by Rosie Reeves

Created on: January 08, 2008   Last Updated: May 26, 2009

Last summer we packed up the SUV and took a family vacation to San Diego, California. We stayed at The Bahia Resort, where we had a wonderful, well-equipped two-room suite overlooking the marina. The small kitchen would have allowed us to cook our meals, but my family is forced to eat my cooking every day at home and this was supposed to be a vacation so we mostly treated ourselves to restaurants. The over-sized plasma TV, wireless Internet and in-room gaming system would keep any high-tech type entertained, while the wide beamed ceiling and arched balcony kept the room feeling rustic and cozy.

The grounds of the Bahia are lavish and well-maintained. There is even a resident harbor seal named Gracie who is fed twice a day. Every outing began with saying hello to her and ended with checking in on her before heading up the stairs to our home away-from-home. The resort had an arcade with games set to "Free Play" which was a huge hit with my older son (not to mention my husband). There were activities for kids every day, although sadly my twins were too young to participate this year, anyway. One night was family movie night at (and in) the pool, with free popcorn provided. There were cookies and lemonade available in the lobby every afternoon. I kept that my own little secret and never even told my kids about that resort amenity.

The hotel offers its guests a complimentary paddleboat voyage across Mission Bay to its sister hotel/spa and on weekends there is even a kids' cruise. My boys were a bit overwhelmed by the ride, which started after dinner and ran about an hour, but my daughter thrilled at the breeze and the views. There is a stretch of bay beach just for hotel guests, and on-site rentals of everything from boats to bikes. All of our special requests were met, and it seemed like there were little perks and friendly faces everywhere. The hotel's cafe had a buffet with a different theme each night, complete with decorations and live music. The gift shop had lots of in-room staples and munchies, and of course there were vending machines off the lobby and the quintessential ice machine, which is always a toddler favorite.

BELMONT PARK

A quick walk down the block or along the beach led us to two fast-food restaurants, and then across an intersection was a little beachfront village of shops. On the other side of the street was Belmont Park, a small amusement park with rides, vendors and sweet shops that kept my kids busy for an afternoon. Right over the sea wall

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