# Carlsbad and Escondido for 2 weeks



## talkamotta (Jan 5, 2014)

We are leaving next weekend for Carlsbad (Grand Pacific Palisades) for the first week and Escondido (Lawrence Welk) for the second.  If I can get out of the cold and inversion in Salt Lake for a couple of weeks then Im good for the winter.  

We don't want to go to any of the parks or zoos,  we will probably revisit some of the Missions in So Cal and old town San Diego.  What are some suggestions for any hidden gems you might know?  There will be 2 maybe 3 of us and we are all in our 60's.  

I have been to Lawrence Welk and loved it.  I haven't been to Grand Pacific Palisades before.  The reviews are mixed.  I read somewhere that you should ask for the "C" building and try not to get the "D" building but I don't know if that is still valid.  

Thanks for any help.


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## presley (Jan 5, 2014)

talkamotta said:


> I haven't been to Grand Pacific Palisades before.  The reviews are mixed.  I read somewhere that you should ask for the "C" building and try not to get the "D" building but I don't know if that is still valid.



The D building is between the family pool and the street.  It has not been renovated, yet and will be noisier than any other building.  It is very convenient for the gym/sauna, but a walk to the adult pool. I can't find a resort layout map, so I can't comment on building C.

The reviews are probably mixed because it is a great place for families for onsite activities, but not so great for adults wanting onsite activities.  I think the only adult activities are the tour of Karl Strauss brewery (onsite) and the day trips that visit places like Hollywood.  

The rooms are comfortable and the pools/spas are very clean and warm.  There's just not much to do onsite for a group of adults.


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## sjsharkie (Jan 5, 2014)

We spent a week in SD a few years ago -- ok I guess it was about 4 or 5 years ago looking at the calendar.

I'd suggest taking in a play/show while you are there.  We saw the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee while we were there -- it was a small intimate theater that maybe housed about 200 people.  It was a fantastic show and the cozy ambience of a community theater I think was an added plus.

Not sure if it is your thing - just something you may want to check out:
http://www.northcoastrep.org/index.html

-ryan


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## klpca (Jan 5, 2014)

I'd head to downtown San Diego (either car or train) and do a tour of the Midway. As long as you're down that way, you could easily walk around Little Italy. Or, further down the Embarcadero, you could go for a drink at The Top of the Hyatt. 

If you like hiking, try some of the trails at Torrey Pines State park which is a few miles south of Carlsbad. I imagine there's some good trails near GPP, but I don't get up there so maybe someone else can add some information.


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## Icc5 (Jan 5, 2014)

*Bus Tour*

We really enjoyed the trolley (orange or something like that).  Great stories as you see the sites.
Bart


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## presley (Jan 5, 2014)

Not too far from Carlsbad in Encinitas is a botanical garden.  I haven't been in a few years, but it was very nice.
http://www.sdbgarden.org/index.html

Here's a historic ranch in Carlsbad that I keep forgetting to visit.
http://www.carlsbadca.gov/services/...ties/parks/Pages/leo-carrillo-ranch-main.aspx

There's a music museum walking distance from Grand Pacific Palisades.
http://www.museumofmakingmusic.org/

The Gemology Institute of America is also walking distance to Grand Pacific Palisades.  There are tours, but from what I've read about it on yelp and tripadvisor, there is extensive security screening before you can be allowed inside.

Also, I walked around the new Legoland Hotel the other day.  It's adorable.  It's next to the Legoland entrance and you can walk from GPP or have the shuttle drive you there and you can walk back.


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## BJRSanDiego (Jan 5, 2014)

talkamotta said:


> we will probably revisit some of the Missions in So Cal and old town San Diego.  What are some suggestions for any hidden gems you might know?  ...Thanks for any help.



We visited Mission San Juan Capistrano.  Very interesting.  They have an audio tour that you can take.  Nicely restored.

Mission San Luis Rey, Oceanside, it interesting and inspirational.

In the Pala area there is a mission that is supposedly the oldest Indian mission in either Ca. or US.  It is pretty close to Welk.    http://missiontour.org/sanluisrey/asistencia.htm

Temecula wine tours and antique shopping in old town can be fun.

When you're in Carlsbad, if you want a memorable dinner right on the beach, go to Jakes, Del Mar.  They are known for seafood but also have beef, chicken, lamb, etc.  You'll need reservations and will probably want to get the first seating so that you can see the sun go down.  In fact, because the sun sets so early, perhaps enjoy the sunset from the bar and then migrate to the table as early as you can.   If you can't get in to Jakes, try the Poseidon next door.


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## Karen G (Jan 5, 2014)

We really enjoyed taking the train from Carlsbad to San Diego in September. There's some kind of pass you can get that is good for all public transportation in San Diego.  

We also really enjoyed the Midway.


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## b2bailey (Jan 5, 2014)

Have you been to Coronado Island? A visit to the Hotel Del is worth the trip. We also like a BBQ restaurant on the other side of the island -- the side where you can see downtown SD. I think it is called Piggy BBQ or something like that.


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## Deb from NC (Jan 6, 2014)

Not to hijack the thread (!) but we are also going to the Welk Resort (in February).  Can anyone add any restaurant recommendations in  the Escondido area (all price ranges) ? Also, has anyone been to the Leo Castillo Ranch..is it worth a visit ? I saw some pictures of it on trip advisor and it looked kind of interesting....


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## buzglyd (Jan 6, 2014)

Deb from NC said:


> Not to hijack the thread (!) but we are also going to the Welk Resort (in February).  Can anyone add any restaurant recommendations in  the Escondido area (all price ranges) ? Also, has anyone been to the Leo Castillo Ranch..is it worth a visit ? I saw some pictures of it on trip advisor and it looked kind of interesting....



You must make a visit to Stone Brewery. The beer tour is free and they have a nice restaurant there. It's not your typical brew pub type food with burgers and wings. It's a very eclectic menu and the grounds are very nice.

BTW, if you like beer, you're in beer Disneyland in inland north county and there are beer tours operated almost every day.

Ventana is on top of the Escondido Lexus dealer. It's very nice and has live jazz. It is pricey and I find it strange a fancy restaurant is on top of a car dealer.

Cordiano winery is also a nice place to visit and have some great pizza.

Phil's BBQ is not far away in San Marcos.


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## Deb from NC (Jan 6, 2014)

Perfect ! Thank you...looking forward to our first trip to Southern California!


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## slomac (Jan 6, 2014)

Leo Carillo Ranch is a historic park in Carlsbad.  It is free to the public and you can see peacocks roaming around and the old adobe.  Great if you like museums.  Probably an hour or two is all it will take you to tour.  Go to the VisitCarlsbad website for more ideas of what to do in Carlsbad.  I wouldn't miss a drive to La Jolla shores while you are in San Diego.


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## vikingsholm (Jan 6, 2014)

Mostly for Deb since talkamotta has been to Welk, but maybe a few ideas also for anyone going there or Carlsbad:

There are several restaurants right next to some of the larger wineries in Temecula.  We didn't try those, but they looked like they might be pretty nice, and somewhat fancier.  Good combo with a wine country tour there.

Second the Stone Brewery motion.  Beautiful bar/restaurant and courtyard at the brewery, with some tasty eats.

Welk has a restaurant that is ok and worth trying one of the days you're there.

Also, on farmer's market night at Welk you can pick up some decent meals from food trucks there, plus they had one night where they had an outdoor cookout down in the plaza with entertainment (more normal jazz, not the Welk TV music that I could never stomach). 

Welk does timeshares pretty well.  The staff and management at the complex seemed quite friendly and competent to us, and we'll go back there.

Trips from Escondido to Carlsbad restaurants are reasonably short when in Escondido, and La Jolla may be worth a day trip for a dinner too, along with the old town San Diego and Coronado.

If you're up for a country drive with views, the Mt. Palomar state park area is nice, way up top the mountain by the observatory where there are more forests and whatnot than in the drier lands below.  Another day trip drive is to Julian, which is like an old west smaller version of Temecula, continuing to the Cuyamaca mountains and state park if you do any hiking.  Both of these are fairly scenic though via some winding roads.  Balboa Park in San Diego is worth a visit too.


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## Deb from NC (Jan 6, 2014)

Many thanks!  We love museums and also love to hike (although nothing too strenuous ...I'm not in great hiking shape  ) so all of these suggestions sound great.  I think we will wish we could stay longer than a week, it sounds like there is so much to do and see!


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jan 6, 2014)

Not so much something to do, but more of a caution.  And that is to not bother with any of the Escondido area wineries.  I've been to several, selecting places such as Orfila that garner the highest comments, and I didn't find anything that I would have spent more than $5/bottle.  I was so surprised that the weekend after I returned from a visit, I hit a couple of my favorites in Washington while I my memory was still fresh about the Escondido wineries. That just served to confirm my impressions.  

Last week were in Temecula visiting a couple of places. While I thought Temecula was overpriced (and the tasting fees are outrageous), the offerings there (save for a Viognier that was the worst Viognier I have ever tasted in my life) were decidedly better than anything I encountered in Escondido.


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## talkamotta (Jan 6, 2014)

*Thanks for all the replies.  Lots of good ideas*.  Thanks for the sites to check them out.  Im glad this post is helping others as well.  

I like to hike so the parks are a great idea.  

We generally eat most of our meals in the timeshare but we like to try different wines and beer.  Last time, by accident, we went to Karl Strauss.  I   love their beer and their food is wonderful.  

Steve- when we went to Washington, we were driving through Richland and I told Jeff "It smells so good here"    He just looked at me and shook his head.  Of course, it smells good to you, we are surrounded by wineries.


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## BJRSanDiego (Jan 7, 2014)

Some thoughts from someone who lives in Escondido:

Yes, Escondido wineries are generally pretty mediocre.  The wine at Belle Marie (I 15 and 1 blk south of Deer Springs) has a couple of okay wines.  It's 5 minutes from Welk.  Temecula?  Try Culbertson's, Callaway, Thornton, Wilson Creek - - they're the best.  Want to buy a wine?  You might get a better price at the local grocery or drug store.  

Close by grocery stores?  Try Vons.  Take I-15 south till you get to El Norte.  Then go East or West about 1/3 mile (there are two of them on the N side of the street).

Hiking:  Daley Ranch (Escondido) is good for hiking.  Mount Israel is close by and also has some great views.  

Mini-hikes:  walk along Harbor Island or Shelter Island (down by the airport).  

BBQ - Fat Ivor's in Valley Center is close by.  Very casual.  Phil's BBQ is better but quite a ways away.  

O'Sullivan's (Escondido) - good Irish food (e.g. corn beef and cabbage and Guiness) and layed back.  Good for lunch.  

Casa de Vega - South Escondido - good southwestern (Mexican) food.  Not particularly cheap but nice food and nice place.

Cenote Grill - North Escondido - Good Mexican food and good prices.  

Want to see a desert?  Drive out to Anza Borrego State Park.  There is a nice visitor center and a few easy trails.  One leads back to a palm filled oasis.


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## hjtug (Jan 7, 2014)

*Escondido area restaurants*

We like the Salvadoran food at Cuscatlan in Escondido and the fish at Fish House Vera Cruz in San Marcos.


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## buzglyd (Jan 7, 2014)

Casa de Vega is a pretty cool place.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jan 7, 2014)

BJRSanDiego said:


> Close by grocery stores?  Try Vons.  Take I-15 south till you get to El Norte.  Then go East or West about 1/3 mile (there are two of them on the N side of the street).



Skip Von's.  There's are Trader Joe's in Escondido and Carlsbad.  For one week stays that would be my primary grocery venue.  If you don't know TJ's, ideas of what to get, do a search for any of the Trader Joe's threads in the TUG Lounge.  And mochi is never a bad choice, unless you're someone such as me who has so little will power that mochi never makes to the freezer in my car after I leave TJ's.


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## Betty (Jan 7, 2014)

*Restaurant.com Dining Certificates*

Just got five Rest.com certificates...Did I make a mistake with any of these?

Trupiano's Italian Bistro in Fallbrook

Old California Mining Company in San Marcos

Portino's in Valley Center

Lucio's An American Grill in Escondido

The Original Sand Crab Tavern in Escondido

Have lots of certificate credits to use, and these got some decent reviews for the most part. Plus we like saving money when dining out if we can.

How did I do? These are just some of the ones I found on the Rest.com site.

We usually eat out at least once a day while on vacation and like everything except Indian food, especially seafood, and plan to visit some other places people have mentioned like Jake's or Poseidon in Carlsbad or the Claim Jumper in Temecula among others.

So many to choose from...it's not easy to pick and choose when you only have a week.


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## Deb from NC (Jan 8, 2014)

What a great thread!  One more question...is the theatre at Welk good?  I see they are having a production of Anything Goes the week we will be there and wondered if we should go.....are these national touring companies ?


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## buzglyd (Jan 8, 2014)

Betty said:


> Just got five Rest.com certificates...Did I make a mistake with any of these?
> 
> Trupiano's Italian Bistro in Fallbrook
> 
> ...



I've only been to two of them but I'll chime in. 

Mining Co. is ok. Very similar to Claim Jumper. Old west look and really large portions. It's not bad. Not great. Worth it with the coupons. 

Sand crab is kind of a funky place. It's in an industrial area and very casual. It's all picnic tables with butcher paper. They come out with a metal bucket of whatever your ordered and scatter it all over the table. You eat with your hands and paper towels from there. 

Don't let Steve scare you away from Orfila. They've got a new winemaker from Paso Robles and there are some pretty nice wines now. I was just there yesterday.


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## Rene McDaniel (Jan 8, 2014)

Betty said:


> Just got five Rest.com certificates...Did I make a mistake with any of these?
> 
> Trupiano's Italian Bistro in Fallbrook
> Old California Mining Company in San Marcos
> ...



Hi Betty,
Here are some Restaurant.com restaurants that we have enjoyed in the North County area of San Diego. We have a bunch of certificates from being RCI Platinum last year:

*Dominic's at the Harbor (Oceanside Harbor)*
Fun location and very good Italian. Can walk around the harbor before/afterwards.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/dominics-at-the-harbor-italian-restaurant-and-pizzeria-oceanside

*Cafe Merlot (located inside Rancho Bernardo winery complex)*
Also fun location. Great for a sunny day/lunch or brunch.  Outside dining. Lots of shops & people walking around carrying glasses of wine.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-merlot-san-diego

*Bernard'O  (Rancho Bernardo)*
Upscale french restaurant - expensive, but good
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bernardo-restaurant-san-diego

*Cuscatlan Salvadorian Cuisine (Grand Ave., Escondido)*
New ethnic restaurant & very popular, but I haven't used my certificate yet.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cuscatlan-comida-salvadoreña-escondido-3

I would NOT recommend the Old California Mining Company in San Marcos.  We had a terrible meal there.  I ordered a steak and it was fatty, greasy & awful.  Almost unedible. Yeech!  I complained to the waitress, but there was no offer to replace it, or substitute something else.

Also, the Fish House Veracruz in San Marcos, USED to be good -- but now it is just ho-hummm while being fairly expensive.  Their fish is good & well prepared, but the sides make the meal boring - potatoes and a salad made from head lettuce with a cherry tomato or two. (yawn...) 
*
Here are some other reasonably-priced Escondido eateries I can recommend:*
*Chin's* (Chinese food - there are several locations in San Diego County)
*Swammi's* - new Escondido location on Grand Avenue (great breakfasts)
*BJ's Brewhouse* - good food/good prices (Via Rancho Pkwy). We prefer them to ClaimJumpers (Carmel Mountain Road).

Also, Grand Avenue in downtown Escondido has quite a few restaurants now.  There is also a restaurant row on San Marcos Blvd. in San Marcos. Don't forget to have one of San Diego's cheap & famous *In & Out Burgers* while you are in town.  (right next to Interstate 15: Valley Pkwy, Esco & on San Marcos Blvd. in San Marcos)

My favorite restuarant: *THE FISH MARKET  (next to USS Midway, Harbor Drive, San Diego)*
This one is not on Restaurant.com, but it is one of our favorites in all of San Diego, because the prices are reasonable.  If you like seafood, you will love The Fish Market. It's the BEST! Long lines. Almost impossible to park. The views to die for, so go during the day or before sunset! Amazing place.  Here's the secret (shhh, don't tell), if you don't want to wait: avoid the main dining room and head to the outdoor area of the bar.  You can sit right on the water & have drinks & appetizers while you wait for your table.  Or, the cocktail waitress will bring you a full menu & you can eat outside right on the water -- without any wait, at all!  And yes, it is worth parking several blocks away and walking there if you can't find a parking space on-site.  Link:http://www.opentable.com/the-fish-market?m=15&pid=124&d=2014-01-19+19:00&ref=806&scpref=95

Also, for those who will be in town soon, make sure to check out San Diego restaurant week.  People make reservations EARLY for the most popular places.

*San Diego Restaurant Week: January 19 - 24, 2014 -- 134 participating restaurants*
$25, $35 or $45 Dinners
$10, $15, or $20 Lunches
link: http://www.opentable.com/promo.aspx?pid=124&m=15
http://www.sandiegorestaurantweek.com/

--- Rene


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jan 8, 2014)

buzglyd said:


> Don't let Steve scare you away from Orfila. They've got a new winemaker from Paso Robles and there are some pretty nice wines now. I was just there yesterday.



I'll give them another try sometime, if that's the case. Since DD, SIL and DG live in Encinitas, I'm down there periodically.  

When I was there in April 2012 the reds were high alcohol overextracted and one-dimensional fruit bombs, with massive amounts of tannin; I'm sure they let the grapes hang until they were very high Brix, then made sure there was lots of stem and seed to add tannin. I suspect there was generous oak as well, but I couldn't be sure because the fruit and tannin overwhelmed everything.

The whites were mostly semi-dry, one-dimensional in flavor, and soft when poured.  As soon as the wine warmed up the soft quickly changed to flabby and bittter phenolics came forward and soon dominated whatever other notes might have been present.

The only thing I fount decent was the port.


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## eal (Jan 8, 2014)

We went to see South Pacific at the Welk Theater last year and it was surprisingly good - very entertaining! And the underlying message about racism was handled well.


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## Betty (Jan 8, 2014)

Wow! What great info! Thanks so much.

The Fish Market sounds like a must when we head down to San Diego. Your suggestion to sit at the outside bar is great. We sometimes do that at restaurants back home if we can to bypass the extremely long lines. But this one being on the water makes it even more appealing. Thanks for the hint.

Also, we like funky, so The Sand Crab sounds like a fun place. If I recall correctly, we've been to a similar type place somewhere in Florida. We are New Englanders, so we are used to eating lobster "in the rough" and love doing that...only this time we'll try it with crabs. The messier the better.

Thank goodness we'll miss Restaurant Week. I'd really go bonkers if that was in the mix.

Betty


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## buzglyd (Jan 8, 2014)

Betty said:


> Wow! What great info! Thanks so much.
> 
> The Fish Market sounds like a must when we head down to San Diego. Your suggestion to sit at the outside bar is great. We sometimes do that at restaurants back home if we can to bypass the extremely long lines. But this one being on the water makes it even more appealing. Thanks for the hint.
> 
> ...



As long as you're at the Sand Crab, you should head down the road a bit and pop into The Lost Abbey for some fine beer. It's in an industrial park like most breweries here. 

Lost Abbey specializes in Belgian style. Port brewing specializes in West Coast IPA style. 

Tasters are $1. Best deal on Earth.


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## Fisch (Jan 8, 2014)

BJRSanDiego said:


> Some thoughts from someone who lives in Escondido:
> BBQ - Fat Ivor's in Valley Center is close by.  Very casual.  Phil's BBQ is better but quite a ways away.



Fat Ivor's is 10 miles from Welk.  Phil's BBQ is 12 miles.


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## hjtug (Jan 8, 2014)

Rene McDaniel said:


> *Cuscatlan Salvadorian Cuisine (Grand Ave., Escondido)*
> New ethnic restaurant & very popular, but I haven't used my certificate yet.
> http://www.yelp.com/biz/cuscatlan-comida-salvadoreña-escondido-3



We discovered the papusas of Cuscatlan a few years ago at a restaurant with the name "Worlds Best Pizza" on El Norte Parkway.  Last May when we went there it was closed with no sign about a new location.  We asked around in the shopping center and finally found someone who told us they thought it moved to somewhere on Grand Ave.  We couldn't find it there since we were looking for the old name.  We found a Latino grocery store and someone there told us the new name and location.  We were very happy to find it.



Deb from NC said:


> What a great thread!  One more question...is the theatre at Welk good?  I see they are having a production of Anything Goes the week we will be there and wondered if we should go.....are these national touring companies ?



We enjoyed "Man of La Mancha" there a few years ago.


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## BJRSanDiego (Jan 9, 2014)

Fisch said:


> Fat Ivor's is 10 miles from Welk.  Phil's BBQ is 12 miles.



ha ha.... good one.... Ya, that extra 2 miles is a bit.  :rofl:

I guess I was thinking about the original Phils in Point Loma, not San Mucus.  :hysterical:


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## topcop400 (Jan 9, 2014)

We recently stayed a week in Carlsbad.   Oceanside is 8 miles North.   Every Thursday night there is a street fair in Oceanside with a lot of great food booths and live music.   We loved it.  The street fair is right behind the Wyndham property there.


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## hajjah (Jan 10, 2014)

*Welk Resort, where to stay?*

Rather than starting a new thread, I'd like to know which building or section to request our 2 bdrm unit?  We are heading to the Welk Resort next weekend.  I have not been to Welk in about 10 years.  I am traveling with a friend who has some limited mobility, but she can walk up a few steps.  I never want to hear anyone over my head, so I plan to request a top floor unit.  I read on Trip Advisor that there are some units that are only one floor?  I don't remember much about the resort.  Oh, also it was suggested to request an end unit away from the construction.   Where can I find a map of the resort?

Is is normal for the resort to grant requests for the newly renovated units at Welk Resort?  We're not in the villas or the mountain units.  We will have a rental car, but I would like to take my friend to Hollywood since she's never been to the west coast.  Is it worth it to drive the rental there, or should we try to find a tour bus?  I really don't drive past two hours, but I might be willing to take the drive.  Thanks for the information about where to dine via restaurant.com certificates.  I've had two for some time that I can use while in CA.  I think we'll try Trader Joe's for our groceries.

***  I just found the resort map here on TUG.  
I've now been on TUG for the last hour or so reading the reviews.  I cannot find the information on which units have been updated.  I really would be disappointed if we travel from the east coast to CA and not enjoy the unit.  Are there flat screen TV's in any of the units, updated kitchens, etc?  I am so sorry for asking some of the same questions that may have been listed previously, but most of what I've read is not updated.  I want to hold off calling the resort until I get some feedback.  I have another week before our departure.
I was able to find information about a tour to Hollywood, but I'm wondering if I should drive the car and pickup the bus tour from Hollywood.  Is it worth it for the two of us to take the car?  I would be the only driver, but I'm concerned about the drive back to Escondido.


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## hjtug (Jan 10, 2014)

hajjah said:


> Is is normal for the resort to grant requests for the newly renovated units at Welk Resort?



The resort reps have always been positive about trying to meet our specific unit requests.


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## hajjah (Jan 11, 2014)

Thanks for your help.


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## Carlsbadguy (Jan 13, 2014)

If you want funky and like burgers try Hodads in Ocean Beach and East Village San Diego


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Jan 16, 2014)

If you like museums, you should definitely go to Balboa Park. I really like the hands on science museum, Ruben Fleet Space Museum. There are many other museums there.
Liz


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