Visit Coronado Island with Get Away Today!

Coronado Island is a destination you shouldn’t miss when visiting San Diego.  Start your day by heading over the beautiful toll-free Coronado Bay Bridge from San Diego, stretching over 2.1 miles via car or San Diego’s Old Town Trolley.  The bridge opened in 1969 and has amazing views on both sides of the bay.  The height of 200 feet allows military ships to pass underneath it, which is fascinating to watch.

Once on Coronado Island, you’ll understand why it has been described as a small beach community with an island feel.  Coronado Beach is a favorite of tourists and locals for many reasons and was even voted #1 family beach.  This beach has lifeguards, restrooms and shower facilities available.  Visit the tide pools located close to the historic Hotel Del Coronado. If you are there on a warm California evening you might want to take advantage of the fire rings to roast some marshmallows!

While in Coronado you won’t want to miss Glorietta Bay.  This is a popular picnic area because of its small beach area, large grassy park, restrooms and playground equipment.  Rental bikes and pedal cars are available to explore the many winding paths.  This is also a fun place to do some shopping for great San Diego souvenirs.

South of Coronado is Silver Strand State Beach.  It is accessible via a scenic coastal drive which serves as an alternate route to leave Coronado other than the bridge.  This beach requires a daily use fee which covers fire rings, lifeguards, restrooms and showers. It is a fantastic place for camping, swimming, surfing, boating, water-skiing, volleyball and fishing.

Get Away Today has great rates on rooms at the historic Hotel Del Coronado, built in 1888.  This beautiful hotel is located on 31 acres of premium ocean front property just 10 miles from SeaWorld.  We offer many other San Diego hotels just a short distance away, many currently offering 4th or 5th night free specials.  Some favorites include the Days Hotel, Hyatt Regency Mission Bay, The Bahia Resort Hotel, The Catamaran Resort Hotel and the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego.  Get Away Today also provides discounts to SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo, San Diego’s Old Town Trolley and more.  Book your San Diego vacation today!

Pandas at the San Diego Zoo!

For a once in a lifetime experience, visit the San Diego Zoo’s Giant Panda Research Station. The World Famous San Diego Zoo houses the largest population of giant pandas outside of China, with no less than four pandas calling it home! Bai Yun, Gao Gao, Su Lin, and cub, Zhen Zhen, born in 2007, comfortably roam their new oversized habitat where visitors can observe and learn more about these fascinating creatures. A narrator at the exhibit is there to provide updates on the daily adventures and antics of this furry foursome. Visit the Giant Panda Discovery Center located right next to the exhibit where you and your kids can employ all of your senses to gain valuable insight into panda life, behavior, and conservation.

The San Diego Zoo’s panda research agreement with China was made in 1987, and since then four  panda cubs have successfully been born at the zoo! Zhen Zhen is the newest addition to the family, having just celebrated her first birthday in August of 2008. By visiting the San Diego Zoo, you are supporting valuable research and conservation programs for giant pandas and other endangered and threatened species.  Plus...there's nothing cuter than a baby panda!

Save 10% on admission, plus get a second day FREE through Get Away Today by purchasing our Zoo Best Value Ticket. This tickets inludes:  admission, guided bus tour, Express Bus, Skyfari Aerial Tram, the Children's Zoo and all exhibits & shows.  Ticket is valid for a second day within 5 days from the 1st day of use.  PLUS, throughout October children age 3-11 are COMPLETELY FREE!* Take advantage of our free night specials in San Diego for even more savings.

*“Kids Free” offer includes general admission only and is not valid for second day use and does not inlclude Guided Bus Tour, Express Bus, or Skyfari Aerial Tram.

SEA LIFE Aquarium at LEGOLAND Opens Today!

Now there’s even more to “sea” on your San Diego vacation with the brand new SEA LIFE Aquarium!  This new park located just next door to LEGOLAND® provides educational interaction with 14 new areas featuring more than 200 species and 70 LEGO® models. 

  Wind your way through trails where you’ll see natural water life from Lake Tahoe to the Southern California Tide Pools.  Visit Kingdom of the Seahorse and explore the Discovery Zone Touch Pool.  Find yourself at the Lost City of Atlantis, the largest of the aquariums featuring a 10-foot-tall, 1,700 pound statue of Poseidon, amazing sea creatures including sharks and sting rays, and an 11-foot-long LEGO® submarine and divers made of thousands of bricks.  The entire experience can be done in as little as two hours, but if you really want to “soak” everything in, you’ll want to allow yourself a good part of the day. 

Get Away Today is offering you the best way to see LEGOLAND® and the new SEA LIFE Aquarium with our 2-day Park Hopper pass good for both parks.  Save big with our Adults at Kids’ Prices special!  Stay at any of our amazing hotels in San Diego or Carlsbad to make your visit to the SEA LIFE Aquarium and LEGOLAND® a truly memorable vacation.

Top 10 Travel Tips: San Diego

San Diego is a beautiful city.  Here are some Get Away Today insider tips, that will make your vacation to San Diego even more spectacular: 

1.  San Diego is known for SeaWorld®, LegoLand® and the World Famous San Diego Zoo®.  The Wild Animal Park® is a great place to see animals in large enclosures where they roam with other animals.  If you can get there in the morning the animals are more active than later in the day when they tend to rest.

2.  Drive across the Coronado Bridge to beautiful Coronado Island.  The view from the bridge is spectacular; at night the lights of San Diego are fantastic.  Coronado Island is 7.4 square miles of award-winning beach, unique shops and many fun restaurants.  While you are there, don’t miss a stroll through the historical Hotel Del Coronado, also known as San Diego’s Crown Jewel.

3.  Balboa Park is not only home to the World Famous San Diego Zoo, but also 15 major museums.  As you wind your way through this beautiful park there are amazing gardens and restaurants.  You may want to catch a play at the Old Globe.  If you are there on a Sunday, you can enjoy a free organ concert at the Spreckels Outdoor Organ Pavilion.  Some of the museums even offer free admission on a rotating basis on Tuesdays throughout the month.

4.  La Jolla is a place you should not miss.  This unique beach town not only has great weather and a majestic coastline, but also lots of shopping.  You can visit the Children’s Pool and see seals and sea lions lounging on the sand and playing on Seal Rock. A favorite is the Shell Shop at La Jolla Cove.  For $1.00 you can go down into a cave to get an interesting view of the ocean.

5.  If you are up for a beautiful drive you can begin a 59-Mile Scenic Drive at the foot of Broadway.  This three-hour drive along the coast has road signs with a seagull on a yellow and blue background to direct you along the way.

6.  San Diego’s Gaslamp District experienced a major redevelopment in 1982 and now offers a vibrant atmosphere.  There are more than 100 restaurants and night clubs.  The Horton Plaza shopping mall is close by and offers over 190 stores and 23 restaurants.

7.  Old Town San Diego is considered the “birthplace” of California.  All of the museums are free to the public.  The Whaley House was named the #1 most haunted house in the United States by the Travel Channel.  You can also visit the first public school house in San Diego.  There is plenty of fun shopping and loads of good Mexican restaurants to choose from.  Old Town has a Saturday Market from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

8.  For sport lovers, San Diego has two professional teams to root for.  The San Diego Padres play baseball games at the new Petco Park.  It is a great location with breathtaking views of San Diego.  If you are a football fan, you might want to catch a San Diego Chargers game.  The Chargers play at Qualcomm Stadium when they are in town.

9.  If you like to shop and are looking for a good deal, I highly recommend the Carlsbad Premium Outlets.  They have over 90 stores and offer many leading designers. 

If you are traveling between March and May, one of the most beautiful sights is “The Flower Fields” in Carlsbad.  They are located just off of I-5 at Palomar Airport Road.  There are 50 acres of Giant Ranunculus blooms in spectacular colors.  These fields produce 6 to 8 million bulbs per year.  For a fee, you can take a tour.

10.  San Diego offers nearly 50 miles of light-rail trolley lines that circle downtown San Diego and connect East County, Old Town, South Bay, Mission Valley, Qualcomm Stadium, and the Mexican Border.  These trolleys are bright red and easy to spot.  There are 29 bus routes covering 635 miles, so you can easily get anywhere you’d like to go.

© 2007 Get Away Today Vacations

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