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Alaska Airlines Flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to San Diego (SAN)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on Alaska Airlines, which operates 14 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to San Diego (SAN), departing between 6:20am and 10:25pm, and one additional non-stop flight regularly scheduled to depart at 6:50am and arrive at 7:52am, everyday except Saturday. Usually a Saab SF340A/B or Embraer RJ140 is flown for this route. The average travel time from Los Angeles, CA to San Diego, CA is 1 hour.
During your San Diego vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
San Diego Model Railroad Museum
Okay, so it's not high culture as we know it, but this museum is cool and pleasing, and worth 30 to 60 minutes of your time, especially if you have kids in tow. Six permanent, scale-model railroads depict Southern California's transportation history and terrain with an astounding attention to miniature details -- the exhibits occupy a 24,000-square-foot space. Children will enjoy the hands-on Lionel trains, and train buffs of all ages will appreciate the interactive multimedia displays. Allow a half-hour to an hour for your visit.
Torrey Pines Golf Course
These two gorgeous, municipal 18-hole championship courses are on the coast between La Jolla and Del Mar, only 20 minutes from downtown San Diego. Home of the Buick Invitational Tournament, and the setting for the 2008 U.S. Open, Torrey Pines is second only to Pebble Beach as California's top golf destination. Situated on a bluff overlooking the ocean, the north course is picturesque and has the signature hole (no. 6), but the south course is more challenging, has more sea-facing play, and benefits from a $3.5 million overhaul in 2002 (the north course will get a similar facelift some time before 2008).In summer, course conditions can be less than ideal due to the sheer number of people lined up to play, and "tee scalpers" aren't uncommon. Tee times are taken by computer, starting at 7pm, up to 7 days in advance and by automated telephone only -- it takes only 20 to 30 minutes for all tee times for a given day to sell out. Confirmation numbers are issued, and you must have the number and photo identification with you when you check in with the starter 15 minutes ahead of time. If you're late, your time may be forfeited. Golf packages double the cost, but give you much better odds of actually getting onto the course. Golf professionals are available for lessons, and the pro shop rents clubs. Greens fees on the south course are $105 weekdays, $125 weekends; the north course is $65 weekdays and $75 weekends. Cart rentals are $30, and twilight rates are available.Tip: Single golfers stand a good chance of getting on the course if they just turn up and get on the waiting list for a threesome. The locals also sometimes circumvent the reservation system by spending Friday or Saturday night in a camper in the parking lot. The starter lets these diehards on before the reservations made by the computer go into effect at 7:30am.
San Diego Automotive Museum
Even if you don't know a distributor from a dipstick, you're bound to ooh-and-aah over the classic, antique, and exotic cars here. Every one is so pristine you'd swear it just rolled off the line, from an 1886 Benz to a 1931 Rolls-Royce Phaeton to the 1981 DeLorean. Most of the time, temporary shows take over the facility, so check ahead to see if it's one you're interested in. Some days you can take a peek at the ongoing restoration program, and the museum sponsors many outdoor car rallies and other events. Allow 30 to 45 minutes for your visit.
Make your reservations for discount hotel rooms in the
San Diego area, including:
The Lodge at Torrey Pines
Located 10 minutes north of La Jolla proper, this triumphant trompe l'oeil creation at the edge of the Torrey Pines Golf Course is the fantasy of local hotelier Bill Evans (of the Catamaran), who took his appreciation for Craftsman-style homes and amplified it into a 175-room upscale hotel. The Lodge brims with clinker-brick masonry, art glass windows and doors, Stickley furniture, and exquisite pottery. Most rooms fall into two main categories. The least expensive are an unstinting 520 square feet and lavished with Tiffany-style lamps, period wallpaper, framed Hiroshige prints, and lots of wood accents; views face a courtyard carefully landscaped to mimic the rare coastal environment that exists just beyond the hotel grounds. More expensive rooms overlook the golf course and the sea in the distance; most of these have balconies, fireplaces, and giant bathrooms with separate tub and shower.The 9,500-square-foot spa specializes in treatments utilizing coastal sage and other local plants, and there's an elegant pool. An excellent restaurant named after painter A. R. Valentien features superb seasonal vegetables; Valentien's wildflower watercolors line the walls and his personal effects and medals are found in glass bookcases. As a San Diegan, I find the embrace of local artists and the native natural environment to be absolutely inspired. My only caveat is that in polishing and augmenting Arts and Crafts style for the masses, something is lost: the soul and warmth of a true family home. But the Lodge is unsurpassed as San Diego's ultimate luxury destination, with every whim catered to by a mindful staff.
Catamaran Resort Hotel
Ideally situated right on Mission Bay, the Catamaran has its own bay and ocean beaches, complete with watersports facilities. Built in the 1950s, the hotel has been fully renovated to modern standards without losing its trademark Polynesian theme; the atrium lobby holds a 15-foot waterfall and full-size dugout canoe, koi-filled lagoons meander through the property, and the pool is surrounded by a real bamboo fence, rather than a fake metal one. The kitschy touches aren't plastic: these were lovingly incorporated before Tiki was tacky. After dark, torches blaze throughout the lush grounds, with numerous varieties of bamboo and palm sprouting; during the day, the resident tropical birds chirp away. Guest rooms -- in a 13-story building or one of the six two-story buildings -- have subdued South Pacific decor, and each has a balcony or patio. High floors of tower rooms have commanding views of the bay, the San Diego skyline, La Jolla, and Point Loma. Studios and suites have the added convenience of kitchenettes. The Catamaran is within a few blocks of Pacific Beach's restaurant and nightlife scene. It's also steps away from the bay's exceptional jogging and biking path; runners with tots-in-tow can rent jogging strollers at the hotel. The resort's Mississippi-style sternwheeler, the Bahia Belle, cruises the bay Friday and Saturday evenings (nightly in summer) and is free to hotel guests.
The Cottage
Built in 1913, this B&B at the end of a residential cul-de-sac is surrounded by a garden, and features a private hideaway -- "the cottage" -- tucked behind a homestead-style house. There's an herb garden in front, birdbaths, and a walkway lined with climbing roses. The cottage has a king-size bed, a living room with a wood-burning stove and a queen-size sofa bed, and a charming kitchen with a coffeemaker. The guest room in the main house features a king-size bed. Both accommodations are filled with fresh flowers and antiques put to clever uses, and each has a private entrance. Owner Carol Emerick (she used to run an antiques store -- and it shows!) serves a scrumptious breakfast, complete with the morning paper. Guests are welcome to use the dining room and parlor in the main house, where they sometimes light a fire and rev up the 19th-century player piano. The Cottage is located 5 blocks from the cafes of Mission Hills and Hillcrest, and a short drive from Balboa Park. Book early for this find.
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