Me and Karen took a weekend trip to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary last weekend. Wow!! It’s been 5 years already? How time flies….
We had originally planned a 4 day weekend getaway to Fort Lauderdale, Florida but after seeing the thunderstorm ravaged 14 day weather forecast, we decided to cancel our airline and hotel bookings and attempt a local getaway instead. Thank goodness I had booked the flights on Southwest which has a zero penalty cancellation policy!! The AAA rate at the Marriott is a refundable rate so no problem there either.
We wanted to stay two nights at some beach and since Marriott Megabonus Fall 2012 promo was in play, I decided that we should do a “mattress run” along with our mini-vacation. I booked 1 night each at the Ventura Beach, Marriott and the Marriott Courtyard Solana Beach/Del Mar.
We got to the Ventura Beach Marriott at around 12 noon. Check-in was quick and after putting our luggage in the room we went on our way to the beach.
Beach access is just around the corner and down 1 block from the hotel, approximately a 5 minute walk. The weather was gorgeous in the high 70’s with clear skies and a cool breeze. The water was mild-to-cold but that didn’t stop many from getting in the water. Still, after having a taste of the warm Florida and Caribbean beaches, its very hard living up to those standards. An alternative to swimming is Beach Volleyball. There were numerous volleyball nets available, so you can bring your family and friends along, or meet some new people to enjoy a game (but we weren’t here for exercise).
After spending about an hour checking out the beach we decided to go for lunch. We were craving seafood and my facebook app indicated that there was a Joe’s Crab Shack nearby. According to the app, the restaurant was only 500ft away yet I didn’t see it anywhere nearby. The check-in clerk indicated it was less than half a mile away (in his words “not far at all”). We followed his directions and it ended up about a mile and a half away!! A big thumbs-down to facebook and our clueless check-in gentleman. If you enjoy walking, we highly recommend taking the beach down about a mile then heading up toward the street where it crosses under the freeway. The restaurant is just past there on the left. Otherwise just stick to the In-and-Out Hamburger just across the street.
After lunch we took the beach route back toward the hotel. Along the way we saw lots of seagulls soaking up the sun and playing in the waves on the beach. We found a place to sit and just relaxed watching and listening to the surf. This is a family friendly beach with lots of kids having fun in the water.
After about two hours we decided to go back to the hotel and just relax for the rest of the day. A walk around the hotel and a dip in the hot tub and we were ready to call it a day.
The next morning we woke up a little late and after a quick breakfast, started our journey towards our next stop, Solana Beach Marriott (located in the city of Del Mar). We drove past Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice Beach and then Oceanside and Carlsbad. We checked into the hotel at around 2 pm.
Marriott Courtyard Solana Beach/Del Mar Review
We were starving by the time we checked in and I searched for restaurants at the Tripadvisor app and the #1 recommended restaurant was the Fish Marketwhich was like only half a mile from the hotel.
We spent a couple of hours that evening just lounging by the outdoor fireplace and the courtyard pool at the hotel. It was another beautiful and warm day in sunny Southern California.
After waking up the next morning we decided to go to the Del Mar North Beach just 1 block down the street going right when exiting the hotel. To say the beach is a pet-friendly beach is an understatement. There were at least two dozen people with multiple dogs wandering along and playing on the beach. It was fun watching the dogs fetching frisbees and balls way out in the water in between the waves. I would have loved to bring Leiken (our dog) to this beach though I don’t know how well he would behave here. He is not the most social of dogs. LOL.
After spending about 2 hours at the dog beach we walked back to the hotel to check out. Before heading home we wanted to be sure to visit the other beach located nearby. Exiting right through the rear of the hotel, we walked about a block down the street. You’ll find the entrance between 2 condo style properties with a sign that reads “Welcome to Seascape Sur Beach Access”. This pretty little secluded beach was definitely not for the dogs.
There were a few condos right at the edge of the cliff providing fascinating views. There was a staircase with about 150 steps that went down the cliff to the beach (a workout with a view, according to one resident). The beach is shallow allowing you to walk quite a distance into the water and still be waist deep. I loved the beach here (despite all the seaweed) and I am definitely going to be back here next year.
Cost (Total for 2 travelers):
- Hotel: $330 (Ventura Beach Marriott & Marriott Courtyard Solana Beach/Del Mar)
- Gas: $45
Miles/Points/Certificates Redeemed:
- None
Miles/Points/Cash-back Earned:
- 6965 Marriott Rewards points (out of which 4000 is Refer-a-friend bonus)
- 1 Free Night Certificate for Marriott Category 1- 4 Hotels as a part of the 2012 Fall, Marriott Megabonus Promo
- 750 Ultimate Reward Points (Pending)