La Jolla and Santa Barbara Similar??
 

I have made reservations at the Hotel Parisi in La Jolla, 3 nights. After this will be travelling to Santa Barbara and onto San Fran. I was told not to spend too much time in Santa Barbara as it is very very similiar to that of La Jolla. If this is the case, anyone suggest staying somewhere else in SD, like Coronado?? The Marriot looked very appealing...Any advice will help! Ideally, I'd like to spend a couple nights in Santa Barbara as well...

Well, the time of Santa Barbara indeed is similar to the one in La Jolla... ;-)

Seriously, I don't understand what that advice was supposed to tell you. Santa Barbara and La Jolla are both California beach resorts. Santa Barbara is often considered to form the border to Southern California, so they are both Southern Californian beach resorts. Does this make them similar?

Well, that's about it. La Jolla is a sort of suburb of California's second largest city. It has a spectacular coast line with quite a number of cliffs.

Santa Barbara is very scenic, too, but has probably a longer, at least more noticeable beach.
Santa Barbara is located close to a wine growing region, whereas La Jolla isn't (unless you would consider Temecula close by, which I don't).

The differences may be set forth, but what it comes down to is that I would suggest that if you don't feel inclined to pay the L.A. area a visit on your trip North (Personally I would want to spend some time there, too), make Santa Barbara your next stop when heading to San Francisco on your way from San Diego. That would be convenient and I would allow for two nights. Thus you have a chance to tour the mission, take a glance at the wine country and probably enjoy the beach and the leisurely town.

Whether you want to spend some additional time in Coronado depends on how much time there is in your schedule. I would rather make Coronado a daytrip and keep my base in La Jolla (BTW your hotel should be really pleasant, good choice!). The San Diego area is not that stretched out, and the distance between La Jolla and Coronado is easily driveable with downtown in the middle of it. The charm of staying on Coronado would be its gorgeous beach, which you would be on the other side of the island off, though, when staying at the Marriott. The Marriott itself is a nice property facing downtown and is convenient to both, the beach and downtown, but again, you are not far away when in La Jolla, either.

Enjoy your trip!
hsv

santa barbara is really nice. regardless if you choose coronado or la jolla (i'd choose coronado - la jolla seems a little snobby to me) definitly plan on a couple of night in santa barbara.

It's difficult to advise you without knowing a bit more about you (I can't even tell if you're m or f) and what sort of trip you want (beach, sightseeing, shopping etc.)

I've not been to Santa Barbara so can't compare the 2 places, but I have been to San Diego/La Jolla twice in the last 12 months (love it!) visiting a friend who moved to La Jolla. While I haven't stayed in any hotels, I've stopped into almost all of them in La Jolla. The Parisi is clearly the nicest, but on the Sunday night I popped in, it was DEAD at about 10pm. You go up stairs (or I think there's an escalator too) to the lobby and there wasn't a soul there except one woman at the "desk." The rooms and the services are probably lovely though. I don't find La Jolla snobby at all but it is an early town in general (people eat earlier than the east coast). I did find the woman at the Parisi a bit "stiff" and if you're traveling alone, I'm not sure the Parisi is where I'd choose but there aren't better options in La Jolla I'm aware of.

I like Coronado too. The benefit to Coronado <i>is</i> the great beach and it's closeness to downtown San Diego. The Hotel Del is the only big hotel I know on the ocean side. It's a great place to visit. Not sure the rooms are great though.

Balboa Park where most of the museums and the zoo is located is a drive from either or from downtown but as as hsv says, nothing's that far a drive.

Tell us what you're looking for.

Thanks for the feedback. To answer your question: I am a 27 yr F, traveling w/ my Mother, early 50's. We want activity, but also the leisure of a nice beach (what everyone wants I guess!) I was also looking into the La Jolla Inn as opposed to the Parisi. It's directly in the Villiage, very close to the Parsi, but also 120.00 cheaper! I'm pretty sure I will be switching the reservation.