Arizona Residents-Summer San Diego beach front Vacation Spots (Flagstaff, Sedona: rentals, hotels)

[Msmizzl]

Hello! My family and I moved to Arizona from Indiana just over a month ago. We are going to spend the next few months enjoying our new State, would like to visit Sedona, Tombstone, Flagstaff , Grand Canyon and frankly just sitting poolside in our back yard. That said, when we hit the high summer temperatures, friends are telling us Arizonian's will typically visit San Diego. We love the beach and used to vacation in Destin and Panama City Beach Florida. We've never been to San Diego. I've googled and found the prices are really high during summer but maybe worth it! For those Arizonian's who do love beaches as we do and do escape during the summer to such destinations, can you provide feedback on your favorite beaches and or resorts? With so many options I'm looking for a good place to start my research. Thank you for all the feedback. To give some background we would be vacationing with 3 kids ages 12 down to 3 years old. Would like beachfront ideas and family friendly destination ideas. Don't have a specific date in mind, could be July through September?

[phx1205]

If you are looking for a family resort, you can't beat the Hotel del. It's expensive though. Mission Beach/Bay is pretty family friendly especially the Bay and you will find several hotels in that area. You will find a ton of options on VRBO that might be a better setup than getting a couple of rooms at a hotel. I also love La Jolla Shores as far as beaches go.

[PaulieM]

Be very aware the water temperatures in San Diegoare not what you experienced in Destin/Panama City. That said, we are a couple of Arizonans who find there way to the California coast and love it. Last summer was to Dana Point and may do it again this year.

[pbenjamin]

Originally Posted by Msmizzl

Hello! My family and I moved to Arizona from Indiana just over a month ago. We are going to spend the next few months enjoying our new State, would like to visit Sedona, Tombstone, Flagstaff , Grand Canyon and frankly just sitting poolside in our back yard. That said, when we hit the high summer temperatures, friends are telling us Arizonian's will typically visit San Diego. We love the beach and used to vacation in Destin and Panama City Beach Florida. We've never been to San Diego. I've googled and found the prices are really high during summer but maybe worth it! For those Arizonian's who do love beaches as we do and do escape during the summer to such destinations, can you provide feedback on your favorite beaches and or resorts? With so many options I'm looking for a good place to start my research. Thank you for all the feedback. To give some background we would be vacationing with 3 kids ages 12 down to 3 years old. Would like beachfront ideas and family friendly destination ideas. Don't have a specific date in mind, could be July through September?

We usually go to Newport Beach, which is a bit north of there. Too many people from Arizona (that's Arizonans, not Arizonians) go to San Diego. We get beachfront rentals from Newport Beach Vacation Rentals | Burr White Realty

[Steve Pickering]

There are several hotels on the bay that rent for $80 to $120 a night.

[CheyDee]

Originally Posted by PaulieM

Be very aware the water temperatures in San Diegoare not what you experienced in Destin/Panama City.

San Diego is a great place to visit, but doesn't meet our needs for a beach fix because of the above, so we wouldn't spend the extra money to stay beach-front. The average water temperature in San Diego in the summer is just under 70 degrees; the average summer water temperature in Destin is in the mid-80's.

[maverick974]

I was born and raised in So. Cal. For my tastes, I'd go a little north, perhaps Pismo. Quite a bit cheaper without the huge crowds of San Diego, Oceanside, Orange Co. and L.A. County beaches.
Personally, I just can't stomach all the crowds in So. Cal. You can't do ANYTHING without waiting in line to pay an exorbitant amount for whatever it is you want to do.
I have a sister in law in So. Cal. not far from the beach. I'll visit here once or twice a year. I'll even grab my board and go surfing at Newport but after a couple of days, regardless of what we are doing, it just feels like it's time to go, time to get away from the masses of people.
Go a little north and miss all the crowds. I hear Solvang is still a pretty cool place.

[S. Chris Webb]

Oceanside is between SD and LA. That's a good place to go if you are looking for less expensive hotels close to the beach, and it's still a short driving distance to either Disneyland or Sea World.

[magnum0417]

I grew up in NY so the 68 degree water with nice breaks suits me fine. Let the softies in Arizona go to Rocky Point and enjoy the bathwater of Sea of Cortez. Not sure why one must stay on the beach. I recently got an RV and will be going that route in the future to San Diego. However, because of my 3 animals, I stayed at Motel 6 in El Cajon on several occasions as well at Best Western Mission Bay not far from the I 5 and Garnet exit that goes straight to Pacific Beach.

If you have pets, the Ocean Beach Dog Park is great. The Newport Strip in Ocean Beach has some cool eclectic shops.Mission Beach and Pacific Beach have more issues with finding parking, especially PB, but plenty of fun too.

Carlsbad also offers some inexpensive lodging and the town sits on cliffs 250 feet above the ocean making for great views too. Whatever you do, do not go in the water down in Imperial Beach. The mouth of the Tijuana River flows into the ocean at IB is a bunch of Tijuana sewage. I wouldn't touch the water south of Coronado Island either way.

[PaulieM]

Originally Posted by maverick974

I was born and raised in So. Cal. For my tastes, I'd go a little north, perhaps Pismo. Quite a bit cheaper without the huge crowds of San Diego, Oceanside, Orange Co. and L.A. County beaches.
Personally, I just can't stomach all the crowds in So. Cal. You can't do ANYTHING without waiting in line to pay an exorbitant amount for whatever it is you want to do.
I have a sister in law in So. Cal. not far from the beach. I'll visit here once or twice a year. I'll even grab my board and go surfing at Newport but after a couple of days, regardless of what we are doing, it just feels like it's time to go, time to get away from the masses of people.
Go a little north and miss all the crowds. I hear Solvang is still a pretty cool place.

Solvang is a cool town but you will not be dodging any tourist crowds, at least in summer. Staying in Ventura we took a day trip up to Solvang, loved the architecture, clean, it exuded the Northern Euro culture. Very nice town. Really taken aback at the volume of visitors though.