| If you're finding that you can't quite afford that | | | | palm trees, mega swimming pool and island music, the |
| Hawaiian vacation this year, take heart: there's | | | | resort takes on the feel of a true Hawaiian resort. |
| another destination that will be easier and less | | | | The resort also is nearly surrounded by Mission Bay |
| expensive.. And if you're already in Southern | | | | Park, a popular playground for San Diego County |
| California, it's just a few hours' drive. | | | | residents who flock to the acres and acres of green |
| San Diego's Mission Bay, along with Pacific Beach, | | | | lawns, waterfront and recreational areas. The Mission |
| may not have the 80-degree water, or the hula girls, | | | | Bay area was developed several decades ago from a |
| but there is plenty of water, swaying palm trees and | | | | tidal marsh where the San Diego River drained into |
| consistent weather that practically guarantees you'll | | | | the Pacific Ocean. About 25 million cubic yards of |
| get all the time you need to bake in the sun. It's | | | | sand and silt were dredged to create the land forms |
| easy to leave the everyday grind of work behind | | | | in the park, which are almost entirely manmade. The |
| and settle into a vacation frame of mind. | | | | area has restrictions on development that ensure |
| The comparison with Hawaii is particularly apt at a | | | | that it will remain available for the public to use. |
| hotel like the Hilton San Diego Resort, a sprawling | | | | And use it they do. Whether it's day camping on |
| campus of both high and low-rise accommodations, | | | | Fiesta Island, or walking or riding along the many miles |
| many with views of Mission Bay. Location and | | | | of bike paths skirting the bay, or simply picnicking on |
| landscaping are what make this resort special. With | | | | park property with dramatic views of the bay, San |
| its own docks on Mission Bay and a fleet of various | | | | Diego residents and visitors alike have taken a liking |
| water craft available for rent, water activities are | | | | to Mission Bay. |
| never far away. And with the lush gardens, ubiquitous | | | | |