Inside the condo was not where I envisioned the majority of our San Diego beach days to take place. My single prerequisite when booking this vacation was that our lodging be “steps from the beach.” Swimsuits, water shoes, and baby sunscreen were all packed with plans for hours of sandcastle-building, frisbee-throwing and wave-catching. Instead, we adventured out for only a handful of short excursions into the sand and sun.
Little Bro hit a sleep regression during our two week vacation adventure. This left Derek and I even more sleep deprived than usual, leading to late morning wake-ups. Big Bro’s favorite thing in the world turned out to be standing on our balcony patio and announcing whenever a truck or bus or… bus-truck (?)… drove down the street. Ultimately, it was just harder to get out of the condo with two little guys under three. After cleaning, feeding, cleaning again, satisfying a final urge to see “one last bus,” and fitting in Little Bro’s first nap time, an hour at the beach was about all Big Bro could handle before sand throwing and hat tossing ensued.
When it was just us and the girls, staying on the cheap was a no-brainer. A Motel 6 would do us just fine – tiny room with barely enough space for a bed? Sure! After all, it was just a launching pad for the adventures awaiting us. However, with the boys, I’m so glad we spent a little bit more.
For our trip to San Diego, we stayed at the “See the Sea Condominiums.” As advertised, it was, in fact, steps from the sandy Pacific Beach and in the heart of this hoppin’ beach district. Everything was easily walkable even with (especially with?) a toddler and infant in tow. High chair, pack and play, beach towels and a plethora of beach toys were provided, making it extremely family-friendly. Unfortunately, our unit was furnished with glass tables. This necessitated some mild threats in order to prevent bodily harm from visiting Big Bro. Happily, we did not require any visits to nearby medical establishments.
There is a FANTASTIC community sunbathing deck with a multitude of loungers readily available to condo-stayers. In addition, each unit is complete with an outdoor balcony or deck, although all cannot claim a view of the ocean. Two sand showers are available (and encouraged) within the parking garage, and there is definitely something to be said for guaranteed parking.
One spot is provided per unit and comes with a Welcome to the Condo Scavenger Hunt… Find your numbered spot! There truly did not appear to be rhyme or reason to which number was assigned to which spot. But don’t give up, that parking spot is gold. All-in-all, the perks to this place were great and just what we needed. There are two things you need to prepare for, should you choose to enjoy a stay at See the Sea.
A hot tub is available to be enjoyed by guests, and reportedly a sauna… We never looked for the sauna as we felt our initial entrance into our unit was a sufficient experience. The afternoon sun absolutely heats these places up in the summer. Luckily, our host provided two stand-alone air-conditioning units. (This is the first of two separate occasions this summer when this particular AC unit saved the day. We highly recommend it. One like this portable air conditioner.) Thanks to Derek’s amazing ability to put together pretty much anything, we had these up and running within an hour or so. This issue could theoretically be fixed by opening up the sliders to let in that fabulous sea breeze. Enter obstacle number two.
Big Bro absolutely adores emptying and refilling containers, as any respectable two-and-a-half year old is wont to do. His toddler-sense zeroed in on the first open container he could find, which happened to be filled to the brim with disposable ear plugs. A back up stash of similar earplugs were also found in a kitchen cabinet. Resignation washed over me.
The northern side of the complex is directly across from the 710 Beach Club which advertises to have been voted San Diego’s best eats and beats at the beach. We did not visit and cannot attest to that one way or another. I can tell you that they close at 2 am every night except for Mondays when they shut their doors at 8 pm (it was eerily quiet that evening). And that the loudest night we encountered was Thursday when they typically host karaoke. This little hiccup is only going to affect some of the units – even Big Bro’s bedroom towards the courtyard side of our unit was quiet enough to sleep comfortably. That said, do yourself a favor and pack a white noise machine.
Happily, the 710 Beach Club is not the only establishment located across the street from the condo complex. There are plenty of places to grab some grub in the immediate area. You can find anything from top-notch breakfast spots to coffee dens to taco bars.
Kono’s Cafe was a real standout; we even went twice for breakfast during our five day stay. There was something for everybody: killer pancakes, breakfast burritos, fruit, bagels, anything breakfast oriented you could think of. Don’t be deterred by the line: it almost always wraps around the building. Once ordered, the food comes out quickly. There are only a few tables inside the building but many lovely small patios are scattered outside: good food with a good view.
Once we overcame the initial hurdles that first evening in the condo, it really did begin to feel like a comfortable home base. We even went grocery shopping to make use of the full kitchen available to us. Little Bro and I grabbed a shopping cart from the collection found in the garage and walked over to the Ralph’s a couple blocks away to shop for a home-away-from-home cooked meal. It turns out those shopping carts were meant for transporting luggage from the car to the unit. But hey, Little Bro enjoyed the walk, and we ended up with ingredients for an easy and inexpensive pasta dinner.
Ultimately, choosing to stay at See the Sea condominiums provided a means of slowing down and even enjoying that low-key feeling. I’m sure my husband can tell you, I can really push the agenda. Most of the time, I would even say that is a large portion of my role, whether at home or on travel: planning activities and getting us out the door on time (or reasonably late). For me, our stay in San Diego this summer was a lesson in letting go of these expectations. Sometimes you need to just cook a leisurely dinner-in instead of trying as many cool eateries as possible. Blocking out the middle of your day for naps can curb the disappointment of leaving a neat attraction. Essentially, it was a study in making a plan, and simply celebrating the portions that came to fruition. It isn’t my first nature. But I can tell you, having a roomy space to return to and a balcony to drink a glass of wine on makes the experience so much better.
