GeoffM

Can anybody recommend a nice beachfront promenade with restaurants and maybe attractions suited to young kids in (or near) Encinitas? If such a thing exists, of course! Just going down the evening before going to Legoland and really don't want to drive around aimlessly and end up in a McDonalds.

Thanks.

Hotscot

It's a bit of a quiet wee town..when are you going? It's cold and wet in the area at the moment.

http://voices.yahoo.com/the-5-best-p...08.html?cat=16

If you were going to be in the area during daytime hours on the way down you could visit Dana Point Harbour.

http://www.danapointharbor.com/

GeoffM

Tomorrow! Spring break: kids off school. I suspect spring break won't be like those videos.

I did see that link but apart from the park it didn't really have an "all-in-one" place to just walk around for a few hours, soak up the atmosphere, get an expensive bite to eat, spend a fortune on overpriced amusements, etc. Then to the hotel to crash out for the night.

Ah, that looks worth a visit and very much on the way - thanks.

Hotscot

Geoff...I strongly suggest cancelling. The weather is forecast to be atrocious tomorrow. Very cold wet windy.

GeoffM

No choice really, kids back at school next week, wife's rota means she doesn't get pairs of days that often.

It'll be just like Legoland Windsor then - wet and windy! Maybe a tad warmer. Actually Thursday's forecast is 10% chance of rain which is reasonable odds for me.

Michael

I think hotscot has been in California too long since normally 10% is high in California.

Hotscot

Yes it'll be calmer, but still cool, on Thursday but according to this for tomorrow, 90% rain. (I love the rain but it could be a soggy Wednesday..good day for a dolphin trip

http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/...:92023.1.99999

Hotscot

Too bloody long...I only meant to come for six months and that was in 2000

joto

We were at Oceanside the weekend before last. Didn't get out the car at the boardwalk as at was too bldy cold. It does have a pier though. I don't know about restaurants, although we saw some driving by and we stayed at La Quinta which is quite nice with fridge and coffee maker, can't remember about a microwave and it does have free breakfast. It's not far off I5.

Alan17

When we lived down that way we used to wander around Carlsbad village. Lots of restaurants, not bad British shop, and a long promenade to walk along.

It is pretty bad weather that's forecast for this week though. There may be clouds.......
If you don't mind the $ that actually makes it a good time to visit the Wild Animal Park in Escondido. Rest of the year it's roasting hot out there.

bewildering

Unfortunately Carlsbad, Encinitas, Cardiff, Solano beach and Del mar don't really have a boardwalk. Mainly because of the terrain. And it might not be beach weather tomorrow morning (should be nice by afternoon).

Of those places I'd recommend Solano Beach the most. But again the shops and restaurants are set back from the coast. It is only 5 minutes south from Encinitas.

Mission Beach has an amusement area http://www.belmontpark.com/ . And there are some restaurants/bars nearby. It is right next to the beach and you can walk up and down the boardwalk, probably catch SloMo.

Probably a 30 minute drive south on the 5 from Encinitas.

Downtown la jolla is also nice enough to walk round, check out the seals and there are a few very nice restaurants. Probably 25 minutes.

The wild animal park is a good suggestion for kids, might be worth getting the year pass (good for san diego zoo as well). Afterwards hit the Stone brewery. The restaurant is good. There are also some wine places with food around, but maybe not so kid friendly.

GeoffM

All the other words just faded away and this was left!

Thanks for the ideas. We won't be going til mid afternoon anyway, and as has been said, it should be a little better in the afternoon anyway.

We've got annual Merlin passes to Legoland - yes I would have preferred elsewhere - and it includes the Sea Life centres. That would probably have been a better option tomorrow instead (though we still need a restaurant somewhere) but I think we have to go to Legoland to activate the passes first.

Gillymonkey

I'd also suggest Mission Beach, there is more right beside the sea for the kids.

GeoffM

The wife already had plans, something she decided to share just about when firing up the satnav. So we ended up at the Flower Fields which, to be fair, was quite pleasant and the kids did enjoy it too. Fortunately not far from the hotel too. Thanks for the ideas though; will certainly bear in mind for next time.

Hotscot

Dana Point Harbour is lovely when the sun is shining
Hopefully you can visit sometime.