With Summer in full swing, I thought I would give a little recap of our recent weekend getaway to San Diego in case anyone here locally is considering a quick mini-vacation before school starts again.
With no big vacation plans this year, I was really looking forward to this weekend getaway. It came at the end of a very busy week for me but couldn’t have been timed more perfectly. We made the plans a couple months in advance with my brother’s family but with an unexpected hospital stay for my nephew, they weren’t sure if they were going to be able to go with us as the date approached. I was so grateful and blessed that he was released a couple of days before we left.
Since my husband works for Marriott, naturally, that is where we stay wherever we go and try to use his 28 years of service with the company to find the best rates possible. We booked our stay at the Marriott Marquis in downtown San Diego knowing we loved this hotel and it was centrally located in the Gaslamp District where there would be plenty to do.
We booked our trip from Saturday-Monday and planned to catch a San Diego Padres game while in town. We arrived mid-day Saturday and were surprised by an amazing upgrade to the suite which was a welcome blessing for all of us. The Marriott Marquis is gorgeous to begin with but the suite with its breathtaking views of the marina, Coronado Bridge and downtown is unbelievable. Having the extra space to spread out and relax was so nice for a group of 8 of us.
We started our first night heading to the Padres game a little early to catch batting practice and check out the stadium. Even if you aren’t a baseball fan, catching a game at Petco Park is such a great family experience and just walking distance from our hotel. I have been to a few fields and our local park at Angel Stadium is pretty family friendly but Petco Park really takes it up a notch. We even saw an amazing sunset while there and had enough time to walk back to the hotel and catch the fireworks/laser show from the comfort of our suite.
We planned our second full day at the pool and the weather turned out to be beautiful. Sitting right on the water, the pool gets that ocean breeze but offers the luxury of poolside service for the ultimate, relaxing day. For those who sought a little adventure to break up the day, just outside the gates of the hotel was a Seadoo rental place where my son, brother and niece all embarked on a short excursion through the marina and into the ocean. They all loved it and it was an easy addition to our pool day.
Wanting to extend our time near the water, we were able to call ahead and make a reservation for dinner at Harbor House. Finding a place that can seat 8 people in a timely manner in downtown San Diego isn’t easy but it helped that it was a Sunday night instead of Saturday. Before and after dinner, the kids and dads got a chance to experience the scooter life around the downtown area. They had a great time zooming around on the motorized scooters and experiencing the true “downtown” life.
Our last day was a slower one as we prepped to head home but before we did, we decided to head over and have a nice breakfast at one of the many places in Gaslamp we had heard great things about. We tried the Richard Walker’s Pancake House but even on a Monday morning, the line was down the street. We made a note that when we had more time, we should plan ahead and definitely check that place out. We ended up at The Golden Yolk, trying a mix of different dishes that were all delicious. We let the kids scooter back to the hotel one last time before checking out and heading home.
It was definitely one of those weekends where everything fell into place. We all needed a stress-free escape from everyday life and the Marriott Marquis and the downtown San Diego area did not disappoint. I highly recommend this under two hour getaway from the OC area if you get the chance. Safe travels friends!