hamham

Hi everyone
We'll be visiting San Diego after going to the Disney in July. We won't have a car there but want to go to the Zoo, Seaworld, Old Town... by public transit. Could someone give me advice on:
1. Which hotel would be more convenient if we don't rent a car; Super 8 Bay View/Vagabond Inns Hotel Circle/Days Inn Hotel Circle by the Seaworld, Pickwick Hotel/Good Nite Inn Sea World, or other suggestion? (we're a budget traveller)
2. After going to the Zoo and Seaworld in the day, any place we can go in the evening? (not too far of course)
3. We've to catch the plane at noon on the 3rd day but I don't want to waste the morning, any place we can go for a short visit?

malvado

What are the addresses to these places? Half of the motels within a 5 mile radius of Sea World put "Sea World" in their name to attract tourists leading you to believe they are right next door which is usually not the case. you might try the sports arena area. $5-10 for a cab to Sea World and walking distance to Old Town where you can also pick up the Trolley to head downtown for buses to Balboa Park and Zoo.

Barbara

Noneof these hotels are particularly close to Sea World. The Days Inn in Hotel Circle probably has the best reputation. I don't think any of them are very close to a Trolley stop, although you could probably walk to the Fashion Valley stop from any of the Hotel Circle hotels you mention. The Trolley will give you easy access to the downtown/Gaslamp area for evening entertainment, also to Old Town for day and evening. For the Zoo and Seaworld, you'll be stuck with a cab unless whichever hotel you decide on has a shuttle service - and some do. You might consider exploring that option and limiting your choice to whichever hotels are closest to the Trolley and have some kind of shuttle service to the Zoo and Seaworld.

ltt

i'd recommend staying in the old town area (ramada inn has a good reputation) or downtown. then you'll have access to the trolley and plenty of restaurants to walk to at night. there is also a "trolley" ride you can take that stops at a lot of sights along the way and you can jump on & off. you could pick it up downtown or in old town and take that to the zoo. for sea world, you'll have to take public transportation or cab it.

WatersonFamily

Just a side note: Many people do not know there is a great restaurant inside the zoo. It's called Albert's, we never forget to make reservations whenever we spend time in SD. The number is:619-685-3200 and the zoo can be a great place to spend the evening. There is usually dancing, limbo and hula hoop contests for the kids near the front gate. Have Fun!!

hamham

This is finally what we decided, to pick a hotel in downtown so as to get an easy access to public transit and night life near gaslamp quarter. Has anyone been stayed in Pickwick Hotel? I got a good offer of $60 per night. We just need a good sleep at night, is it a safe and clean place to stay?
Re WatersonFamily, we'll sure try the restaurant in the zoo. Where else you suggest near downtown?

J_Correa

If I remember correctly, the Pickwick hotel is right above the Greyhound station. It was not an area I'd want to stay in. We walked by there one night and there were a lot of people hanging around outside - homeless, street kids, and so on. I grew up in an area with a significant homeless population, gang activity, and so on, so I am not easily phased by this stuff, but I have to say I was uncomfortable walking through there. If this is indeed the hotel I am thinking of, don't stay there.

Barbara

hamham: please look at this website's review of the Pickwick Hotel

http://hotelsandiego.us/downtown.html

J_Correa

Barbara - I read the reviews of that hotel and it is indeed the hotel I was remembering. Yuck!!!!

jshannahan

I would suggest the Clarion Hotel Bay view. It's downtown in the Gaslamp but safe and clean. Also within a few blocks of trolley access and public transportion. They're running a special in July and rooms are a little over $60 per night. Children will also really enjoy the Imax theater and science museum in Balboa Park (walking distance rom the zoo). For the morning that you haven't scheduled - head to the boardwalk at Mission Beach (probably need a taxi - 15min from downtown) - there's a roller coaster, games, beautiful beach and inexpesive places for an outdoor lunch

SaraLM

Super 8 Bayview has a shuttle to the zoo and Sea World. We stayed there in March and didn't rent a car. The shuttle worked very well for us. Since this is on your list I recommend it. It isn't fancy but the continental breakfast was ok and saved time and the shuttle was great.

It is easily walkable to the trolley - about 3 blocks, close to restaurants and we walked from Seaport Village/downtown (though that was a bit long if you don't like to walk, but we could have had the shuttle pick us up or taken the trolley). The shuttle does only run from 9-4:30 though. Super 8 also had a great deal on tickets for Sea World and the zoo and a boat tour. Check to see if they are still offering it. It saved us $ and time standing in line.

The only drawback to the shuttle is that you really have to keep moving at the zoo and SW. They drop off at 9 and pick up at 4:30 or you have to take a taxi home. There are taxi's at the zoo though if it becomes an issue (about $8 back). We saw everything we wanted to see and didn't feel rushed but we did keep an even pace.

I wrote a trip report of San Diego and Super 8 if you click on my name you should be able to find it.

After we got back in the evening (we were exhausted from walking all day) but we did walk down to the Star of India - open until 8 and fun to see the old ship. The Gaslamp also might be fun to walk through in the evening and it is just a trolley ride away.

Old Town might be a possibility for the morning but you'll have to be at the airport at 10 so you would really have to get up early and stores probably won't open much before 9.

Have a great time. San Diego was fun and sunny for this web-footed Oregonian!

hamham

Re:jshannahan
I called Clarion Hotel immediately but they have all rooms sold out for July, so we're still searching thought internet.

ltt

check out holiday inn bayview and see if they have any deals. good location, but will probably be around $120. i would be very leary of any room you found in san diego in the $60 range during the summer. if cost is a real issue, consider the hostel downtown. they have shuttles to various locations too.

J_Correa

Would Priceline work for you? We got the Raddison downtown for $65/night earlier this year and were very happy with that hotel. The only real complaint I had was the parking garage was REALLY tight, but since you probably wont have a car, you wont have to worry about that.

reporter1

When you visit SeaWorld in the summer, consider hanging out in the evening for the live entertainment and fireworks!

Our family often goes there to dance all night on the weekends. There's also strolling entertainers in the park toward the evening. The bands and strolling entertainers are really great since they must audition to play at SeaWorld.

nomopromos

San Jose is great side trip.

ibob

Call the various hotels and ask if they have a shuttle to the places you choose to go, some do. If the hotel has a 800 number I call as often as I like to ask questions...that is part of their job and they have been most helpful in the past. I think a downtown Super 8, etc. might be good if there is not a convention in town (price/vacancy). The public transpo is better from downtown than Hotel Circle.....Have Fun.

lizzard

go with the super 8 bayview. it's in little italy and is a block off of the main drag there where you'll find a range of restaurants to fit your style. family pizza grottos(mona lisa, filippi's), an english pub, and a couple nicer places. you're also about $4 in a cab to the gaslamp for all the restaurants and nightlife there. shuttles to the zoo and seaworld? either spring the $15 for the cab to sea world or $7-$8 to the zoo and less to museums at balbo park. consider even trolley(3 short blocks) to old town transit center (old town and buses heading to beaches and sea world). forget the pickwick - total dump. crackheads and dowtown dirtbags. dowmside to super 8 is you'll have military scourge and party people booking rooms over the weekend because of the downtown bargain rates and close proximity to the gaslamp.