With their special “Double Family Fun Package” and on-resort activities like nightly bonfires, Friday Night Flix, and the Kids Korner, Kona Kai Resort & Spa might just be one of San Diego’s most family-friendly resorts. Here, we detail a 36-hour retreat (Friday night through Sunday morning) catering to families visiting San Diego with the resort as a base camp.
Friday
Catch a Movie by the Pool
Swing by the Kona Kai’s pool, overlooking the marina and the hillsides of Point Loma, for the Friday Night Flix to enjoy a family-friendly picture like Star Wars, The Little Mermaid, Moana, or Up – check the website for the schedule. Blankets, juice, and, of course, popcorn, are included.
Saturday
Hit the Zoo
A San Diego family favorite, the 100-acre San Diego Zoo is home to over 4,000 animals: cheetahs, elephants, giant pandas, zebras, polar bears, and many more. The green thumbs in your family will especially appreciate the zoo’s flora, too, with more than one million plants, including rare and endangered species. For a sneak peek at all the zoo offers, take a look at the live cams.
A Grilled Cheese Lunch
They have burgers, too, but it seems sort of sacrilegious to not get a grilled cheese at a place called Grater Grilled Cheese, located just four miles north of the zoo in Mission Valley. And trust us, these are no ordinary grilled cheeses. With options like the caprese grilled cheese, the lobster grilled cheese, and the avocado grilled cheese, even the food snobs among us will be able to find something that piques their interest. Parents, pair a beer with your choice – you deserve it.
A High-Touch Maritime Museum
Do your kids like to push buttons? Do the whole family a favor, and stop by the USS Midway Museum, located in downtown San Diego. The flight deck exhibits let visitors see, touch, and board all sorts of military aircraft. There are also flight simulators, below decks exhibits, and much more for history buffs, naval and aeronautics enthusiasts, and yes, little button pushers.
Dinner at Vessel
Don’t mistake the delicious cuisine at Vessel, Kona Kai’s on-site New American restaurant, as being unfriendly to kids. Sure, the adults will love Chef Roy Hendrickson’s best dishes, like the artichoke ravioli, Scottish salmon, and short rib, but there are still reliable, kid-approved options like mini burgers, mac n’ cheese, and chicken fingers.
S’Mores on the Beach
S’mores and ocean air – a classic pairing. Wind down your Saturday night with s’mores on Kona Kai’s private beach. S’more kits are included with the Double Family Fun Package, leaving you to do the fun parts: make and devour them.
Sunday
Eat Atypical Waffles
Atypical Waffle Company delivers on their name. Their yeast-risen (much like pizza) waffles take two days to make and feature rare Belgian pearl sugars. The process is serious, but the final product is fun: The original Liege waffle with powdered sugar is really all you need, but they also have alternative concoctions like something called the Nutella Chocolate Lovers (with hazelnut Nutella, strawberries, and cream) the PB and Jelly.
