Confirmations for flights and your San Diego lodge have each hit your inbox. That’s a reduction, for positive. Nonetheless, you continue to probably have some San Diego trip choices that have to be made earlier than you depart.
The objective of this publish is to handle what that you must take into consideration subsequent. It’s for individuals who come to us after they’ve booked flights or a lodge or each. I’ve loads to say and this record is predicated on the questions that individuals e-mail in.
If You Don’t But Have Flights or Resorts
1. Defend Your Journey
My mantra for 2025 is that everybody must examine their journey insurance coverage protection. This begins together with your bank cards. And when you’ve got protection in your bank cards, make certain to make use of that bank card for related bookings.
Nonetheless, you’ll discover that bank card protection will be restricted and that you simply would possibly have to complement it. In case you have a non-refundable flight or lodge reserving that you simply’d like to guard, the earlier you purchase journey insurance coverage after buying your journey, generally the cheaper it’s.
Whereas it appears pointless to buy journey insurance coverage when you’ve got a versatile lodge cancelation, mom nature could produce other plans. We needed to get exceptions for lots of people who had been inside their cancelation home windows and a few large lodges had been surprisingly tough to get this to occur.
- Hurricanes got here quick and livid and we needed to unwind numerous lodge stays within the Caribbean. Unhealthy climate can have a domino impact on the airways.
- This week in San Diego was extraordinarily foggy to the place planes had been diverted and couldn’t land. Lodge stays had been impacted.
- You or your children would possibly get sick and turn into unable to journey (this occurs loads).
- Life occurs and you’ll’t journey.
2. Determine Out How You’ll Get Round San Diego
After arriving by automobile, prepare, or aircraft, take into account whether or not you’ll depend on a rental automobile, black automobile companies, or rideshare apps. Individuals do all three, so which you select is dependent upon your itinerary and funds.
Most individuals lease automobiles. When factoring in price, do not forget that most San Diego lodges cost for parking, which will be steep even at downtown funds lodges (avenue parking is nearly by no means another).
Just a few locations provide free parking as a part of the resort price (Bahia Resort Lodge, La Jolla Seaside and Tennis Membership, and 4 Seasons Aviara come to thoughts) however anticipate to pay between $25-70/evening to park in a lodge.
About Public Transportation in San Diego
3. Plan Your Airport Switch
This ties into the above, after all. Many lodges can organize airport transportation for you. A black automobile service or Uber Black can decide you up on the curb at San Diego airport.
Black automobile companies will often provide you with a alternative. They’ll park and are available in to fulfill you at baggage declare. Or, they will wait within the cellular phone parking zone. After you accumulate your luggage, you’ll go to the curb and take a look at the inexperienced zone signal. Name and textual content them with the letter on the inexperienced zone signal.
Tip: Should you’re flying American or Alaska like I do, the zones outdoors of your baggage declare are O or P.
4. Analysis What You’ll Placed on Your Itinerary
I might first mock up a tentative to-do record. Should you want concepts, we now have an enormous aggregation of issues to do in San Diego based mostly on funds, curiosity, and neighborhood that will help you analysis.
Remember the fact that our county is about 70 miles lengthy and a bit wider than that. There’s visitors generally so that you’ll wish to attempt to lump actions into the a part of city you’ll be in somewhat than zig zag.
Don’t overschedule. Go away room to flow. We’re a relaxed city. Chances are you’ll not really feel like leaving the seashore.
The explanation why I say tentative is due to #5 under.
See additionally: Prime Household-Pleasant San Diego Actions
5. Resolve Whether or not You’ll Purchase a Sightseeing Go or Particular person Tickets
There’s completely NO NEED to pay gate pricing at our main San Diego sights. You’ll have to crunch some numbers to resolve whether or not to avoid wasting extra with a sightseeing go or low cost tickets to particular person parks.
I work with distributors round city to offer unique financial savings on tickets however I actually consider that the way you save is dependent upon what you wish to do. There are three sightseeing passes to select from (for my part):
- Go Metropolis San Diego
- San Diego CityPass (solely is sensible in case you’re going to LEGOLAND California and/or SeaWorld San Diego)
- Balboa Park Explorer Go (for the Balboa Park museums solely)
See additionally: Go Metropolis San Diego or San Diego CityPASS — Which to Select
Should you do go together with a sightseeing go, this will likely alter your itinerary a little bit as a result of you might select to see included sights that you simply won’t have in any other case thought of.
See additionally: Our Listing of San Diego Tickets and Reductions
6. Make Reservations
A handful of sights require timed tickets, like LEGOLAND California. Should you bought tickets by means of us ensure you have a reservation. Should you purchased by means of LEGOLAND, then you definately in all probability have a date particular tickets.
The opposite reservations I’d make are for a few of our greater finish eating places like those with Michelin stars reminiscent of Addison. Or, something that’s waterfront just like the Marine Room.
You’ll additionally want reservations for sightseeing excursions like whale watching or harbour cruises.
7. Plan For What You’ll Have to Deliver
I’ve written a information about what to pack for San Diego. A very powerful tip is at all times to pack layers and solar safety. You may get sunburned within the winter right here, belief me.
Life is mostly numerous athlesiure until you propose to go clubbing or to a nicer restaurant.
8. Evaluation and Arrange Your Journey Paperwork and Memberships
Should you’re arriving from abroad, your passport must be legitimate for six months after your journey.
One other FAQ is about varied journey applications you might or could not belong to that you simply would possibly want logins or playing cards to entry (that’s in case you’re not app savvy).
- Precedence Go: This will get you into the Aspire Lougne (at all times busy don’t plan on it) and Chase Sapphire Lounge
- CLEAR: We do have CLEAR in Terminal 2. I’m a member and find it irresistible. Nonetheless, Terminal 2 has two “wings” for lack of a greater strategy to put it. CLEAR is situated over the place you examine in for Delta. Should you fly American or Alaska you might wish to simply courageous TSA Precheck to keep away from an extended stroll to your gate.
- TSA Precheck: Sure, we now have it in all terminals.
- American Categorical Lounge Entry: Aspire Lounge
- American Airways Admirals Membership: Aspire Lounge
Aspire Lounge provides precedence to Admirals Membership members above AMEX so know that if it’s busy.
9. Obtain Useful Apps
Listed here are some apps that may assist make your keep simpler. Seek for them in your related app retailer.
- Uber or Lyft
- Waze: To seek out out what the true visitors scenario is.
- Circuit: Some locations like Pacific Seaside, Downtown, Oceanside, Nationwide Metropolis, Carlsbad, Chula Vista, and Coronado run low price Circuit shuttles which might be actually nice.
- Pronto: It is a reloadable fare card for public transportation.
- San Diego Zoo and Safari Park each have apps
- SeaWorld San Diego
- LEGOLAND California
- Balboa Park
- Opentable for restaurant reservations
- Your lodge app: Hilton, Hyatt, 4 Seasons (that is one of the best app)
- SpotHero: Disclaimer that I haven’t personally used it however individuals inform me it’s an effective way to seek out parking for occasions and busy days close to the seashore and downtown. I’ve downloaded it and may see why it’s helpful.
10. Double or Triple Test Your Confirmations
I do get frantic emails from vacationers generally who booked the improper dates or didn’t understand their lodge was in Oceanside after they thought it was in downtown. Earlier than you go, double examine every little thing particularly the situation of the place you reserved relative to your itinerary.
Have questions? Let me know.