San Diego- connecting the dots...
 

Our family of four will be visiting San Diego in May. Moving about by public transportation is usually an integral and enjoyable part of our travel and learning experience. Freeways are not. We've got Downtown, Coronado, etc figured out. We're trying to plan our day trips to La Jolla and Torrey Pines. Is it possible? If so, how?

Try this site sdcommute.com.
Also, do a search here for San Diego Transportation and maybe you could work something out.
I live in S.D and love taking public transpo in other cities but not here. Usually, if we take the trolley somewhere, we drive to get there. The buses are dismal in this city but I'm sure it can be done. Take along a good watch, a book and a lot of patience.

Lived in San Diego and visited very many times since leaving: rent a car.
M

I went to UCSD and even most of us students all had cars, I'm afraid. La Jolla and Torrey Pines are worth the visit, but you'll have to rent a car. It would also allow you to go to the Wild Animal Park, if you're interested.

Not knowing where you will be staying makes it a bit more difficult to offer much help. The web site L84SKY mentioned has maps and is easy to navigate. However, the freeways here are also easy to navigate and along with the other posters, I recommend using a car.

If you are staying in the downtown area, it would take 20 minutes at the most to drive to the village area of La Jolla. A bus will take a lot longer, but you also don't have to park it when you get there. Maybe about the same driving time to Torrey Pines where there is plenty of parking for a small fee.

Rent a car. I don't think you have to use a freeway to get from downtown SD to La Jolla but a car is the only way to go. Ditto from La Jolla to Torrey Pines.

Using public transportation to
La Jolla/Torrey Pines will be a day trip in itself to get there..
Rent a car..you can get them for less than $20 a day!

Thanks for all your help!
We'll be staying at The Hyatt at Seaport Village. So getting around downtown is simple enough. Our preference for public transportation is always about the experience, not the expense. It's part of teaching the babies responsible travel. (They've become excellent travellers.)
Some cities, San Francisco for one, provide systems that allow for total access easier than by car. Sounds like San Diego poses too much of a challenge to consider the experience. Rental it is!
How about a casual spot with a view for lunch in La Jolla? Kids (11 & 15) are Burger-ers, Mom and Dad like salads and seafood.
Again, thanks.

Brockton Villa is one option. Across from the ocean, funky place.
http://brocktonvilla.com/1.html

Alfonso's for Cal-Mex.
M

Hey JRP..
Brockton Villa, Alfonso's are great restaurants..
Maybe Crab Catcher for lunch or Georges at the cove but do the terrace..casual and fab food and view!

crabcatcher.com
georgesatthecove.com

TT,
Have you been to George's on the Cove elegant restaurant since the change in ownership?
Always our fav (later '70's - early '00's).
Muchas gracias.
M

Hola mikemo..
I have not but they have a peak of their new menu and it looks good..
reasonable too..
You can't beat the food, service and of course the view.

Mikemo, no change in ownership, just a new look for the restaurant and menu.

Barbara..
Didn't even see the change of ownership question..
George Hauer and his chef Trey Forshee and Mark Oliver, are still the main investors..

They all sound great! George's website is enticing. We'll see if the kids buy in. Great recommendations- thanks.

Lo siento, I thought someone had stated a month or six weeks ago, that George's had been sold.
We may try to get back in September.
Is Thee Bungalow in Ocean Beach still functioning? I think I saw it was sold sometime last year.
M

Mike, yes, Thee Bungalow was sold to the Cohn Restaurant Group. As far as I know, it's still open, but I don't know if they've changed anything.

http://www.cohnrestaurants.com/cohn/cohnrestaurants/

JRP,
Good decision. Never rent a car when visiting San Francisco. ALWAYS rent one when visiting San Diego (or LA for that matter).

JRP, Enjoy my town. La Jolla and Torrey Pines are definitely worth the visit.

Thanks schuba. I'm gathering more info everyday and we're getting more excited about our visit! La Jolla and Torrey are definitely focal points. See ya there?!

When are you here? Consider eating at Trattoria Acqua. Good italian food, on a hill overlooking beautiful La Jolla Cove. Reservations at (858) 454-0709.

On the road a lot for work, I might bump into ya there who knows!

JRP I'm with you re: using public transportation. I recently visited San Diego while my partner attended a conference, and was surprised that everyone suggested a car rental to get to Pacific Beach and La Jolla. It can be done - though with your family of 4 you may be better off with a car rental. An all day public transport pass is $5 per person

I didn't find the sdcommute.com site very helpful for those who don't really know the area. If you change your mind and opt for public transport here's what I found:

Travel to La Jolla from Convention center hotels - travel time almost 1.5 - 2 hours each way. Take the orange line trolley and transfer to the blue line at American stop, take the blue line trolley to Old Town. At Old Town, transfer to the bus. The busses are well marked - take the #30 to La Jolla. It's very helpful to have a bus map to see where to get off in La Jolla. The bus depot at Old Town was out of them - but there was a supply on the bus.

I found travel to Mission Beach (MB) and Pacific Beach (PB) shorter - about 1 - 1.5 hours. This route also works for Sea World. Travel to Old Town as above via Trolley. Transfer to the #8 bus to go MB and PB, if you want Sea World take the #9 bus. The 8 and 9 have similar routes, with the 8 heading towards the beach first. On the return, its then quicker to take the 9 home. I had a great walk along MB and a lovely lunch in PB at Cantina Panaderia (recommneded by others on this board!)

I found taking the bus to be quite an adventure. Hope you have a great time!

Rumrita, I'm glad our public transportation worked for you.

We all know it can be done, but most of us don't agree that it's a valuable, or pleasant, use of time to spend 1.5 to 2 hours sitting on a bus. Most of us agree that the better option is renting a car, which allows you the freedom to see more of our city in the relatively short period of time that most visitors have.

Rumrita, I hope I never have to figure out the public transportation system here in SD but just in case; how did you figure this out?
I admit I only take the bus if I get jury duty and have to go downtown.

I returned from SD recently and stayed in the Gaslamp, just a couple of blocks from the Hyatt. My husband was at a conference at the Hyatt, so really it was our "home base".

Though I did not think SD public transportation was exactly easy, I am quite surprised that everyone is so adamant that you rent a car. We were there 5 full days and we did not have one.

With kids your age I would definitely spend some time in the Gaslamp Quarter. GREAT places to eat, fun and affordable shopping.

We rode with a friend who had a rented car one night in La Jolla. Took about 20 minutes to get there. Lots of freeway interchanges, none of the fun of people watching on the bus. If you're in a hurry this is the way to go.

But La Jolla is definitely possible using public transpotation. The sdcommute.com website was very helpful to us, especially the Quick Trip on the above left. The only problem is that bus to La Jolla...the sdcommute.com site will get you all the way to La Jolla (takes about an hour but the time passes quickly becasue you change methods of transportation if you use the trolley and the bus). However, it won't get you to the part of La Jolla that you actually want to see. I ended up on campus (NO CABS there) and then got a bus to take me to a shopping center, where I called a cab to take me into La Jolla. Big pain.

BUT...you're asking the right folks! The magic words are #30 bus! If you get to the 30 bus, it will take you right down to Prospect Street and all the lovely restaurants mentioned above. By the way, if you or the kids are into designer clothes, I recommend Encore on Girard! Consigner store with major price breaks on like-new designer clothing and shoes.

The Old Town transportation stop is a great hub. You can hop from trolley to bus or vice versa there very easily. So if you get lost, just head to old Town and regain your bearings.

Rumrita gave you the exact right advice. It took a lot longer to get home from La Jolla than it took to get there, by the way. The 30 bus takes a longer route, which brings the trip to about an hour and a half or more. Again, time passes quickly though. And you see so much of SD!

I do have to say that the trolleys and buses both are on time most of the time but not always. (But we are talking a few minutes, not half an hour).

I highly recommend the ferry to Coronado and, once there, walking or the bus. I did both, very simple.

Not sure about Torrey Pines since I did not go there. This might be the one reason to rent a car? I guess Rumrita gave you advice on that too though.

Rumrita's advice is spot-on. Getting bus map is crucial (which is how I ended up on campus, they were out of maps and I missed the right stop). Taking 30 bus is important. Old Town is the hub.

And Old Town is pretty fun too. Definitely worth a couple of hours, maybe lunch there?

Have fun!