kcd_ma

My husband has a business trip scheduled for late February in Irvine, CA. I was thinking of joining him with our two children, ages 1 and 3. I see on Mapquest that DisneyLand is not too far to the north, and Sea World isn't too far to the south. Is the traffic horrible to get from Irvine to these places? Also, does anyone know any hotels that have reasonably priced suites in the area? Thanks!

joesorce

Traffic isn't usually too bad on Sat and Sun, otherwise you have to stay away from the freeways between 7:30 and 9:45 am and between 3:30pm and 7:30pm.

parkplaceinnandminisuites.com is a nice place right next to Disneyland. Down closer to Irvine there are Embassy Suites, Quality Suites, Comfort Suites and Candlewood Suites near the Orange county airport.

February is usually rainy but if you'd be interested in making it a beach vacation, Laguna Beach is only 15-20 mins from Irvine ....check out the LagunaRiviera.com

tigerlilies

My husband's family stayed at the Hampton Inn and Suites the last time they visited us. My mother-in-law said that it was reasonably priced. The room was nice, but a little small for them. (They brought my husband's three college-age siblings.) You'd probably be fine with young kids. The hotel is close to the airport, off the 55 freeway, and in between Irvine and Disney.

If you drive down to San Diego, your kids might also enjoy LegoLand.

kleroux

You'll also be not far from the San Diego wild animal park which is wonderful for kids...esp. late in the afternoon when the animals are often more active....

dawnstef

Disneyland is very convenient to go to if you are staying in Irvine...Sea World is a longer drive south.
Traffic in California is pretty much like most major cities, busy during rush hour times...otherwise it can be hit or miss...Marriott Suites are good for families...with a separate living room area connected to the bedroom...nice and spacious and well-maintained - you can often get good deals at them too. Also, your kids are young enough that they might really enjoy going to Legoland instead of Sea World. Legoland is closer to Irvine!

BigJim

Is the traffic horrible? Depends what time of day you're going and what day of the week. Just remember that nowadays, there's even traffic on the weekends!

Kealoha

You are in a good location to go to Disneyland and to go to San Diego. I take my son to Disneyland every few weeks (we're season pass holders) as we live in Orange County. As long as you leave after 9:00 you should be fine (during weekdays). On the other hand going to San Diego on weekends from Irvine is a hit or miss. Most of the time if we leave between 8-12 we hit traffic since the 5 freeway is pretty much the only way into San Diego from LA/Orange County area.

Aside from Sea World, San Diego also has Legoland (the scale IMO is better suited to your kids age--my son is also 3), San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park.

Whichever you decide to visit, you'll have fun. BTW, if you decide to stay in the Irvine area, the Irvine Spectrum is great for kids as it has a carousel, a ferris wheel (a little too big for me though), and a kiddie train that takes the kids for a ride. In the immediate area of Disneyland, there are many hotels that cater to families (more so than in Irvine since most are business people).