Travel Recovery: It All Starts With a Staycation

There have been a million articles about this pandemic, or The Great Pause as I like to call it. Everyone who loves travel, works in travel, writes about travel or makes money at travel are all trying to predict what comes next. Well since I qualify for all four of those categories, I have an opinion too. When our orders to shelter at home are finally lifted and people can venture out again, staycations will begin the recovery for the travel industry.

And who doesn’t love a staycation? It’s an opportunity to be pampered and relax in your own home town, without driving or flying anywhere. There’s a certain peace of mind in staycationing, because you know if you forgot something you can just run home and get it. Plus it feels so good to be hosted in your own city, doesn’t it?

San Diego waterfront with sailing Boats - harbor and Coronado Bridge — San Diego harbor looks so inviting with the Coronado Bridge and bobbing sail boats in the harbor.

Staycations Will Begin the Recovery

Trapped At Home

Here we are, all pent up in our homes and trapped with our families and loved ones. Not that we don’t love spending time with our families and loved ones. It’s just that this has been an extraordinary amount of time. Like never-in-our-lives-have-we-spent-this-much-time-in-the-house time.

Lifeguard station at Coronado Beach, Coronado and San Diego, CA — Life guard station at Coronado Beach near the Hotel Del Coronado.

It’s natural that we would daydream about traveling to far-off lands. We’re sucked into playing games on social media, or watching funny memes about travel. We stream programs on our devices that tell stories about people living their lives far away from us. We’re escaping the present. We are ridiculously bored.

We’ve baked eleventy-three batches of chocolate chip cookies. Every closet in the house has been reorganized. Trash bags full of clothes dating back to 1994 have been prepared for donation. And yes, many wee drams of whiskey have been consumed.

We’re ready.

Botanical Building in Balboa Park, San Diego, Ca — The Botanical Building in Balboa Park is the most photographed location in San Diego.

Starting Off Easy

At first people may be a little wary to go to far. Travelers may not be ready for their first road trip (soon though) or to jump on a plane (also coming soon). But wow do we all need to get out of our houses and change the scenery.

We will start off easy, and staycations will begin the recovery. Everyone has their favorite local hotels and resorts – places we always mean to make time for and never do. Places of hospitality we’re jealous that visitors to our fine cities get to enjoy. Since staycations will begin the recovery, we’ll soon all need to do our part to help our local favorites bounce back.

And friends, this time will be coming soon. Where will you staycation first?

cliffs facing Pacific Ocean at Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego, CA — Cliffs facing the Pacific Ocean at Cabrillo National Monument create amazing tide pools.

Favorite Staycation Spots in San Diego

Since we live in San Diego, we’ve got several favorite hotels and resorts we love to visit. Several local San Diego hotels are great for staycations because they offer all the beauty of our fine city, while still making us feel like we’ve traveled from afar.

Here’s a few of our favorite staycation spots in San Diego.

Hotel Del Coronado

We love the Hotel Del Coronado for its grandeur and history. It’s iconic red tile roof, stately rooms and beachfront location are huge draws for visitors and locals alike. Sophia celebrated her Sweet 16 at the Del, and we have fond memories of a catered marshmallow roast with a private bonfire on the beach. Once the hotel completes its renovation, it will be an even grander masterpiece.

Paradise Point

Sitting on bayfront land near Mission Beach, the Paradise Point Resort is another favorite of our family. We love the bungalow rooms, where each comes with a small kitchen, living and dining room areas and gorgeous views. On a recent staycation at the Paradise Point, we loved watching the lights reflect on the calm bay waters at night. Another family favorite are the fire pits that dot the beach, where guests can pull up chairs and relax.

La Jolla Shores Hotel

This gem right on the sand in La Jolla is underrated. Our staycation at the La Jolla Shores Hotel was punctuated with spectacular views of La Jolla Shores Beach, Torrey Pines and Scripps Pier. Even better, the summer sunsets each night are postcard perfect. Sitting on our balcony sipping a tropical drink, we felt like San Diego royalty. If staycations will begin the recovery, you’re likely to find us recovering here.

Lodge at Torrey Pines

Another of the San Diego area’s iconic resorts, The Lodge at Torrey Pines is a Craftsman-style palace sitting along the famous Torrey Pines Golf Course. With the Pacific Ocean just beyond, the views from The Lodge are breathtaking. Of all the hotels in San Diego, we love the food here best. From fine dining to hamburgers, the chefs here know their stuff.

Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Towering over the downtown San Diego Bayfront, the Hilton San Diego Bayfront offers 30 gleaming floors of unparalleled views. Guests can see clearly in all directions and out to see, including views of the Coronado Islands and the Mexico border, just 20 minutes away. We love staying here because it’s so close to all the excitement of downtown, including a pedestrian bridge directly to Petco Park for ballgames and concerts.

So when it’s time (and we’ll know it’s time), let’s all do our part to kickstart the local economy. Staycations will begin the recovery, and our family will be ready to check in.