When I was a child my parents spoke about “Vacation Village” (now known as Paradise Point) with a certain dreamy tone that makes kids prick up their ears. I was raised on the east coast and California was a far off place that may as well have been Europe for all the exotic golden sunshine, oranges and images of movie stars the mention of this place conjured.
Vacation Village was a special getaway my parents liked to visit when they attended conferences on the west coast. They went with friends for long weekends of tennis and exploring San Diego’s old town. They came back tanned, relaxed and happy. They never mentioned to us kids that Vacation Village was a family friendly sort of place. I guess they liked keeping it to themselves!
That cat is out of the bag now. Way out.
We first visited Paradise Point for a week long getaway three years ago, and found it a charming, wonderful place to visit with family and friends. Since undergoing a massive renovation this past year, it’s even better. The bungalows have all been thoughtfully and beautifully remodeled.
What I love about Paradise Point is that it’s such a nice place to get away, in a way that hearkens back to an easier time, a time when family vacations were more about family and less about how many theme parks you could hit in a week. Which makes sense when you read the resort’s history. To be sure you could hit a lot of resorts while staying here – you are close enough to Disney, Legoland, The San Diego Zoo and Seaworld (pretty much across the street) to see them all. But once you check in, you might not want to go. Instead you may find yourself content to stay put, sipping cocktails and playing cards poolside by the lagoon, strolling on the beach, pedaling on a quad bike, leisurely hitting golf balls on the putt putt course, playing tennis, and toasting marshmallows at a beach bonfire. With the fantastic food on offer at the Barefoot Grill and award winning Baleen restaurant, you really don’t have to ever leave.
No wonder my parents still wax nostalgic about this resort.
I’d recommend this resort to families looking for a little R&R with a certain kitsch factor (giant tiki torches and abundant hibiscus flowers so big they almost look fake). This resort is perfect for a family reunion or multi family getaway.
Paradise Point Summer Packages include:
- Fourth Night’s the Charm: Guests need at least four days to truly experience San Diego’s only island resort. Stay for four consecutive nights and the fourth night is complimentary. Rates starting at $299 per night plus tax. Promotional code: 4FREE
- SeaWorld Splash Package: The world-famous SeaWorld is just a short walk from the resort, and with this package, guests enjoy tickets to this ever-popular destination, with shows such as Believe, Dolphin Discovery and Pets Rule, and wild rides ranging from Journey to Atlantis to the Wild Arctic. Rates starting at $399 per night plus tax. Promotional code: SPLASH
- Kids Kamp/Date Night: Kids have fun and parents get a break with Kids Kamp and Date Night specials. An exciting, supervised experience, this program for the pint-sized features arts and crafts, swimming, beach games, face painting and more. Rates for Half-Day are $50 or Full Day $100. Date night offers a chance for Mom and Dad to have dinner while we take care of the kids.
- Beach Bonfires: Head to the beach and the nearest bay-front fire ring and make sumptuous s’mores for traditional summertime fun. The resort’s signature S’mores Kit comes with a bundle of wood, fire starter, sodas, chips and all the necessary ingredients to create these sublime bonfire treats. $56 serves a group of 4-6, available at the Island Market.
- Dive-in Movies: Offering the coolest way to spend a summer eve, Paradise Point’s maritime marquee flickers with film favorites projected poolside on a big screen. Catch them from a lounge chair, or stretched out on a float. Movies are offered Wednesdays and Saturdays and are complimentary for in-house guests.
Disclosure: We enjoyed one free night’s stay and dinner at this resort in order to check out the renovation and in consideration of our review. However, we’ve been there before, and will be back again! Possibly soon.. we have a family event coming up in October…
I absolutely love love love Paradise Point in San Diego! My friend and I discovered this place when we were coming home from Hawaii. We didn’t want our Hawaiian Vacation to end just yet when flying into San Diego and we used Priceline or whatever it was where you aren’t exactly sure where you are staying but we rented a convertible and we found ourselves here and it was beautiful! The tiki torches and the beautiful warm swimming pool. It was so wonderful. We have been back many many times since! It is our little Hawaii away from Hawaii!
Thanks for your review! I had never heard of this resort in San Diego before. I’ve heard of a lot of nice places to stay in the city, so I’ll have to add this one to my list.