July 4th in San Diego

[araes2102]

So we will be driving into SD on the 4th and staying until Saturday. We are staying at Holiday Inn e
Express in Hotel Circle and will be using our car to get around to everything. So a couple questions...

1) Is there a good place for fireworks that will allow us to get back to the hotel in a reasonable amount of time? We will get there around 3pm, check into the hotel and whatnot. Probably head out around 4pm. We were thinking Mission Beach, which I know most locals don't like but we were looking for somewhere the kids can get out some energy and be close to the water, not really "beach time" but maybe just walking along the beach and getting feet wet plus some activities to give them something to do. I didn't see a listing for fireworks here but I know there will be some at Ocean Beach and Sea World, will they be viewable around Mission Beach or should we plan to go elsewhere for the fireworks? Any suggestions for somewhere else to spend the afternoon/evening and get dinner that day instead?

2) How does this itinerary look for the rest of the trip? Specifically Wednesday is a little up in the air. Any suggestions? (hubby specifically wants to do the swap meet on Wednesday so that's why that's there...) P.S. the stop at Cuvier Park will be brief, we got married there and just want to revisit it.

Tues
Leave home at 8am
Arrive at hotel and check in 3pm
Order Donut Bar!
Visit Mission Beach and watch fireworks at Ocean Beach

Wed
Wake and breakfast at hotel
Pick up donuts
Marine Corps museum
Tour Balboa Park (??)
Swap meet at 2pm
Dinner at ??
Swimming at hotel

Thurs
Wake and breakfast at hotel
Head to Sea World with all day dining, stay all day!

Fri
Wake and breakfast at hotel
Leave for La Jolla
Stop at Cuvier Park
Grab sandwiches for lunch at the beach
Children's Pool (low tide 2pm)
The Cave Store (before 5pm)
Dinner at Hodads

Sat
Wake and breakfast at hotel
Sea World until 2pm
Head home

Thanks for any help!

 

[SteveMP]

If you go to the beach or anywhere near sea world for fireworks on the 4th expect a LOT of traffic afterwards.

Also sounds like you are going back and forth a lot vs doing things while you are already in one location?

The big bay boom is alittle better setup transportation wise. You could even park at Qualcomm not far from your hotel and trolley over there
http://www.bigbayboom.com/locations/

 

[araes2102]

Which part is back and forth? On Wednesday?

So if we trolley over to the bay on the 4th, where should we try and watch the fireworks from? Anywhere specific?

Sorry, we've only been to SD once so not totally familiar with the area...

 

[scottmel]

I am in San Diego for the first time over the 4th as well. here is what I am doing:

1. Arriving the 2nd - Hyatt Machester/Seaport for dinner
3rd - SEAL Tour, Balboa Park Museums etc.

2. Zoo on July 4th then watching fireworks, Big Boom show which they say is best in area, from the hotel boardwalk
3. July 5th - private tour of San Diego - using Toursbylocal - we designed our itinerary but hitting all the major spots including tide pools, La Jolla, Mission Beach, etc. The guide has you pick what you want to do and it is just your family. We booked for 7 hours to see as much as we could. We have no car and are clueless so this is a great deal for my family
4. Following day USS MIdway then Coronado Island to stay at Hotel Del for a few nights and enjoy the town.

 

[BayouQueen]

A quick google search of 4th of July fireworks in San Diego will give you lots of ideas. I would caution against trying to go to any beach in the afternoon as parking is next to impossible. People arrive very early in the morning to stake out spots. But there are fireworks all over the place -- the harbor, Del Mar Fair, Sea World, all the small communities. SteveMp's idea of the trolley from Qualcomm sounds like fun. I'm lazier and would probably head up into the Mission Hills neighborhoods above Old Town and just see where the locals are hanging out. Lots of views from the lovely elevated neighborhoods.

 

[SteveMP]

Which part is back and forth? On Wednesday?

So if we trolley over to the bay on the 4th, where should we try and watch the fireworks from? Anywhere specific?

Sorry, we've only been to SD once so not totally familiar with the area...

Well you start out at Mission Beach and then go to Ocean Beach to watch the fireworks. First off it may take you an hour or two to find parking at MB on the 4th. Then you'll have to give up that spot to repeat that process in OB. And the road between them could be pretty congested. Then later in the week you're going from La Jolla back down to OB to go to Hodads.

If i was set on going to the beach to watch, i would go early, remain calm while driving around for a parking spot, and plan on staying well past when fireworks end. If I wanted to eat at Hodads, i would just go to OB on the 4th, and have that be something to kill time while waiting for fireworks.

If you wanted to go to mission beach, then just go there, grab dinner, let the kids play on the beach or at Belmont Park, etc. grab a shaved ice or ice cream, then walk across Mission Blvd over to the bay side and from there you can see Sea World's.

If you wanted to watch the Big Bay boom instead all the info is in that link I posted, map of places to watch etc.

Have fun!

 

[araes2102]

Thanks for all the help! One more question... if we skipped mission beach due to the crowds on the 4th, and do plan to trolley to the bay for fireworks, any ideas of what we could do that kids would find fun for several hours before the fireworks? seaport village so we will already be at the bay?

 

[SteveMP]

Thanks for all the help! One more question... if we skipped mission beach due to the crowds on the 4th, and do plan to trolley to the bay for fireworks, any ideas of what we could do that kids would find fun for several hours before the fireworks? seaport village so we will already be at the bay?

Seaport has a lot of shops to checkout, and/or grab food there. They sometimes have some live entertainment, and they have a merry go round. Or you could get dinner at the "Headquarters" adjacent to seaport. You could also walk north along the embarcadero or get one of the many pedal cabs going past up towards the midway. The midway takes about 3 hours to tour but could just look at it from the sidewalk. Then if you keep walking north a few more minutes there is another "museum" which is several old boats and a submarine. That is relatively inexpensive and pretty fun. Enjoy. Or you could always just walk northe eastish from seaport to the Gaslamp District or horton plaza to people watch and get food/shop.