Hawaii, Mexico or San Diego?

[TromboneAl]

We're considering a one week vacation later this year. Goal is to spend time on a warm beach, with warm water and surfing (rent a board at the beach), and spend some time at local attractions. Highest priority is low hassle factor. I don't want to be waiting in lines for rental cars, etc. Am willing to blow through some dough, but want to get some bang for the buck.

At this point Hawaii, Mexico and San Diego are in the mix. San Diego is there because I've spent some summers there, and I know my way around.

We live in far northern California.

Thoughts?

 

[mountaintosea]

Yucatan Peninsula. I traveled there in 1989 (I think). Stayed away from the big hotels. Took local buses to Merida. Visited Maya ruins. Found a little hotel in old Cancun with big rooms for about $12 a night. It was run by a family. It was called the Coral Hotel. It was off the tourist route.

Mazatlan. Again stayed in an old hotel with big rooms in the old part of town. Really a neat place that was popular with movie types back in the 50s. I think it was called La Siesta (or something like that). The rooms had french doors that opened onto a balcony which opened onto the ocean. Old but nice. There was a restaurant in the hotel called the Shrimp Bucket. That was in 1991. Again I think it was about $15 a night.

Then there's Puerto Escondido I think in the state of Oaxaca.

 

[ronin]

Puerto Escondido has killer surf and warm water. That'd be my pick. Don't know about renting a board though. Sometimes guys are selling theirs cheap to raise cash, and there are a number of boards left behind for the locals to scavenge, so you might hook up with a short board.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Based on what you want to do, perhaps a club med or other all-inclusive ANYWHERE the weather is nice and the surf is up? Plenty of beach time, available wind and regular surf equipment, sailboats and kayaks, plenty of food and drink, no sales people harassing you about timeshares and silver jewelry on the beach, absolutely nothing to buy/rent or stand in line for except for mixed drinks outside of meal times...even a guy in a little boat who'll come out and bring you back in when you're learning windsurfing and find yourself half way to cuba, like I did.

 

[Nords]

At this point Hawaii, Mexico and San Diego are in the mix.

You know my vote and I'd be happy to loan you our 9'0". Of course you can leave your wetsuit in your garage!

It was 3-5' today on the south shore from a northwest storm that wrapped around the west side. It was 30' on the North Shore yesterday, but I don't see myself getting into that. And by your standards the water was pretty warm, although I was sniveling hard for the first 10 minutes.

http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/pages/SRF.php

 

[bright eyed]

what coast are you on al?

i love hawaii, but def more expensive than the other two, you can get an all inclusive in mexico pretty cheap - but depending where you go the water can be a bit sketchy...

not sure San Diego would be much fun, their beaches are narrow for my taste, unless you have kids and want to hit sea world...

 

[laurence]

I live in and love San Diego, but it's no comparison to Hawaii.

Maybe the all inclusives in Mexico are better, but the mega-resort I stayed in in Mazatlan still involved a lot of poor homeless people, armed guards, and beach vendors selling "chicle". The beaches are public property so the resorts can't close them off ( I think that's admirable), but we couldn't even lay out our blankets without people trying to sell us something, anything, everything! Horse rides, parasailing sessions, gum, trinkets/junk, etc.

And the poverty was heart wrenching. We spent much of the trip handing out food/goods and money to the homeless.

On a positive note, you leave the main drag a little bit, and don't insist on an ocean view, and there were some really nice resturants for cheap! We had steak fajitas and lobster tails, all you can drink Margaritas and all the trimmings. After tipping the Mariachis, the waiter etc. so generously they all cheered the next time we walked in, I think we were still out less than $30.

 

[TromboneAl]

Thanks, Nords! Hawaii is way ahead right now, especially since I'm sure I can get the inside scoop on best places to stay, etc. from you. I'll have more questions later.

 

[wstu32]

Hawaii

but right now at 10:30 2/2/07 it is very chilly!!!

 

[Nords]

Hawaii
but right now at 10:30 2/2/07 it is very chilly!!!

Don't go there. Them Mainlanders will stomp all over us for whining about those 68-degree lows...

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

You might consider Pensacola or other places on the Florida panhandle. Possibly Sannibel Island further south on the gulf side. I do not know about the surfing, but the sand and the sea and the seafood are great and no condo salesmen or beggars.

 

[sgeeeee]

. . .
At this point Hawaii, Mexico and San Diego are in the mix.
. . .
Thoughts?

Mexico is a big place. You might want to narrow it down.