Staycation in San Diego: Spring Break without Breaking the Budget
The “Staycation” was a huge fad in the early 2010s and was a sort of backup choice for everyone up until 2020 when we were forced to stay home because nothing was open, and it was the safe thing to do.
Because of that, many people splurged and immediately traveled as far as they could last year, and could you blame them? But there is plenty to do or see right in your own backyard. San Diego County is home to beautiful beaches, hiking trails, campsites, resorts, and hotels. So why not plan a staycation this Spring break and save on the travel cost?
Defining a Staycation
A lot of websites will tell you the step-by-step requirements to have a successful staycation, but those aren’t really necessary. A staycation could be you in your own house just doing your own thing, it could be you booking a weekend in a hotel, it could even be a mix of both! The only important thing about a staycation is that the energy of a vacation comes with you. So, do whatever you can to make that happen.
The best part about a staycation is you’re saving money by not getting a plane ticket and a rental car. If you’re staying at home, you probably don’t need a hotel or a house/pet/babysitter or at least one for as long, and so you’re saving a lot of money! That extra cash could go right into a savings account, or you can use it to spend a bit more on your travels, it’s up to you!
Coming up with an Itinerary
With the idea of splurging a bit in mind, here is a run through of cool things you can add to your 2024 Spring Staycation!
Local Hotels and Resorts
Hotel Del, the Lodge in Torrey Pines, Mission Bay’s many hotels, the Town and Country in Mission Valley, and the dozens of B&B’s in Downtown are just a small sample of the great places you can stay and have a pampered experience in America’s Finest City.
Balboa Park
The Smithsonian of the West has a lot of amazing things on offer! From fun (and short) walking trails, beautiful picnic areas, amazing museums, and the greatest zoo in the world, you have a lot of options.
For families, we highly recommend the zoo if you haven’t been in a while. It’s a daylong activity that is relatively affordable and has some surprisingly good restaurants. Other notable places include the Fleet Science Center and the San Diego Air & Space Museum.
For adults, be sure to check out some of the smaller art areas! The San Diego Museum of Art is amazing and has a wonderful collection of paintings by Spanish Masters. The Japanese Friendship Garden is also at peak bloom time! Cherry Blossoms might be ready depending on when you’re reading this, (check their website first!). If you’re into geek culture, there’s also the relatively new Comic-Con Museum that had the misfortune of opening during peak Covid.
While in Balboa Park you’re a short drive from Hilcrest’s amazing bakeries, North Park’s breweries, and the Prado for a delicious upscale dinner.
Great Places to Spend a Morning or Afternoon
Old Town might seem like a tourist trap, but it has a lot of fantastic restaurants and little shops to check out. Plus, the huge park in the middle is a wonderful picnic spot, especially if you like to people watch.
Gaslamp and Downtown have a lot of wonderful sights. There are many delicious restaurants, cool bars, clubs, and museums all packed into a very navigable area. You can start your day touring the USS Midway and end it at a delicious gastropub, or you can take a nice walk near the new Rady Shell before seeing an amazing live performance. Speaking of live performances, there are many comedy clubs and theaters all over downtown which make for a great cap to an evening walking along the sea wall.
North Park has had a huge glow-up in recent years. From University to Normal Heights there is a lot to see, and more and more seems to pop-up every day. From cool art installations to brewery tours, this is definitely a part of town perfect for a leisured exploration. If you love beer, ice cream, or coffee, this part of town basically has you covered. There are a dozen or so local breweries, local roasteries, and ice cream parlors. I want to draw special attention to both An’s Dry Cleaning and North Park Creamery. Yes, An’s Dry Cleaning always has a line out the door, and yes that line is almost always loud SDSU students, it is worth the wait. If you want something a little less popular, North Park Creamery does soft serve that is out of this world. You can’t go wrong with either!
Liberty Station is home to some strange yet brilliant attractions. Want to go to a bar and play mini golf? Head to the Loma Club. Want to watch some improv? Head to Mockingbird. Want to look at some art? The arts district has over a dozen galleries. You can take a pottery class or mindful mediation classes or get a giant milkshake from Corvette diner. Basically, whatever you want, Liberty Station has it.
Coronado has the obvious Hotel Del and the amazing parks/beaches. It kind of sells itself what with the massive bridge and all, so I’m not sure what else to say. If you haven’t taken a walk down Orange Avenue with nothing better to do, I highly recommend it.
Julian (and other towns in the Cuyamaca Mountains) is home to more than quaint cabins and delicious pie. From walking trails to full on capital H Hiking, you can have a lot of fun just exploring this beautiful part of San Diego. Just be sure to do some research ahead of time to make sure trails are open before you head up. The rains in February have really affected this community, so show them some love and buy stuff up there!
And the list goes on! La Jolla’s shopping and Sea lions, Torrey Pines’s beautiful vistas and trails, Mission Bay’s fun activities and parks, downtown’s food and unique odor! There is so much to see here! So stay local this Spring and explore to your heart’s content!