San Diego in January, help please!
 

Hello all,
My daughter and I want to spend the first week of January in San Diego. We are flying and want a (medium priced) hotel on the beach within walking distance of good restaurants and a little shopping. Also would like to use shuttle buses to get to the zoo and other interesting places. Is this possible for 4 - 6 days without a rental car? THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP (We are willing to rent a car but wanted your input on the options).

San Diego is a very spread out city. For 4-6 days I would highly recommend a car.

La Jolla, Coronado, Pacific Beach, Mission Bay, Torrey Pines, Balboa Park, Downtown...These places could all be reached using public transportation but will take at least a few hours out of each day. For instance La Jolla is about 12 miles north of downtown.

Cabs and shuttles will probably be more expensive than a cheap rental car. Driving in SD in pretty easy and parking is not overly expensive (except maybe La Jolla) and is usually fairly easy to find (again except maybe La Jolla).

Another consideration: Is "on the beach" an absolute? January isn't ideal for laying out on the beach anywhere in southern California-- think Mediterranean weather for a parallel. Highs may struggle to 70F (21C)-- but don't count on it--, and historically that's San Diego's rainy month.

Not that you shouldn't go there. San Diego is a great city with a lot to recommend it. It's also very spread out, and as saps rightly notes, getting around expeditiously to all of its points of interest in a short time span REQUIRES the use of a car.

Thanks saps and rjw!
I think that seals the idea of renting a car. Also, being near the beach is really what we want, not so much laying out so now can think about which hotel. Gosh, so many out there and having never been there it's a gamble.
thx again....

Usually "on the beach" and medium priced do not go together. What is medium priced to you?

Check out the Sea Lodge in La Jolla. It is right on the beach and about 1 mile from La Jolla village.

La Jolla is a wonderful little slice of San Diego (albeit more expensive). It is filled with fine dining as well as more modest restaurants, boutique shops, art galleries, and views to die for.

Best Western Blue Sea Lodge in Mission Beach is in the middle of the things that you want. And on the boardwalk. Should be reasonable that time of year. You can walk to restaurants, bars, shopping (beach shopping). When we stay on the beach we do a lot of walking and biking.

Across the street is the Catamaran, also a very nice hotel, but maybe a little more expensive. That hotel is on the bay, which is also nice. The hotel rooms will be very comfortable with two peope, but it can get a bit crowded for four, IMO.

Also Paradise Pt is a great place on the beach, but it is an isolated resort. Great rooms, great pools, not real expensive, but you are kind of stranded. Same with the Hilton Mission Beach resort. Very nice hotel and property, but again you are stranded.

And the you have lovely Coronado. Some great hotels there, Leows, the Del ($$$), the Marriott and some smaller hotels. But you can walk Coronado pretty easily for restaurants.

And then a little more upscale area is La Jolla. More rocky shores, but nicer restaurants and shopping. Pretty good shopping in the Village and at UTC. There is a Best Western Inn by the Sea there, fabulous location but I don't think I could recommend staying there. Kind of run down I think.

Try Tripadvisory and ask us more specific questions to narrow down your search. And Hotels.com will give you a good idea on prices for that week. Hope this helps.

I have stayed at the Best Western Blue Seas Lodge several times and have enjoyed stay there - its one of the few places right on the beach - you can leave your door open a little and hear the waves all night long which is one of the main reasons I stay there. They were in the process of doing some remodel last time I was there. There is a great boardwalk where you can walk for miles and try the Green Flash for breakfast - outdoor patio with ocean views.

There is also a Best Western in Carlsbad right on the beach- Beach Terrace Inn I believe - havent stayed there, just did a lobby walk through but great location and Carlsbad is my favorite beach town- lots of nice restaurants and shops and great outlet mall for shopping.
There is a Coaster train station in Carlsbad which you can take to the airport, inexpensive so could eliminate having a car the whole time.

I second the recommendation for the Sea Lodge in LJ. I recommend this hotel to all visitors because it is on a nice beach with a great little neighborhood right there. You can walk to a range of restaurants and there is a small grocery store and other shops. You could also try the Beach & Tennis Club next door. My brother in law stayed there last January and they upgraded him to a beachfront unit (condo type). Both places can set up a bbq dinner - all you need to do is bring the food. You will be close to the aquarium and downtown LJ. Definitely rent a car.

travellust:

Go to www.sandiego.org for visitor information, request a free brochure.

Two hotels right on the beach:
Ocean Park Inn www.oceanparkinn.com Pacific Terrace Hotel www.pacificterrace.com You can read reviews at www.tripadvisor.com

We have stayed at the Ocean Park Inn and had a lovely stay. Paid a little more to guarantee one of the upper floor rooms. Breakfast is included and free juice, coffee or tea available all day.

Enjoy beautiful San Diego.

Sandy

pmccallum, just curious, what other restaurants are nearby? I know the Marine Room and Piatti's, do you know of others that are walking distance? Just curious. We have never actually stayed in the area. We dine at Piatti's quite often bc we love it.

Barbarella is another good restaurant within walking distance of the Sea Lodge (at which I stayed several years ago and liked). However, there is a larger selection of restaurants in "Old La Jolla" (the area around Prospect Street). Maybe someone can recommend a medium-priced hotel there, if one exists.
However, don't stay in the Golden Triangle/UTC part of La Jolla that is further inland. It is a charmless mass of high-rise apartments, condos, hotels, and office buildings.
Carlsbad is fine if one is mainly going for Legoland, but it is really out of the way for the zoo, Sea World, and most other San Diego highlights.

The Empress, in the Village, might be reasonable. We stayed there years ago. The rest I think are pretty high. But maybe others know. It is a great place to stay and great place to walk.

Hi travellust..
I think everyone gave you excellent advice about where to stay and you must rent a car..San Diego is very spread out and our transit system is getting there but it will take hours and who needs that..
My suggestion since it is you and your daughter is to stay in La Jolla and the Hotels that I always recommend are:
Sea Lodge Hotel
ljbtc.com
The Grande Colonial
thegrandecolonial.com
Hotel La Jolla
hotellajolla.com
Also, they have a Best Western Inn In La Jolla on Fay avenue that is 3 blocks from the beach but a great medium priced hotel..
I checked on Expedia for the first week and alot of the good hotels are already booked since it is still spilling over from the holidays so I would book in the next month..
Like saps says that the beach and a medium priced hotel doesn't go together but prices are still not cheap..the Pacific Terrace in PB is going for $309 for a non-ocean room and $359 for a partial ocean view which IMO that is crazy to pay that much for that hotel..
Sea Lodge is oceanfront in LJ Shores and from Piatti's, Sea Lodge Restaurant, Marine Room, Jeff Burgers, The Cheese Shop and Barbarella's you will have plenty of options..
The Zoo is a fantastic and I would do the Birch Aquarium too..
birchaquarium.org
Have a wonderful time in San Diego!

Thanks all,
I have so much good information now am very excited to plan a trip to SD. HOWEVER, it might not happen until later because she is talking about a "quieter" getaway perhaps in Eureka area, will let you know!!!

(LOL, we've never been to CA so the choices are mind boggling)!