Relaxing Vacation a Short Flight from SF Bay Area? Difficulty: Toddler
August 2, 2015 3:01 PM
Our family of three (two adults, one toddler) is trying to plan a vacation for the spring. We have about a week to spend and would prefer a flight less than 4-5 hours but could be convinced to go further for a great destination. We're just having so much trouble narrowing down destinations based on the different interests/needs of our family - please help!
Toddler Mouse will be about 2 years 9 months at the time of the trip. Currently he is 25 months and is not yet verbal other than a handful of words and signs, though hopefully he will be speaking more by the time of the trip (yes, he's in speech therapy and receiving early intervention services - no need for a derail here). He has a short attention span, is a very picky eater, and has texture/sensory issues (mostly moist/slimy/goopy textures and an aversion to getting his hands/face dirty - he's fine with just plain water and loves water activities).
Despite our active vacation style pre-child, our inclination is to rule out trips that would be faster-paced sight-seeing vacations - basically, we don't want to feel like we "missed out" on too much if all Toddler Mouse wanted to do was play with a fountain or poke rocks for an afternoon. We ruled out cities like NYC, DC, and London (always wanted to go despite the long flight) based on this idea.
What sounds good is to have a home base with enough things on the grounds or within walking distance to keep us happy for a few days if we don't do much outside sightseeing. Short car rides are okay, but probably not too many sightseeing activities that require more than an hour in the car.
My ideal: beach vacation (Cabo, Mazatlan, or Hawaii, or maybe Caribbean, Belize, or Costa Rica despite the longer flights), snorkeling, warm weather, trees, wildlife, good wine and/or cocktails. I would be open to a non-beach locale if it meets enough other criteria though.
Mr. Mouse's ideal: good scenery, nice room with a view or patio to relax, cool nights, opportunities to get out of the sun for a while, good beer. He would like to do something "different enough" from the Cancun/Tulum trip we are planning in Oct 2016.
Toddler Mouse's ideal: walk-in pool, fun water features, ducks/dolphins/cats/dogs/birds (his current animal obsessions), trains/buses/planes, not too crowded but not empty either (he loves watching people and things but not having to interact with them if he's not in the mood), and space to run and explore without being scolded because he's about to be in danger or in someone's way.
Things we can agree on:
- Flying out of SJC is preferable but SFO or maybe OAK could work too.
- Thinking of traveling of March or April but this is flexible.
- Good food (especially seafood and vegetarian options) and drinks are a priority, but not really interested in "fine dining." A fridge in the room is important for the picky toddler.
- Flexible on condo vs. hotel/resort but would definitely like a separate bedroom area so the grown-ups can hang out after the little one goes to bed
- Would like some fun family-friendly things to do within a hour's car ride (don't want to spend an entire week just on hotel grounds!). We expect Toddler Mouse to still be napping at this point and would like to spend that nap at the hotel most days.
- Would prefer to spend under $200/night for accommodations.
- Will have a stroller and carseat with us and are comfortable walking fair distances. Interested in walking around various interesting areas with shops, parks, and restaurants to explore at our own pace.
To give you an idea of what we like: We went to Maui when Toddler Mouse was 15 months and had a good time, though we didn't do as many across the island trips as we had originally planned. Did a lot of short trips to neighboring locales, downtown areas, beaches, and restaurants. While our son napped, my husband happily stayed in the air-conditioned room with his laptop, and I snorkeled in front of our hotel. Letting the kid play at a baby beach (no big waves, just a walk-in cove area with fish) during the day, and eating fresh poke and drinking on our patio overlooking the ocean at night after Toddler Mouse was asleep was pretty much the best thing ever.
Toddler Mouse will be about 2 years 9 months at the time of the trip. Currently he is 25 months and is not yet verbal other than a handful of words and signs, though hopefully he will be speaking more by the time of the trip (yes, he's in speech therapy and receiving early intervention services - no need for a derail here). He has a short attention span, is a very picky eater, and has texture/sensory issues (mostly moist/slimy/goopy textures and an aversion to getting his hands/face dirty - he's fine with just plain water and loves water activities).
Despite our active vacation style pre-child, our inclination is to rule out trips that would be faster-paced sight-seeing vacations - basically, we don't want to feel like we "missed out" on too much if all Toddler Mouse wanted to do was play with a fountain or poke rocks for an afternoon. We ruled out cities like NYC, DC, and London (always wanted to go despite the long flight) based on this idea.
What sounds good is to have a home base with enough things on the grounds or within walking distance to keep us happy for a few days if we don't do much outside sightseeing. Short car rides are okay, but probably not too many sightseeing activities that require more than an hour in the car.
My ideal: beach vacation (Cabo, Mazatlan, or Hawaii, or maybe Caribbean, Belize, or Costa Rica despite the longer flights), snorkeling, warm weather, trees, wildlife, good wine and/or cocktails. I would be open to a non-beach locale if it meets enough other criteria though.
Mr. Mouse's ideal: good scenery, nice room with a view or patio to relax, cool nights, opportunities to get out of the sun for a while, good beer. He would like to do something "different enough" from the Cancun/Tulum trip we are planning in Oct 2016.
Toddler Mouse's ideal: walk-in pool, fun water features, ducks/dolphins/cats/dogs/birds (his current animal obsessions), trains/buses/planes, not too crowded but not empty either (he loves watching people and things but not having to interact with them if he's not in the mood), and space to run and explore without being scolded because he's about to be in danger or in someone's way.
Things we can agree on:
- Flying out of SJC is preferable but SFO or maybe OAK could work too.
- Thinking of traveling of March or April but this is flexible.
- Good food (especially seafood and vegetarian options) and drinks are a priority, but not really interested in "fine dining." A fridge in the room is important for the picky toddler.
- Flexible on condo vs. hotel/resort but would definitely like a separate bedroom area so the grown-ups can hang out after the little one goes to bed
- Would like some fun family-friendly things to do within a hour's car ride (don't want to spend an entire week just on hotel grounds!). We expect Toddler Mouse to still be napping at this point and would like to spend that nap at the hotel most days.
- Would prefer to spend under $200/night for accommodations.
- Will have a stroller and carseat with us and are comfortable walking fair distances. Interested in walking around various interesting areas with shops, parks, and restaurants to explore at our own pace.
To give you an idea of what we like: We went to Maui when Toddler Mouse was 15 months and had a good time, though we didn't do as many across the island trips as we had originally planned. Did a lot of short trips to neighboring locales, downtown areas, beaches, and restaurants. While our son napped, my husband happily stayed in the air-conditioned room with his laptop, and I snorkeled in front of our hotel. Letting the kid play at a baby beach (no big waves, just a walk-in cove area with fish) during the day, and eating fresh poke and drinking on our patio overlooking the ocean at night after Toddler Mouse was asleep was pretty much the best thing ever.
Haha, I was also going to suggest Maui, specifically the Kahana Sunset condos, which have a small private beach with a good reef right out in front, so parent 1 can play on the sand with toddler (or in the pool, they have a kiddie pool) while parent 2 sees some pretty good stuff snorkeling.
posted by fingersandtoes at 3:32 PM on August 2, 2015
posted by fingersandtoes at 3:32 PM on August 2, 2015
What about Carmel? Cute upscale shopping, lovely beaches. Monterey Aquarium for kiddo.
Pajaro Dunes may be farther from Monterey than you would like, but I adore it. A long quiet beach full of shorebirds, and wonderful rental options. In the off season you could find a condo there that would serve for under $200/night I think.
posted by fingersandtoes at 3:39 PM on August 2, 2015
Pajaro Dunes may be farther from Monterey than you would like, but I adore it. A long quiet beach full of shorebirds, and wonderful rental options. In the off season you could find a condo there that would serve for under $200/night I think.
posted by fingersandtoes at 3:39 PM on August 2, 2015
In the future, for a longer flight, you may want to consider Montreal. Great food, great beer and wine, excellent public transportation, and nicely laid back for people watching. There's the Biodome for animal obsessions - the puffins are endlessly entertaining. There is a hotel across the St Lawrence that is right next to a Metro Station and about a third the price of staying in Montreal proper. The mister's ideal vacation is close to yours, but Montreal ranks just under Aruba for him.
posted by Ruki at 3:52 PM on August 2, 2015
posted by Ruki at 3:52 PM on August 2, 2015
San Diego, making most if not all the trip via Amtrak. One of you get your assigned seats, the other a table in the observation car.
posted by tilde at 5:28 PM on August 2, 2015
posted by tilde at 5:28 PM on August 2, 2015
We spent a week in San Diego with our toddler when she was that age. We actually stayed in a condo overlooking Imperial Beach - not the fanciest beach community but perfectly nice for a small child. Pretty fast to drive into Coronado or downtown San Diego. One of the great things about San Diego is that all the kid oriented things are very high quality, and it's easy to find things that coincide with your child's interests. We plan on going back sooner rather than later.
For a very relaxed beach vacation, I suggest Kauai. More beautiful than San Diego, less expensive than Maui.
posted by stowaway at 5:34 PM on August 2, 2015
For a very relaxed beach vacation, I suggest Kauai. More beautiful than San Diego, less expensive than Maui.
posted by stowaway at 5:34 PM on August 2, 2015
Oops, sorry, I definitely should have mentioned that I'm actually from San Diego and still visit family there fairly often. I certainly agree it's a great destination for families though and heartily endorse it for any other families looking for a toddler-friendly city with lots of outdoor activities and great food!
We're not opposed to going back to Maui but just feel like there's so much of the world we haven't seen. I've never been to any other Hawaiian islands and haven't seen any of Mexico past Tijuana, for example.
posted by mouse noises at 5:40 PM on August 2, 2015
We're not opposed to going back to Maui but just feel like there's so much of the world we haven't seen. I've never been to any other Hawaiian islands and haven't seen any of Mexico past Tijuana, for example.
posted by mouse noises at 5:40 PM on August 2, 2015
Duly noted about San Diego! I can give some feedback on other places you mentioned. I wouldn't take a toddler to Cabo. It's a party scene and most of the activities are more appropriate for an older child, like tweens/teens. (Also, Cabo is annoying because it feels like everything is denominated in time share presentation units.) It feels hard to break away from the resorts and experience nature past the beach. I imagine there are more relaxed towns in Mexico that would meet your desires.
Costa Rica is amazing, but it can feel like a long journey to get there, and traveling around takes a while, too. Samara is a nice beach town on the Pacific side, more family oriented than surfer/party scene.
On Kauai, we stayed in Poipu at Kiahuna Plantation with our toddler and it was pretty much perfect in every way for a relaxed beach vacation.
posted by stowaway at 7:34 PM on August 2, 2015
Costa Rica is amazing, but it can feel like a long journey to get there, and traveling around takes a while, too. Samara is a nice beach town on the Pacific side, more family oriented than surfer/party scene.
On Kauai, we stayed in Poipu at Kiahuna Plantation with our toddler and it was pretty much perfect in every way for a relaxed beach vacation.
posted by stowaway at 7:34 PM on August 2, 2015
Another Hawaii destination you might like would be the Big Island. There is a state beach called Kahuluu Beach Park in Kailua, which has world class snorkeling (better than anything I saw in Maui, including poor polluted Molokini) and wonderful little shallows that work great for toddlers. There are plenty of condos to rent across the street.
There is a lot to see on the Big Island other than snorkeling, but I'm not sure how great those other parts would be with a toddler, is the thing. Volcano National Park is fantastic, but the lava is sharp, and with a toddler I'm just not sure. There's a botanical garden that is pretty. I haven't been to the eastern side, it's supposed to be lush and lovely though.
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:39 PM on August 2, 2015
There is a lot to see on the Big Island other than snorkeling, but I'm not sure how great those other parts would be with a toddler, is the thing. Volcano National Park is fantastic, but the lava is sharp, and with a toddler I'm just not sure. There's a botanical garden that is pretty. I haven't been to the eastern side, it's supposed to be lush and lovely though.
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:39 PM on August 2, 2015
Thanks everyone for all the wonderful advice and suggestions! We definitely have a lot of awesome places to investigate. Thanks especially to stowaway for giving some specific feedback on destinations we were considering.
posted by mouse noises at 10:04 AM on September 16, 2015
posted by mouse noises at 10:04 AM on September 16, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
If you don't want to go back to Hawaii, have you considered San Diego? It seems like it ticks off most of your boxes.
posted by asterix at 3:26 PM on August 2, 2015