Trip to San Diego

Overall the Sheraton Hotel was a very nice place to stay in San Diego. The Sheraton super sleeper beds that the hotel boasts were extremely comfortable. I can honestly say that this was the most comfortable hotel bed I have every stayed in. The hotel itself was very nice, it has 2 pools and a spa. They offer poolside dining and a bar. Towels provided at the health club. One thing was that the pool was very popular with the guests and therefore it was crowded. We were unable to get a chair to lounge in but the kids loved the pool. We were here over the fourth of July and were able to walk right across the street near the harbor and see 4 sets of fireworks at once. That was great. The staff were excellent. They were very accommodating. We had somewhat of a family emergency while we were there and had to add an additional night to our stay. Even though the hotel was pretty much booked, we were able to keep our room an additional night with a discount thanks to the sympathy of the staff. The staff at this hotel really went the extra mile to please. Every time we retrieved our car from the valet to leave they made sure if we needed directions. We ordered room service several times and it was great as well.

There is one thing I would do differently. When booking make sure what type of room you are actually getting. Most rooms are in one of 2 main towers and you enter from inside corridor like a traditional hotel. There is a 3 story building attached to one of the main buildings which they call garden rooms or something like that. These rooms have entrances from the outside and are a little hidden from rest of resort. Although the room was close to the pool, for the price we paid we were thrown off guard by getting one these rooms. However we did book through a travel agency, not directly through the hotel and were probably given these rooms due to a discounted rate. I would have preferred to stay in the main tower obviously, but the room did have a balcony that overlooked the spa and allowed for some fresh air. Another thing to mention for those travelling with kids. The channel selection provided by the hotel for free is very minimal and did not include any kids stations such as Nickelodeon or Disney channel. We ended up paying for several kids shows through the hotel TV. It was difficult for the kids to wind down at night with nothing to watch. They probably got us for at least $50 over the course of our stay, just in pay TV and video games for the kids. Most other hotels we have stayed at have at least had a couple kid friendly stations. I would consider staying here again but I would book through hotel and bring a DVD player.

We had heard wonderful things about Ruth Chris steakhouse so decided to try it while on our vacation in San Diego. We made reservations and were promptly seating upon arrival. This was the most tender delicious steak I have ever eaten. No sauce needed. The waiters served to please. Overall the restaurant was great. However, it is a steakhouse for a reason. The steak is great, but my husband's lobster tail left a lot to be desired. The lobster was very pricey but he decided to "go for it" since we were on vacation. The lobster seemed over done and rubbery. My steak was much more reasonably priced and cooked perfectly. If you want seafood go somewhere else. If you want steak then this is the place to go.

Very casual and very cool. Despite the name it was also family friendly. The atmosphere was very laid back. Seat yourself. The floors were concrete and they gave the kids sidewalk chalk to use while we waited for our food. The prices were very reasonable and there was a full bar. Lots of cool souvenirs and t-shirts too. It appeared to be a locals favorite. We went there on the recommendation of friends and it was worth it.

On our trip we did not get as much beach time as we would have liked. But one evening on the way back to our hotel we picked up some fast food and made a quick stop at Pacific Beach. Our timing was perfect. We were able to eat on the beach and watch the sun set. At the time of the evening the beach was not crowded at all. There were several people out there and lifeguards on duty but it was not crowded. It was a nice change of pace. We parked in a lot very close to the beach for about $5 and walked right over in less than 5 minutes. We really wanted to return for more fun in the sun before the end of our vacation but things just did not work out that way.

The zoo was great but it is larger than you think. Make sure you invest in the bus ticket. We did not and we certainly got our exercise. We went in thinking it was a zoo and why need to spend extra money to have a bus tour you around and let you out at different spots? Well for one thing the polar bear plunge is up a huge and steep hill. Fine for healthy young adults but not for small kids or pushing a stroller. There are more animals and exhibits here than you would imagine. The best were the panda bears. There was a small wait to see them but it was really very short. I once waited much longer to see the pandas that were visiting at the San Francisco zoo. We even got to see a baby.

This was also a good place to buy souvenirs in San Diego. The gift shop was well priced and had lots of stuff for the kids. They even had a picture maker kiosk and were able to make prints off my camera right there. The zoo also had a small kiddy train that the kids enjoyed. The zoo sits in the middle of Balboa park which is home to many more places you can visit if you have the time. There are many museums in the area. We initially did not know if we would have time to visit the zoo during the length of our trip but we made the time and it was worth it. Especially for kids or anyone with an interest in animals.

My kids thought Legoland was better than Disneyland. Part of that probably has to do with the fact that the lines are much, much shorter for the rides. Everything there caters to kids of all sizes. Our kids were 4 and 6 when we visited and there was nothing they could not go on. Their favorite was the Lego Driving School. They drove go karts. There were two sized tracks, one for kids under 5 and one for kids 6 and up. They even got to get their picture on a Legoland license when they were done. Miniland was a hit too. That is the display they have of things made out of legos. They had replicas of the White House, San Francisco, an Indy Speedway, New Orleans, and others. They were all very detailed.

One thing to remember for the kids in the summer is to bring their swimming suits. The Pirate area has fountains for the kids and a water play area. We did not realize the extent to which they would be able to play in the water. Legoland does sell suits and water accessories but obviously at a high price. Had we known we would have brought our suits instead of leaving them at the hotel. This area was the most crowded in the park. We also saw a pirate show here which the kids enjoyed. And best of all, the gift shops have every lego toy imaginable. There were some really cool things here that you would not find at ordinary stores.