3 ways the Torrey Pines Hilton is WAY better than the Lodge at Torrey Pines

Last month I had pleasure of spending a lovely weekend in Torrey Pines, San Diego.  It was a great long weekend- one that I imagine people think of when you tell people you're flying to San Diego.  Normally, due to family we usually spend all of our time in East County San Diego which, although I truly love my family that lives there, it's about as exciting to visit as Fresno (big hugs to my Fresno family as well!).

We took surfing lessons, we snorkeled in the La Jolla Cove, we ate tacos, and we basked in the warm late summer sun - yes!!

But I have to tell you, perhaps the most fun I had was discovering why our choice to stay at the Torrey Pines Hilton was a WAY better choice then trying to grab a room at the famous Lodge at Torrey Pines (for those of you that don't know these two hotels are right next to each other, overlooking the (again) famous Torrey Pines Golf Course).

The Hilton: http://www.hiltonlajollatorreypines.com/
The Lodge: http://www.lodgetorreypines.com/

The Cost- Just to get the obvious out of the way. A stay at the Lodge will put you back +$300, whereas a stay at the Hilton will be more like +$100

1) The Pool: The pool at the Hilton is much more inviting than the pool at the Lodge. The Lodge pool feels cramped and old school. Like you need your butler to carry your towel or something. The Pool at the Hilton is warm with a wonderful view of the golf course and the ocean.

2) The Decor and Warmth: Did I mention warmth? The craftsman style of the Lodge feels so cold to me,- hard dark wood, angular furniture, and a bunch of stained glass. I really have no love for stained glass - unless it's in a beautiful church. The decor and furniture at the Hilton (while needing some updating - which I think is in progress) is soft, relaxing, and pleasing to the eye. Each room has a balcony and a view out towards the ocean -love it!

3) The Back Stairs and "Secret" Lodge Entrance: This is the best part! There are stairs at the far end of each wing that connects you to the Hilton's gardens and paths. The path around to the far right of the property allows you access to the Lodge! You can walk right on into the building and wander around to your heart's content! Two hotels in one - voila!

That, my friend is why Torrey Pines Hilton is an immensely better choice than the Lodge at Torrey Pines.

Stay classy San Diego!

Directions from a 3rd Grader

I recalled a great memory today. On the bus home, the bus driver was unfamiliar with the route and asked us which way he had to turn. We gladly told him (not so altruistically as we really just wanted him to get us home at a reasonable hour) and then it made me remember my childhood on the bus. I remembered how when we were kids on the school bus, we'd deftly guide our substitute bus driver as to which street to turn on and what house to stop at to ensure that each and every kid got picked up on the route to school and that each and every kid got dropped off safely to their homes. We were sure lucky kids, as ours was the first stop on the way to school (6:10am pickup time) and the last off the bus (4pm drop off).

So essentially the adult bus driver was taking directions from a 3rd grader (OK sometimes it'd be a 5th grader). It's such an interesting idea that the kids would pay enough attention to memorize the complete route. I remember that when some eager kid would accidentally give the wrong direction, the whole bus would be in an uproar, yelling that they needed to turn left instead of right.  That was awesome.