Short stay rental - which area? (San Diego, Corona: where to stay, hotels, theater)

[ye_ye]

We'll be in San Diego with the kids last week of June. We previously stayed in Encinitas, and loved it. We would love to move there some day. This trip we might want to mix it up, stay somewhere different and explore more downtown areas, as well as go to Moonlight Beach at least once and hang out in Encinitas. We like to walk to places (coffee, beer, restaurants, beach, etc.). We also plan to drive to other places like Coronado, Balboa Park, Gaslamp Quarter, USS Midway, La Jolla and a few beaches south of there. We also want to visit a few brewery taprooms (don't want to drive out to the breweries themselves). We are open to any area, but so far considering either Cardiff/Solana Beach/Del Mar area or La Jolla Shores or perhaps somewhere more urban like North/South Park. We prefer Airbnb, but open to hotels as well. Any suggestions for where to stay that is somewhat centrally located, yet allows us to walk around locally?

[TacoSoup]

I’d stay in mission or pacific beach. There’s no shortages of places to walk to, including Belmont Park for the kids. There’s plenty of Airbnb/Vrbo, and you’re not gonna find a more centrally located beach to everything you want to go see. This is the reason why this area has been the number one vacation spot in San Diego for just about forever. North county is great, but not really the spot to stay while on vacation if you want to go do things, especially with kids.

[Snort]

Del Mar, as you'll be between Encinitas and downtown. Or La Jolla, if you want to be closer to S.D.

[LaJollaEast]

La Jolla is a good central place to stay. You can also stay up near UCSD which has many places that are walkable. You would not be far from all of the Miramar Breweries and can easily get an Uber there and back.

[Encinitan]

I'm not sure there is much difference, from a one-week visitor's perspective, between Encinitas, Solana Beach and Del Mar. To get a totally different experience and be closer to the downtown amenities you mentioned, I'd stay in Pacific Beach if you want to stay beachy or go North Park or some other urban hood near downtown for that experience.

[Encinitan]

Originally Posted by TacoSoup

North county is great, but not really the spot to stay while on vacation if you want to go do things, especially with kids.

Umm, unless your kids like:
Great beaches (Moonlight, Cardiff, Carlsbad, etc)
Parks
Legoland
Closer to Disneyland

[loveautumn]

I’d suggest Del Mar (although the Fair is going on now which is fun but generates heavier traffic). How old are your kids? IMO, PB area is old and really very heavy partying area, early 20’s , lots of drinking. Personally I wouldn’t want a family vacation there. Downtown homeless situation. It’s kind of late to be getting living arrangements, isn’t it?

[Encinitan]

Originally Posted by loveautumn

I’d suggest Del Mar (although the Fair is going on now which is fun but generates heavier traffic). How old are your kids? IMO, PB area is old and really very heavy partying area, early 20’s , lots of drinking. Personally I wouldn’t want a family vacation there. Downtown homeless situation. It’s kind of late to be getting living arrangements, isn’t it?

Agreed on all, except that the OP wants to "mix it up" and "try something different" than their past stay in Encinitas, which they loved. Why not just go back to where you already know you love? I'm not sure. But going from Encinitas to Del Mar (about 6 miles south) isn't going to provide a different experience.

[TacoSoup]

Originally Posted by Encinitan

Umm, unless your kids like:
Great beaches (Moonlight, Cardiff, Carlsbad, etc)
Parks
Legoland
Closer to Disneyland

Ok fine, but what about everyting else people come to San Diego for?

Balboa Park
The Zoo
Sea World
La Jolla
Belmont Park
Mission Bay
-sailing
-paddle boarding
-the boardwalk
-sport fishing day boats
Coronado
Cabrillo Monument
Old town
The Nightlife
Downtown
-gaslamp quarter
-harbor excursions
-uss midway / maritime museum
-Padre games
-little Italy
-theater, ballet, symphony
Mexico


I can go on but you get my point. I get you love north county, you wear it in your name, but you cannot possibly think it’s a better place to stay for the typical vacationer that wants to get out and do things.

With the exception of Coronado and Mexico, all these are either in/next to MB/PB, a short car ride, or even a ride share that won’t break the bank, away. Driving back and forth, especially in traffic, from north county would get old quickly.

For the record, unless you’re taking your kids down Garnet Ave, or a small strip of the boardwalk at night, PB is a perfectly fine place for families. There’s no shortage of them living, and vacationing, here year round. Families playing on the sand outnumber everyone else in the summer since they banned drinking a decade ago.

[ye_ye]

All this is great discussion and suggestions. Thank you. I don't think MB/PB appeal to me much, I don't want to stay in Encinitas again because I am deliberately trying to experience another part of the county, so I'm most likely going to try to stay in La Jolla Shores or some part of La Jolla.