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California timeshares

chemteach

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It's all about where you live, and where you are in your life. I'm from the midwest, but have lived in SoCal for over 30 years now. I grew up going to Florida every summer and the caribbean every winter. Living in SoCal, I now visit Mexico and Hawaii for most of my trips away trips. When my children were little, we spent a week in Carlsbad every summer, visiting Legoland many days. (Grand Pacific Palisades was a fantastic place for taking little people.) I always thought it would be great to go to Southern Carolina or Massanutten when the kids were small because the water parks seem great, but the flight was too long to rationalize flying all the way to the East Coast. Mexico for Xmas or New Years breaks were and still are great - short flights from SoCal. We have been gettting 2 to 4 units every winter break for about 15 years now. We travel with friends and family with a big group of people each year. That would be difficult to do in Hawaii because you typically can't get so many units at the same resort for Xmas or New Years. Now that the kids are grown, travel has changed up a bit, but we still think Hawaii and Mexico will be destinations for us for many years to come.
 

chemteach

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See the Sea and Capri by the Sea are two great places for being right on the water in San Diego. But it's very difficult to get a trade into either of those places.
 

SHG

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Riviera Beach and Spa, Dana Point
HGVC Flamingo
HGVC on Blvd
Hyatt Beach House
Agree that Laguna Surf is a hidden gem and it's right on the beach. At the start of my stay I was miffed because I didn't get an ocean view unit but by the end of my stay I really liked the place and definitely consider it a great exchange. Just go down the back stairs and you're right on the beach away from the main beach area, but close enough to walk to it. Close to many restaurants and shops. (Photos were week of July 4th 2018)
How were you able to get the Laguna Surf resort? Do you own or did you trade? Did you get this unit in the summer?
 

Greg G

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Star Island Kissimmee FL
How were you able to get the Laguna Surf resort? Do you own or did you trade? Did you get this unit in the summer?
Lucky I guess. It was an II exchange thru an on going search placed a little over a year and a half in advance (used my 3 Bdrm Orlando week before Easter unit). The exchange came through about 11 months before the actual travel date. I was very surprised when I snagged a 4th of July week. I think I gave a pretty big exchange window in both 2017 and 2018. Unfortunately my wife ended up not being able to go due to work (hey it was a July 4 week at Laguna Beach so I had to go :giggle:)
 

SHG

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Riviera Beach and Spa, Dana Point
HGVC Flamingo
HGVC on Blvd
Hyatt Beach House
Lucky I guess. It was an II exchange thru an on going search placed a little over a year and a half in advance (used my 3 Bdrm Orlando week before Easter unit). The exchange came through about 11 months before the actual travel date. I was very surprised when I snagged a 4th of July week. I think I gave a pretty big exchange window in both 2017 and 2018. Unfortunately my wife ended up not being able to go due to work (hey it was a July 4 week at Laguna Beach so I had to go :giggle:)
WOW! That was an interesting trade. It demonstrates how difficult it is to get any kind of beach resort on the coast in California during the summer... And you scored the 4th of July!! Great job.
 

Space Coast Laurie

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Leesburg, Florida, USA
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Capistrano Surfside Inn (Capistrano Bch, CA), The Resort on Cocoa Beach (Cocoa Bch, FL)
We actually own at Riviera Beach and Spa. Its in Capistrano/Dana Point, right across the street from the beach. Many of the units have ocean view, albeit, there is an occasional train that comes by. There is Capistrano beach, which has RV day use, fire pits, and a large beach area. There is also Doheny beach and state park, with bike and surf board rentals. There is also the marina nearby with boats, jet skis and fishing charters. AND it is only about 30 minutes from Disneyland, for the out of towners who want to visit there.. We loved going there every summer for years.

I own a couple of weeks next door at Capistrano Surfside Inn, but exchanged into Riviera some years ago using a different timeshare I used to own. Love that area, especially the harbor area of Dana Point and the quaint little downtown area of San Clemente. My first trip to California (from Florida) was a timeshare exchange into San Clemente Cove across from the San Clemente Pier almost 30 years ago. I took my two daughters, then ages 11 and 12 and they fell in love with the area. A couple of weeks after we got back they came to me together and said, "Mom, we've decided that after we graduate college, we're moving to California." I was happy that they enjoyed the vacation that much and thought it was cute to have them telling me what they were doing after college when they hadn't even hit their teens yet. I replied, "Aww, that's nice, honey!" Well, darned if they didn't do just that.... one of them lives in San Clemente and the other one lives in Mission Viejo!

I've also exchanged into San Clemente Inn, Carlsbad Seapointe Resort and the Welk Resort in Escondido. I used to own at Winner's Circle in Solana Beach, but gave that one away after the one daughter who was living in Escondido moved to Mission Viejo and someone gave me my second week at Capistrano Surfside Inn. I enjoy taking the train along the coast, sitting on the balcony enjoying the sea air and the view, going out on whale watching trips, walking the beaches, having beach bonfires/picnics and watching my son-in-law and grandkids surf (in wetsuits), but the water out there is waaaay too cold for me. I can't even put my toes in the water in the summer. I am very spoiled by the warm waters of Florida after having been here over 40 years.
 

Ralph Sir Edward

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Warm water? You should try South Padre Island in the late summer. Upper 80s to 90.

This being labeled as a California timeshare thread, any comments about the Lake Tahoe area?
 

PigsDad

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Colorado and SW Florida
Resorts Owned
HGVC Elite: SeaWorld, Surf Club, Charter Club, Valdoro
Warm water? You should try South Padre Island in the late summer. Upper 80s to 90.

This being labeled as a California timeshare thread, any comments about the Lake Tahoe area?
Lake Tahoe's water is never that warm. ;)

Kurt
 

ScoopKona

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I vacation mostly to California. I live in two states -- Nevada, which I cannot stand; and Hawaii, finally moving there full time in the next 18 months or so.

California is a pleasant trip from both locations.

In order of "I stay here often":

1) Napa Riverpointe -- probably my favorite timeshare on the planet. I like wine country. This is easy in/out every day
2) Vino Bello, Napa -- nicer unit, not nearly as good a location.
3) Any of the San Francisco timeshares -- I've stayed at Nob Hill, two of the Marriotts and Inn at the Opera. Doesn't matter which. They're all great. San Francisco is my favorite city on Earth. So I'll grab a week any time one is available. Any time of year. Doesn't matter. The only real difference between seasons is SF is whether the high temperature is chilly or very chilly.
4) Highlands Inn, Carmel -- Carmel doesn't really to much for me. I use this as a launch pad for the Monterey area. Great units and view, though.

That leaves Paso Robles, which has a Marriott resort (that I have yet to score a week for), and Los Angeles. Generally, I'm good with a long weekend or a day trip to LA -- I fly in from Las Vegas on Southwest for fifty bucks on the early flight and fly out for another fifty late in the evening.

There's a dozen things I like to do in LA and all of them are either walking distance from Union Station or near the Red Line -- book stores, record stores, craft breweries Pioneer chicken and the best Ramen soup outside Japan.
 

Ty1on

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Lake Tahoe's water is never that warm. ;)

Kurt

True that, core temp of 50 year round, with shallow shoreline temps a few degrees higher to a few degrees lower through the seasons.
 

chapjim

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Wyndham VIPF & PresRes, HVC/DRI (Gold), Quarter House (4), Resort on Cocoa Beach (2), HGVC Tuscany Village, HGVC South Beach-McAlpin, HGVC Parc Soleil
I live in the middle Atlantic and I love the relatively short 3 hr drive to the local beach and the restaurants and activities. But the 64-68 max ocean water makes me take that 9-11 hour drive to Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head at least every other year to really enjoy a few hours in the ocean. Late summer in Virginia Beach is ok too.

Except for the jellyfish.
 

TravelTime

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All Resale: MVC DPs, Marriott Ko Olina, Marriott Marbella, WKOVR-N, Four Seasons Aviara
The ocean in California is not beautiful. Also real estate is so expensive on the coast. I assume the timeshare companies purchased land a bit inland for this reason. I prefer traveling anywhere outside of CA. I like Lake Take for skiing and I like the sierra foothills, which is where we live now after living in Los Gatos and other parts of the Bay Area since the 1990s. I love nature and open space. I love the beach too but do not love the beaches in CA. We do have a share in Pismo Coast village and keep a luxury fifth wheel there. I think Pismo beach is one of the nicest coast lines in CA and it is easy going and not crowded like everywhere else in the coastline areas.
 

Davidr

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We stumbled on to a Diamond resort, San Luis Bay Inn in Avila Beach. We were just there for a few nights. It was nice but not at the same level as most of the Marriotts that we visit. It was quiet, being off season and midweek. The resort is located on a hill overlooking Avila Beach and the San Luis Obispo bay.
The view from our balcony was obstructed by the roof of the section in front of ours. By standing on the raised lip of the balcony I was able to get his view.
20220427_130950.jpg


It's a cute little town, just a few restaurants but it's a short drive to Pismo Beach and SLO. I recommend breakfast at the Hula Hut.
 
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