Trip Report San Diego Spring Break 2015 = Family w/kids
Apr 7th, 2015, 07:52 AM
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Trip Report San Diego Spring Break 2015 = Family w/kids
Just returned from a 6 night vacation in San Diego. We are a family of four with two kids ages 10 & 11. It was a great trip and you could easily spend twice as much time there so much to do and picture perfect weather every day.
We rented a VRBO condo on the edge of Little Italy and the Marina district. The location was perfect for us. An easy walk to many fine restaurants and activities. We arrived about 9pm on a Tuesday night and immediately set out for some food. The boys stuck with Italian at Buon Appetito and the ladies went to the Princess Pub for Taco Tuesday. The boys fared way better food wise but my girl wanted tacos so that's why we wound up in Little Italy eating in an English pub....what we do for our kids.
Wednesday was our first day in San Diego. We started with an Old Town Trolley ride. Laid back way to get a tour and the ability to hop on and off. The closest stop to the condo we rented was in Little Italy. We got on around 10am the next stop is Old Town where they boot everyone off to collect tickets and encourage you to shop in Old Town. It was fine we had an early lunch at Cafe Coyote to improve on the Mexican food we attempted the prior night.
We had the Mexican classics - burrito and tacos with excellent lemonade. The atmosphere was great, the food was good but the service was so slow. After that we wandered around a bit more and got back on the trolley.
We rented a VRBO condo on the edge of Little Italy and the Marina district. The location was perfect for us. An easy walk to many fine restaurants and activities. We arrived about 9pm on a Tuesday night and immediately set out for some food. The boys stuck with Italian at Buon Appetito and the ladies went to the Princess Pub for Taco Tuesday. The boys fared way better food wise but my girl wanted tacos so that's why we wound up in Little Italy eating in an English pub....what we do for our kids.
Wednesday was our first day in San Diego. We started with an Old Town Trolley ride. Laid back way to get a tour and the ability to hop on and off. The closest stop to the condo we rented was in Little Italy. We got on around 10am the next stop is Old Town where they boot everyone off to collect tickets and encourage you to shop in Old Town. It was fine we had an early lunch at Cafe Coyote to improve on the Mexican food we attempted the prior night.
We had the Mexican classics - burrito and tacos with excellent lemonade. The atmosphere was great, the food was good but the service was so slow. After that we wandered around a bit more and got back on the trolley.
Apr 7th, 2015, 08:19 AM
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The trolley ride continued with several stops including the Marina, Seaport Village, Gas Lamp District and the Convention Center we stayed on the trolley until we got to Coronado where we got off to explore for a bit. Did not spend a lot of time there because we had brunch reservations at the Hotel del Coronado for Easter Sunday.
Got back on the trolley and got off at the next stop which was Balboa Park. This park is gorgeous. We did not go into the museums because it was so nice outside we just wanted to soak in the sun. The grounds are so pretty here and the architecture was very interesting. We did stroll through the botanical gardens and it was an enjoyable stop. Took the trolley back to Little Italy.
Later that night I wanted to get dinner in the Gas Lamp District. It was about a 15 minute walk through some less desirable parts of the city. Not horrible just not as pristine as the rest of San Diego. It is clear that the Gas Lamp District is party central. We went early and things were ramping up. At a traffic light there was a car with blaring music and all occupants were wearing large animal masks....the rental bikes all played loud music with colorful lights, a festive atmosphere. We ate at Asti Ristorante which was very good.
Got back on the trolley and got off at the next stop which was Balboa Park. This park is gorgeous. We did not go into the museums because it was so nice outside we just wanted to soak in the sun. The grounds are so pretty here and the architecture was very interesting. We did stroll through the botanical gardens and it was an enjoyable stop. Took the trolley back to Little Italy.
Later that night I wanted to get dinner in the Gas Lamp District. It was about a 15 minute walk through some less desirable parts of the city. Not horrible just not as pristine as the rest of San Diego. It is clear that the Gas Lamp District is party central. We went early and things were ramping up. At a traffic light there was a car with blaring music and all occupants were wearing large animal masks....the rental bikes all played loud music with colorful lights, a festive atmosphere. We ate at Asti Ristorante which was very good.
Apr 7th, 2015, 08:38 AM
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Day 2 -
This was the start for us to use our Go San Diego 3 day card. It was expensive but the idea is the more you see the more you save. I was reluctant to purchase it but decided it was worth a try.
We got an uber ride to the zoo which was cheaper and faster than public transportation or a cab. Got to the zoo about 9:30 and had to wait in line for about 10 minutes, not bad. Immediately went on a bus tour (included with Go Card, up charge without). Again we waited about 10/15 minutes to get on the bus. It is an open air two level bus we sat on the lower level for the 35 minute tour. The driver/tour guide was very friendly and provided lots of facts about the zoo and it's residents. This zoo is very hilly and huge so the bus tour is a great way to get a lay of the land so you can decide where to spend more time once off the bus.
We ate at the Sabertooth Grill and it is what you expect when dinning at a zoo - overpriced and meh. The highlights for my kids were the elephants, polar bear and the baby hippo which was just 10 days old. We spent 3 1/2 hours at the zoo you could easily spend several days there. Took another uber ride to the USS Midway (also on Go Card).
San Diego is a military city and the USS Midway is a nice tribute to the past/present people that have served our country. My daughter was feeling very tired so I only got to spend an hour on the Midway the boys stayed much longer. The is a self guided audio tour, several planes on the flight deck and talks given by retired military.
While the guys explored the Midway my daughter and I grabbed a late afternoon snack at the Fish Market next door (near the kissing statue). The food was OK, not great the view was amazing. We met up back at the condo which was a 15 minute walk away.
That night we ate in Little Italy this time at Napizza. Very good pizza and somewhat expensive. Strolled around after dinner and got gelato...sorry forget the name of the place. Then we went back to the condo and called it a night.
This was the start for us to use our Go San Diego 3 day card. It was expensive but the idea is the more you see the more you save. I was reluctant to purchase it but decided it was worth a try.
We got an uber ride to the zoo which was cheaper and faster than public transportation or a cab. Got to the zoo about 9:30 and had to wait in line for about 10 minutes, not bad. Immediately went on a bus tour (included with Go Card, up charge without). Again we waited about 10/15 minutes to get on the bus. It is an open air two level bus we sat on the lower level for the 35 minute tour. The driver/tour guide was very friendly and provided lots of facts about the zoo and it's residents. This zoo is very hilly and huge so the bus tour is a great way to get a lay of the land so you can decide where to spend more time once off the bus.
We ate at the Sabertooth Grill and it is what you expect when dinning at a zoo - overpriced and meh. The highlights for my kids were the elephants, polar bear and the baby hippo which was just 10 days old. We spent 3 1/2 hours at the zoo you could easily spend several days there. Took another uber ride to the USS Midway (also on Go Card).
San Diego is a military city and the USS Midway is a nice tribute to the past/present people that have served our country. My daughter was feeling very tired so I only got to spend an hour on the Midway the boys stayed much longer. The is a self guided audio tour, several planes on the flight deck and talks given by retired military.
While the guys explored the Midway my daughter and I grabbed a late afternoon snack at the Fish Market next door (near the kissing statue). The food was OK, not great the view was amazing. We met up back at the condo which was a 15 minute walk away.
That night we ate in Little Italy this time at Napizza. Very good pizza and somewhat expensive. Strolled around after dinner and got gelato...sorry forget the name of the place. Then we went back to the condo and called it a night.
Apr 7th, 2015, 08:48 AM
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Day 3 -
Uber ride again this time to Mission Beach. Got there around 10:30am and kids played on the beach for about 45 minutes. Go Card included wristbands for Belmont Park and a FloRider experience at the WaveHouse. The line for wristbands was rather insane at 11:30am...I waited while my husband and kids explored. The line took about 25 minutes got our bands and ate lunch. My son signed up for the 1pm FloRider so we did a few rides before that. My daughter tried out the Rock Wall also included with wristband.
The WaveHouse is very cool. Two wave simulators the beginners can do the FloRider and experienced surfers do the barrel wave. Very fun atmosphere with drinks and food service. Again we were happy to be early customers as the place got full by 1pm and the service got slower as the day wore on. If you want to do this I recommend getting there when the open at noon and signing up then, the earlier the better. The cost is expensive the Go San Diego card included a FloRider session so that helped. We stayed at Mission Beach until about 2:30pm then we got another uber ride to Sea World.
Uber ride again this time to Mission Beach. Got there around 10:30am and kids played on the beach for about 45 minutes. Go Card included wristbands for Belmont Park and a FloRider experience at the WaveHouse. The line for wristbands was rather insane at 11:30am...I waited while my husband and kids explored. The line took about 25 minutes got our bands and ate lunch. My son signed up for the 1pm FloRider so we did a few rides before that. My daughter tried out the Rock Wall also included with wristband.
The WaveHouse is very cool. Two wave simulators the beginners can do the FloRider and experienced surfers do the barrel wave. Very fun atmosphere with drinks and food service. Again we were happy to be early customers as the place got full by 1pm and the service got slower as the day wore on. If you want to do this I recommend getting there when the open at noon and signing up then, the earlier the better. The cost is expensive the Go San Diego card included a FloRider session so that helped. We stayed at Mission Beach until about 2:30pm then we got another uber ride to Sea World.
Apr 7th, 2015, 09:00 AM
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Day 3 continued -
Arrived at Sea World about 3pm part of 3 day go card. We went directly to the Atlantis ride and waited about 15 minutes to get on the ride...it is a water coaster part flume ride/part coaster. In general a good ride despite a 5 minute delay at the end of the ride. After Atlantis we went to the Pets Rule Show.
Pets Rule features dogs, cats, birds, a pig and two kangaroos. The dogs and cats do most of the heavy lifting for the show and it was very entertaining. Show lasts about 20 minutes and was worth it. Many of the animals in the show were adopted from shelters.
On to the penguin and shark exhibits. Both were good with clever use of moving sidewalks to keep crowds moving. The next show we went to was One Ocean featuring the killer whales.
Not a fan of the One Ocean Show. It was one big re-branding campaign attempting to justify keeping the orcas in captivity for "research". It was so transparent and they did not win me over.
After the Ocean Show we went on the Manta ride which was excellent. Then the kids fed some Sea Lions, grabbed a snack and left the park. The kids did enjoy this park but we won't be back, it doesn't feel right.
Arrived at Sea World about 3pm part of 3 day go card. We went directly to the Atlantis ride and waited about 15 minutes to get on the ride...it is a water coaster part flume ride/part coaster. In general a good ride despite a 5 minute delay at the end of the ride. After Atlantis we went to the Pets Rule Show.
Pets Rule features dogs, cats, birds, a pig and two kangaroos. The dogs and cats do most of the heavy lifting for the show and it was very entertaining. Show lasts about 20 minutes and was worth it. Many of the animals in the show were adopted from shelters.
On to the penguin and shark exhibits. Both were good with clever use of moving sidewalks to keep crowds moving. The next show we went to was One Ocean featuring the killer whales.
Not a fan of the One Ocean Show. It was one big re-branding campaign attempting to justify keeping the orcas in captivity for "research". It was so transparent and they did not win me over.
After the Ocean Show we went on the Manta ride which was excellent. Then the kids fed some Sea Lions, grabbed a snack and left the park. The kids did enjoy this park but we won't be back, it doesn't feel right.
Apr 7th, 2015, 09:49 AM
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Day 4 -
We rented a car because we were going to La Jolla and it just made more sense. We signed up for a 2 hour 7 Caves Kayak Tour with Bike and Kayak Tours. Deep discount with the San Diego 3 day Card.
The tour was delayed due to some fog. We got started about 20 minutes late. The tour was more strenuous than anticipated. In fact my daughter and I got towed so we could catch up with the group on the way out, not my proudest moment. We did go to the caves but only actually got in one cave (clam cove?). We did see some Sea Lions resting on the rocks and I was able to get us back to shore sans the tow. We did have a stop in the open water and the guides found some star fish and a small crab, the waves were rolling and everyone was getting a bit sea sick by this point so we headed back. All in all a good tour but a one and done for our family.
We spent the rest of the afternoon on the beach and got a meal at Barbarella in town. Stayed for the sunset on the beach a nice day trip and the final day of our 3day Go San Diego Card. This is the La Jolla Shores area so there are not a lot of shops primarily a launching spot for the several kayak tours in this part of town.
We went back to the condo and dined at Pan Bon which was just a few blocks from the condo. Pan Bon is good for everything from a cup of coffee, dessert, casual food and more upscale dinning for dinner. Incredibly friendly staff and legit Italians running the place. Can't recommend this place enough. They were closed on Monday the day we left and I cried a little on the inside, truth.
We rented a car because we were going to La Jolla and it just made more sense. We signed up for a 2 hour 7 Caves Kayak Tour with Bike and Kayak Tours. Deep discount with the San Diego 3 day Card.
The tour was delayed due to some fog. We got started about 20 minutes late. The tour was more strenuous than anticipated. In fact my daughter and I got towed so we could catch up with the group on the way out, not my proudest moment. We did go to the caves but only actually got in one cave (clam cove?). We did see some Sea Lions resting on the rocks and I was able to get us back to shore sans the tow. We did have a stop in the open water and the guides found some star fish and a small crab, the waves were rolling and everyone was getting a bit sea sick by this point so we headed back. All in all a good tour but a one and done for our family.
We spent the rest of the afternoon on the beach and got a meal at Barbarella in town. Stayed for the sunset on the beach a nice day trip and the final day of our 3day Go San Diego Card. This is the La Jolla Shores area so there are not a lot of shops primarily a launching spot for the several kayak tours in this part of town.
We went back to the condo and dined at Pan Bon which was just a few blocks from the condo. Pan Bon is good for everything from a cup of coffee, dessert, casual food and more upscale dinning for dinner. Incredibly friendly staff and legit Italians running the place. Can't recommend this place enough. They were closed on Monday the day we left and I cried a little on the inside, truth.
Apr 7th, 2015, 10:02 AM
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Day 5 -
Easter Sunday. I got us reservations at the Hotel Del Coronado in the Crown Room and signed the kids up for the Easter Egg Hunt. We took the rental car because we wanted to have stuff on hand if we needed it. For those that haven't been this is a very chi-chi place and a historical landmark. Brunch was a splurge but worth it. It was crazy crowded and we spent a good amount of time just wandering around the boardwalk and grounds.
The egg hunt was just meh but the announcer was hysterical. The brunch was a real treat and the food was good. Not spectacular but consistently good and plentiful with a great variety - everything from seafood, omelette stations, carving stations and desserts including a chocolate fountain. We stayed for about 2 hours and did not feel rushed.
After brunch we played on the beach which is gorgeous. We really liked the sand dunes that spell out C-O-R-O-N-A-D-O. A great day that we will look back on fondly forever. Back to the condo no need for dinner.
Easter Sunday. I got us reservations at the Hotel Del Coronado in the Crown Room and signed the kids up for the Easter Egg Hunt. We took the rental car because we wanted to have stuff on hand if we needed it. For those that haven't been this is a very chi-chi place and a historical landmark. Brunch was a splurge but worth it. It was crazy crowded and we spent a good amount of time just wandering around the boardwalk and grounds.
The egg hunt was just meh but the announcer was hysterical. The brunch was a real treat and the food was good. Not spectacular but consistently good and plentiful with a great variety - everything from seafood, omelette stations, carving stations and desserts including a chocolate fountain. We stayed for about 2 hours and did not feel rushed.
After brunch we played on the beach which is gorgeous. We really liked the sand dunes that spell out C-O-R-O-N-A-D-O. A great day that we will look back on fondly forever. Back to the condo no need for dinner.
Apr 7th, 2015, 10:09 AM
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Day 6 -
Our last day in San Diego and we had a red eye back home so we had a full day. The VRBO owners were kind enough to extend our check out to 6:30pm which was ideal. We still had the renal car so we decided to check out Torrey Pines about half an hour from San Diego.
We started with a few hiking trails - Razor Point, West Overlook and part of the Beach Trail. We then parked at the park entrance and the kids played on the beach for about an hour.
We had lunch at the grill on the golf course at the Torrey Pines Lodge. A nice way to peak at the resort. We don't golf so we would never stay there but it was an impressive property. The lunch at the grill was very good. I had a steak salad, husband had a pasta dish, one clam chowder and two burgers for the kids. It was a $100. lunch with tip but everyone enjoyed their meal and it was a nice way to end our trip. It was late afternoon so we headed back to the condo to shower and pack up.
Our last day in San Diego and we had a red eye back home so we had a full day. The VRBO owners were kind enough to extend our check out to 6:30pm which was ideal. We still had the renal car so we decided to check out Torrey Pines about half an hour from San Diego.
We started with a few hiking trails - Razor Point, West Overlook and part of the Beach Trail. We then parked at the park entrance and the kids played on the beach for about an hour.
We had lunch at the grill on the golf course at the Torrey Pines Lodge. A nice way to peak at the resort. We don't golf so we would never stay there but it was an impressive property. The lunch at the grill was very good. I had a steak salad, husband had a pasta dish, one clam chowder and two burgers for the kids. It was a $100. lunch with tip but everyone enjoyed their meal and it was a nice way to end our trip. It was late afternoon so we headed back to the condo to shower and pack up.
Apr 7th, 2015, 10:21 AM
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Summary -
San Diego is a great place to visit with or without kids. I think the location we stayed at was perfect since we favor Italian food and it was less rowdy than the Gas Lamp District which should be considered when traveling with younger kids.
The 3 Day Go San Diego Card was probably a break even for us. The Smart Phone ticket saved us from some lines (Sea World and Midway) but not all (Zoo). A more ambitious family could get a better value so you have to know your families pace. Two activities a day is about max for our brood. Also I like museums but I am the exception in our group if you have a family full of museum geeks the value increases.
Breaking up transportation with Uber and a rental car was ideal for us. Public transportation would have cost us more with 4 travelers than Uber for short trips. The rental car was worth it for longer trips and we did that for 3 days.
The weather was ideal in San Diego and the city is clean. There are some homeless people but we did not feel threatened at any time and I walked around alone most mornings to get in a coffee run.
I only experienced one bad meal the entire visit and that was fish tacos at a British Pub in Little Italy - I did not expect them to be good and they weren't. My daughter really likes Mexican food and had her heart set on having tacos on the first night so I reluctantly obliged.
All in all this was a great trip and I highly recommend the area for a vacation. We even found reasonable air fare from the East Coast so it was less expensive than usual. Feel free to ask questions if you are considering traveling to San Diego. Thanks to all the Fodorites who helped me plan this trip.
San Diego is a great place to visit with or without kids. I think the location we stayed at was perfect since we favor Italian food and it was less rowdy than the Gas Lamp District which should be considered when traveling with younger kids.
The 3 Day Go San Diego Card was probably a break even for us. The Smart Phone ticket saved us from some lines (Sea World and Midway) but not all (Zoo). A more ambitious family could get a better value so you have to know your families pace. Two activities a day is about max for our brood. Also I like museums but I am the exception in our group if you have a family full of museum geeks the value increases.
Breaking up transportation with Uber and a rental car was ideal for us. Public transportation would have cost us more with 4 travelers than Uber for short trips. The rental car was worth it for longer trips and we did that for 3 days.
The weather was ideal in San Diego and the city is clean. There are some homeless people but we did not feel threatened at any time and I walked around alone most mornings to get in a coffee run.
I only experienced one bad meal the entire visit and that was fish tacos at a British Pub in Little Italy - I did not expect them to be good and they weren't. My daughter really likes Mexican food and had her heart set on having tacos on the first night so I reluctantly obliged.
All in all this was a great trip and I highly recommend the area for a vacation. We even found reasonable air fare from the East Coast so it was less expensive than usual. Feel free to ask questions if you are considering traveling to San Diego. Thanks to all the Fodorites who helped me plan this trip.
Apr 7th, 2015, 06:17 PM
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Oh, Wow - Great report! Thank you very much for coming back with your experience!
I don't have time at the moment but do have some comments and feedback.
Before I go, can you please say what street and cross streets are in Little Italy that you stayed? Was it a condo. I live a short walk from Little Italy and love recommending it for a place to stay. It helps to know and / or give more info to visitors.
Running off for now....
I don't have time at the moment but do have some comments and feedback.
Before I go, can you please say what street and cross streets are in Little Italy that you stayed? Was it a condo. I live a short walk from Little Italy and love recommending it for a place to stay. It helps to know and / or give more info to visitors.
Running off for now....
I felt the same way about Sea World though sadly.
Apr 8th, 2015, 05:51 AM
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It's an excellent informative report but I can't imagine a more ambitious family getting better value from the Go San Diego card.
I would have been worn out trying to follow in your footsteps and would have slept in rather than go kayaking LOL!
You planned very well but I think for most families the Go San Diego card makes little sense financially. Perhaps it saves some time in line but you end up rushing between attractions rather than factoring in a relaxing break.
It's easy to spend a full day in the zoo alone and then you have the rest of Balboa Park to enjoy.
The condo sounds great.. can you post a link?
Apart from the bad tacos and skipping Sea World what would you do differently next time?
I would have been worn out trying to follow in your footsteps and would have slept in rather than go kayaking LOL!
You planned very well but I think for most families the Go San Diego card makes little sense financially. Perhaps it saves some time in line but you end up rushing between attractions rather than factoring in a relaxing break.
It's easy to spend a full day in the zoo alone and then you have the rest of Balboa Park to enjoy.
The condo sounds great.. can you post a link?
Apart from the bad tacos and skipping Sea World what would you do differently next time?
Apr 8th, 2015, 08:15 AM
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For those that have asked the condo was on Beech and Ash. Excellent location. We rented through VRBO #457874 - Chris & Stef are the owners and they were great.
Actually sassy_cat I would not skip Sea World because my kids loved it....we just won't be back. Not sure what I would do differently maybe scale back on the kayak and just spend a day on the beach. Hard to say because while my kids could easily spend 6 hours on a beach my husband would lose his mind after an hour....that is another reason why we didn't spend more than 4 hours in any place though many attractions deserved the extra time. We also traveled to San Diego from the East Coast so we were preset to get up early, that helped a lot. Now back at home waking up early not so easy another day or two and we will be back on track.
Actually sassy_cat I would not skip Sea World because my kids loved it....we just won't be back. Not sure what I would do differently maybe scale back on the kayak and just spend a day on the beach. Hard to say because while my kids could easily spend 6 hours on a beach my husband would lose his mind after an hour....that is another reason why we didn't spend more than 4 hours in any place though many attractions deserved the extra time. We also traveled to San Diego from the East Coast so we were preset to get up early, that helped a lot. Now back at home waking up early not so easy another day or two and we will be back on track.
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