SandyBrit: Thank you for your San Diego hotel advice!!
Apr 12th, 2004, 11:35 AM
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SandyBrit: Thank you for your San Diego hotel advice!!
We just returned from our trip to AZ/CA. We took your advice and booked the Ocean Park Inn through SD visitors/convention bureau. What a great place! Can't beat the location. I can't remember the last time I slept with my balcony door open, listening to the ocean! Now I'm hating being back home where it's rainy and about 45 degrees! Thanks again for your tip!
Apr 13th, 2004, 07:15 AM
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I don't have a lot of exciting stuff to report but I could give a few highlights...
The first week of our trip was our annual venture to Scottsdale to visit family. We always stay at the Chaparral Suites which works fine for us because we get breakfast daily, the kids swam almost every day and the suite gives us room to spread out a bit. This year, we stayed pretty low key. I did get to Taliesen West finally and would recommend it highly (but not for anyone under 14 or so). FLW was a genius and the tour was fascinating. My hubby and kids did get to go to the Diamondbacks 2nd game of the season which they enjoyed and we made our annual visit to the McCormick RR park (which has a carousel and train along with several groups of playground equipment). Had a great meal at Coyote Grill (Scottsdale and Bell). Items marked "spicy" on the menu were definitely just that so beware!
Drove to San Diego which took 6 hours (including 2 bathroom stops and a break for lunch). Did Legoland on Friday, along with everyone else in the state. The Fastpass system in WDW spoiled me so I was very impatient standing in lines for an hour. However, the park was great, the rides were very cleverly designed and my 7 & 9 year olds were the perfect age for everything. Even the food was good and not outrageously priced.
To be cont'd...
The first week of our trip was our annual venture to Scottsdale to visit family. We always stay at the Chaparral Suites which works fine for us because we get breakfast daily, the kids swam almost every day and the suite gives us room to spread out a bit. This year, we stayed pretty low key. I did get to Taliesen West finally and would recommend it highly (but not for anyone under 14 or so). FLW was a genius and the tour was fascinating. My hubby and kids did get to go to the Diamondbacks 2nd game of the season which they enjoyed and we made our annual visit to the McCormick RR park (which has a carousel and train along with several groups of playground equipment). Had a great meal at Coyote Grill (Scottsdale and Bell). Items marked "spicy" on the menu were definitely just that so beware!
Drove to San Diego which took 6 hours (including 2 bathroom stops and a break for lunch). Did Legoland on Friday, along with everyone else in the state. The Fastpass system in WDW spoiled me so I was very impatient standing in lines for an hour. However, the park was great, the rides were very cleverly designed and my 7 & 9 year olds were the perfect age for everything. Even the food was good and not outrageously priced.
To be cont'd...
Apr 13th, 2004, 07:23 AM
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On Saturday, we went to the Wild Animal Park. Glad we got there early because a) it was crowded by the time we left and b) once it gets hot, the animals go in search of shade and you don't see them any more. The 50 minute tram ride alone was worth the cost of admission. The guide was very knowledgeable and interesting and we saw some exotic animals along the way. We wandered around at some of the exhibits including a butterfly pavillion where these beautiful creatures actually will land on you if you're wearing bright clothing. My brother-on law and I were wearing orange and yellow t-shirts and became landing strips for several turquoise colored specimins!
By the way, the San Diego convention and visitors program not only had great hotel rates, but they had $5 off internet coupons for most of the major SD attractions. I printed them off for both Legoland and Wild Animal Park. We found some good seafood restaurants right in Mission/Pacific Beach where we could eat and watch the ocean at the same time...plenty of these places around. It was very hard to get off the beach late Sunday morning knowing I'd be spending the next 10 hours in airports and on airplanes!
By the way, the San Diego convention and visitors program not only had great hotel rates, but they had $5 off internet coupons for most of the major SD attractions. I printed them off for both Legoland and Wild Animal Park. We found some good seafood restaurants right in Mission/Pacific Beach where we could eat and watch the ocean at the same time...plenty of these places around. It was very hard to get off the beach late Sunday morning knowing I'd be spending the next 10 hours in airports and on airplanes!
Apr 13th, 2004, 07:25 AM
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Oops, typo. I meant to say the San Diego convention and visitors website (not program) which is www.sandiego.org. was the one we used for hotels and discount tickets.
Apr 14th, 2004, 04:28 AM
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karenvk
Lots of good information in your report. I was interested in your remarks on Legoland, we may take our grand-sons here once they are old enough. Your comments about the discount coupons at www.sandiego.org are worth noting.
It appears that you all had a lovely time and your children will look back on this has a good time. Thanks very much for sharing.
Sandy
Lots of good information in your report. I was interested in your remarks on Legoland, we may take our grand-sons here once they are old enough. Your comments about the discount coupons at www.sandiego.org are worth noting.
It appears that you all had a lovely time and your children will look back on this has a good time. Thanks very much for sharing.
Sandy
Apr 14th, 2004, 05:50 AM
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Sandy, one of the seafood places we went to was Joe's Crab shack, about 50 steps away from the hotel. Although it's a chain, it's good food and a lot of fun, not to mention a wonderful ocean view. The next time you go, talk to the front desk at the hotel first...they gave us coupons for free appetizers there!
