San Diego - car or no car?

[Sneeks85]

Thank you all so much for all your replies! It's so helpful and given me alot to think about 😁

Aims - we're certainly not ones to shy away from public transport so if it's a decent service we will happily use for the trip to the zoo! Car hire is so expensive just now the extra few days knocked off will make a huge difference, never mind the hotel parking costs! I do like the idea of being downtown for our first trip at least, I'm a walker and love to be able to step out of my hotel and go places on foot where I can. We'll be spending enough time in the car later in our trip!

Plenty time yet anyway for a final decision, I'm sure I'll have plenty more questions for you all between now and next April!

[cornishfrogboy]

If you are looking towards the Springhill Suites..

1. We have booked a dual aspect room with floor to ceiling windows and a great view across the bay.

2. We walk a lot and in my opinion, Balboa park is well in range! 2.5 miles and 48 minutes.

If you opt for a car.. try Andy at DFCH. He has got us a Mustang Convertible for our forthcoming trip… 9 days, San Francisco to Tucson.. £900 including the £270 different location/state drop off fee.

[Sneeks85]

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

If you are looking towards the Springhill Suites..

1. We have booked a dual aspect room with floor to ceiling windows and a great view across the bay.

2. We walk a lot and in my opinion, Balboa park is well in range! 2.5 miles and 48 minutes.

If you opt for a car.. try Andy at DFCH. He has got us a Mustang Convertible for our forthcoming trip… 9 days, San Francisco to Tucson.. £900 including the £270 different location/state drop off fee.

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Thanks for the tips! Have tried Andys website but so far BA car hire plus hotel is working out cheaper and we have a £150 voucher to use. Not emailed him for a quote yet so will see what that comes up as too.

[jdouds]

Generally we would always have a car, even for trips to wildlife park , zoo , la Jolla etc

[landandword17]

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

If you are looking towards the Springhill Suites..

1. We have booked a dual aspect room with floor to ceiling windows and a great view across the bay.

2. We walk a lot and in my opinion, Balboa park is well in range! 2.5 miles and 48 minutes.

If you opt for a car.. try Andy at DFCH. He has got us a Mustang Convertible for our forthcoming trip… 9 days, San Francisco to Tucson.. £900 including the £270 different location/state drop off fee.

See more...

That's where we stayed. It was a great hotel, spotless, perfect location, view of the trains to the left and the USS Midway to the right while sitting at the pool. Huge breakfast spread. Great soundproofing, we didn't hear a noise though the crowds at breakfast showed they were extremely busy. And the big yellow strip on the side made it easy to find our way back

We did not have a car and we walked everywhere, Old town, Balboa, Gaslight. Did day over on Coronado and took the bus up to LaJolla.

If there for an extended period I'd get want a car but for a first timer there for a few days doing the usual touristy things it wasn't necessary and probably would have been more hassle for us.

[Aims]

Karen, CFB, landandword17...you all just made me do a double-take about walking to Balboa Park from downtown. Love you all, but it's got me laughing over here just thinking of it. You'd never catch most San Diegans walking 2.5 miles to Balboa Park, we are so car oriented- but that goes for most of southern CA, in general. We all drive five minutes to go to the store.

[landandword17]

Originally Posted by Aims

Karen, CFB, landandword17...you all just made me do a double-take about walking to Balboa Park from downtown. Love you all, but it's got me laughing over here just thinking of it. You'd never catch most San Diegans walking 2.5 miles to Balboa Park, we are so car oriented- but that goes for most of southern CA, in general. We all drive five minutes to go to the store.

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That's true and something I consider when reading advice from Americans on Tripadvisor and similar sites I walk everywhere here. I would only get in the car for trips over 3 miles or so. Many reasons - the price of petrol, price of parking, the nuisance of finding parking, the headache of driving in town here (narrow roads, mini roundabouts, small car parks, other drivers!) and I grew up without a car so I'm just used to walking. I also walk for pleasure every day.

It kills me that there are no footpaths connecting the resorts and parks in WDW for example. I also find it so annoying that in many US cities I have visited there are no footpaths outside the hotel even though it's so close to where I need to go! And in some places walking is so strange that you draw all kinds of icky hoots and hollers from passing cars (speaking as a female anyway)

We walked to In n Out near Old town one evening. Lovely balmy night. Footpaths were deserted but as we got closer we had to stop at a busy controlled crossing and joining us were 2 German girls, an Irish couple, and a lady from Denmark. We had a good laugh!

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by Aims

Karen, CFB, landandword17...you all just made me do a double-take about walking to Balboa Park from downtown. Love you all, but it's got me laughing over here just thinking of it. You'd never catch most San Diegans walking 2.5 miles to Balboa Park, we are so car oriented- but that goes for most of southern CA, in general. We all drive five minutes to go to the store.

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You prompted to me to google map it! It was under a mile and a half from our hotel (bloody big hill at one point!) which is a tiny walk for us.

[Sneeks85]

Originally Posted by landandword17

That's true and something I consider when reading advice from Americans on Tripadvisor and similar sites I walk everywhere here. I would only get in the car for trips over 3 miles or so. Many reasons - the price of petrol, price of parking, the nuisance of finding parking, the headache of driving in town here (narrow roads, mini roundabouts, small car parks, other drivers!) and I grew up without a car so I'm just used to walking. I also walk for pleasure every day.

It kills me that there are no footpaths connecting the resorts and parks in WDW for example. I also find it so annoying that in many US cities I have visited there are no footpaths outside the hotel even though it's so close to where I need to go! And in some places walking is so strange that you draw all kinds of icky hoots and hollers from passing cars (speaking as a female anyway)

We walked to In n Out near Old town one evening. Lovely balmy night. Footpaths were deserted but as we got closer we had to stop at a busy controlled crossing and joining us were 2 German girls, an Irish couple, and a lady from Denmark. We had a good laugh!

See more...

I think you have just described me! I don't drive at home. If it's walkable, I'll walk it! If I have the time, I'll happily walk the hour home from town with my headphones on (it's a very scenic walk 😁 ) rather than jump on the bus.

Like you, as much as I love my visits to Florida, I can't stand that you can't walk somewhere 5 mins along the road as there are no footpaths 🙄 Love the thought of a US city break (besides NYC) where I can use my legs!

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by Sneeks85

I think you have just described me! I don't drive at home. If it's walkable, I'll walk it! If I have the time, I'll happily walk the hour home from town with my headphones on (it's a very scenic walk 😁 ) rather than jump on the bus.

Like you, as much as I love my visits to Florida, I can't stand that you can't walk somewhere 5 mins along the road as there are no footpaths 🙄 Love the thought of a US city break (besides NYC) where I can use my legs!

See more...

You should have a look at the Freedom Trail in Boston.. and Boston in general.. a beautiful city to walk in.