More than cheeseburgers in Paradise Point Resort

San Diego has quite a few different pockets of town but Mission Bay is my most favorite, followed by a close second with Coronado, which is an island across a bridge from San Diego.

Mission Bay is perfectly Cali chill. It has all the ingredients for a relaxing West Coast vacay.

When you drive onto Vacation Road– who doesn’t want to go there!– in the dark as we did, you turn into Paradise Point Resort and follow the paved road, you will be delighted with palm trees lit up in different colors and it will lead you to a tropical vintage paradise that is Paradise Point Resort.

Built in the 60s, this property has charm oozing out of its flora and fauna-soaked 44 acres. As a kid of the 70s and 80s, Paradise Point– which has all one story lodging–harkens me back to a simpler time.

The ability to park right in front of your room never ceases to delight me. And I love opening up the door to the back patio that has a view of palm trees, a lagoon with water running, and beautiful orange and pink flowers (Birds of Paradise, of course) popping all around.

Barefoot Bar & Grill (at Paradise Point) is a relaxed outdoor restaurant that overlooks the bay, with a menu that is far more than pub grub. For dinner, you can choose from juicy carnitas tacos or pasta topped with Parmesan and Italian sausage. Pair that with a cabernet or a local canned beer (they do not offer a draft beer). It’s the perfect blend of vibin’ on the water, tasty food and cold beverages. They do have music on the weekends occasionally.

Tidal (Seasonal craft and catch is their tagline) is the more refined restaurant at Paradise Point, also overlooking Mission Bay. They open for brunch at 10 a.m.; sit and have a cappuccino, latte, or POG Punch, a blend of tropical juices. Order a hearty breakfast like chilaquiles or biscuits and gravy with fried chicken and a side of fresh fruit. Get your fill of fuel to enjoy your day in paradise.

There are plenty of things to do on property at Paradise Point: several pools, including an adult pool, a putt putt golf course, an open beach on the bay, and rentals with Action Sports such as bikes, standup paddle boards and even a small marina of power boats. Rent a one hour power boat so you can enjoy cruising around the bay. Most of the Mission Bay area is a max of 5 mph, however there is an open area past the bridge where you can enjoy kicking it up a notch.

For dinner, take a quick 10-minute drive around the bay to the beautiful Catamaran Resort which also sits right on its own beautiful beach. Their restaurant, Oceana, also sits right on the water; ask for an outdoor table. The menu is full of delicious choices such as swordfish, trout or grilled chicken with chickpea fries. Pair this with a great glass of chardonnay or mocktails for the younger crowd, and enjoy this tropical setting.

Right off the pier from Oceana and Catamaran Resort, you can hop on a Mississippi riverboat type of experience called Bahia Belle Cruise. It’s a 45-minute cruise around the bay, simply for the purposes of sightseeing. A daytime cruise might be preferable for that reason but they do offer an 8 p.m. departure on Saturday nights where you can enjoy the reflection of the lights on Mission Bay.

Perhaps when you check out of Paradise Point, before you depart for the airport, take a ride to the other side of Mission Bay and enjoy brunch at Covewood. This property is also right on the water and has a covered outdoor patio where you can dine on chic coastal California cuisine. Try an ensemble of different choices (and share family style), mixing savory and sweets. You might try the avocado toast and the Mascarpone French toast or the Birria Benedict (short rib stuffed goodness) and blueberry streusel muffin with fruit.

It’s no surprise that there are heaps to do in the San Diego area so we recommend biting off one small area each time you visit. You will love the taste of Mission Bay! For more on Paradise Point and other great getaways, check out our latest on San Antonio Living. 

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Cover Photo Courtesy MontyLov on Unsplash

Marika Flatt, Outstanding Austin Communicator 2021, is the Travel Editor of Texas Lifestyle Magazine. She began her travel writing career in 2002 with Austin Woman Magazine and now writes their “Texas Traveler” section. She can be seen as a contributor on TV shows across Texas, offering travel tips and spent five years as the voice of the “Weekend Trip Tip” on NPR’s Texas Standard.