Family areas in & around San Diego...

[smithlane]

Originally Posted by NewtoOrlando

Hi Alicia, that would be great thank you! Am I right in thinking that you got the train down to SD? Or is that another trippy I've read? If you could DM me the details, I would appreciate it...I might have some questions too, haha :-)

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Hi ya! Yes I was the mad one who took the train on her own from Oceanside to SD, it was very straight forward and a lovely journey with beautiful scenery along the coast. I’ll PM you the details now, ask any questions you like, more than happy to answer any I can!

[NewtoOrlando]

Originally Posted by Aims

Hi, I live in the San Diego area and I see that you have already had some good tips about Oceanside. If you don't mind the longer commute to get into San Diego from that location, it is a perfectly fine area to stay. You can either drive into the city of San Diego from there in about 45 min, or you can indeed take a train into San Diego from Oceanside, either via Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner or the Coaster commuter train. Here is the Coaster's website where you can check out the links for the various train schedules and stations, including Oceanside. gonctd/services/coaster-commuter-rail/ Plan for a commute of about 1 to 1 1/2 hours each way with the train because of all the stops it makes.



AirBnb's and other rental home options like VRBO are plentiful around San Diego too, if you wanted to stay closer to the city. If you decide to also look at beach areas in San Diego- Pacific Beach and La Jolla Shores are two family-friendly beach locations to stay. Mission Beach, which Cornishfrogboy was talking about, does attract a largely university aged crowd and can get a bit raucous during spring break and summer school holiday times- but there is a lot to see in that area for a family with teens, including a beachside amusement park called Belmont Park, and Sea World is minutes away. If you are curious about staying in this area, I would suggest looking for Mission Beach Airbnb's that say they are on are Mission Bay, or "bayside" as it is sometimes called...because there is a large bay that is just minutes away from where the beach is, and while it can be busy there too, it is usually a bit quieter overall than Mission Beach is. I have seen a lot of families staying along the bay.



Del Mar is a lovely coastal town just north of San Diego and has a very nice beach. It's a bit of a drive out of San Diego, but is closer than Oceanside. Solana Beach, Encinitas and Carlsbad are other northern county coastal towns that are all very family-friendly places, too.


Alternatively, hotel brands in San Diego where you can find two bedroom units are Residence Inn by Marriott and Homewood Suites by Hilton.

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Hi Aims, thank you so much for this! I have been meaning to DM you but haven't got round to it!

Are Air b&b's etc legal in SD? Are there any areas you would advise to avoid?

We basically want to enjoy San Diego and all the area has to offer, and use it as some beach time too, and looking to spend 5-7 nights there at the end of a 3 week trip, so some space would be appreciated after 2 weeks in hotels!

[Aims]

Originally Posted by NewtoOrlando

Hi Aims, thank you so much for this! I have been meaning to DM you but haven't got round to it!

Are Air b&b's etc legal in SD? Are there any areas you would advise to avoid?

We basically want to enjoy San Diego and all the area has to offer, and use it as some beach time too, and looking to spend 5-7 nights there at the end of a 3 week trip, so some space would be appreciated after 2 weeks in hotels!

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Hi again Airbnb’s are still legal in San Diego. Beach areas I would avoid staying in would be Ocean Beach and Imperial Beach. As I mentioned in my previous post, Mission Beach is the busiest location with young adults, especially during school holidays, so not the most peaceful area for families, but there are a ton of vacation rentals in that area. As before, I would recommend rentals that specify that they are on Mission Bay (or bayside) rather than any that advertise as being on Mission Beach. The bay is on the other side from the beach, but the atmosphere is a little quieter. If you come across any rentals and you are curious to know if the location is in a good or bad area, feel free to DM with a link to the rental listing and I would be happy to give my opinion. You can’t find a nicer place for a relaxing end to a holiday than San Diego! Much slower pace than Los Angeles but still lots to do here.