So, with short notice on the cancelation of our planned cruise in November, we were on a mission to come up with a trip we could do with short notice and feel like we still accomplished something with under a week stay. The answer - San Diego.
Day 1 - Flying into San Diego Airport, we make our way up the coast to La Jolla where we will settle at La Jolla Cove Suites for nights. The suites are all we could need, with the main room with a king bed, living area and sofa as well as a bedroom with 2 queen beds. But what is really special about this place is not what is inside, but what is outside. The rooftop deck that gives you views for miles. It is a wonderful place to be able to wake up and have your breakfast while overlooking all of La Jolla Cove!
La Jolla a scenic, hillside, beach town north of San Diego is nothing short of breathtaking. We take the evening to get to know our location, and the locals - the many seals that inhabit La Jolla.
Day 2 - it is into San Diego proper we go! We love our Hop On & Off tours, so we jump on at Old Town and make our way to Balboa Park and the famous San Diego Zoo, where we spend a few enjoyable hours. A few side notes; 1. San Diego Zoo is not just for kids. It was one of the best places we visited on a previous girls weekend too! 2. Check the hours for the museums at Balboa Park if you don't want to be disappointed and go on a day they are closed.
After the Zoo we head Downtown to take in the USS Midway Museum. This amazing museum IS the USS Midway Air Craft Carrier. The amount of history and information on this ship, and the veterans who run it, is not something you can absorb in just one trip.
Finally, we take our Hornblower South Bay Sunset Cruise. A truly relaxing way to end a very busy and exciting day.
Day 3 - We head to the Mission Beach area for Seaworld and Belmont Park. The kids loved Seaworld, it is a fun place to spend a few hours. They especially liked the little fish that would nibble at your hands near the front entrance and the Sky Ride that takes you out over Mission Bay.
Then they were ready for the excitement and pure adrenaline of Belmont Park and the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster! Running around from ride to ride, and adding in Laser Tag, Laser Maze, Rock Climbing and the Xanadu 7D Theater, much fun was had by all.
Once the excitement was done, and the exhaustion started to set in, we (the adults) were ready to settle down and chill for a bit. Draft South Mission beachfront bar & grill was the perfect answer and just steps away from Belmont Park. The kids ran around on the beach, well within our view, while we waited for our food to come and sat blissfully with a local craft beer in hand sipping in the approaching sunset.
Day 4 - As we are flying out of LAX the following moring, we decide to get an early start and day trip up the coast. On our agenda today is San Diego Wildlife Park and Palomar Observatory. Having been to San Diego Zoo Safari Park, I can not wait to share it with my kids. Unlike the zoo, many of the animals are in wide open spaces and it is a very realistic feel to observing the animals as they may be in their natural habitats. We take the Africa Tram on an expedition that brings us closer to the animals and gives us a bit of history.
After spending a some (maybe a few more than expected) hours, we start our trek to Palomar Observatory. It is a rough ride with hairpin turns and steep slopes, not for the faint of heart. But it has some beautiful overlooks and amazing vistas. Note: check times and know what season you are in before you try to go to the observatory and if it is daylight savings time. We missed it by about 45 minutes after our long drive up to almost 6000 ft, thinking we were just making it. Having been there before, I can tell you it is worth the trek, but my kids didn't get to see it (this time).
Needless to say, after that ride we needed a place to chill before getting on the road for our now 3 hour drive to LAX. We happened by Hill Top Winery. It had a expansive and beautiful view, and the kids could run around and check out the vineyards. We relaxed with some delicious food and a lovely flight of wine!
We ended our stay with an overnight at the Residence Inn LAX and headed home early the next morning. Quite an adventure with less than a months notice!
Until our next adventure...