Thanks in advance for any recommendations. I have three young kids… we will likely take in Sea World, Lego Land, a few days at the beach etc. We plan to have a rental car but are looking for a safe place to stay in a good location.
Additional questions would be which beaches, restaurants etc should we take in?
Thanks!
I would recommend Mission beach, Pacific beach and La Jolla areas for attractions/restaurants and beaches with kids. You can often walk the local strip for entertainment.
If you feel adventurous check local beaches from Coronado to Oceanside at Surfline.com https://www.surfline.com/surf-report/oceanside-harbor-north-jetty/5842041f4e65fad6a7708832
When are you planning on going? While San Diego is way better than VT in the winter, but the ocean can be cold for kids in the winter. That said, I totally love La Jolla.
If you have a budget, I would really recommend the La Jolla Riviera Inn. It’s walking distance to the beach, and La Jolla Shores shops. It has free parking too. They also have a pool. La Jolla Shores area is a great spot with great breakfast places, good restaurants, coffee shops, stores, and none of the homeless encampments and hepatitis from public defecation that San Diego is recently plagued with. There’s also a really cool cave to explore at “the cave store.”
There’s awesome surfing and and nice park at the beach with a great playground (Kellogg Park).
If you’re adventurous, you can swim from La Jolla Cove to the large lifeguard station and it is 1 mile. There are some warning signs about the seal poop, but I didn’t get sick at all and there are scuba divers everywhere. See attached picture.
It’s not a far drive to the airport and seaward etc. Downtown La Jolla isn’t too far away and has a ton of swanky stores and restaurants also.
Let me know if you have any questions.
I am partial to Encinitas/Cardiff/Leucadia mostly because I live here but also for the following reasons:
Our family loved the Catamaran resort. Great location on the bay and ocean. Modest hotel. Great tacos at a little stand right out front. I like tacos.
+1 for Encinitas/Cardiff area. Seems out there a bit, but you really are just a relatively short drive from Sea World, Old Town, Balboa, etc. and there’s lots of great beaches and places to eat within walking distance. VG’s donuts is a must. I’d also plug Ki’s for lunch. If you scoot down to Solana Beach, Claire’s on Cedros is great for breakfast, but there’s a dozen great places for breakfast along the 101 between Del Mar and Leucadia.
Lots of places available on VRBO. You can stay as far as Oceanside - you can rent a place right on the strand overlooking the beach for cheap.
Bring a car - the traffic in the San Diego area blows.
Also check out Solana Beach. Nice and walkable. Closer to Legoland than La Jolla and closer to Sea World and the Zoo than Carlsbad and Encinitas.
Oceanside is too far away IMO.
BTW everywhere mentioned is safe.
Thanks all!
Dave, we are going Feb 28-March 5th. As I narrow our search, my kids love going to the pool but is the weather even conducive for kids to swim during this time?
Is there a public pool in your area or the La Jolla area you would recommend.
Thanks so much!
I’m going to second the Encinitas/Cardiff…I’m from NorCal but spend a couple weeks down there a year.We’ve had great luck with VRBO there -have been able to walk to beaches etc.
Have been as early in the year as late March and weather was great,(not sure about end of Feb.)-kids could totally play on beach tho water a bit chilly.There is plenty to do within a short drive’s distance …and we always look forward to Jorge’s,Taco Stand,and of course VG donuts!!
Don’t want to hijack the thread, but best location to stay for BWR? San Marcos?
Or do Carlsbad, Encinitas?
Look at Mission Bay as place to stay, as others have suggested. Good central location to the activities you’ve got planned. Near Pacific and Mission Beaches.
We stayed at the Hyatt Regency. From there, you can take a boat ride to enter Sea World. My kids liked that.
If money is not an issue, I also really like the Hotel Del Coronado. Good places to eat nearby as well. It’s a bit further to the south, but not enough to make much of a difference in terms of travel logistics (no boat ride to Sea World tho). The beach right outside the hotel is nice and a bit sheltered from the sometimes large surf that hits the coast there.
Really, is this a serious post…I thought this was a triathlon forum, when did it morph into a travel advisory???
I’m in the same boat as you(3 young kids) and although I love Encinitas, even lived there for 11 years, I think the suggestion of the Catamaran is a good one. We stayed there once and it is great for the kids, and they can swim in the pools there. The ocean is too cold at that time, but you have some beaches right in front of the hotel on the inside bay, so they can wade or even kayak/paddle at bit.
But it is an old property and I give it 2 1/2 stars, but unless you plan to spend all day in your room, it was not a big deal to me. And of course the kids dont know a 5 star from a 2, all about the amenities for them…Lego land would just be about an hour, but you would be right on top of seaworld, so you have to drive one way or the other if you hit those two spots…
Other thing about that spot, there are several restaurants, and you are right next to the beach for walks on the strand and pier too…
Last year we rented a little place right on the beach at Mission Beach off VRBO. Even with cooler ocean water my kids still loved jumping in and out and any sunny days were spent on the beach. Being right on the beach was a plus for the sunset and early morning walks. I thought the running options were good including the main boardwalk and there’s a decent route around the bay.
+1
We did the same 18 months ago.
Rented Airbnb one block from beach. Nice restaurants. Short drives to balboa park, sea world. About 45 minutes to LEGO land.
Strongly recommend going to the USS Midway. Have the docents, WW 2 vets,talk to your kids about their experiences. Really made an impression on my kids.
There is a public pool close by. It’s called Alga Norte it’s inland just a bit in Carlsbad. There is a great park there too! The Pool is actually a huge facility. There is an Olympic sized competition pool. A Training pool and kids pool. It’s dirt cheap too! Carlsbad is amazing in that way. As long as the sun is out which is virtually guaranteed the weather will be fine and the pool deck warm.
The Ocean temp will be in the low to mid 60’s so getting fully immersed in the water will be chilly. Follow the tides, hit low tied and there will be plenty of water for the kids to enjoy themselves. And that’s anywhere, San Diego has great beaches up and down the coast no matter where you stay.
+1 for the USS Midway. It’s an aircraft carrier that’s been retired and turned into a museum. It was really fun to tour. My dad served as a dentist onboard in the 70’s.
SDSU Alum here with my 2 cents:
Hands down - Carlsbad, Encinitas, or Oceanside - best location, nice and affordable and family-friendly.
LaJolla - nice to visit but crazy expensive
Mission Beach/Pacific Beach - great place to buy drugs, don’t go with kids
Mission Bay - nice to visit but wouldn’t stay there
Mb/pb comment moronic and false
You really can’t go wrong - the coast is great all up and down. If you’re looking for a hotel environment, Catamaran is a great family option. It’s across the street from Pacific Beach which has a fun vibe, lots of sandwich/taco/ice cream shops, fun happy hour/sunset bars and surfers and volleyball players on the beach. Mission Bay is off the backside of the hotel with semi-private beach, kayaks and the hotel runs a pontoon boat evening cruise - you can nap or read while the kids run around without much to worry about ( YMMV). The hotel grounds have ducks & turtles and other diversions for the little ones. As others have said - definitely mid-grade rooms.
If you want to AirB&B or VRBO, it’s all open. I think La Jolla is more of an art galleries and fine dining town than a kiddie hot-spot, but the cove is certainly worth a visit. You can get up close and personal with sea lions. If you want to ride/run, the North County beaches are wide open and there is always a steady stream of riders on Hwy 1 .
One caution is that Imperial Beach ( the southern-most) often has beach closures because of runoff from the Tijuana River. That beach is closed today because of the weekend’s rains and there is still sewage runoff fouling the ocean.