A Seaport Village Sunset

Looking for a getaway to warmer climes this winter, for you and your significant other? Consider San Diego, California! You can have a FANTASTIC time for around $300! That includes lodging, meals, and entertainment – if you drive, you’ll have to figure in the price of gas. If you fly, you’ll have to figure in the price of airfare and vehicle rental. This is for a two-night stay, including two breakfasts/lunches/dinners, and two days of activities.

Here’s where you stay:

I used Expedia to find hotel rates at around $80 per night – trust me, there are a TON of them. The Best Western Mission Bay and the Wyndham Garden San Diego are each a couple of blocks from Mission Bay, and fifteen minutes from the Gaslamp District or the ocean. The Pacific Shores Inn is a mere 100 yards from the Pacific ocean and San Diego’s famed boardwalk.

Total Cost: about $175

Here’s where you eat:

Breakfast:
Each of the hotels above offer complimentary breakfast – for this budget to work, you need to count on eating a free morning meal at your hotel of choice.

Lunch:
Day One: The Boardwalk Bistro (on Mission Beach) – grab two lunch combos (salad, soup and 1/2 sandwich) and a drink for $10.00 each.
Day Two: Greek Island Cafe (Seaport Village) – share a Combo Platter which includes Gyros, Souvlaki, Salad, Pita, Dolma, and Spanikopita. Add a couple of drinks and get out of there for under $20.

Dinner:
Day One: Split a pizza and a house salad at the Sidebar in the Gaslamp District. Throw in a couple of glasses of wine and spend about $35.
Day Two: Time to spoil yourselves a little bit! Indulge in dinner at the Coronado Boathouse – seafood entrees are about $25 per person, so if you add drinks you’ll probably spend about $65.

Breakfast = $0
Lunch = $40
Dinner = $100

Total Cost: about $140

Here’s what you do:

Day One: Hit Mission Beach and the Oceanfront Boardwalk. People watch, wander shoeless in the sand, soak up the sun, and be lulled by the sound of the waves. In the evening enjoy the culture and vivacity of the historic Downtown Gaslamp Quarter.

Day Two: Check out Seaport Village during the day – watch the boats meander about, window shop, and enjoy the fresh sea air. In the evening cross the bridge over to Coronado Island and experience the energetic yet serene island atmosphere.

Total Cost: The $35 you have left in spending money! The perfect amount for some San Diego themed souvenirs!

Photo credit:

- Seaport Village by Jay Martinez on Flickr Creative Commons.

The Hotel Monte Vista in Flagstaff, Arizona.

On the last weekend getaway that my husband and I took to Flagstaff, Arizona, we decided to stay at the Hotel Monte Vista. This historic hotel opened on January 1, 1927. It is located in the heart of downtown Flagstaff, within walking distance to much of the dining, bars, shopping, and entertainment that the mountain town has to offer. And, if you don’t feel like walking anywhere, Rendezvous and the MVLounge offer snacks, drinks, and live entertainment right on the property.

There are some things to consider about staying at the Hotel Monte Vista. It is a VERY period-centric hotel, so don’t expect top-of-the-line luxury. Our room, the very mauve Gene Tierney room on the 4th floor, had a very comfortable king bed, a table with chairs, and a dresser. There was a house phone and an alarm clock, and a flat screen television on one wall. The room’s two windows looked over the roofs of the buildings behind the hotel, but the San Francisco Peaks could be seen beyond them. The sink was located on one wall of the room, with the bathroom door right next to it. The bathroom was MAYBE six feet square, and the shower (no tub, natch) was just about the smallest one I’ve ever been in. The room was clean enough, though not what I would call pristine. The blinds on the windows definitely needed either a deep cleaning, or replacement. Still, we were comfortable enough, and amused more than inconvenienced by the hotel’s idiosyncrasies.

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the water is perfect!

Yes folks, people still do this.  Toady we hear from freelance travel writer and Uptake blogger, Zach Everson (link), who spent three months backpacking his way around Europe.  Above you see Zach standing in cold water in Olympos, Turkey. Why he’s smiling is anyone’s guess.

Zach explains that there are obvious things to watch out for, but that it’s safe and cost effective.  There are so many young people doing this, it really is quite normal.

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In late August a group of us spent a Sunday in Pacifica, California. I’d have done this post earlier but somehow or another Lisa didn’t manage to upload all the pictures until just recently, so I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.

My brother-in-law, RS, currently engaged in a battle with kidney cancer, grew up in Pacifica and has fond memories of this small coastal town. Our decision to visit Pacifica was for him, to allow him to relive some memories of a better time in his life. Read More »