Any help appreciated.
For a family, 2 adults and 5 children aged 19 to 5, any ideas of budget accomodation?
Are youth hostels ok? clean,welcome families?
Any ideas for budget tickets to the zoo, sea world or wildlife park?
Are they worth seeing?
Would we be better missing San Diego and spending time in the Nev, Ut And Az national parks?
Advice appreciated.
Thanks Chris

I can't help much, I never stayed at a hotel here. But of the zoo, Seaworld & Wild Animal Park, the zoo is the least expensive at $19.50, animal park $26.50 & Seaworld I think $42.95 per adult. We love the zoo and SeaWorld. We go at least once a month to each.

If you are really on a tight budget you may consider the Nat'l Parks, although I haven't been to any myself...yet.

Have a great vacation!

Try the Padre Trail motel right next to Old Town.I,ts clean cheap and Old Town is 3 mins walk away.Also It has a very nice inexpensive restuarant

With respect to the San Diego attractions that you mentioned, I think all three of them are worth seeing. Unfortunately, none of them can be considered a "budget" activity for a family of 7 people. Sea World admission alone is $42 for adults. They do offer a 3-for-1 pass that gets you into the Zoo, Sea World, and the Wild Animal Park, but its $89 for adults and $59 for kids (3-9 years old). Its good over a 5-day period. Note that parking is also extra at Sea world and the Wild Animal Park. Separately, the cheapest option is the Zoo, as the previous poster mentioned ($19.50 adults, $11.75 kids).

Try getting a hotel on priceline. Go to biddingfortravel.com first to see how much to bid and what hotels are coming up.

You can buy a membership to the San Diego Zoological Society which will get you into both the zoo and the wild animal park and I believe will cost less than the actually admission prices. Check out their website.

San Diego is beautiful--have fun!

Chris, check out a website www.littleitalysd.com. It gives inexpensive options for good budget hotels, food, etc. These hotels are (obviously)located in the little italy section of san diego. You will be right by everything. Have fun.

I am a native to San Diego, and know plenty of ways to get budget tickets and budget accomodations (worked in hotels for years). Are you interested in staying near the beach, or inland? Will you be renting a car or going with public transportation? Feel free to email me with any questions.

definitly check into buying an annual pass to the zoological society. when you purchase an annual pass you get a couple of coupons for free admission so with a family of your size, buying one or two annuals may be a good deal. sea world is very expensive but if you've never seen such a show, it is sooooo worth it. your kids would love it.
there is a nice hostel downtown by the gaslamp district. not sure if they take families but check into it.
san diego is not a cheap place but it is a wonderful city and is always a wonderful trip for families. plan on spending days at various beaches, checking out the tide pools by the cabrillo monument or la jolla, biking around coronado with a stop at their beach, go fly a kite in mission bay park...all down very cheap if not free.

with that many people, you may want to check into renting a condo down in south mission beach. no pool but you are right on the beach. you'd have a kitchen so you'd save money with food and you could always bring an air mattress or two for the kids to sleep on.

Thanks to all for your advice so far. I've tried to write to Renee, but get a message that your email is full. I would really like local knowledge about discount/ budget tickets and accommodation
Thanks, Chris