# What should we visit from Escondido, CA?



## momeason (Jul 22, 2014)

We just booked the Welk resort with our AC. We are considering adding another week or a couple of short stays to the trip. We also want to know what some of the TUG favorites in the area are. I know I want some relaxing resort time. I do not wish to be busy every day so considering add ons so we can enjoy the resort.


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## presley (Jul 22, 2014)

The Safari Park, formerly known as the The Wild Animal Park is in Escondido and a nice place to visit.  It used to involve a lot of walking with a steep incline coming back from most of the animals, but it looks like they have a variety of tours with transportation now.

There are a number of wineries in the area of Escondido and just a bit north in Temecula.  

If you like missions, we have 2.  One is fairly close, the other is down in San Diego.  

The beach is 30 minutes or more away depending on the traffic.  You can go to further away beaches like La Jolla and Coronado, both have their own charm and lots of things to do in the towns.


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## klpca (Jul 22, 2014)

On pages 58-62 of the latest Interval magazine there's an article on things to do in and around Escondido. In addition to the Safari Park, they mentioned Stone Brewery, Daley Ranch and Kit Carson Park. All of those are good places to visit.


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## melissy123 (Jul 22, 2014)

If you're here when the horses are running, go to the Del Mar Racetrack, 
"where the surf meets the turf."


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## momeason (Jul 22, 2014)

melissy123 said:


> If you're here when the horses are running, go to the Del Mar Racetrack,
> "where the surf meets the turf."



We will be there Oct 5-12. I will also look at my II magazine...great hints!


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## melissy123 (Jul 22, 2014)

No horse races in October, but Del Mar is still a great place to visit, and along with Solana Beach and Leucadia, still retains the smalltown beach city vibe. 

La Jolla Shores has sea caves that can be explored by kayak, you can rent SUP's at some of the beach venues, or go sailing in Mission Bay.

I know you like to hike, so go to Torrey Pines State Beach (south of Del Mar) for hiking.


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## VacationForever (Jul 22, 2014)

*For food...*

For food, we love to go to Old California Restaurant Row in San Marcos.  We go there almost everyday either for lunch or dinner whenever we go to Escondido.  

http://www.oldcalrestaurantrow.com/

We also like going to the Farmers Market at Welk Resort (I think it is on Monday).


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## mjm1 (Jul 22, 2014)

As noted earlier, the wine country in Temecula is nice and it's only about 25 minutes away. Escondido also has a number of wineries.

Other ideas not already mentioned are to drive down to San Diego for The San Diego Zoo, Seaworld, the museums in Balboa Park, the historic Coronado Hotel, the USS Midway aircraft carrier (which is now a museum), San Diego Charger football game if in town.  This is obviously way too much for one day, so we usually make the drive at least twice during a week.  Note that commute traffic is terrible going from Escondido and the North Country in general to and from San Diego.

There are also a lot of reasonably priced golf courses in and around Escondido, including a fun executive course, plus a very short par 3 course, on site.

Lots to do.  The resort itself is very nice.  Have a great time.


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## isisdave (Jul 23, 2014)

I agree with most, but would skip the Safari park nowadays.  They have made almost everything a la carte, meaning they want more money from you repeatedly after paying the hefty admission.  And October would be fine there, but it's over 90 degrees now and there is lots of walking. 

Visit the Zoo in San Diego instead. I've been going there for almost 60 years now and it never fails to please. They're both operated by the same organization, and I'm a member, so it pains me to have to suggest that the Safari park is not worth it.

Temecula has an interesting Old Town, and you can read about the goings-on at http://www.temeculacalifornia.com/


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## VacationForever (Jul 23, 2014)

I strongly prefer the Safari over the San Diego Zoo.  I have been to plenty of zoos and San Diego Zoo, while famous, is nothing special.  You get to see live cheetah runs at the Safari.  Very cool!


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## kwilson (Jul 23, 2014)

Take a drive over to Oceanside and take a walk out on their pier. It is the longest on California and has a nice burger joint on the end(Ruby's). Lots of surfers and people fishing. October is a great time to visit the beach. Great weather and no crowds. Coast Highway (101) between Oceanside and San Diego has several scenic small towns along it.


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## hvsteve1 (Jul 28, 2014)

We took a winery tour with Grapeline.  They work with the resorts and I think we got them through Welk.  We really enjoyed it.  They took us to a number of wineries and added a few as they were running early.  I prefer this to driving as you drink a lot of wine over a few hours.  As a matter of fact, the driver took a look at me and, when we returned to Welk, suggested she drive us to the unit rather than where my car was parked at the main building.

We also took a bus tour of San Diego from the resort and drove to the zoo on our own. I like these kind of tours early on in the week so we can decide where we want to go on our own and spend more time.  We drove to Coronado Island and spent the afternoon at the Hotel Coronado which was nice.

Escondido has an interesting downtown with some decent restaurants.

Welk has a tour desk so you won't have to worry about finding your way around.


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## Karen G (Jul 28, 2014)

If you don't want to drive from Escondido to Oceanside, you could take the  Sprinter. You can also take the  Coaster train from Oceanside or Carlsbad to San Diego. Great way to travel without having to drive on the freeways.


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## davidvel (Jul 28, 2014)

Karen G said:


> If you don't want to drive from Escondido to Oceanside, you could take the  Sprinter. You can also take the  Coaster train from Oceanside or Carlsbad to San Diego. Great way to travel without having to drive on the freeways.


This will never work from Welk. You will have to drive down from Welk to ESCO, park, buy tickets etc. Then sit on train for over an hour and walk to the beach. If you avoid rush hour, you can be in Oceanside in 1/2 hour vs. 1.5 hrs for all the above. 

Similar for Welk to downtown.


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## Karen G (Jul 28, 2014)

davidvel said:


> This will never work from Welk. You will have to drive down from Welk to ESCO, park, buy tickets etc. Then sit on train for over an hour and walk to the beach. If you avoid rush hour, you can be in Oceanside in 1/2 hour vs. 1.5 hrs for all the above.
> 
> Similar for Welk to downtown.


Thanks for the information from a local resident. I haven't actually tried riding the Sprinter from Escondido to Oceanside so I'm glad to know how it would really work.

But, we surely did enjoy riding the Coaster from Carlsbad to San Diego. I'm so impressed with the public transportation available in the area. We also rode on the trolley and the bus to get to Balboa Park. Great experience.


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## VegasBella (Jul 28, 2014)

We go to Southern California regularly to vacation and in fact just spent 2 weeks in Capistrano Beach near Dana Point. We'll spend another week later this Summer in Carlsbad. Here are some things we do when we're in that area:

- Whale watching. See wild animals in their natural habitat. In Summer you can see blue whales. Other times of the year you can see gray whales. You can always see dolphins, sea lions, seals, and often other animals too.

- Legoland. If you have kids or if you like Legos then it's a must-do. You're right there. BTW, Legoland also has a water park perfect for Summer. If you like amusement parks there's also Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, Magic Mountain and Raging Waters within driving distance.

- Beach. Yes walk the Oceanside pier. In the morning it's not as busy and you can see more wild life. In the afternoon/ evening it's great for people-watching. If you like any other beachy things then you can do those too. Rent boogie boards or stand up paddle boards. Take a surfing lesson. Whatever.

- Ride the train. You can make a day of it. One of the magazines I picked up  actually even suggested doing a pub crawl using the rail and bus system. Or use it to get to a baseball game (you have options both north and south of you).

- If you visit in Spring then check out the flowers and strawberries in Carlsbad.

- Bike. There are some incredible bike paths all along the coast. Or hike. Lots of great hiking all over.

- Check the festivals. When we were there San Clemente had an Ocean Festival with sand sculptures and surfing competition. Laguna Beach had an art festival. Google your dates and the nearby city names to see if anything comes up.

- Drive up to Venice Beach/ Santa Monica and spend the day walking or cycling around. Visit the famous Santa Monica pier and ride the Ferris wheel. Buy some weird art off the street in Venice Beach. 

- Visit old town San Diego. 

- Cross the border and take a stroll in Mexico.


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## Ken555 (Jul 28, 2014)

Have you noticed that most, if not all, of the suggestions require you to drive somewhere? Welcome to Southern California! I stayed at Welk once, and unless business brings me back to the area again, you won't see me there. It's great for a time away to read a book and relax (I assume, since I didn't see the pools and had to drive everywhere at the resort). But to really do something you have to drive. A lot. Far.

As for the Santa Monica / Venice suggestion, I wouldn't do it unless you're flying into LAX and plan on it for your first/last day...otherwise you'll likely spend half the day in the car. And it's really not that exciting. Of course, today there was a lightning strike there...

San Diego, Balboa Park, the Zoo, and museums are all wonderful. Coronado Island. But do you really want to drive back and forth to San Diego multiple times during the week? You might find it easier to stay overnight in San Diego instead (try to fly out/in of SD as well).


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## elaine (Jul 28, 2014)

tagging onto this post--we have a trade for next July @ Welk. We have 3 teens and were thinking of doing the following (comment/advice appreciated):
Day1 fly into LAX, stay @ LAX hotel
Day 2 AM LA Movie Star tour (teens' choice), drive pm to Welk
Day3 rest, pool, maybe a winery (would any be open on Sunday)?
Day 4 SD Zoo
Day 5 beach in the AM--suggestions?
Day 6 Safari Park
Day 7 Disneyland
Day 8 flex day--maybe back to SD for the day
Day 9 check out, do some LA things (would this be a good time to do Venice beach?), spend the night @ LAX


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## presley (Jul 28, 2014)

elaine said:


> tagging onto this post--we have a trade for next July @ Welk. We have 3 teens and were thinking of doing the following (comment/advice appreciated):
> Day1 fly into LAX, stay @ LAX hotel
> Day 2 AM LA Movie Star tour (teens' choice), drive pm to Welk
> Day3 rest, pool, maybe a winery (would any be open on Sunday)?
> ...



Sounds very tiring.  Allow for an hour coming and an hour going to anywhere.  It could take less, but you never know what traffic you will run in to.
Day 3:  Yes, wineries are open on Sundays.  Orfila in escondido and cordiano in escondido south are close enough.  I prefer Cordiano, but you could visit both.  Orfila is on the way to Safari Park.
Day5: you may want to visit the beach later in the day.  We have really nice sunsets on the Pacific.  There are many nice beaches.  I think Oceanside will be the least amount of driving for you.
Day 9:  There's a lot to do around Venice beach/santa monica.  You could easily spend a day around there.  If you are going to be in Los Angeles at that point, you may also enjoy Universal Studios Hollywood or La Brea Tar Pits.


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## VegasBella (Jul 28, 2014)

For me, that would not be too much to do. I'd make difference choices (not interested in Safari Park for example) but I wouldn't feel ike that was a crowded itinerary. For my husband, it would be too much. I would have to do one or two activities alone.

I agree that it's best to give yourself plenty of time to drive as there's often traffic. 

Personally, I like to take a look at the weather forecast and plan the beach days for the best weather with everything else on the days forecast to have worse weather. Edit to add: most days are great weather but mornings may be overcast or foggy sometimes. Best beach days, IMO, are the ones when the sun's out early in the AM.


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## klpca (Jul 28, 2014)

The Safari Park is great, but July will be hot at the park. I would either stay at the resort and use the pools or head over to the beach. Just my opinion. 

Also, I would visit Disneyland on a weekday vs a weekend, although it is pretty crowded on most days in the summer.

As far as weather goes, there's not usually too much variation in July (with the exception of yesterday which was quite unusual). July and August are generally beautiful, warm months here.


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## elaine (Jul 28, 2014)

double  post


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## elaine (Jul 28, 2014)

We live on the East coast and do many beach vacations--so going to the beach is more about the "cool factor" of seeing a CA beach. We would spend only a few hours there--thanks for the tip to go in the PM. Which beach would be the most fun for teens? 
I don't think we are going to pre-book one of the "caravans" at Safari Park (unless someone highly recommends it), so we can adjust what we do on most days. 
The only theme park is DL, as we have some WDW nuts (including me). We have been to Univ. and Seaworld Orlando many times, so we are not doing those.
Lastly, we will have a car, so we don't have to stay at LAX hotel the 1st night. We can pick up the Movie Star tour @ SAnta Monica terminal (26th and Wilshire). So, any suggestions for a fun, but safe area to stay the 1st night in LA area?
thanks for the tips. Elaine


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## momeason (Jul 28, 2014)

Ken555 said:


> Have you noticed that most, if not all, of the suggestions require you to drive somewhere? Welcome to Southern California! I stayed at Welk once, and unless business brings me back to the area again, you won't see me there. It's great for a time away to read a book and relax (I assume, since I didn't see the pools and had to drive everywhere at the resort). But to really do something you have to drive. A lot. Far.
> 
> As for the Santa Monica / Venice suggestion, I wouldn't do it unless you're flying into LAX and plan on it for your first/last day...otherwise you'll likely spend half the day in the car. And it's really not that exciting. Of course, today there was a lightning strike there...
> 
> San Diego, Balboa Park, the Zoo, and museums are all wonderful. Coronado Island. But do you really want to drive back and forth to San Diego multiple times during the week? You might find it easier to stay overnight in San Diego instead (try to fly out/in of SD as well).



We did book 3 nights in San Diego before the week at Welk. We will have 2.5 days to explore San Diego. I did not want to drive back and forth. We will relax, play golf, swim and explore Escondido, farmer's market and the Safari Park while
staying at the resort. I enjoy my resort time.
We do not have a plan for after the 12th yet. We want to stay 1-2 extra days. I had some interest in seeing Newport Beach. Is it worth visiting for 1-2 days for the scenery?


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## presley (Jul 28, 2014)

elaine said:


> thanks, which beach would be the most fun for teens? We live on the East coast and do many beach vacations--so going to the beach is more about the "cool factor" of seeing a CA beach.



Our ocean water is very cold compared to the east coast.
Here's a few descriptions on some of our beaches.

Oceanside:  has a pier with a Rubys Dinner at the end, people fish off the pier.  There's also a nice harbor where you can rent kayaks, different types of boats, etc and plenty of places to get some food.

Coronado:  a significant drive from Welk, but has the historic Hotel Del Coronado, which a fun to visit and hang out at.  The beach there was rated number one in the country, but I don't remember by which organization.  

La Jolla:  La Jolla shores is a very popular beach and you can walk to the tide pools from there.  Going down south in La Jolla, you have the Cove, which is a protected underwater park, nice for snorkeling, but the waves can thrash you around and the seals at the Children's pool.  There is a gift shop next to the Cove that has an underground staircase that you can walk down to get inside of of the ocean caves.  It can be fun or gross, depending on how many birds are in there.  

Cardiff by the sea:  Nice beach with places to eat and enjoy sunset dining.  I eat at Ki's, which is extremely casual and they use organic/local produce when available.  They have stuff for vegetarians and gluten free diners, in addition to the regular meat and seafood stuff you find everywhere near the beach.

Mission Beach:  Has a wooden roller coaster and some other stuff.  The beach tends to have a rowdier type crowd.  It's always very busy and there are lots of very colorful personalities walking around.


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## momeason (Jul 28, 2014)

Is there anywhere worth seeing for a day in Mexico that is not too far?

We have been to parts of Mexico closer to the East Coast, never the Baja area.


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## presley (Jul 28, 2014)

momeason said:


> Is there anywhere worth seeing for a day in Mexico that is not too far?
> 
> We have been to parts of Mexico closer to the East Coast, never the Baja area.



A tugger lives there part time.  I believe where she lives is about 30 miles south of downtown San Diego.  Pstreet or Pstreet1 is her user name here.  She will tell you it is worth going there for the day and can tell you everything you need to know about coming/going and what to do there.


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## DeniseM (Jul 28, 2014)

momeason said:


> Is there anywhere worth seeing for a day in Mexico that is not too far?
> 
> We have been to parts of Mexico closer to the East Coast, never the Baja area.



A lot of people go to Tijuana for the day, but it's pretty nasty.  I think there are more worth-while things to do in California.  Personally, I would not drive over the boarder in this area, but there are others who do.

I also think your kids are going to be disappointed with the "Star Tour."  You will not see any stars - you will be driven around in a van or bus to see the outside of very private gated homes - pretty much a big yawn.


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## isisdave (Jul 28, 2014)

Skip Mexico, unless you plan to return at 3am. Otherwise you'll have quite a wait, and 3 hours is not unusual. http://www.bordertraffic.com/California-Baja/San-Ysidro-Tijuana.aspx

Also, are you prepared with the necessary documentation? U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry are required to present a WHTI-compliant document such as a valid passport, U.S. passport card, Trusted Traveler Program card (NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry or FAST), or an Enhanced Driver’s License. Can you prove that the children are yours?


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## Luanne (Jul 28, 2014)

When I was in college we used to cross the border into Tijuana (usually on foot).  Even back then (late 1960's) you didn't want to go alone as women, you always wanted at least one male with you.  The big deal about going down there was that if you were under 21 you could drink, you could also buy liquor.  Pretty depressing even back then.


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## Passepartout (Jul 28, 2014)

Tijuana has changed. Virtually gone are the strip bars, donkeys standing around for pictures, underage kids drinking, sailors on leave from San Diego. The drug cartels and the murder-in-the-streets of hundreds of people are a thing of the past. Tijuana has become respectable, with great restaurants, a civic center, modern architecture, and a vibrant culture. Symphony, plays, the works. You can take the San Diego Trolley to the San Ysidro stop and walk across into downtown TJ in minutes. It will, take, however some time (plan on 2-3 hours) to get back across to the USA. http://www.tijuana.com/en/index.html Take a look.

Jim


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## buzglyd (Jul 28, 2014)

I used to ride my motorcycle down through Tijuana about 30 miles south or so and have lunch in Puerto Nuevo.

It's Mexican style grilled lobster and rice, beans and tortillas.

On the bike, I could split the lanes all the way up to the border entrance and my wait wouldn't be that long.

It can get really lengthy now. I wouldn't burn a day of my vacation going to that part of Mexico. It's not exactly historical like other parts.


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## momeason (Jul 28, 2014)

I will not have any children with me. That is a different poster.
From all the posts, I think we will skip Mexico.


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## VegasBella (Jul 28, 2014)

elaine said:


> We live on the East coast and do many beach vacations--so going to the beach is more about the "cool factor" of seeing a CA beach. We would spend only a few hours there--thanks for the tip to go in the PM. Which beach would be the most fun for teens?


The beach with the most "cool factor" would definitely be Santa Monica/ Venice Beach. Yes it's a long drive but since you're flying in and out of LAX it seems like you could hit the beach there at some point.

Oceanside by the pier has more going on than the other beaches nearby Escondido. But there are lots of great beaches all over that area. The one in Oceanside, however, is probably going to appeal to teenagers more than the other beaches unless they're surfers. And they can still surf at Oceanside, it's just some other beaches nearby are better known for great waves. There's a lot to do there and plenty of young people: skateboarders, trick bike riders doing stunts, dancers, etc. Oceanside also has a nice flat sidewalk and road area (The Strand) great for a bike ride, jog, or walk, like a mini Venice.

Oceanside has a nice long pier that attracts people like a bubble maker we saw on our last visit there. He made giant bubbles and let some go over the edge to the children on the beach below. Children on the pier absolutely loved it, such as my then three-year-old. I've also seen opera singers and other people showcasing their talents on the pier.

However, Oceanside, the town not the beach, has a reputation for having gangs. And you can see a little of that element at the beach sometimes, more likely late afternoon and evening. I've never felt in danger but I know some people who scare easily do not like Oceanside for that reason. But then, if you're considering TJ then you won't be afraid of Oceanside.


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## Ken555 (Jul 28, 2014)

I agree with the suggestion of Santa Monica and/or Venice. The Santa Monica Pier and vicinity is also worth a quick visit. If you're up for something more adventurous, you can rent bikes and go on the Santa Monica bike path. It starts on the beach from Pacific Palisades, though you can start anywhere, and heads all the way south to Redondo or so. I believe you can rent bikes in Santa Monica or Venice. It also heads thru Marina del Rey...you'd get a great view of the area and find lots of spots to stop for something interesting.

Otherwise, don't ignore the option of the Malibu beaches. Zuma is still fantastic and even further north is Leo Carillo State Beach, which is a wonderful beach to relax...but doesn't fit your desire for the "cool factor".


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## Ken555 (Jul 28, 2014)

momeason said:


> We did book 3 nights in San Diego before the week at Welk. We will have 2.5 days to explore San Diego. I did not want to drive back and forth. We will relax, play golf, swim and explore Escondido, farmer's market and the Safari Park while
> 
> staying at the resort. I enjoy my resort time.
> 
> We do not have a plan for after the 12th yet. We want to stay 1-2 extra days. I had some interest in seeing Newport Beach. Is it worth visiting for 1-2 days for the scenery?




Newport Beach is good, along with Laguna. You may have difficulty finding a great place to stay at a reasonable rate there, so if that is an issue you might look to stay in Irvine and simply drive to the beach. I haven't stayed there in a long time so am not up to date on options.


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## VacationForever (Jul 28, 2014)

Don't forget to check out the theater on site.  My first trip to Welk I went to 4 shows.  My second trip I did 1.  I enjoyed all of them.


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## Luanne (Jul 28, 2014)

I never realized that Santa Monica was such a cool spot.  That's the beach we (my girlfriends and I) used to go to when I was a teen.  We went there because it was the closest from where we lived in Glendale.

I really liked a lot of other beaches so much more:
Newport
Corona del Mar
Laguna


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## elaine (Jul 28, 2014)

thanks, everyone! tuggers are great! Kids really want the stars tour, so that is a definite---but as we got a ts trade for the rest of the week, I think we will splurge the 1st night and stay near Santa Monica (I have been for work several times--never realized I was staying near the "cool" place), so we can walk around the 1st evening and then the next day.
DH and I love touring wineries. So, we can leave the kids (one is 18) to text their friends one afternoon and tour some wineries together.
OT--and, only tuggers will understand this crazy plan--we go from S.Cal. to Banff for another week--because, why not? Then I told my mom and she is meeting us in Banff.  Then I said, we have the space, "why not invite my aunt and uncle?" How awesome is that? Then DH's Mother (87) heard about our trip and said, "I would like to see San Diego." Done! 
I know lots bash RCI, but gotta say RCI came through  for us perfectly for next year.


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## taffy19 (Jul 28, 2014)

momeason said:


> We just booked the Welk resort with our AC. We are considering adding another week or a couple of short stays to the trip. We also want to know what some of the TUG favorites in the area are. I know I want some relaxing resort time. I do not wish to be busy every day so considering add ons so we can enjoy the resort.


If you want to see Santa Monica and Venice beach, I would stay a night or two near the airport and go from there to Hollywood too, if that is your plan.

If you would like to see multiple places in San Diego, I would add a day or two there too rather than driving back and forward so much.  I don't think you would like driving in our slow and heavy traffic during the week unless you go outside commuting hours but they last several hours long each day in the morning and afternoon.

We like Laguna Beach the best of all the beach cities in southern California because it has a very nice public beach and a board walk plus a picturesque backdrop of the hills facing the other way plus many restaurants to choose from and little shops, if you like shopping during your vacation.


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## Ken555 (Jul 28, 2014)

elaine said:


> thanks, everyone! tuggers are great! Kids really want the stars tour, so that is a definite




Do it yourself! I suggest this book:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Ultimate-Hollywood-Tour-Book/dp/0937813087

Full disclosure: I know the author.


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## momeason (Jul 31, 2014)

presley said:


> Our ocean water is very cold compared to the east coast.
> Here's a few descriptions on some of our beaches.
> 
> Oceanside:  has a pier with a Rubys Dinner at the end, people fish off the pier.  There's also a nice harbor where you can rent kayaks, different types of boats, etc and plenty of places to get some food.
> ...



Wonderful tips. I love it.


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## momeason (Aug 9, 2014)

I looked up La Jolla on Trip Advisor. There is so much natural beauty to see in that area. I think we will try to find accommodations there. Thanks for all the help!


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