Visiting-need a car? (San Diego: rental car, rental, hotels)

[rbwallis]

Hi all. We'll be visiting SD in a few weeks, staying for 3 nights at Hotel Circle. I think most of what we will be doing will be downtown (zoo, gaslamp, etc.) Will we need to rent a car? What is the trip to/from the airport like?

Thanks, Rob

[mewzikguy]

The airport is downtown (like Chicago Midway), very close to hotel circle. You can catch the Trolley in Fashion Valley (walkable from hotel circle) , that takes you downtown. From there, it's a short transfer to a bus going directly to the zoo. . Enjoy

[sdtips]

Hi.

Hope you'll have a great time in San Diego. Hotel Circle is close to the airport --within 6 miles. Landing at the airport will be a treat for you--you'll notice a sudden breaking--but that's the way it is. Landing in San Diego is like a landing in a salad bowl for pilots. Short runway... one runway. Anyway, taxi rates change all the time, but probably somewhere at about $20 or just over will get you to the hotel. There are buses but it can be a challenge in San Diego to use the buses. I'd find a hotel with a shuttle, if you stay in Hotel Circle. You can get around, as the previous post suggested, from Hotel Circle to Downtown, Old Town-- via the red Trolley (lite rail). You can easily pick it up along the northern side of the San Diego river -at Fashion Valley mall (behind the Town and Country Hotel --which would be easiest for anyone staying in Hotel Circle-- but you'd have to walk to get there-- from whichever hotel. Hotel Circle is an area running east/west along a major freeway with hotels on either side (not a circle!). A car is really easiest...unfortunately. Might want to try Fox Car Rental... cheaper. If you want more information, we have a lot...

sdtips
San Diego Travel Tips | Find Out What To Do and See In San Diego > Travel Guide, Visitor Information

[jksouthbay88]

Originally Posted by sdtips

Hi.

Hope you'll have a great time in San Diego. Hotel Circle is close to the airport --within 6 miles. Landing at the airport will be a treat for you--you'll notice a sudden breaking--but that's the way it is. Landing in San Diego is like a landing in a salad bowl for pilots. Short runway... one runway. Anyway, taxi rates change all the time, but probably somewhere at about $20 or just over will get you to the hotel. There are buses but it can be a challenge in San Diego to use the buses. I'd find a hotel with a shuttle, if you stay in Hotel Circle. You can get around, as the previous post suggested, from Hotel Circle to Downtown, Old Town-- via the red Trolley (lite rail). You can easily pick it up along the northern side of the San Diego river -at Fashion Valley mall (behind the Town and Country Hotel --which would be easiest for anyone staying in Hotel Circle-- but you'd have to walk to get there-- from whichever hotel. Hotel Circle is an area running east/west along a major freeway with hotels on either side (not a circle!). A car is really easiest...unfortunately. Might want to try Fox Car Rental... cheaper. If you want more information, we have a lot...

sdtips
San Diego Travel Tips | Find Out What To Do and See In San Diego > Travel Guide, Visitor Information

Yeah,it would help to have a car,but you can take the bus(992) to the blue line at America Plaza or SF Depot.Then get off at Old Town and take the Green Line to Mission Valley.

[RD5050]

I definitely recommend renting a car while in San Diego.

That way, you can easily visit beaches, and see many other sites too.

Without a car, you will limit yourself to what you can see, and you will spend a lot of time waiting for buses, etc. Buses will also take longer to get around, since they have to make stops along the way.

[jksouthbay88]

Originally Posted by RD5050

I definitely recommend renting a car while in San Diego.

That way, you can easily visit beaches, and see many other sites too.

Without a car, you will limit yourself to what you can see, and you will spend a lot of time waiting for buses, etc. Buses will also take longer to get around, since they have to make stops along the way.

I agree.And MTS(Metro Tran.System or Metro Trans Sux) is never on time and you pay high fairs for some [expletive] service.

[hotornot]

Back in March I scoured our phone book looking for the best deals on the lowest price rental car, which would be a subcompact, I believe. I then bookmarked their websites to my favorites. I have never used any of these agencies. Because of that I cannot endorse or sling wet vomit any of them. Find the cheapest car, and then call another agency and ask them if they can beat that price on the same type of car. That's what I would do. Here's a few that back in March 2008 had the lowest price car:

Car Rental Vehicles from Fox Rent a Car - Offering Cheap Rental Cars (http://www.foxrentacar.com/FoxFleet02.aspx?@@=249195234@ÈÇËËÍ@ÈÇËËÍ - broken link)

San Diego Area Car Rental | San Diego Area Rent A Car (http://www.advantage.com/j/i/114/cid/274/LocationDetails-US/San_Diego_Area.html - broken link)

Rent4Less :: Rental Locations :: San Diego Airport (SAN) (http://www.rentfourless.com/locations/SDD.html - broken link)

A1 Rent A Car-San Diego,CA