Last month my husband and I enjoyed a getaway vacation with my younger daughter’s family, spending a week in balmy San Diego. Over the past 18 months or so, we had made and cancelled trips to Las Vegas and Hawai‘i as COVID variants surged just as it seemed things were settling down. We were all so pleased that this trip went off with nary a hitch, and I can report that a good time was definitely had by all, from my two-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter to her Papou, my husband, Harry.

My daughter and son-in-law did a great job finding us the perfect accommodations in an Airbnb vacation home in Mission Beach, north of downtown San Diego and just a few miles down the coastline from La Jolla. The three-story home sat just a long block from the Pacific beach and four blocks or so from Mission Bay, and the owners thoughtfully provided everything their guests could want. In the garage we found boogie boards, a windsurfing board, a volleyball net, beach toys, folding beach chairs and umbrellas, and a sturdy wagon to haul all the gear back and forth to the beach. The house itself met our needs perfectly: My husband and I shared the ground-floor king bedroom and bath which opened onto a paved patio, while the second (main) floor offered a full bath and kitchen/dining/living open floorplan with a spacious balcony accessed through a sliding glass wall that brought the outdoors in. At the top of the house was another king bedroom, full bath and a bedroom with two queen beds: Jenny and Josh and June’s exclusive domain. Outside, we made good use of the outdoor shower after playing in the sand, and the aforementioned patio boasted a gas firepit and a nice grill. The patio opened onto the “street” — a paved footpath which led directly to Ocean Front Walk, the promenade paralleling the beach that runs the length of the peninsula separating the Pacific Ocean from Mission Bay. It was surprisingly (and pleasantly) quiet at night, though, even being so close to the boardwalk.

Our first evening was spent unpacking, making a run to the local grocery store and getting settled into our comfortable home for the week. The next day had us eager to get out and explore the neighborhood, so we headed up to Ocean Front Walk to stroll north towards Crystal Pier at adjoining Pacific Beach. A persistent marine layer of thin, low clouds blocked the sun for several hours, but there was little to no breeze, and the temperature hovered in the mid-70s, keeping the walk comfortable. It provided wonderful people-watching opportunities, too, as we shared the way with skateboarders, joggers, dog-walkers and strollers of all sizes and ages. We all remarked on how very fit everyone looked!

We also enjoyed looking at the variety of homes and businesses that lined our path. Some places clearly were decades old and harkened back to the days when this stretch was a low-cost hangout for surfers, while others boasted modern, sleek lines and million-dollar-plus price tags. Surf shops offering rental boards and lessons, take-out food stands and coffee and souvenir shops sat shoulder-to-shoulder with restaurants and nightclubs featuring rooftops with stunning sunset views and trendy seafood menus.

Our turn-around point was Crystal Pier at Pacific Beach, built in 1927 and home to the Crystal Pier Hotel & Cottages, which cluster at the shore end of the pier.  Guests can sleep “over the ocean” in the refurbished original accommodations, but the pier is open to the public to stroll, fish and watch the surfers riding the waves below them. The waves weren’t terribly big, but we enjoyed watching as the surfers took their turns nearby.

Later that afternoon we returned to the beach as the sun came out, to splash in the waves (so much warmer than our Oregon Pacific waters!) and make sandcastles. It was a lovely, easy day and a nice, low-key start to our stay, and we enjoyed the first of several beautiful sunsets of that week. More on our kid-friendly, multigenerational family trip in the weeks to come!

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor