Life is about to get really busy for us starting this week so we took a much-needed staycation to relax and unwind before the craziness begins. Luckily, living in San Diego, we don’t need to drive far to take a vacation. While sometimes we’ll do the drive to the mountains, or up north to LA or Palm Springs, this past weekend we took our staycation in San Diego’s finest city.
Town & Country provided us a complimentary stay// all opinions are my own
I’ve heard amazing things from friends and on social media about Town & Country but I had to see it for myself. First off, if you’re coming to San Diego and looking to do some sightseeing along the way, there is no better location. Town & Country is located in Mission Valley, the most central location to fun family activities and across the street from Fashion Valley mall, and trust me you’ll want to check it out because there’s a ton of great shops/restaurants to add to your to do list.
The entire hotel was recently renovated and it’s a total California retro-beachy vibe. The lobby has some of the coolest pieces of furniture and there’s so much character every where you look. It almost feels like you are stepping into a set of an old-time movie, but with a modern twist. Everywhere you look there’s a photo spot and something cool to look at.
Within a 15 minute drive from the hotel you’ll find:
- Mission Bay
- Ocean Beach
- Pacific Beach
- San Diego Zoo
- Balboa Park
- Seaport Village
- Petco Park
- Gaslamp
- Seaworld San Diego
- Civita Waterfront Park
- UTC Mall
- Tijuana, MX border
- San Diego State University
Those places are just to name a few of the many things you’ll be able to do when visiting San Diego.
Since we get to experience San Diego 365 days a year, we decided to take in our entire staycation by enjoying all of the amenities offered at Town & Country. However, if you are visiting from out of town, I highlight recommend you take in the best of both in and around the resort and knock off some of the items on the list.
We checked in to Town & Country for a two-day staycation and everything was amazing from start to end.
They have several different dining options on-site that I highly recommend checking out.
Dining options
Monkey Bar
If you’re looking for a yummy cocktail and some appetizers, this is your spot. The Drunken Money was my favorite drink full of tropical-fruit flavors. I even got the girls a virgin version of my drink so they wouldn’t feel left out. For our appetizer, we got a cheese pizza and it blew all of us away! They have a pizza oven on-site and it made for a delicious crispy thin-crust pizza that I am already craving again!
Lap It Up
If you’re looking to get some drinks and food while out at the pool, this is your spot. They serve all the same delicious drinks from Monkey Bar and have everything from burgers, salads, pizza, etc. to munch on while basking in the sun.
Mrkt
Looking for something on the go? This is the spot. I had a Mexican Mocha for breakfast and it was SO good. Not many places make this drink so whenever I find a spot that has one, I always have to try it. They offer breakfast, lunch and dinner options for pick-up and also have a variety of snacks to take on the go with you.
Lapper
If you’re looking for a sit-down casual dining, this is your spot. They have an assortment of foods, even for picky eaters.
Arlo
I did not have a chance to try out this restaurant but based on the amount of foot traffic I saw at the restaurant, I am going to have to guess that it is really good. They’re open for brunch as of recently (I need to go back and try it) and have a really good dinner menu.
Family Activities
Poolside
Okay so the girls decide to rate our vacations based on “how cool the pool area is” and Town & Country successfully got a 10/10 from all of us. The pool area has a full-sized pool, jacuzzi, kiddie pool, and a water slide. The kids literally spend hours going on the water slide over and over. There is a 48″ requirement but if your kids are under the height requirement and know how to swim, they are able to do a swim test to see if they are still able to go down the slide.
While the kids enjoyed the slide all day long, I loved that they had cabana rentals poolside. I was able to get a cabana that had a perfect view of the slide so I was able to relax with a drink in my hand as the kids had their fun.
S’mores
On Friday night, the resort offered complimentary pre-packaged s’more for hotel guests. Of course the girls had three s’mores each and that ended up being our dinner but that’s what vacation is all about, am I right?
Movies by the pool
On Saturday night, the resort sets up an outdoor movie right in from of the pool. The pool is heated so there were still a ton of kids swimming in the pool while also enjoying the movie at the same time. Since the girls have an early bed time, I opted out of the night swim and had them put their sweats on. We grabbed a pizza at the Mrkt, brought down a blanket and cozied up on the lounge chairs to watch Shrek.
When to visit
If you have a larger family, or like extra space when on vacation, the resort offers a variety of room and suite options. They are also a pet-friendly hotel and I saw quite a few dogs walking around which was really fun to see. You can check out their current rates here.
If you’re planning to visit San Diego, I highly recommend planning a vacation during the fall. While the summer is great, it is also a really busy time for tourism. September – November in San Diego is still really warm during the day and the evenings are a bit cooler. It’s still perfect weather to hit the beach, pool, and wear shorts. If you’re looking to find the best deals and beat the crowds, I recommend planning around this.
