FAMILY STAYCATIONS
Whether you are traveling internationally, exploring the States, or don’t want to leave your own city, vacations are needed and a must for every family. There is an intangible that occurs on vacation. A time of bonding by spending focused time together and creating shared memories that will last with you long past checkout. We love the idea of a “staycation” where you take advantage of the city you live in, and for us in San Diego, it’s pretty easy to get on board with that idea since we live in one of the U.S.’s top tourist destinations. With a little bit of research and planning, your staycation can be relatively inexpensive, a departure from your normal routines and quite exciting to explore and discover different areas of America’s Finest City.
Picking the Right Hotel
When it comes to vacationing in your own city the right hotel is key. Location is equally important to the amenities and the more that come included with your stay, the better it is for families. We found this to be true at Cape Rey Carlsbad. The beautiful property is located across the street from the ocean and it offers several services for families that are complimentary with your stay.
Kelli and her family spent a couple days at the resort to experience all it has to offer. They had an ocean view suite with a balcony just 150 steps from the surf. Nothing is better than being able to lay in bed and see the waves as well hear them crashing when leaving the sliding doors open. And, their son was so excited to see the giant inflatable flounder fish that could be his buddy in the bath or even at the pool. Cape Rey Carlsbad was named one of the Top 15 Best San Diego Hotels.
Each day her family spent time at the heated pool located in the center of the property. They loved that it was a zero-entry pool so their toddler could easily enter and stand, or swim, in almost half of the pool. The weather had a little bit of a chill to it so it was perfect to pair their day with one of three spacious cabanas. The cabanas come stocked with drinks, fruit, a mini-fridge and a television. One cool aspect for locals is that if you just want to spend the day at the pool you can book a cabana and get access to all the amenities of the resort. Plus, they loved the giant fire pit overlooking the Pacific Ocean which was the perfect way to warm up and relax after hours in the water.
Included complimentary in their stay were fun activities family could take advantage of like beach cruisers that could be reserved in the lobby for children and adults, guided tide-pool tours and sunset socials at the beach with State Park rangers. Kids can even become Jr. Park Rangers while they’re there. And there is live music on the Sunset Terrace which immediately makes you feel like you are transported to a tropical island.
Their family favorite included item is the Beach Butler Service. Living coastal so many families love going to the beach but hate fighting for parking and lugging around all the gear needed and toys needed. With the Beach Butler Service Cape Rey has multiple times throughout the day where you can schedule a shuttle to pick you up at the hotel and take you to South Ponto Beach. Once you get there an attendant will have already set up lounge chairs, tables, and an umbrella so you can start relaxing as soon as you arrive. Plus, they have towels, bottled water and of course sand toys for your little ones. The whole process is so seamless and makes going to the beach much more enjoyable for mom and dad.
Cape Rey also has Ocean Crest Spa a Top 5-Rated Sa by Travel & Escape plus an incredible restaurant, Chandlers, that has everything from steaks cooked to perfection, baja tacos, a wellness menu and yummy desserts.
The property has teamed with Surf Ride to provide an Adventure Lounge as well. These activities have an added cost but the desirable convenience. If you want to brush up on your skills or learn for the first time, surf lessons are available for adults and children (7+). With surf lessons, you get a pro instructor, a rental board and even a free GoPro rental so you can take home video of your lesson. And if you want to take flight with your family, you can do a helicopter tour of the coast as well!
Kelli and her family had such a memorable stay, they will definitely be back to enjoy the resort and some of their unique seasonal activities throughout the year catered toward locals as well.
Don’t Just Take Your Family to Dinner, Make it an Experience
For those looking to have a taste of an international experience on their staycation, Little Italy Tours is a great option. They have a couple different types of tours depending on your flavor of the day including Cook with an Italian Chef and Market Tour, Old School Little Italy Food Tour and Slice of Little Italy and Bocce Ball Tour. Mei Ling and her family did the Old School Little Italy Food Tour. They brought grandpa, plus her sister and nephew with them so they had three generations experiencing the culture and cuisine.
They met guide Francesco in Little Italy. As they walked along the streets, he shared about the history of the buildings and how the area came to be established. They stopped at the church and saw the beautiful murals inside and learned the history behind it. They strolled through the new piazza which is going to give the area an open area for people to dine and hang out. Francesco was great about pointing out good places to take photos too. The first stop on the tour was Filippis, an authentic market. The shelves were lined with sauces, pasta noodles, and more. Here they sampled prosciutto, capiocella, and salami. Their little guy loved the capiocella. While munching Francesco shared about the meaning behind the Little Italy sign and how the tiles were imported from Italy and how each of the people on the sign represent the major trades.
Second stop, Illando. Here focaccia bread, meatballs and burrata were enjoyed. They loved all three and shared with Francesco how they wouldn’t have tried the burrata if there on their own but it’s now it’s a favorite. The distance between each restaurant was perfect – not too far, but long enough for your appetite to build up for the next course. The final stop was RoVino. Here they sampled arancini, a flat bread, risotto and a pasta dish. Francesco shared about where each of the dishes originated from. The tour finished off with a cannoli and flourless chocolate cake. In addition to the food, they enjoyed getting to meet the owners at each of the restaurants and hearing a little bit about how they got their start.
Make sure to check the website for details on each tour. Each tour has designated days and times. Some of the tours have recommended ages. They brought strollers but check in advance as some restaurants may not have room to accommodate use of the stroller at the table. The flat bread, risotto and cake are just a few of the gluten free options available on the tour but the guide said that they can accommodate many dietary restrictions.
A Unique Twist on a Familiar Favorite
One of our favorite things to do as a family is catch a ballgame. So of course taking in a Padres game at Petco Park would be on our staycation list. There are so many great themed days and nights to enhance the experience for kids too. But did you know you can take your family into the dugout?
You can sit where your favorite players sit and see what it would be like to step up to the plate and face the pitching foe. It’s all part of the Petco Park behind-the-scenes guided tour. You can discover “writer’s row in the press box, learn about the historic Western Metal Supply Co. Building and check out the warning track. You’ll also get a chance to see the premium lounge and luxury suits as well as the Park at the Park and Sun Diego Beach.
It’s a walking tour so you’ll be getting exercise totaling just about 1.5 miles and about 80 minutes. Tickets are affordable for families ranging between $10 – $17. Tours are given on non-game days as well as game days, and if you do the Early Bird Tour you may even get to see batting practice. There are plenty of photo opportunities and even more lasting memories that will be made exploring the ballpark.
For more information on the staycation ideas in this post, please visit: www.CapeRey.com www.CapeRey.com/AdventureLounge.htm www.LittleItalyTours.com & www.mlb.com/padres/ballpark/tours
**We were hosted at Cape Rey Carlsbad and on the Old School Little Italy Food Tour but the thoughts and opinions reflected in this article are our own.
