Book your flights now to San Diego..........
- Thread starter HappyNUyear
- Start date
San Diego I believe is the #2 tourist destination behind Vegas. A possible alternative for those coming in from NorCal be to fly into Palomar Airport in Carlsbad rather than into SAN. I don’t know details but I believe there is new service into Palomar that was added recently. Other options of course are LAX and the OC airports. Flying into Long Beach is not bad and there is a toll road connecting to I-5 south that makes the drive from LB airport down to SD a little less hectic. Taking the train down from LA/OC is also an option. Several trains run along the coast and the I-5 corridor to SD every day and is very scenic.
For those who are looking for other options.
You may fly into John Wayne airport in Santa Ana which is about 85 miles north from SD or Long Beach airport at about 100 miles away.
Both are smaller regional airports and the drive down to SD can be hell at times but you get Disneyland and Legoland en route to SD.
Drive from LAX will be 3 hours each way and unpredictable due to traffic conditions.
Beaches are clean and upscale as well in Orange County.
For SD, staying at Gaslamp district will be ideal for access to shopping, dining and bars.
SD zoo is world class and Seaworld is worth the visit too.
Lets get this party rolling.
You may fly into John Wayne airport in Santa Ana which is about 85 miles north from SD or Long Beach airport at about 100 miles away.
Both are smaller regional airports and the drive down to SD can be hell at times but you get Disneyland and Legoland en route to SD.
Drive from LAX will be 3 hours each way and unpredictable due to traffic conditions.
Beaches are clean and upscale as well in Orange County.
For SD, staying at Gaslamp district will be ideal for access to shopping, dining and bars.
SD zoo is world class and Seaworld is worth the visit too.
Lets get this party rolling.
Carlsbad does have minimal commercial service, but I don't think the small carrier does ticket coding with the majors. John Wayne or even Long Beach (my favorite) are a couple of hours drive from SD if you want a reasonable option. LAX during the holidays is awful, though.
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If you fly into LAX, be sure to take the Amtrak down the coast. I did so when I was in SoCal a couple of months ago for work and it was a beautiful ride. Also free snacks / wine included with a business class ticket (only $15 more I think).
I concur about business class on Amtrak, it’s worth the extra cost. Also if you are a AAA member you get a slight discount.
The Surf Liner is fantastic (I use it frequently), but there's no train stop at LAX.
Rule #1 about travel in / out of SoCal. Avoid LAX at any cost. Rule #2, see Rule #1.
If you're looking for airport alternatives to San Diego, I do agree with the above recommendations for John Wayne Int'l (airport that serves Orange County). You can hop Hwy #73 to the I5 from there and be in San Diego within 2 x hrs. Long Beach Airport (also recommended) is further North and will add about :45 mins to your drive time, but the airport is easy to get in / out of. My fav is Bob Hope Airport (BUR), which is small and crazy efficient. It's I5 adjacent and a straight shot to San Diego (albeit a 2-3 hr one) from there.
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