This post may contains affiliate links The owner of this blog may be compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog may receive compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed through these channels are purely the bloggers’ own.
San Diego is probably my very favorite place to visit both solo and with my family. There is something about the beach air that just brings me peace. If you are looking at a great family vacation, look no further than this beachside getaway. We will break down for you the best hotels for your family vacation.
San Diego Proper
These hotels would be great for your family if you are looking at attending SeaWorld or the San Diego Zoo.
Manchester Grand Hyatt
This is the hotel many points and miles people pursue when staying in San Diego. It’s luxurious and right on the water, as well as walking distance to Seaport Village. The downside for families is the very small number of 2 queen rooms. If you’re looking for luxury with a view of the water, and you want to use your Hyatt points, this is a good choice.
Embassy Suites by Hilton San Diego Bay Downtown
If you are looking to use Hilton points, this is a great option for families. Embassy Suites have more room than your standard hotel room, and this hotel is walking distance to Seaport Village as well as a great playground.
Residence Inn by Marriott San Diego Downtown
We love a Residence Inn with a free breakfast and extra wiggle room for our family to spread out. If you have Marriott points, this is a great location. The Gaslamp District is a great place to walk around and has great restaurants, theaters, etc.
Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina
This hotel is NICE! We stayed here previously for a conference, and while it is a huge hotel, it’s very nice with some really fun pools that the kids are sure to enjoy. It is also a stone’s throw from the Kansas City BBQ restaurant that’s featured in Top Gun. This proved to be very convenient for a quick dinner walk with the kids. We also had multiple nights where we could view fireworks over the bay.
La Jolla/Solana Beach/Sorrento Valley
We have stayed in this area north of town several times. Sometimes we stay here because it’s less money/points, other times we stay here to be in between Carlsbad and San Diego if we are splitting a trip between Legoland and San Diego.
Hyatt House Sorrento Mesa
We love this hotel for a family. They have an incredible continental breakfast that includes everything you could want for breakfast, they even include an Asian section. The rooms are not huge, but we easily fit a family of 5 and a stroller for a week. Their suites on the other hand, are large and roomy, and the kitchenettes can come in handy especially if you have a family with food allergies or sensitivities, or even if you just want to save money.
Residence Inn Sorrento Mesa
We really like this hotel. While the decor was older when we stayed there, I’ve seen some photos that looks like it has recently been upgraded. The breakfast spread was good, and as long as the weather is nice, the outdoor pool was enjoyed by the kids.
Hyatt Regency at La Jolla
This is the more luxury option in this region for Hyatt points. While you won’t get a free continental breakfast, they make up for this in large pools, tennis courts, fire pits, and beach chairs/sand toys. All this will mean an added $27/night. However, if you are getting the hotel for free with points, $27/night is not that bad when you include all the extras.
Carlsbad
If you are heading to Legoland, or trying to combine a San Diego and LA vacation, this is a good spot for you.
Seabird Hotel
This is the most adorable boutique hotel with an ocean view. It screams coastal-chic and is definitely the most Instagram-worthy on this list. If you are looking for a trendy spot to lay your head, this is the winner. It is easy to book this hotel with Hyatt points, and their double queen rooms seem spacious enough for a family. You are also walking distance from the beach/pier in Oceanside.
Residence Inn by Marriott
We stayed here as they were in the midst of a renovation, and we were fortunate enough to stay in one of the newly updated rooms. We had a room with a kitchenette and it was really lovely. We had Instacart deliver straight to our room and we were set with groceries for the week.
Westin Carlsbad Resort
This resort has access to the back gate at Legoland, allowing you to just walk right in. This would be the reason to pick this resort in my opinion. This would be a great points and miles alternative to the Legoland hotel for a young family.
Conclusion
We absolutely love traveling in the San Diego area. If you have questions about where to stay, or what to do, we would love to share that with you! You can see our trip report HERE. Happy travels!
