Hi - we have an opportunity to stay at a timeshare in Capistrano Beach (Riviera Beach & Spa). Has anyone ever been to that timeshare or just have comments on Capistrano Beach and area? Good location for day trips - San Diego, etc.? We are 4 adults in our 50's - like to hike, kayak and do touristy stuff. We plan to go in February, 2004. Any tips appreciated.

Capo Beach is located about midway between downtown LA and downtown San Diego. Weather in February is a bit of a crapshoot. It can be either gloriously sunny and warm, warm and overcast, cool and overcast, or rainy. What it will never be is freezing.

I-5 runs close by Capo Beach so it makes it convenient for day trips to almost anywhere in So. Calif. There is also an AMTRAK station at San Juan Capistrano, just inland from Capo Beach. There are about a dozen trains a day to San Diego and to LA and points north. Many of us use the train for our day trips.

You can rent kayaks and paddle boats in the Dana Point Marina, just north of Capo and the Marina also has a number of dining as well as sightseeing choices.

Enjoy your trip.

i think it is about 1 hour drive to san diego but you can go quick on the 5 or relax and take the coastal route. the weather is a toss up in february. i would not plan on kayaking unless you have wetsuits. if you happen to have a few days of rain, you can always go inland and do some hiking in joshua tree national park near palm springs.

Itt: What coastal route? From Capo Beach you can drive along Pacific Coast Hwy only to San Clemente. Then you have to get on I-5 for the long stretch to Oceanside where you can again get on PCH. However, both stretches of PCH are heavily built up, have lots of stop lights and stop signs, and with some short exceptions have no visibility of the ocean.

Other than the mission and a few shops, there is not much at San Juan Capistrano. San Clemente has some shops and a pier with a good seafood restaurant on it. The dock area at Dana Point has a few interesting shops.
However, you will also be fairly close to Laguna Beach, which has lots of art galleries. You can also visit Newport Beach to see the yachts.
From Neport Beach or Dana Point, you can take a boat to Catalina Island for a day trip. It is touristy but pleasant. We just came back. We rented a golf cart for four for an hour and took a very scenic drive of part of the island. There are also glass bottom boat rides and submarine rides. Have lunch at Armstrong's for an ocean view and good seafood.
As stated above, there is a chance of rain in February.
Enjoy.
Markser