jamesandi

Excited and lucky enough that DH has to attend work conference in San Diego this September! I really need to start planning. Honestly and truthfully know nothing about Cali. I have reviewed last 200 postings, but still am quite lost...

My first question:

Is the Convention Centre far from a beach? While my husband attend his show, I'd like to be tanning at beach. Is it far?
My preference is to stay on a beach and have him take a taxi to the show, unless the convention is close to a beach.

2nd question: What is the nicest beach, closest to the Convention Centre?

3rd Question: Reco's?
Trendy, hip hotel?
Nice hotel on beach?

Please help!

saps

The first thing to know is not to call it "Cali". Secondly, find a map so as we are giving you options & advice you can see where everything is.

1. The convention center is not near a beach. It is on the harbor next to downtown and is surrounded by boats and more boats. Nearest beaches are on Coronado, Ocean & Pacific Beach (more college age and sufer types), Mission Bay (not ocean though), La Jolla & Torrey Pines.

2. Nicest beach in my opinion is La Jolla Shores or Torrey Pines however both are about 15 miles north from downtown SD. Closest "nice" beach would be over on Coronado.

3. Nice hotels on the beach are going to be around Mission Bay and Coronado. Most of the hotels in La Jolla (while great and I love it there) are not actually on the beach but have ocean views. I stay in La Jolla everytime I visit. It is a little slice of heaven (albeit expensive)

If you stay on Coronado (search here or Tripadvisor for some hotel options) then your husband can taxi either across the bridge to downtown or to the Coronado ferry and ferry across the bay to the convention center.

September is awesome beach weather in SD so I'm sure your tan will be great.

GoTravel

Both the Marriott and Hyatt are on the water next to the convention center but there is no beach. The pool overlooks the water and the location is excellent.

Trendy would be the W San Diego. It is downtown close to the convention center (I think) but nowhere near the water.

jamesandi

Thanks Saps for that excellent response. I am sooo sorry to call California by a shorter, not so pleasant. I truly didn't know that was a no-no...pls. forgive me! I think I will look into both La Jolla and Coronado, although Coronado sounds a bit more convenient for him.

Any other recommendations?

saps

GoTravel makes an excellent point that there are hotels next to the convention center that have very nice pools. You could always take a day trip out to the beach.

If you truly want beach and/or hotels on the beach then downtown near the convention center is not your place to stay.

What is your price range per night???

On Coronado
- Hotel Del Coronado directly on the ocean but $$$
- Loews Coronado Bay Resort (ocean is across the street but it is a few miles from the main part of Coronado)

On Mission Bay
- Bahia Resort is nice but maybe past its prime

La Jolla
- There is a Best Western that is directly on the La Jolla Shores beach area
- Lots of other great La Jolla hotels but they are more on the cliffs rather than the beach.

saps

Should have added that there are alot of hotels on the beach in the Pacific and Mission Beach area. In my humble opinion that area is not prime because it gets real crowded, can be dirty, and a lot of bars make it loud and a bit seedy.

hsv

If hip is a criterion for your decision on a hotel, you might want to take a look at Hotel Solamar, too - apart from GoTravel's excellent suggestion of the W.
The Solamar is close to the Gaslamp Quarter and the ferry to Coronado for your beach time is accessible by foot, too, I should think.
I have not stayed at the Solamar, but it is part of Kimpton Hotels which usually receive very good reviews. Its lobby did look appealingly funky to me, if you catch my drift.

http://www.hotelsolamar.com/

Heavens

The Hyatt Manchester is a very big hotel with great views of city and bay, and it is one hotel over from the Convention Center, and it has a very nice pool, great pool. The Marriott, not such a great pool. Not sure about the other nearby downtown hotels, like the Omni, Gaslamp Marriott, or the Hilton in the Gaslamp. You could ferry over to Coronado for the day and go to the beach. Downtown has the nicest hotels and would be convenient for your husbad. Staying in Mission would be very difficult for him to get to his seminar on the weekdays, bc of traffic, IMO.

Take a look at tripadvisor.com and see what they say. On the Expedia link for each hotel, they give you lots of info.

Personally we love staying downtown. Lots to do down there in the form of bars, restaurants, shopping, and just walking around. You have Seaport Village for touristy stuff, the Midway, which is a aircraft carrier museum, Gaslamp, Horton Plaza, and a little further is Little Italy. Also Petco Park if there is time for a Padres game.

TahitiTams

HI jamesandi..
September is perfect to come to SD.. Alot of the craziness has died down and the weather is gorgeous and the water temp at the beach is still around 72-74 degrees..It should be in the 80's while you are here..
Since your husband is at the Convention Center and I take it that it will be paid through is company then I would go on the higher end.
I would do either Downtown SD,Coronado or La Jolla..
Downtown SD:
Manchester Grand Hyatt
manchestergrand.hyatt.com
Hotel Solamar hotelsolamar.com
Coronado:
Marriott Coronado Resort
marriott.com
Hotel Del hoteldel.com
La Jolla:
The Grande Colonial thegrandecolonbial.com
La Valencia Hotel
LaValencia.com
Sea Lodge Hotel
ljbtc.com
Hotel La Jolla
hotellajolla.com
The BW is not on the LJ shores but in the village of LJ..
Restaurants that are a must:
Georges at the Cove La Jolla
georgesatthecove.com
Marine Room La Jolla drinks/lunch
ljbtc.com
Anywhere in downtown SD
Coronado, I go the Brigantine for Happy Hour and they have the best Fish Tacos.. brigantine.com
Here is the link to the water taxi's:
sdhe.com/san-diego-water-taxi.html
Beach action:
Coronado
La Jolla Shores
Del Mar
Things to do:
Padre Game..padres.com
Downtown SD Gaslamp Eating and Drinking..
gaslamp.org
Have a wonderful time and keep us posted as to what you have chosen..

saps

Of Course TahitiTams is right...I was thinking of the Sea Lodge that is right at La Jolla Shores (definitely not the Best Western...sorry).

TahitiTams

Hi saps..
Just wanted to clarify.. I am not always right..but thanks for thinking I am..
Best to you!
In the previous post from me,it is;
padres.com

GoTravel

TahitiTams, the water temp off the coast of California never reaches 70 degress let alone mid 70s. Are you talking about the air temps at the coast?

The Pacific Ocean is stays so cold because the water is so deep.

jamesandi

Thanks for all the excellent responses. I have spoken to DH, James (my name is James and I), and he would prefer staying downtown, as we will probably have to take a few of his customers out in the evening for dinner. The conference is supplying room blocks with discounted prices, so it looks as though we are going to try to book with the Omni at a rate of $190.

We are going to be arriving at LAX and driving southward. We are thinking of staying in LA for a few nights, and then in OC. In the OC, where can we stay with great beaches?

LA - Hip hotel to star gaze?

THank you so much!

rjw_lgb_ca

Hmmmm.... LA hotel to "star-gaze"? What price? You'll pay for the "privilege" to hobnob with the famous and overrated. Here are some usual suspects:

-- Peninsula Beverly Hills
-- Beverly Hills Hotel
-- Regent Beverly Wilshire
-- Hotel Bel-Air
-- Fairmont Miramar
-- Casa del Mar

The best OC beaches depend on what you want to do. Surfing? Huntington Beach. Sunbathing and overall chilling? Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Dana Point. I'm a fan of Laguna. Very high-class. Very expensive.

saps

In Orange County check out Laguna Beach. Boutique shops, restaurants, art, good beaches, but $$$.

Newport Beach is more economical and still has plenty of very nice places to stay and dine.

You can also drive down the coast further and stay in Del Mar or La Jolla for a few days.

Barbara

GoT, the water here reaches 70 degrees every summer.

FAMOUSUNCLEART

I would opt for the Coronado, a magnificant large white wooden hotel which brings up memories of the twenties in Hollywood. I've been there a number of times and was impressed with its beauty, sitting high on the beach like a grand dame.
I always thought I'd run into a silent movie star, and I swear it is haunted--but in a fun not scary way. The service was excellent and not servile, the food was okay, but the beach was perfect with military jet planes zooming across the sky help bring you back to reality. The rooms were large and since the hotel is wooden, smoking is not permitted.I did a spot for Colonel Saunders and the hotel was the background for in a couple of films, "Some Like It Hot" is one and I have forgotten the other. Go for it, you'll love it.

Heavens

The Omni is supposed to be very nice, and centrally located. There are so many things to do down there, and some wonderful restaurants. Some of the best in the city, IMO.

If there is any way you can catch a Padre game, I would strongly suggest it. The Omni has a bridge that goes over to the park bc it is adjacent to Petco. They should be winding up their season by then. It is one of my fave things to do in the city, even if you are not a huge baseball fan. Just a fun and lovely night out, IMO.

Near the hotel is also one of our fave restaurants, Lou and Mickeys. It is kind of an east coast chop house/seafood kind of place. Great atmostphere and service, great for a drink or a meal (but it is pricey.) Best crabcakes in the city. Dobsons, another steak and seafood place, is also a wonderful meal. It is near Horton Plaza.

Gaslamp, on Fifth just a block or two from your hotel, is known for its Italian restaurants when it began. It has expanded its fare, but they still have some awesome Italian eateries.

Your concierge at the Omni will be very helpful to you as to where to eat and getting you reservations. But many of these fine places are in walking distance of your hotel, which is nice. There are also pedicabs in abundance, another good way to go.

Have fun, it is a wonderful town.

pmccallum

FYI, water temp in North County was 73 last week, although it won't be that warm in September.

I always recommend visitors stay at the Sea Lodge at La Jolla Shores. It's right on a nice beach, located in a great little neighborhood with restaurants within walking distance. The staff can set up a beach bbq for you at night which is very nice (you can get supplies at the market nearby). Downside is that it's 15 minutes from downtown. If you want to be closer, stay in Coronado. September is our nicest month so enjoy!

TahitiTams

Hi All..
Here is a website with water temps for SD..
The water temp today at Torrey Pines is 75 degrees and it is usually around 72 give or take a degree either way in Septmeber..it still is nice at 70 degrees because it is so darn hot in September..with the crazy weather we are having it wouldn't surprise me that it will be over 78 in the water!
La Jolla Shores is perfect for either to stay the Sea Lodge or a day at the beach..Gorgeous and crystal blue water.
surfshot.com