and are not too far from everything that you might want to see. If you can find a decently priced hotel in downtown then go for it but these hotels are very overpriced and are more expensive on the weekends.
Also i wouldn't waste 2 days at Legoland as this park is a HUGE dissapointment for the price you pay and it is a very dirty place with not many thrills.
I hope you have fun whatever you decide to do. The Zoo is great also. Overall have a great time and write a trip report!
10-10-2007, 02:43 PM
gtpooh

We stayed at a Hyatt near Sea World that was under renovation but the rooms were very nice and it looks like it will be even nicer when they open the pool and all of the facilities. I think it's a short drive to the zoo from the hotel, but it's not near downtown. Good luck!
10-10-2007, 11:12 PM
BrerGnat

Quote:

Originally Posted by *tinker_belle*

Also i wouldn't waste 2 days at Legoland as this park is a HUGE dissapointment for the price you pay and it is a very dirty place with not many thrills.

I just had to jump in here in defense of Legoland. Of course, Tinker Belle is entitled to her opinion, but I have to disagree with her assesment of Legoland.

I think, first of all, that 2 days is not crazy. That park has a LOT to offer and a lot of it requires kids to sit down and spend some time to enjoy it. The best parts of Legoland for kids are probably the create zones, and you can't rush through that stuff. The park itself is not huge, but it's large enough that covering the whole thing and being able to see and do everything is NOT possible in one day. They run short hours, so at the most in November, the park will be open 8 hrs. That's not enough time. If you have kids between the ages of 5-13 or so, they will LOVE this park, and will want to try everything, and that takes time.

Second, the park is NOT designed to provide "thrills". There are a few rides that provide moderate thrills for the older kids/young teens, but the majority of the rides are just fun for everyone, and again, the main attractions are primarily for visual enjoyment.

Third, the park is not dirty. I was just there a couple of months ago and it was very clean. There is a certain degree of FADING of the buildings and models, but Legoland cannot be maintained like most other parks, because the models and much of the building exteriors (made of lego bricks) cannot be painted. They are faded from years of sun exposure, and the only way to really fix that is to re-build them, which is sort of impractical.

I also find that the facilities (bathrooms, first aid) and the eateries are a notch above those at Disney parks. The bathrooms, in particular, are very nice, clean, and well stocked at all times and they have a plethora of family bathrooms, which is nice when you have little ones.

I would say don't question your decision to go to Legoland and 2 days is appropriate for a first visit.
10-11-2007, 05:10 PM
sleepingbooty

I'm planning a trip similar to yours for next fall (combo Disneyland and San Diego). You've gotten a lot of good advice already, but if you're looking for more, and since Intercot doesn't really focus on non-Disney cities much, you might try the Tripadvisor website. Just by reading threads in the San Diego forum I feel like I've finally gotten a handle on the different neighborhoods and at least know where I want to stay now, if not what particular hotel. I would never direct somebody anywhere but Intercot for a Disney related question, but since this really isn't, I think its okay to mention another site that might be helpful.
10-11-2007, 06:32 PM
*tinker_belle*

Touche BrerGnat.
You bring up some interesting points. My dissapointment could be another persons amazement. With that said, Mom on a Mission, I hope your family has fun on your San Diego Excursion (and of course fun at the DLR too!)