SeaWorld Adventure Awaits! Howard Johnson's San Diego Getaway!
SeaWorld Adventure Awaits! Howard Johnson's San Diego Getaway! – A Brutally Honest Review
Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because we’re diving headfirst into the shimmering depths of the Howard Johnson by SeaWorld. "Adventure Awaits," huh? More like… sanity test awaits. I've just gotten back from battling the San Diego sun and the sheer, unadulterated everything that comes with dragging a family on vacation, and I'm here to spill the tea. So, grab a lukewarm bottle of water (because, let's be honest, that's probably what you'll have) and let’s get this show on the road.
First Impressions: The Good, the Bleh, and the "What Was I Thinking?"
The very first thing that slams you in the face (besides the California sun) is… well, the location. It's ridiculously close to SeaWorld. Like, practically spitting distance. Score! This is huge if you’re dragging kids who are itching to see Shamu. But… the "hotel chain" branding? You know, you kind of expect a certain level of… well, chic? Let’s just say the Howard Johnson's vibe isn’t exactly Four Seasons. More like… "functional".
Accessibility: A Mixed Bag (Like My Mood)
Okay, let’s talk realness. I’m always hyper-aware of accessibility because, well, life throws curveballs. This hotel tries to be accommodating, with "facilities for disabled guests." An "elevator"? Check. But it’s that kind of “trying” where you suspect they think they're being helpful, but…details, people! Are the ramps actually smooth? I’m not sure, because I didn't need that directly so, I can't 100% say, but it appears to be there and attempts to comply.
Rooms: Clean-ish, But… Did I Mention the Sun?
The rooms? Ah, the rooms. They had air conditioning, which is essential in San Diego, and a "blackout curtain" which is a godsend when your kids are on a mission to become nocturnal. The rooms were, technically, "clean," and "daily housekeeping" kept things from devolving into a complete disaster zone. There was an "in-room safe box" (I didn't use it, because my brain is a chaotic safe box already). The "complimentary tea" was… well, it was there. The internet… the "free Wi-Fi"? It worked. Mostly. But the "window that opens"? Yeah, that’s useless. The sun just BLAZES in. And that is the thing, the sun. The rooms get so hot! I have a theory that the "extra long bed" doesn’t make the bed any bigger, but makes the sun more capable of turning you into a crispy critter. There were "linens" and "towels", too. See, I told you, it’s functional.
Food, Glorious Food (Or, More Accurately, Food-Adjacent Substances)
Oh, boy. The "dining, drinking, and snacking" situation? Here's the deal: there's a "breakfast [buffet]." Expect the usual: rubbery eggs, questionable pastries, and instant coffee that tastes vaguely of burnt toast. There's a "coffee shop,” but don’t get too thrilled. I think their idea of a "dessert in restaurant" is a suspiciously hard-looking brownie.
The "24-hour room service"? Don't even think about expecting gourmet. We tried it once, ordered some…things, and they arrived lukewarm and vaguely traumatized. We only tried once. After that, we relied on the “convenience store” that was literally in the lobby. Honestly, I think I survived on a diet of overpriced chips and questionable candy.
Things To Do and Ways To Relax (Are They Kidding?)
"Ways to relax"? Okay, let's be real. The "swimming pool [outdoor]" was… well, it was there. Kids splashed around like they always do, and it was a nice thing to do sometimes. The "pool with a view" was… a standard view of the parking lot. The "fitness center"? I peeked in once. Felt like a lonely purgatory of treadmills and regret. The "spa/sauna" weren't there. There was a gift shop with some useless stuff.
Cleanliness & Safety: The Sanitization Brigade
Okay, I have to hand it to them, the "cleanliness and safety" protocol was intense. "Anti-viral cleaning products"? Check. "Daily disinfection in common areas"? Check. "Individually-wrapped food options"? Check. "Staff trained in safety protocol"? Check. They were serious. I'm pretty sure they were worried about us. The “rooms sanitized between stays”? I could smell the bleach from a mile away. It almost made me feel safe. Almost.
Services and Conveniences: The Fine Print
"Services and conveniences"? Laundry service was there when you needed it. The "concierge" was, well, there. The "cash withdrawal"? There was an ATM, which is basically the same. We found a "gift/souvenir shop" with some, mostly useless, stuff.
For the Kids: The Babysitting Mirage
If you have kids, this place is pretty decent. The "family/child friendly" is definitely a good thing with kids. There were other families there! The "kids facilities" were… fine. (The kids liked the pool.) I'm pretty sure the "babysitting service" existed in theory. I didn't try it, because I'm pretty certain my kids would escape and become the hotel's problem.
Getting Around: Car Park Chaos
The "car park [free of charge]" was a bit of a free-for-all. "Car park [on-site]" is correct… but good luck finding a space if you get back late from SeaWorld. There’s "car power charging station," which is forward-thinking, I guess. We decided to take "taxi service," which wasn’t exactly an adventure, but got us to where we needed to go.
The Verdict: Your Mileage May Vary (And Probably Will)
So, should you book the Howard Johnson's by SeaWorld? It depends. If your priorities are: close proximity to aquatic mammals and a place to lay your weary head, then maybe. If you're expecting luxury, gourmet food, or a relaxing spa experience? Run. Run far, far away. It's not a perfect vacation; it's a functional one, a functional family vacation. I'm giving it a solid 3 out of 5 stars. It survived us, and for that, it gets some serious points. And hey, at least the kids had fun. After all, "adventure awaits," right?
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Alright, buckle up, buttercups! You're about to get a REAL travel itinerary for San Diego, based out of the… drumroll… the Howard Johnson by SeaWorld! Honestly? Not my first choice, but hey, location, location, location, right? And who am I to judge a hotel, when I, myself, am a walking, talking, slightly-hungover judge-y disaster zone?
Day 1: Arrival (and Existential Dread in the Land of Perpetual Sunshine)
- 1:00 PM: Land at San Diego International (SAN). Okay, so far so good. Smooth flight. Minor miracle! My seatmate, bless her heart, didn't try to talk to me the entire time. Victory! Now the fun begins: trying to decipher the rental car shuttle situation. Expect delays. Embrace the chaos. I usually do.
- 2:30 PM: Arrive at Howard Johnson by SeaWorld. Sigh. Okay. It's… functional. The lobby smells faintly of chlorine and desperation, which, let's be honest, is a mood. Check-in. Pray to the hotel gods for a room away from the pool. (I swear those screaming kids have a gravitational pull that could suck in a black hole.)
- 3:30 PM: Unpack. Briefly. Then immediately start rummaging through my bag for the emergency snack stash (chocolate, obviously). It's a crucial step. Low blood sugar + travel = potential for regrettable life choices.
- 4:00 PM: Reconnaissance mission! Walk the immediate area. SeaWorld’s right there, looming. Honestly, it's got this… clinical vibe. Like a giant, professionally-laundered medical facility for marine mammals. Which, I guess, it kinda is. I’m already conflicted.
- 5:00 PM: Dinner at a nearby, "highly recommended" taco place. (Google Maps reviews can be so misleading.) I'm hoping for authentic, life-changing tacos. Praying. Maybe it'll lift my spirits. (Spoiler alert: it was meh. The salsa was bland. The tortillas were… well, they existed.) This is the first sign of San Diego not meeting my expectations.
- 7:00 PM: Collapse on the bed. Watch whatever’s on TV. Probably a crime drama that will make me feel even more stressed. Reflect on the agonizingly cheerful Southern California vibe. Question my life choices up to this point. Will I ever achieve inner peace? Probably not. Will I find the remote? Maybe.
Day 2: SeaWorld: The Good, the Bad, and the (Personally) Complicated
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel. Actually, not terrible. Waffle bar. Win! Fuel up for the day because trust me, SeaWorld is a marathon, not a sprint.
- 10:00 AM: SeaWorld Immersion. So, here's the thing. Spectacular shows. Terrifyingly cute animals. And a nagging feeling of… unease. The Orca show is… a spectacle. Seriously, the trainers are acrobats, the whales are majestic… It’s undeniably impressive… then the thought, the feeling, that they are not in nature, hits you like a ton of bricks. I ended up focusing on the amazingness of the trainers and the raw power of the killer whales. But the feeling lingered.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch. More like, aggressively-priced hot dogs. But hey, you're in SeaWorld. Embrace the corporate machine! (Just kidding, mostly. It's hard not to think about the ethics when you're watching dolphins jump through hoops.)
- 1:00 PM: Rollercoaster ride! Adrenaline rush! (I screamed like a banshee. No regrets).
- 2:00 PM: The "Aquatic Animal Encounters." This is where I almost lost it. Petting stingrays is cute, but seeing them in tanks made me want to scoop them all up and take them home the way they are in the ocean.
- 4:00 PM: Shop for cheesy souvenirs. You have to. It's the law.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner outside of SeaWorld: Fish tacos (attempting to redeem the taco situation) at a little place called "The Taco Shack". Much better, but I'm still on the hunt.
- 8:00 PM: Drinks by the pool, because, well, I'm on vacation and it's what you do. Attempt to make polite small talk with families enjoying their vacations, and give the universal shrug of "I don't know" when asked if I am having a good time.
Day 3: Beach Vibes (and Maybe Some Surfing Awkwardness)
- 8:00 AM: Sleep in! (Finally!) Then, breakfast. Not the waffles again, I swear. Scramble and some fruit.
- 9:30 AM: Drive to Pacific Beach. Sunscreen. Sunglasses. The Beach Boys on the stereo (ironically, because I’m a terrible surfer). Get down to the beach. Sand! Ocean! Waves! Okay, this is better. This is what I came for!
- 10:30 AM: Walk the boardwalk. People-watching extraordinaire time! Seriously, the characters! The energy! The sheer, glorious… humanity of it all. I saw a guy with a parrot on his shoulder and a woman wearing roller skates with a dog. Gold!
- 12:00 PM: Attempt surfing lesson. (Brace yourselves.) Picture this: me, a complete klutz, trying to stand up on a tiny surfboard. I spent a good chunk of the time in the water, not on the water. My instructor, bless his weary heart, was incredibly patient. I eventually managed a fleeting moment of grace, but mostly I ate sand. (And felt incredibly self-conscious. Being bad at something in front of other people is a special flavor of hell.)
- 2:00 PM: Fish tacos again. This search has become a pilgrimage.
- 3:00 PM: La Jolla Cove. Awe-inspiring. The sea lions! The cliffs! The sheer beauty of the place. I spent an hour just watching the waves crash against the rocks. Pure bliss. For a moment, the existential dread completely subsided. Then I realized I forgot my camera in the car.
- 6:00 PM: Walk back to the hotel, or maybe, a good, cheap dinner nearby.
- 8:00 PM: Rest.
Day 4: Balboa Park and the Long Shadow of the Departure
- 9:00 AM: Hotel breakfast
- 10:00 AM: Balboa Park exploration. So. Much. To. See. Museums galore! Gardens! Architecture that makes you want to quit your day job and become an architect. I chose to wander, getting lost in the various gardens and taking in the Spanish architecture. I went to the San Diego Museum of Art. (I'm not a huge "art person," but I found myself mesmerized by a piece.)
- 1:00 PM: Lunch at a cafe in Balboa Park.
- 2:30 PM: I needed to relax so I chose a museum with the most beautiful garden - the Botanical Garden.
- 4:30 PM: Last-minute souvenir shopping. Okay, fine. I'll get some fridge magnets. And maybe a postcard for my mom.
- 6:00 PM: Pack. The dreaded process. I'm a terrible packer. Clothes are everywhere!
- 7:00 PM: Final dinner. I wanted delicious. I asked the front desk, who sent me to a nearby place called "The Fish Fry" which made me more satisfied than even the tacos!
- 9:00 PM: Reflecting on the trip. Did I have fun? Eh, mostly! Did I see some cool stuff? Absolutely. Did I come face to face with my own flaws and the sheer absurdity of existence? You betcha!
- 10:00 PM: Prepare for the flight.
Day 5: Departure (and the Post-Vacation Blues)
- 9:00 AM: Check out of the Howard Johnson.
- 9:30 AM: Breakfast and a final moment of reflection.
- 10:30 AM: Airport.
- 1:00 PM: Take off and return home.
- 11:00 PM: Home. The world awaits!
Final Thoughts:
San Diego is… complicated. It’s beautiful, overwhelming, and occasionally disappointing. It's a place where you can have an amazing time, and then feel utterly confused about… well, everything. But hey, that's life, right? And the fish tacos? The search continues. But at least the sun was (mostly) shining. The hotel? Okay. The memories? Priceless. Until next time, San Diego!
Escape to Paradise: Your Columbia, SC Oasis Awaits at Residence Inn!
Okay, so, SeaWorld. Worth the Hype? Seriously?
The Howard Johnson. Is it, like, a dive? Or a diamond in the rough? (Be honest!)
What about traveling *with* kids? Nightmare fuel or doable?
What's the *worst* part of the whole experience? Be honest.
Okay, so, you mentioned *rollercoasters*... are the rides actually… good?
Anything else I should know before I go? (Like, the REAL stuff?)
- **Sunscreen. Sunscreen. Sunscreen.** San Diego sun is NO JOKE. Slather it on religiously. Reapply. You’ll thank me later. And bring a hat. And sunglasses. Just... protect yourself.
- **Comfortable shoes.** You'll be walking. A *lot*. Your feet will hate you if you don’t.
- **Hydrate!** Water, water, water. Dehydration is a buzzkill.
- **Plan your day at SeaWorld.** Get there early. Prioritize what you want to see. Download the app for showtimes. It helps. A little. A lot of things will just be a 'take what you can get.'
- **Embrace the cheesy. ** SeaWorld? It’s a bit cheesy. The Howard Johnson? VERY reminiscent. Just roll with it. It's part of the charm.
- **Leave room for spontaneity!** You can plan all you want, but chances are, something will go sideways (and probably will). Just go with the flow.
- And on top of that, make sure you bring extra cash. You'll also want some extra money for souvenirs. Those shops? They're designed to drain your wallet. (But hey, those stuffed animals are kinda cute…)
- **And for the love of all that is holy, don't forget the camera!** You’ll probably have a picture of someone crying their eyes out at the dolphin show, but that's part of the experience.
So, back to the Howard Johnson. The Food? The most important question!
Is it... romantic? Like, could I bring a *date* here?
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