San Diego

Affordable lodging DOWNTOWN

Motel 6 San Diego Downtown...
Click the photo to visit their website/reservations page.
I don't normally stay at Motel 6 properties unless I have no other choice; they can be sketchy and I've had some bad experiences at them. This particular Motel 6, however, is one of the best ones I've stayed at. It's well maintained and the staff is very helpful. You won't find better value if you're looking to stay downtown, and it's in a prime location!

This motel is easily in walking distance to many exciting spots in the city, including the harbor! Also nearby is a "The Rooftop", a rooftop bar above the Carte Hotel (very expensive hotel, but you can still visit the bar if you're not a hotel tenant), False Idol (a hidden bar inside the Craft and Commerce restaurant- you have to know the password to get in), Music Box nightclub, and the Rooftop Cinema movie theatre (located in Little Italy, with lots of good restaurants around).1 block from the Motel 6, you can find a convenience store that sells a variety of food/drinks/supplies.

Maritime Museum of San Diego

The Maritime Museum here is fantastic if you're into ships and naval history. Its features include the Star of India, a vessel that used to carry immigrants to Australia, and the HMS Suprise (a ship that was used in the film Master and Commander: Far Side of the World, one of my favorite movies), the San Salvador (a recreated model of the Spanish vessel that was the first to reach America's west coast), a submarine and a few smaller vessels...

Nearby Neighborhoods

National City

Just south of downtown is National City...one of the oldest neighborhoods in the county, it has lots of historic buildings that have been preserved, as well as numerous trendy restaurants and bars. I recommend the Ramada Inn there. Click the hotel photo to visit their website/reservations page. if you're staying in National City. It's a nice Wyndham property within walking distance to many spots in town, and if you ask for a room on a high floor, you'll get some amazing views of the city or naval base/harbor.

El Cajon

East of San Diego is the neighborhood of El Cajon...If you're ever out here, I highly recommend the Days Inn by Wyndham San Diego-East/El Cajon. The rooms are very nice and seem like they've been recently updated, and there's a private indoor jacuzzi room that's separate from the pool. Also, it's next door to a Denny's restaurant and 1 block away from Los Garcia's Taco Shop (great local Mexican food!) Click the jacuzzi photo to go to the Days Inn website...

Sunset Cliffs!

If you're in San Diego on a clear evening, don't miss out on a chance to watch the sun set on the ocean from the Sunset Cliffs. About 15 minutes west of the airport, there are a few small parking lots and a lot of street parking nearby. There's a boardwalk that goes along the cliffs for about a mile, and you can take a stroll as you watch the sun disappear on the horizon. Sunset Cliffs is also a great place to check out some awesome shorefront properties!

Mission Valley/
Mission Trails

Northeast of San Diego you'll find Mission Valley, where there is some awesome hiking available in Mission Trails Regional Park! There are a number of trails in the area. I've trekked the Clairemont Mesa trailhead to the North Fortuna summit, and it was really a beautiful trail, with a great view of the city from the summit! Be careful and make sure to wear shoes, because there are SNAKES. I encountered a rattlesnake on my hike once, which was really awesome to see, but I'm lucky I saw it before stepping on it. If you're looking for hotels in the area, I like the Days Inn by Wyndham Mission Valley. There's a Bargain Market Grocery Outlet nearby that has super-low prices on food, but if you're willing to spend more money there are a number of nice restaurants and nicer hotels (I recommend Holiday Inn) in Mira Mesa, which is north of the valley. There's a Trader Joes there too, if you prefer to eat in your hotel and are looking for healtheir options.