Adventures in San Diego- A ferry ride to Coronado Island

A couple of weeks ago we were invited by Country Inn and Suites by Carlson to head down to San Diego and explore the city. The hotel chain has a fun road trip itinerary if you are heading down south. We decided to check out their Mom’s pick, Balboa Island, but were a bit disappointed when a big parade and festival happened to be going on the day we decided to explore the park. We decided to explore Balboa Park the following day and started searching for other affordable outings in the city.
We love anything nautical in our family and decided that we wanted to take a little boat ride. I remembered reading a while back that there was a ferry to Coronado island. It was settled we would head over to Downtown SD and take the ferry to the island. It’s a fun 15 minute ride into another little world. The ferry leaves San Diego from either the Broadway Pier in Downtown SD or the Convention Center area in the Gaslamp District. Tickets are $3.25 one way and $6.50 round trip. Children 4 and under are free.
We loved our little ferry ride. The weather was perfect and we found a great seat. The kids loved every single minute of our ride and before we knew it the ride was over and we were off to explore the island. We had a fun time looking through all the shops and had an inexpensive and yummy lunch at KFC (which is about a block away from the Ferry landing). We had a fun and inexpensive outing for less than $25.00. The kids loved every single minute of our little outing. In fact there were a couple of tears when it was time to head back to our car.
Here is the nitty gritty on our little outing- Make sure to take quarters. There is coin operated parking machines all along the harbor area. We easily found a spot and walked only a block or two to purchase our tickets. The Ferry leaves at the top of the hour from the Broadway Pier and departs from Coronado island at the half hour mark. Make sure you take plenty of sunscreen and be prepared for some fun. Bring your stroller and bicycles-you can squeeze them on the first floor of the ferry. We had a great time and hope you will also!
For additional info head on over here

Crystal Cove Cottages

I usually blog about daytrips , outings and events. Today I wanted to blog about a place some of you may or may not know about- Crystal Cove Cottages in Crystal Cove, Newport Beach. The cottages are state owned and offer you an opportunity to stay in a beachfront bungalow at a very reasonable rate from one to seven nights. available on Saugatuck Michigan rentals Think of it as camping on the beach in style. In fact to reserve a spot in Crystal Cove you must use the reservation system used by all California campgrounds and parks- Reserve America.
The cottages are extremely popular and you can rent them on the first day of the month at 8am. You can sign on to the system and start trying at 7:50. If you want to make sure to snag one a night or two make sure to browse through the website for the cottages and let the agent know the one you are interested in. You can also call and see if there are cancellations for perhaps a last minute outing or book a cancellation online through Reserve America. You make a reservation 6 months in advanced. For example if you were to book a cottage on Mar 1st , you would be booking for your stay in September.
The Cottages are newly restored and are either Individual or Dorm-style Cottages Crystal Cove Beach Cottages offer gorgeous ocean views, charming historic details, and a glimpse of a uniquely Southern Californian beach community from a bygone era. Located in the heart of Crystal Cove State Park’s 3.5 miles of pristine coastline, the Historic District first developed as a South Seas movie set due to its seclusion and tropical aura. The community thrived and became beloved for its relaxed, friendly atmosphere and picturesque landscape, and in 1979, the Crystal Cove Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
You can stay in one of 11 Individual or 3 Dorm-style Cottages. Located directly on the beach or overlooking it from a bluff top, each cottage has been painstakingly restored and furnished to recreate Crystal Cove’s unique historic beach culture and ambiance. Reservations are available year-round.
I know that we are facing some tough economic times and the thought of renting a beach home or vacation sounds like a far fetched dream for many- but thanks to Crystal Cove you can afford a beachfront retreat for around the same price as spending a night at your local Marriott. Rentals are around $180.00 for a flat rate of 4 people. This does not include children 4 and under. There is an additional charge for more than 4 people over the age of 4.
I’m planning on renting a little cottage for one night.. I hope you can also and spend an unforgettable day or days at the beach.
For additional information click here and for reservations click here
Reserve America
Reservations 1-800-444-7275
Customer Service 1-800-695-2269