Encinitas, CA

Famous for its poinsettias and surfers, Encinitas is a seaside community north of San Diego that is a short drive from Los Angeles and a perfect weekend destination.  We ventured down there recently for a wedding and some beach walking, but if we had more time we would have poked around at Legoland, SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo, or any other of the attractive family activities located in the area.

The drive down from the San Fernando Valley was not bad on a Saturday at noon.  Apart from the blip of preserved nature you see driving through Camp Pendleton, the whole stretch feels like one long extension of Los Angeles.  Sign of the times:  without any pre-planning, we stopped for lunch when we got hungry, looking for the familiar signs of fast food eateries along an industrial stretch of road in Long Beach.  The beacon of a Quizno’s called us, but when we pulled up to the place we found it closed down.  That turned out to be a happy accident, because right across the street was a tiny shack called OK Burger that was deserted, so the cook whipped us up two delicious meals for the road in just a few minutes.

We stayed at the Best Western Encinitas which was the lodging of choice of the wedding party, so the deal was fantastic – $130 for the night for this balconied room with a view:

Balcony room at the Best Western, Encinitas

View of the pacific ocean in Encinitas

With a view like that who cares what the room was like?  Well, it was fine, but a word to the wise:  the coffee maker and cups are hidden in the dresser under the flat screen TV.  And once you lay down, you might not get back up.

Soft bed.

The wedding was held at the breathtaking Quail Botanical Gardens.  If you want to save money on your wedding flower budget, have it here.  I can’t imagine a more breathtaking backdrop for such a momentous and beautiful occasion. 

Quail Botanical Gardens

Wedding backdrop

The gardens were open for visitors while we were there, so we wandered among the different areas and found that everywhere the eye settled, there was something beautiful to photograph.

A pathway beckons at Quail Botanical Gardens

Quail Botanical Gardens is open every day from 9 to 5, and if you come with 4 people in your car they’ll waive the $10 parking fee.

I’ve been scolded in the past for not including local restaurants in my travel posts, and that will happen again;  if you have been out to eat in Encinitas please leave a comment with your favorite spots.  Like I said, we only had 24 hours for this little trip so we took part in the hotel’s continental breakfast – which, I might add, was actually quite good and included delicious breakfast burritos – before heading out to the beach.

The beach at Encinitas

"No having fun"

Long way down

There were surfers in the water as far as the eye could see, due to the incredibly long waves and seemingly polite nature of the crowds.  My husband, who is a surfer in Los Angeles, was surprised that multiple surfers could catch a single wave without getting in a fight.  Maybe it’s the local vibe, maybe it was the beautiful day, or maybe Los Angeles just needs some self-realization, Encinitas style.

Self-Realization Fellowship Temple

The clock was ticking on our daycare meter, so we had to settle for a morning walk and then head back north.  For parents of two young boys, we get our relaxation when we can, and Encinitas delivered nicely in even a small dose.

Relaxed mom.

Since our school is closed this week, we decided it was time for a quick trip south to San Diego. Our son is almost at the age when Legoland will not longer be interesting, and both my husband and I went to college at the University of California, San Diego. That, and the generally good weather in San Diego year-round, helped us decide on this quick family vacation.

We drove down from the Bay Area (a wonderful 9 hour trip in the car with two small kids!) and stayed at the Pacific Terrace Inn in Pacific Beach, and visited Sea World and the San Diego Zoo. Both places are excellent for families, and the American Automobile Association (AAA) is even running a special for Sea World! My kids loved Sea World, my daughter commenting to me that she was surprised that Shamu could jump so high.

After a day of visiting Sea World, and another day spent on the beach (we could see the Pacific Ocean from our hotel room), we drove north, visiting UCSD on our way to Legoland. U.S. News and World Report ranks UCSD as the 7th best public university in the nation, and 32nd among the nation’s top 50 universities. Clearly, this all happened after I graduated, but I still looked forward to visiting the place where participation in the Overseas Travel Program in my junior year helped me discover my desire to explore the world through travel.

Following our morning visit, we headed up to Legoland in Carlsbad. Our friends have told us great things about this park, and my 7 year old son and 5 year old daughter certainly found much to entertain them. My daughter loved the fact that she was tall enough to ride any ride she wanted. My son, of course, wanted to spend all his time on the Knights Joust. However, both kids were slightly disappointed in Legoland, after our action packed Disneyland experiences. Legoland is great for a first-time amusement park visit and is also perfect for the toddler set, as many areas of the park are specifically designed for the experience of little kids. That night, we stayed at the West Inn & Suites, which offers a double king room and complimentary breakfast, great for our family of four. And, they provided complimentary shuttle service to the park!

After a second half day at Legoland, we headed back home, taking an easy drive up the coast. All in all, a pleasant trip to San Diego for our family!