San Diego Hotel Guide and Tips
Fun Diego Family is helping visitors get the best out of a trip to San Diego. A big part of a successful vacation is picking the right hotel. San Diego is a big city with tons of choices. Fun Diego Family is now being designed to help find the perfect San Diego lodging. This is our San Diego Hotel Guide and Tips to get visitors started.
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Overview
Of course, as residents of San Diego we don’t often stay in San Diego hotels. However, we do get a great deal of feedback from visitors and have definite opinions about where we would prefer to stay.
This post is an overview of our guide to San Diego. It links to more detailed articles on San Diego lodging.
As starter we have our top 10 Hotel Tips. This applies not just to San Diego but any travel, especially in the U.S.
For visitors to San Diego we suggest you answer the following questions.
Where in San Diego do I want to stay?
Our number one tip for travelers to San Diego is to pick a location. The San Diego area is huge. Staying in the North County by Legoland or the San Diego Safari Park is 40 miles from downtown, or an hour plus drive in traffic.
We have created a summary guide to the major San Diego areas. This will help you narrow down potential locations.
What type of hotel do I want?
San Diego has lodging options for all interests and budgets. This includes most major hotel chains. We have created a guide to the general categories of lodging in San Diego, from luxury hotels, resorts, casinos, value hotels and specialty lodging.
Even within given locations there is a wide range of different places to stay. For example, in La Jolla lodging can be either right on the beach, in the village, or near the university. To narrow these areas down we have created detailed guides to specific areas that allow you to find a more specific type of lodging.
Do I want to stay at a resort?
Another major decision is whether you want to stay at a resort. San Diego has many resorts including those on the water, golf resorts and inland casino resorts where gambling is allowed.
In the actual city of San Diego, Mission Bay has 6 resorts within 15 minutes of downtown and the airport.
See our full guide to Mission Bay for more info.
However, San Diego is a great outdoor resort on its own with beaches anyone can access. It is possible to stay at a very basic hotel and simply add activities on as you go. This can save a lot of money. Nevertheless, resorts can be a lot of fun, so it is an important consideration.
You can check out our guide to best resorts.
Do I want to be on the beach?
San Diego is located on the Pacific Ocean. This means there are all kinds of options to stay right on the beach. However, beachfront hotels come at a premium. Staying even a block or two away from the beach can mean a significant savings.
The good news is there is generally plenty of parking at San Diego beaches. This means if you rent a car you can have easy access to the beach without beach front prices.
Of course, nothing can beat watching a Pacific Ocean sunset from your hotel room. For many visitors, a beach front hotel is a requirement.
Of course, we have a guide to San Diego beach hotels.
Do I want to rent a house or condo?
San Diego has all kinds of rental options. Many of these lodgings are in prime locations, often beach front. HomeAway and VRBO are excellent resources to find short-term rentals.
Mission Bay is a prime location for vacation rentals. Other popular spots are along the North County in towns such as Del Mar, Solana Beach, Carlsbad and Oceanside.
We have a more detailed guide to the best areas to rent vacation property in San Diego.
Check San Diego, CA Vacation Rental Prices
Do you want to be near major attractions, nightlife and/or shopping?
San Diego is a big city with many attractions and plenty of nightlife. Of course, the downtown area is a prime spot for the party set. However, downtown can be pricey and there are other options.
In terms of convenience Mission Valley is near all the major attractions and freeways. It has two shopping malls and almost every major hotel chain. It is also on the trolley line to go downtown.
The major towns on the San Diego coast, Coronado, La Jolla, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Carlsbad and Oceanside also have their own shopping and entertainment districts.
We have several guides focused on best nightlife, best dining and shopping.
La Jolla and Coronado/South Bay have their own hotel guides.
Do you need to be near transportation?
Unfortunately, San Diego is limited in terms of public transportation. Not having a car puts you at a major disadvantage. There are buses and trolley routes, but they are mainly designed for locals.
The good news is the airport is right next to downtown. If you want to stay in downtown or by the airport you can get around without too much trouble.
See our guide to hotels near downtown San Diego and the airport.
Mission Valley is a prime hotel spot located right on the trolley line. The area is not scenic, but it does provide easy access to most areas. If you need to take Uber or a taxi to major attractions, Mission Valley may be your best option.
Other Issues
These are just some basic questions to ask. Once you start narrowing down your locations and preferred hotel type you can start searching for specific properties in your price range. Our goal is to help you with this research, understand your choices and have a fairly good knowledge of what to expect. As always we welcome feedback and recommendations.
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