Staying on the beach in San Diego in February?
 

My husband and three children (22, 20 and 17) are spending 5 days in San Diego in February and are wondering whether renting a cottage on the beach (La Jolla? Mission Beach?) is a good idea. I think it might be more interesting than renting 2 hotel rooms in a typical hotel. Are the beach areas abandoned in February? We live in one of the colder cities in Canada and are used to swimming in the cold local lakes so we think we're pretty tough and can handle swimming in a colder ocean in February. This might be overly optimistic? We're renting a car but would like to be able to split up and go our separate ways so it would be nice to be within walking/biking distance of things to see and do. Any suggestions would be most welcome.

You don't have to go swimming just because you live by the ocean. It might be a nice idea, but not know if the beach is within walking/biking distance of things to see. From my visits to San Diego, I have the impression that public transportation is not the greatest.

Yes the beach areas will be pretty much abandoned in February. It will probably be cold and cloudy, possibly rainy. I love the beach so I enjoy it even under those conditions but the water will be really cold and no warm sun to lay under to get warm! If it is stormy the water can be really rough and dangerous. The sights are pretty spread out and the beach areas may not have the kinds of things that would be entertaining to your kids. My son is in grad school at UCSD which is in La Jolla and he says that is one of the drawbacks of the location, it is too far from everything. I think I would opt for something in the downtown area with side trips to the beach if it is nice.

I agree with SeeHag completely. Get a hotel in the downtown area or on Harbor / Shelter islands. That way you have a great view of the water. If there is a nice day, do a trip to the beach.

Id recommend the Hilton Bayfront due to proximity to the Gaslamp / downtown.

Or look at the Bay Club & Marina on Shelter Island.

Feb is actually a month where you will get lots of sunshine, but your days will be cool and the ocean will be downright cold. (57 degrees or so) You will see people go in without wetsuits, but not that many.

Beach areas in So Cal are NEVER abandoned, and your kids will want the action around Mission or Pacific Beach whereas you might enjoy the luxury of La Jolla. Even if your kids want Mission Beach, there will be more than enough action in La Jolla, and that would be my choice.

I like the beach towns north of SD and Carlsbad is my favorite area- small downtown area with shops and restaurants and you can walk to the beach.

There is a nice beach, place to rent surfboards and boogie boards. You can even use the train (the Coaster) to get from downtown SD to many of the beach towns- and the train stops in Carlsbad.
My daughter lived there for awhile- her favorite beach was Moonlight Beach, I think that is Encinitis.
I also loved the Pacific Beach area- some people give it a bum rap because they say there are a lot of "unsavory" people who hang out there, we did not experience that and we really enjoyed. Love having breakfast at the "Green Flash" which has great ocean and beach views.
20 year olds might enjoy the city more though if they are wanting to go out at night
Enjoy! I am also from a cold part of Canada but now I live in Oregon

February tends to be a rainy month so be prepared. We know so many people who have had nothing but rain for the whole week when they've visited in February.

Del Mar, north of San Fran, tends to get a little less of the heavy rain and a little more of the sun-peeping-through on rainy days, for some reason. I don't think you'll be swimming at all, but you never know...wasn't there a mini heat-wave last February? Best of Luck!

Just to clarify, Del Mar is a little north of San Diego, not San Fran!

I agree with those who suggest staying downtown and going to the beach if you have a nice day. Much better for a group that might want to go its separate ways from time to time, even just for a cup of coffee.