San Diego in April
 

We're traveling to San Diego mid to late April. Is it worth paying for a rental with a heated outdoor pool? My three young kids all want a pool, but I'm not sure if it'll be warm enough out for them to actually utilize it. Also, we're trying to choose a rental on or near the beach and have pretty much narrowed it down to Pacific Beach (probably a rental unit in Capri By The Sea) or La Jolla Shores. Thoughts? Thanks!

Yes, get the heated outdoor pool. April will be fine for pool swimming. For Pacific Beach check out the website for the Pacific Terrace hotel. It's a great location with wonderful rooms and pool.

I live in Bird Rock about 2 miles north of Pacific Beach. PB is ok, but not the best for children. A lot of the beach front properties as well as the Mission Bay area also attracts a lot of homeless people. The biggest problem IMHO is that the main street (Garnet Ave) is a magnet for college kids who hit the bars, tattoo parlors, head shops, etc. Mission Beach just south of PB is not that safe particularly at night.

I would recommend La Jolla Shores or Coronado which are safer and more family friendly.

Definately 2nd La Jolla Shores..right on the beach.

Plus La Jolla Shores is nice residential area (with a little main street which is only about 6 blocks long). The beach is beautiful and very safe. It's home to The Salk Institute, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, the Birch Aquarium. It's much more relaxed and laid back and I think much safer for kids.

We go to San Diego every year at that time and the kids go to the pool every day. It's chilly but it doesn't bother them. I just watch them from the hot tub!

Ok, I am sold on the pool and La Jolla. Thanks! Does it matter whether we are at La Jolla Shores or WindanSea?

Windansea is just down the street from where I live. If I was going to vacation in La Jolla I would definately pick La Jolla Shores.

WindanSea is basically a popular surfing beach but it is a residential area with nothing in the neighborhood to do or see. You'd have to pack up the car everyday and head out to something to do. The ocean is very cold pretty much year round.

I like La Jolla Shores because it's walkable, bikable, and has good freeway access if you want to go to the Zoo, Balboa Park, etc.

Windansea is in the community of Bird Rock (also part of La Jolla) which has terrible freeway access.

Thanks, nanabee! Getting so excited for our trip!

There are a number of restaurants in La Jolla that I can recommend maybe others can too.

In the La Jolla Village area:
We like The Cottage for brunch (it's always crowded so be prepared for a wait or get their very early). It's on Silverado and Fay Sts.

The Pannikin (on Girard) is a local coffee house hang out.

If you like fresh and local seafood I recommend El Pescador (it's a little hole in the wall and hasn't much seating) for lunch which is on Pearl St.

George's (the top dining room) has a great ocean view. But we also love Tapendade on Fay St. Both are ridiculously expensive but the food is world class.

Then in the La Jolla Shores area most of the restaurants are good. Our favorite is Piatti's.

Have a wonderful time. :)

Great! Thanks! We love San Diego and are all itching to get back!

elsewhere in san diego, I would recommend eating at the Prado if you go to balboa park. It has a beautiful setting and the food is good. I love the tres leches cake they have there for dessert.

For seafood, I like Blue point coastal and Oceanaire downtown in the gaslamp.

fun activities: hiking the Torrey pines state park, and kayaking in La Jolla shores.