First time in San Diego & need advise with hotels/ locations

Hi all, I know this has been asked many times, but my partner and I (we are gay) are traveling to San Diego from Australia. We have never been to San Diego or to the USA for the matter...

We are in San Diego from the 3/18 to 3/21, so we are interested in going to the Zoo. That%26#39;s all we have planned so far. So we are looking for a hotel with a good location. Somewhere we can walk to things or isn%26#39;t to far by public transport. Our budget is between $100 and $150 per night. Any suggestions?

Also my partner wants to go to Tijuana, but I%26#39;m a little unsure. I%26#39;ve heard so many horror stories. What do you think????

First time in San Diego %26amp; need advise with hotels/ locations

Welcome to the forums. At this point in history you do NOT want to go to Tijuana. There is a drug war(actual shooting) going on between the Mexican drug cartels and the local police AND army. There have been murders and kidnappings of local citizens,foreign businessmen, and US citizens/retirees who live there. So far,day trip tourists have not been kidnapped or shot.

I am not sure what the purpose of a visit there would be.My advice would be to go further into Mexico for a proper vacation.

La Pensione is a hotel in out Little Italy neighborhood, just north of downtown, where prices are just under $100 per night. There is good access to public transportation.

La Quinta/Old Town,is just north of there with transportation access as well.

Park Manor Suites is in your price range for part of the time and then is a little higher. It is walking distance to our Hillcrest(gay area)and has a rooftop gay bar on weekends.

The Balboa Park Inn is across the street from the park and zoo and is in a residential part of HIllcrest. YOu have a lot of choices.

First time in San Diego %26amp; need advise with hotels/ locations

Hey GJ:

I think RiffsMom gave some good advice. I would favor Park Manor over other options she suggested. It is in a nice neighborhood on the west side of Balboa Park. The Zoo is a 20-30 minute walk through the park to the Zoo Entrance. Most of San Diego%26#39;s cultural attractions and museums are located in Balboa Park. (www.balboapark.org)

There are bus lines on the corner where Park Manor is located or one block away to get to Hillcrest, Downtown and connect with other tram/bus lines. It is a central location but not ultra convenient to public transit. Transit info is here (www.sdcommute.com). There is a big happy hour on Friday nights starting at 5PM -- rooftop, great views, good bartenders and lots of people to talk to.

San Diego%26#39;s gay community is centered in Hillcrest but is increasingly dispersed throughout the city. Within walking distance you have several bars that range from twink to Heaven%26#39;s Waiting Room; one of the bigger dance clubs and a number of gay focused restaurants (Mo%26#39;s, Baja Betty%26#39;s). Levi / Leather is a cab ride away in North Park. Our weekly %26#39;rag%26#39; is Gay %26amp; Lesbian Times (www.gaylesbiantimes.com).

You%26#39;ve gotten good advice.

Re: tijuana - for such a short first time trip I%26#39;d skip it. There%26#39;s much more to do in San Diego and the hours you%26#39;d spend on a bus and waiting at the border just to see cheap tourist junk doesn%26#39;t make sense. Enjoy your time in San Diego!

Go to the waterfront

http://www.thebigbay.com/

Eat in Little Italy

http://www.littleitalysd.com/splash/index.asp

Little Italy has two inexpesive places to stay

La Pensione %26amp; Porto Vista

http://www.littleitalysd.com/Lodging.asp

Actually, there%26#39;s also The Little Italy Inn

Enjoy!