Five beach days, five different beaches: La Jolla to Coronado without ever recommending a bad dinner.
The beach trip, done in the right order. Day 1 lands straight into La Jolla: tacos, a sea-cave kayak tour for the 8-and-ups, and the gentle slope of La Jolla Shores (Rosie Score 81), where leopard sharks cruise the shallows in late summer and they are harmless enough to swim over. Day 2 is Coronado, all wide white sand and the turrets of the Hotel del. Day 3 the kids learn to surf where every San Diego kid learns, then spend the afternoon on the Belmont Park coaster. Day 4 trades sand for cliffs at Torrey Pines and an afternoon boat looking for blue whales, the largest animal that has ever lived. Day 5 squeezes in the tide pools and the aquarium before the drive to the airport. Plan $2,800 to $3,700 for a family of 4.
A trip planned with you, not for you.
This is a read-only preview of Rosie's builder. Switch between list, map, and calendar to explore the trip. In your own, every stop is yours to move, swap, or rebuild.
Each day, told as a story
Every day touches sand, but only one day has an alarm clock: surf lessons start early or not at all.
Arrival straight into the water.
Sparkling sand and a castle hotel.
Early start, big payoff.
A hike, a boat, and dock dinner.
Low tide, sea dragons, home.
Best for your kid's age
Family Score rates each venue 0–100 based on age-appropriateness, safety, and fun factor.
If your youngest is 0–3
La Jolla Shores Beach
The gentlest slope and smallest waves in San Diego.
Kono's Cafe
Pancakes bigger than their head, boardwalk out front.
Coronado Beach
Wide, flat, sparkling sand with room to run forever.
If your youngest is 4–8
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Seahorses, a shark shallows, and tide-pool touch tanks.
Belmont Park
A real wooden coaster sized for first-timers.
La Jolla Tide Pools
Anemones and hermit crabs at their feet, free.
If your youngest is 9–12
Belmont Park
The Giant Dipper, then laser tag negotiations.
Surf Diva Surf School
Standing up on a wave by lunchtime.
San Diego Whale Watch
Blue whales in summer; dolphins ride the bow year-round.
What it costs
A typical 5-day trip for a family of 4
Estimated total
$2,800 - $3,700
ex. lodging · family of 4 · 5 days
Mission Bay hotel (4 nights)
$1,100-$1,500
Kayak, surf lesson, rides, whale watch, aquarium
$700-$950
Meals
$650-$850
Rental car, gas, parking
$350-$450
Three of the five beach anchors are free: La Jolla Shores, Coronado Beach, and the tide pools. Belmont Park has free entry, so wristbands are optional.
Book kayak and surf lessons online 2 to 3 weeks out; summer walk-up spots are rare and pricier.
The Kellogg Park lot at La Jolla Shores is free if you arrive before 9; after that you are circling.
Five things we wish we'd known
The Day 5 tide pools only exist at low tide. Check the tide table when you book flights and flip Day 5 morning with the aquarium if the tide is wrong.
May to mid-July mornings are gray until 11. This template is built for August and September, when the water is warmest and the leopard sharks are in.
The kayak tour, surf lesson, and whale watch all sell out summer weekends. Book all three before you fly.
Five beach days is a lot of reapplication. Long-sleeve rash guards for the kids cut the fight in half; the surf school provides wetsuits.
The boat is 3 hours with no early exit. Under-5s who nap will nap; under-5s who do not should sit this one out with one parent at the hotel pool.
Make this your San Diego trip in about 8 minutes.
Swap stops, change dates, add your own picks. Rosie keeps the rhythm intact.