Tess

Our mother/daughter trip to San Diego is almost here and I have one final question for the marvelous folks who've flown in and out of San Diego's airport. Our flight gets in 2 hours ahead of our friends' plane. We land at 10 a.m. and they arrive at noon. So...is there anything fun to do for two hours, other than eat? I know I'll have a very antsy and excited 12 year old girl (waiting for her friend's plane) and have a feeling that time will pass slowly. Does San Diego's airport have chair massage or anything fun like that?

jor

Tess, anyone who whats to "kill time" doesn't want to be there anyway. Check out the TV shows at the airport.

Tess

Jor,
Sensing some hostility here. I'm simply asking if there are some pleasant diversions in the airport while we wait for our friends. Anyone else?

lcuy

San Diego is not a connecting type airport...so most people just enter then leave. I've never noticed any "fun things, but did you check if they have a web site?

In two hours you could easily walk out of the airport and over to the bayfront, but I'm not sure what you'd do with your luggage???

Are you getting a car? If so you can take the shuttle and get it while you wait.Even if not getting a car, you could take the alamo shuttle for the 1/2 mile ride then come back!!

gail

We were very surprised in San Diego last summer how close the airport is to the city - not close - it is IN the city. Not knowing what your plans are after arrival of everyones plane, you might choose to spend the time with annoying "vacation start-up" details - pick up rental car, check into hotel (if not into room, the paperwork part, pick up "room snacks", etc.

WillTravel

There's a nice area to take a walk along the oceanfront close to the airport. You will have a beautiful view and no doubt enjoy a sunny San Diego morning.

I can't give you directions as to how to walk out from the airport to this area, but undoubtedly someone can.

amelie

Maybe your plane will arrive late and you'll have less time to wait. It seems like a hassle to be able to store your luggage somewhere and go take a walk along the water. I'd go with the car idea, although then you'd have to park at the airport and pay, but maybe that wouldn't matter.

I've never found airports to be all that exciting.

Cicerone

The website for San Diego airport is http://www.san.org.

I think picking up the rental car is a great idea, and I am sure your friend will appreciate it. Between getting your luggage and getting over to the rental car area, you may find most of your time used up. If not, you can park in the short term parking nearest the terminal and go have a meal or some shopping (there is a San Diego Zoo store) and then try to get as close to your friends' arrival gate as you can, or meet them at baggage claim.

Jocelyn_P

I agree the most productive thing would be to get settled with hotel, rental car, etc. If that's not possible, the area WillTravel is talking about is probably Harbor Island (or maybe Spanish Landing but I'm pretty sure Harbor Island is closer). If you find a place to keep your stuff, just ask at the information stand how to walk there. Or, hop in a cab and go to Point Loma Seafoods (Scott and Emerson on Shelter Island) for lunch--they start serving hot food at 10:30 and it's a very quick ride from the airport. It's fast, casual food that you eat outside by the marina. The airport here is relatively small and easy to get into.

Underhill

By all means do something away from the airport. The terminals are usually crowded, and seating can be problematic. Not a good place to wait!

diann

I will have the same problem as you. I don't forsee yours being a real issue. If your plane lands at 10 again you get off, find your luggage, or just grab a bite to eat or a snack it will be 12:00. My time is 3 hours or so. I have decided to get the rental car, find the hotel and drive back to airport. It makes the most sense to me.

Tess

Thanks for all of your suggestions. The rental car is under my friend's name so we'll wait to pick it up after their plane lands. Guess we'll just stay put at the airport and enjoy the one time that we're not rushing around to get either in or out! Dunno, though, Jocelyn's idea of lunch on at Point Loma Seafoods sounds kind of intriguing.

malvado

"...You will have a beautiful view and no doubt enjoy a sunny San Diego morning."

I hate to break it to you, Willtravel, but there's no such thing as a sunny San Diego morning. You must live in East County.

Tess

Say it isn't so! Are we talking daily fog/rain here or what? We're used to Nebraska weather--literally a blizzard one day and shorts weather the next--so I've packed everything from swimsuits to sweaters. Should I also include an umbrella?

Barbara

I don't live in East County, I can see the ocean from my house, and we have sunny mornings almost every day.

lcuy

Since when does San Diego not have good mornings? I grew up in Coronado and always loved walking to school in the sunshine.

In addition, my husband has been there the last two weeks and he's had several beautiful mornings while there(being from Hawaii, when he says the weather is nice, it is).

The only time you don't get nice mornings is in the early part of summer -May and June- when you get the gloom/fog in the morning and beautiful afternoons once it burns off.

J_Correa

Tess - Don't worry about the weather. It will be fine. There might be a bit of morning fog, but that's probably it.

We were there in February last year during a "storm". This storm, which consisted of light showers for a couple hours, was all over the news because it was that big of a deal to get rain. Don't worry. If on the off chance you need an umbrella, just buy one in SD.

As with any trip to the California coast, layers are a good idea because we are the land of microclimates. The temperatures aren't extreme though, so you shouldn't need anything heavier than a sweatshirt and a windbreaker. The ocean will be too cold to swim in, but if your hotel has a pool, swim suits will come in handy.

malvado

With the exception of Santa Ana mornings, the coast and definitely including the downtown/airport area is under a marine layer nearly every morning. It doesn't burn off until late morning most of the year and there are days (june) when it doesn' burn off until early afternoon and comes back by late afternoon. Temperature wise, it will be fine.
While i can't see the ocean from my house, this 3rd generation SDiegan has lived within a few miles of it my whole life and I know what I've been waking up to the last 30 something years.

Barbara

Malvado, I worked downtown on one of the upper floors of Symphony Towers for many years, and really do not remember every morning being overcast. I do remember sunny mornings and great views. Certainly in June there is overcast, sometimes all day, but not all year round. While I'm not third generation, I have lived here for 27 years.

dwooddon

I think it is safe to ignore the warning about the lack of sun unless you are going to be there in May-June-early July. I flew into Lindberg (San Diego Intl) 4-5 days a week for eight years and if it had been that cloudy or overcast, I would have a lot more instrument time in my logbook than I do.

Except for the period stated, any marine layer or low overcast that does occur in the morning is almost always burned off by 10:00 am.