• START HERE!
    • ABOUT CARLY
    • CONTACT
  • FASHION
  • BODY POSITIVITY
  • GIRL POWER
  • SD LIFE
  • DISNEY
  • SHOP MY INSTAGRAM
  • SHOP MY FAVES

Lipgloss and Crayons

San Diego

Mission Bay Resort: A Family Staycation Guide

This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them helps support this website. This post may also contain items gifted for consideration.

Planning a stay at the Mission Bay Resort? This is everything you need to know for a San Diego family staycation!

Thank you to the Mission Bay Resort for hosting our stay.

Planning a stay at the Mission Bay Resort? This is everything you need to know for a San Diego family staycation!

Back to reality! We just got back from a really fun San Diego staycation at the Mission Bay Resort.  We did something a little different for this trip, since Robbie was already back to work for the school year…..we made it a three generations trip with Lydia, my mom and I.  And spoiler? We're already planning to go back to the Mission Bay Resort to do this again next year, we LOVED IT!

Mission Bay Resort is a relaxed, enjoy the endless summer, family friendly property nestled into the protected Mission Bay neighborhood of San Diego proper.  The resort is divided into a number of smaller buildings and is easily walkable.  They have a gym, pools, tennis courts, volleyball, multiple dining options, and beach access to the Bay (perfect for younger kids).

My overall reaction to this property? HOW DID I NOT KNOW THIS WAS HERE IN SAN DIEGO? I absolutely loved this unique, beachy property and can't wait to return.  In fact, while visiting I learned that they have resort memberships for locals and am seriously considering one for next summer.

Planning a stay at the Mission Bay Resort? This is everything you need to know for a San Diego family staycation!

Mission Bay Resort: A Family Staycation Guide

Planning a trip to the Mission Bay Resort? I wanted to share our favorite activities and don't miss spots.

Pro tip: when booking?  We loved having a bay front room.  We could literally open our patio door and WALK down the lawn and onto the sand.  Lydia loved walking out in the morning to hunt for shells, and I can't imagine a better place to sip my first cup of coffee.  That room location made the trip even more magical.

Planning a stay at the Mission Bay Resort? This is everything you need to know for a San Diego family staycation!

Mission Bay Resort: Dining

The Mission Bay Resort has four dining options on property and we tried them all.  I loved each for different reasons….and if you have time, highly recommend trying each during your visit!

  1. Covewood: Covewood is the “fanciest” dining experience on property.  We actually ended up eating at Covewood three times (once for brunch and twice for dinner).  The service is stellar, and the views from the outdoor dining area? Time your meal with sunset if you can.  It's amazing!  We loved the fish options they had, and parents? Don't worry, there is a great kids menu with a ton of options.
  2. Plaza Del Sol: Looking for a fun and casual alfresco dining option? Plaza del Sol is a bar with live music, a great outdoor space and a simple pizza and small bites menu.  We loved the music, and it was perfect for a quick late lunch.
  3. Solrisa: One of your questions…..is there a pool side bar? Why YES THERE IS.  Solrisa serves tacos, burgers, and simple vacation food and is housed in the pool area.  There are tables to eat at or you can have your food served by the pool on lounge chairs (fair warning, use the food cover they provide, a seagull snagged our fries)!
  4. Mission Joe: Now, y'all know I'm a BIG coffee person.  So you'd better believe I checked out Mission Joe, Mission Bay Resort's onsite coffee shop.  Multiple times.  They make great  coffee drinks, have a killer drip coffee, and have simple grab and go breakfast options (Lydia loved the pastries).  Warning: while we were there, Mission Joe was only open from 7 am to 1 pm….so plan accordingly!

Mission Bay Resort: Activities

I love that Mission Bay Resort had a ton of on property activities.  It felt like the perfect combination of a relaxed vacation and activity filled days.  These? Our favorite on property activities:

Planning a stay at the Mission Bay Resort? This is everything you need to know for a San Diego family staycation!

  1. Pool and Hot Tub: Plan at least a full afternoon in the Mission Bay Resort pool area.  There are two hot tubs, a large pool, a splash pad, tons of outdoor games, and the perfect amount of palm trees.
  2. Shell Hunting: The Mission Bay shores have more shells than I've seen on a beach in a LONG time.  We loved walking along the sand and collect the best ones.  This was a perfect morning or early afternoon activity.
  3. Bike Rides: Yes, we rented a surrey bike.  It cost $30 for an hour and was totally worth it (in fact, Lydia says it was her favorite part of the staycation).  You can also rent beach cruisers (they have kids' bikes too) along with jet skiis and powerboats and sailboats.
  4. Scavenger Hunt: Be sure to check the schedule that the resort puts out each day, because there are always fun activities.  We did a great nighttime scavenger hunt and Lydia LOVED IT!
  5. S'mores: There are fire pits ALL over the property (you can even book a room with a private firepit if you'd like).  Be sure to make some time to do s'mores……we made ours the last night of our trip and had a blast!

Bonus for the Mission Bay Resort?It's close to Seaworld, the San Diego Zoo, Liberty Station and Balboa Park.  So many things to check off a San Diego Bucketlist during your stay!

0 Leave a Comment

Subscribe to L&C Weekly!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous Graphic Novels for Tweens
Next Magic Key: Disneyland’s New Program

Related Posts

Carlsbad Village and Beyond: The Best of Carlsbad

san diego zoo vs safari park

The Best Coffee Shops in San Diego

knott’s merry farm

Primary Sidebar

Search

NEW? START HERE

DISCLAIMER

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

….and also why are we commenting negatively abou ….and also why are we commenting negatively about people’s appearances in 2023?Double also: if the worst thing people on the interwebs can say about me is that they don’t like my smile…..then I feel pretty good about what type of person I’ve chosen to be.
💕Because we all want our kids to soar………⠀⠀So fitting right? Elvis named this plane after his daughter.  And all I’ve been thinking about throughout our St Jude experience…..is how certain things truly bond all of us.  Certain things cross economic barriers and continent and language differences.  Parenthood is one of those.  It’s a universal experience.  And I think whether we are parents or role models or aunties or friends……we all know what it’s like to dream and hope on behalf of a child in your life.⠀⠀In 2012, when I was newly married and not yet a parent one of my students was diagnosed with cancer.  Without revealing details about her or her family, I think it’s important to recognize that economic barriers prevented what should have been an earlier diagnosis.  It was one of many times I was reminded during my time with the amazing humans in my classrooms that…..we do NOT all have the same access or experiences in life.  That student and her family were one of the miracle stories.  In fact, when she came back to class, she complained about missing soccer games at recess and fell right back in with the rest in a way that to this day brings joyful tears to my eyes. ⠀⠀I said this on my stories during my trip, but…..I didn’t realize until this experience that families at St Jude NEVER receive a bill.  Ever.  No matter what.  That this access gives families hope during their darkest days.⠀⠀I’m going to be teaming up with St. Jude to do a fun challenge that will hopefully inspire y’all to support them too.  Let’s just say that…..for this scared of heights, refuses to take my feet off the ground theme park girlie……I’m going to making the ultimate sacrifices.⠀⠀What rides would you want to see me go on in support of St Jude? (be kind, I’m literally TERRIFIED of any and all rides that have a height limit). You know they REALLY moved me if I’m even thinking of doing this! ⠀⠀@stjude #stjudeambassador
💕Double tap if you know what the Peabody is fam 💕Double tap if you know what the Peabody is famous for…..so many of you guessed it in stories last night!🦆The Peabody Hotel is famous for their duck parade.  And we got to see it as a part of Day 1 of the St Jude Content Creator Summit.  I’m in Memphis to learn all about how St Jude is doing life saving research to fight and cure childhood cancers.💕Real talk: I get to do a lot of fun things because of this little app but projects like this? Are an absolute honor.  Did you know that patients at St Jude NEVER RECEIVE A BILL? What a gift to families in crisis. I’m so happy to share this next couple of days here in Memphis with y’all and to support such an important organization.🦆Now, swipe to see the ducks. @stjude #stjudeambassador
She IS Ariel. We saw it. It’s a gift. This s She IS Ariel. We saw it.  It’s a gift.  This stunning movie shows a princess who is absolutely……royal.  Graceful.  Brave and……the perfect mermaid. Years ago, I was sitting in the theater during the live action Lion King premiere just days after the Little Mermaid casting was announced.  And in walked Halle Bailey.  This young girl and all I could think was……how much weight of the world was on her shoulders.  The room paused.  And people everywhere stood.  They applauded her and smiled and I thought…..she really is a princess. Halle, you are the epitome of royalty.  Thank you for sharing your shine with the world.I would love to encourage you to follow these amazing creators who have been shining themselves and sharing a ton of special Little Mermaid experiences:@jenniferborget @erikaenchanted@davidvaughn@_the_adventurous_rjay@colormemagic@melizzablackLydia’s, Robbie’s and my full review of the film will be on the blog Monday morning.How excited are you for the film? Who is your favorite Little Mermaid character? #littlemermaid #colormemermaid #ariel
Mother’s Day Memories: Starting to wonder how ma Mother’s Day Memories: Starting to wonder how many more years we have of this family tradition before SOMEONE becomes a full blown teen / tween and the Happiest Place on Earth is a whole different vibeWe: hugged our favorite characters, danced every time mom got a coffee (swipe for that excellent content), Lydia and Robbie rode all the mountains, walked 22,000 steps on Saturday alone, and Robbie finally got to see Toontown for the first time since it’s reopening.We slept like rocks on the comfy beds at the JW Marriott (it was such a kind gesture when they offered to host us for Mother’s day weekend), I drank my morning coffee in their beautiful garden, and loved that it was a quick 15 minute walk to the Disneyland gates.  If you are looking for a luxury hotel experience near Disneyland, I highly recommend.  They have great dining options, a Starbucks in the lobby each morning, and a lovely pool.  This was a perfect treat yourself location.Have you done a holiday at Disneyland? My favorites (in no particular order): Halloween (Oogie Boogie is the best), Holiday Time and Mother’s Day……each has it’s own unique flavor.@MarriottBonvoy #MarriottBonvoy @jwmarriottanaheim #jwmarriottanaheim #MarriottBonvoyMoments Hosted
  • Collaborate
  • Speaking
  • Contact Carly
  • PRESS
  • Privacy Policy
  • Fashion
  • Body Positivity
  • Girl Power
  • SD Life
  • Disney
  • Travel
  • Highlights

© 2019 LIPGLOSS AND CRAYONS  |  SITE DESIGN: MLL DESIGN STUDIO  & FUZE BRANDING