We were there June 8-15.
We stayed there on an exchange too but it was a non-Marriott (we own at Grand Timber Lodge in Breckenridge.) You may get a better room since you are a Marriott owner. I called about 3 days before check-in, asked if our room was assigned, they said no. I requested ocean view, top floor. I got the ocean view but first floor. After I got back I read that sometimes people ask for better rooms when they check in. I didn't do this - should have. Maybe I would have been closer to the pool. Anyways, we were in the new building (4500) which is not super close to the pools but the rooms are all less than two months old. They have a golf cart which will come and take you to the pools or activities center. The golf cart quits about 7pm though, so if you want a ride back to your villa after this time, you'll be walking. It's not a far walk though. We did it a couple times.
We also did a Sunday to Sunday exchange and we did get an ocean view. In a way it was better we got first floor because my son (who is 16 months) is a total climber, and I was perfectly fine with him walking out to the little patio. On any other floor, I'd be freaking out with him possibly climbing the balcony railing.
They have MANY activities for kids, ages 2-17. Teens actually can hang out in their own area. When you check in, they give you a copy of the week's activities. I looked at things for younger kids too (I also have a daughter who is almost 10) and they had things like "design your own tamiya race car", "decorate your own magnet", "ice cream sundae creation"...among many others. At the activities center you can rent beach chairs, umbrellas and beach toys for the day, take their shuttle down to Crystal Cove State Beach and they drop you off practically at the water. So nice to be dropped off. No hunting for parking or walking far back to your car parked across Pacific Coast Highway!
Parking at night can get a little tight, if you are coming back late. Have your husband drop you at the villa and then he can park the car down a bit.
NCV has a shuttle that will take you to the local mall (Fashion Island) which is outdoors, upscale, quite nice. The shuttle will also take you to local restaurants but it has to be after 7pm. I guess the driver has obligatory stops to make up until then. We made dinner reservations for Joe's Crab Shack at 7:30pm. He took us there, picked us up at 9:30pm. Your son might like it - it's loud, lots of music, the servers dance around intermittenly, the place is decorated to the nines.....Google them.
I could also recommend Balboa Island. (Unfortunately the shuttle doesn't go there.) You drive down PCH and follow the signs. You can take the auto ferry - it will cost you $4 to go across the harbor - then park the car. If you go after 6pm, the parking lot right where the ferry dumps you is free. There's also a Wells Fargo ATM right there. We ate at both the pizza place AND the burger place next to the carousel. We did the 90 mins. Newport Harbor tour (they give AAA discounts) and ate the Balboa ice cream bars. The harbor tour was cool. They explain who lives where (the houses are great), whose boat that belongs to, and then they go all the way out to the buoy where the sea lions hang out, at the entrance to the Pacific Ocean. Balboa Island also has a ferris wheel.
We mostly ate in our villa to save money. I do recommend making smores at the NCV fire pit. They do not provide skewers. Go to the local Albertsons where they have an entire smore making section in the store. Get your stuff there. You can make smores all night long. It's a gas fire pit. My daughter had a great time. The guys played basketball in the little "park" right by where we made smores, until 11pm when the lights clicked off. Subtle hint to leave, I guess. Some families were making smores at 11pm in their PJs.
We didn't do this - but San Diego would be roughly 90 mins away. We thought about hitting the SD Zoo and then strolling downtown. But we figured we would save that for a separate trip entirely on its own and stay someplace in SD for it.
Weather in September will be nice, still warm, all the LA kids are already back in school, crowds will be less. I am from LA, born and raised there, just moved to CO in 2002.
There is a way to avoid using the toll road if you are coming from LA. Get off the 73 freeway at MacArthur. You can turn left on San Joaquin Hills Rd and then right on Newport Coast Drive, left on Tuscany.
Or you can get off the 73 freeway at MacArthur, turn left on Pacific Coast Hwy and then left on Newport Coast Drive, right on Tuscany.
If you do the T/S tour, it's $150 bucks or 15000 MR points, your pick. At the time I wasn't a MR member (I am now though) so I spent my $150 gift card to Fashion Island.
I really loved our stay at NCV and would not hesitate to go back, esp. since I still have family in So Cal. I'm considering a resale purchase for July 4th week.