Since 1962, Paradise Point has served as San Diego’s island resort

We first came to Paradise Point (then named Vacation Village) in 1963.  We had a son who was two years old and a 2-month-old boy.  We stayed in what is now room 265. There was a street to its side; the rooms on the bay east of our room didn't exist nor were there any rooms built on what is now Paradise Cove.  We fell in love with the resort and have been coming ever since.  By 1968, we brought our new daughter and our boys fished for the first time (fishing in the lagoon was permitted then).  As the kids got older they found new things to do - tennis, sailing, golf and feeding the chickens and rabbits.

Vacation Village became the Princess Resort and now Paradise Point, where we have continued to take vacations over the past 48 years. The size of our group has grown. When our children were in high school they often brought a friend.  As our children grew up and got married, they came with us with their growing families. Because of our family's long tradition, we also celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary at Paradise Point. Here's to the resort's 50th!

When I read about Paradise Point's 50th anniversary, I knew I had to share my story, as our family has been enjoying the resort for over 30 years. Looking through our photos of vacations over the years, you can see our sons age from very young to teenagers to college age and finally, full grown adults.  Some of the early photos are stamped 1981 and the most recent ones, showing my husband sitting in one of the lagoon pagodas with gray hair, are stamped November 2010.

I fondly look back at the pictures of the boys enjoying various activities with their dad - biking, playing ping pong, playing shuffleboard, and of course sailing on Mission Bay.

Especially poignant is a postcard from the Barefoot Bar & Grill which I sent to my mother on our very first visit.  In the margins, I describe the resort and all its activities and tell her how excited we are to be there.

For my daughter's 13th birthday, we had rented two adjoining rooms. When we arrived, they didn't have two rooms adjacent to one another, but they were kind enough to provide us with a suite, which worked out even better!

We had the best time at the resort. We had a nail painting party, did a balloon toss on Paradise Lawn, limbo, and bobbing for apples. We made s'mores at night on the firepits, and went in the hot tubs after. The girls even dressed the big girl chaperones up in toliet paper dresses! (Don't worry, we brought our own.)

The next day we had breakfast, did a fun bike ride and then headed out to the bay for a sand castle contest. The birthday party group NEVER got bored as Paradise Point has so much to offer! We will definitely be going back again....soon!

As I was growing up in the northeastern United States, I remember hearing stories of California. The flora and fauna of the Pacific coast seemed so beautiful and mystical to me.  In particular, I remember stories my father told of a rare and beautiful plant that was half tree, half cactus.  All my life I dreamed and wondered what this fantastic “tractus” looked like. 

Finally in 2007, I made my first trip to California with my wife and daughter.  I’d heard of a resort in San Diego on an island all to itself; a place where the city hadn’t overrun the trees and plants native to the area. This place was Paradise Point and this is where decided to stay and begin the search for the Tractus.  When we arrived we were overwhelmed by the beauty and majesty of the grounds and gardens.  Immediately, we parked our car, checked in and headed for the pedicabs to begin the search.

The first things to get our attention were the hibiscus and other brightly colored tropical flowers.  Flowers we had only seen in pictures that we could now see and smell for the very first time. Next, we found cottony soft trees that reminded me of the truffula trees that I had read about in Dr Seuss’  “The Lorax”. We even found a very rare and once thought extinct ghost tree - the only tree native to the area that sheds its leaves and goes into a dormant state blooming only once a year.

We searched all over the island for hors upon hours and still no Tractus.  Finally, after we returned the pedicab and headed back to our bungalow for the evening, we saw one!  Tucked against the wall of our very own building was the elusive Tractus of my childhood dreams.  It was as beautiful and wonderful as I’d always imagined.  We were all overjoyed about the amazing sights we’d seen. 

Hungry from our search we decided on outdoor dining at the Barefoot Grill.  We sat and ate, passing the camera around recounting the sights we’d seen and enjoying our meal. We will never forget our time at Paradise Point  and we wish you all the best as you celebrate your 50^th year.

I was lucky enough to visit Paradise Point two times this year, one of them being the first time I ever stayed there! My husband and his 7 brothers and sisters, mom, and dad stayed there every summer as a kid in a bayside room.  He grew up playing on the sand and having bonfires when it got dark.  He loved riding bikes all over the resort, and swimming in the main pool.  I was never taken to Paradise Point, or vacation village which he mostly knew it as! 

My father in law passed away a few years ago and ever since then my mother-in-law and sister-in-law have still continued to go once every summer. Last summer, one of my sister-in-laws decided she was going to go down and stay there with her 4-year-old son while my mother-in-law stayed there as well!  I convinced my husband that we should come down and stay with our family of  four too, and pretty soon it turned out to be a big Ciccoianni family event where 6 out 8 siblings were going!  We even had extended family from Arizona going.

We only stayed 2 nights and 3 days but we had so much fun! We rented a surrey and rode bikes all around the resort. We had a bonfire every night and played Chubby Bunny seeing how many marshmallows we could shove in our mouth. We all went to all the pools and the kids built sandcastles with grandma. One of my favorite activities was when we rented the jet ski.  My 65-year-old mother-in-law had it on her bucket list to ride one.  She decided no time like the present, and got one and went off!

My mother-in-law talks about this vacation just about every time we see her, about how awesome it was to see her children with their own children on the bay. We intend to make it a family tradition and go back every year.

I try to come to San Diego with my daughter and now 6-year-old grandson a couple times a year and our first choice is always Paradise Point as this is a special place for us.  My grandson and daughter were in a car accident when my grandson was just 17 days old.  He was in intensive care for 2 weeks with a severe head injury.  He is doing well now but still does not communicate very well and is on a special diet.  We know he loves to come to Paradise Point.  The first time he came to the island resort at the age of 3, he cried when he realized we were staying overnight. But he adjusted and  we stayed another two days and he loved it.  He now feels very comfortable with the grounds and has so much fun exploring and playing.  He loves the beach and especially loves the pools.  We always take him for a walk at night and take him into the Island Market, which he adores.

I’ve spent every Labor Day weekend of my enitre life at Paradise Point with my family. That’s 32 summers. In a row. I have great memories of pool-hopping on skateboards with my friends and of my Dad barbequing “Roger Dogs” on the beach with sauerkraut, beer, hot dogs, and hamburgers. I remember winning the sandcastle building contest at the marina when I was ten. I’ll also never forget the summer I was finally old enough to have a drink at the Barefoot Bar with the same friends that I used to skateboard with. In recent years, I’ve had lots of fun chasing my nieces and nephews around and playing soccer on the lawn outside of our block of rooms. I’ve also enjoyed renting boats, jet-skiing, and watching boat races at the pond on Saturday mornings. I look forward to many more Labor Day memories in San Diego with my family and friends.

My best memory of Paradise is when I did the Susan G. Komen Three Day Breast Cancer Walk in San Diego in 2010.  I walked with good friends and it rained the entire weekend. Not just rain, but poured!  We had booked Paradise Point because it was within walking distance of the Three Day Campground, and we wanted to be able to participate in all the Camp events.  When we arrived cold, soaked to the bone at Paradise Point, it was a haven.  We took warm showers, put on snuggly PJs and climbed into the wonderful, wonderful beds.  We had a good night’s  sleep, and were energized for our 6 am arrival back at Camp on Saturday and Sunday.

Everyone at Paradise Point was welcoming and caring for us and the other walkers who stayed there.  They provided golf cart transportation around the resort, and we had a wonderful meal at the restaurant on Saturday night.  We are walking again in 2012 and we wouldn’t stay anywhere else!

My husband and I were fresh out of college with no money when we eloped in 1994.  He had just been hired with a new company and we were living in Denver, CO and we only had 3 days to take a honeymoon.  We flew to San Diego and stayed at Paradise Point.  We did not know the area but were guided so well by your staff that we found the most amazing meals and locations to enjoy during our brief stay.  We fell so in love with San Diego during our stay that we eventually moved to the area.

17 years and 5 daughters later, I decided to surprise my husband last year with an overnight stay where it all started.  It was such a treat to get away and rekindle the memories. 

We checked in with a warm greeting from the staff.  They even remembered that I had mentioned it would be his birthday during our visit.  So they surprised us with a tin of yummy cookies at check in.  It just got better from there.  We were in a larger unit with an amazing patio view of the water.  Our spacious rooms were so comfortable and the bed, I never wanted to get out of it.  I also loved the large tub so I could take a relaxing bath - with no interruptions from little ones! We had a lovely dinner in town that was recommended by the front desk/concierge.  The next morning, my husband went to the front desk and brought me back a wonderful cup of hot tea which I enjoyed out on the patio while watching a local college crew team warm up.  He joined me and we walked the beach and found shells to take back to our daughters. 

I just can’t say enough about the memories this place holds for us.  We enjoyed it so much, we made a pact to do this every January.  Thanks for the kindness and enjoyment we get from "our little island".

There are not many moments in your life that can you recall in complete detail. A memory that becomes permanently etched somewhere within you; something that you can always close your eyes and remember. An experience like this can change a life or create new life. Our life together began with a moment like this.

We started dating young, two 13 year old kids from Iowa, crazy about each other and dreaming of someday moving to San Diego to be together forever. I enlisted in the U.S. Navy and quickly became aware of how little time we were about to have together, the time apart was heart aching. I spent every day of my first 9 months away planning on what that first day together again would be like.

Dreams of an island getaway, somewhere private that we could share alone flooded my mind.  I imagined how wonderful it would be to hold her on the beach late at night under a warm blanket, with a fire roaring nearby watching shallow waves wash in.

I saved every bit of my 9 months pay to prepare to ask this girl to marry me. I looked all over San Diego for hotels that fit the pictures in my imagination, I walked the entire city; probably over a hundred miles on foot. Taking the ferry day after day from Coronado to downtown, I still didn’t find what I was looking for. I decided to research hotels on the internet, using only one key word that came to mind – paradise.

I came to visit Paradise Point using a taxi, to see if the pictures from the website were true. I went to the front desk to ask about the island, to see where the most romantic secluded places were to propose. I booked a garden bungalow for the event and returned to my ship in great anticipation.

The day came when we were to finally reunite. She came to Paradise Point straight from the airport and waited for me in the lobby. We met for the first time in almost a year there, I was so thrilled that the same staff member welcomed her to California for the first time and showed her to a small coffee cart outside the gift shop.

We took a map to find our room and wandered around the entire island, lost in conversation and discovery. We found the room and were so excited with the seclusion we were so ready for. We got ready and made our way to the spot, a private gazebo out on the water. I walked her out onto it, as the sun began to go down. The courage to ask finally came; the first, in a long series of unforgettable memories was shared together in the most romantic place on Earth.

We left the island one day later with a million pictures of ducks, plants and the only things we could afford at the gift shop; two refrigerator magnets and a fleece blanket. Our plans for the next trip to the island were already a part of everyday conversation when we were married 6 months later.

We visited Paradise Point 3 years later upon my exit from the Navy, the perfect way to begin a new chapter in our life together. We left California for the last time the day after, taking the drive back to our same, small hometown in Iowa.

Here we are 7 years later with two wonderful children and a home full of remnants of the incredible times at Paradise Point. We are patiently waiting for the day that we can take our children to the place where their history began and to teach them what the true meaning of what the word paradise means.

We started dating young, two 13 year old kids from Iowa, crazy about each other and dreaming of someday moving to San Diego to be together forever. I enlisted in the U.S. Navy and quickly became aware of how little time we were about to have together, the time apart was heart aching. I spent every day of my first 9 months away planning on what that first day together again would be like.

Dreams of an island getaway, somewhere private that we could share alone flooded my mind.  I imagined how wonderful it would be to hold her on the beach late at night under a warm blanket, with a fire roaring nearby watching shallow waves wash in.

I saved every bit of my 9 months pay to prepare to ask this girl to marry me. I looked all over San Diego for hotels that fit the pictures in my imagination, I walked the entire city; probably over a hundred miles on foot. Taking the ferry day after day from Coronado to downtown, I still didn’t find what I was looking for. I decided to research hotels on the internet, using only one key word that came to mind – paradise.

I came to visit Paradise Point using a taxi, to see if the pictures from the website were true. I went to the front desk to ask about the island, to see where the most romantic secluded places were to propose. I booked a garden bungalow for the event and returned to my ship in great anticipation.

The day came when we were to finally reunite. She came to Paradise Point straight from the airport and waited for me in the lobby. We met for the first time in almost a year there, I was so thrilled that the same staff member welcomed her to California for the first time and showed her to a small coffee cart outside the gift shop.

We took a map to find our room and wandered around the entire island, lost in conversation and discovery. We found the room and were so excited with the seclusion we were so ready for. We got ready and made our way to the spot, a private gazebo out on the water. I walked her out onto it, as the sun began to go down. The courage to ask finally came; the first, in a long series of unforgettable memories was shared together in the most romantic place on Earth.

We left the island one day later with a million pictures of ducks, plants and the only things we could afford at the gift shop; two refrigerator magnets and a fleece blanket. Our plans for the next trip to the island were already a part of everyday conversation when we were married 6 months later.

We visited Paradise Point 3 years later upon my exit from the Navy, the perfect way to begin a new chapter in our life together. We left California for the last time the day after, taking the drive back to our same, small hometown in Iowa.

Here we are 7 years later with two wonderful children and a home full of remnants of the incredible times at Paradise Point. We are patiently waiting for the day that we can take our children to the place where their history began and to teach them what the true meaning of what the word paradise means.

In 1991, I met my husband William.  At that time in our lives, we were both young, starting on a new path of life in recovery and were good friends.  As our new lives progressed, we moved on to live in different areas and lost contact with each other. 

Eighteen years later, November 4, 2009, we saw each other again in a 12-step meeting and were never apart again.  During our first year together, I wanted to give William a special birthday weekend.  Being newly reunited and very much in love, the place I chose had to be very special.  While searching the internet, I found Paradise Point.  Needless to say, we had a very romantic weekend.  I also surprised him with a couples massage at your spa.  We were so impressed with your resort setting, service, and our experience that we returned for my birthday in November 2010, a weekend getaway in January in 2011, and back for William’s birthday in May 2011. 

On November 12, 2011, we decided to elope.  Of course, we decided that the perfect way for us to enter our new lives together was at Paradise Point.  When we arrived the night before our wedding, the resort had a lovely room on the bay waiting for us.  In addition, the staff had provided us with a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries, along with a tender greeting card from wishing us the best on our new lives together.  We still have that card on our dresser at home, along with many pictures of us enjoying the resort. 

We will be having our yearly July family vacation again at Paradise Point during the hotel’s 50th anniversary. We all gather from San Diego and the surrounding areas and states in the one place we have discovered true paradise. Our group keeps getting bigger and bigger each year. The resort has many amenities needed to accommodate our large family, and fortunately being part of San Diego with its many renowned attractions close by and the ideal weather with the tropical setting enhances the beauty of the resort. 

Paradise Point lives up to its name. It is the best place in California for making unforgettable memories, from watching the sun rise and set over the water of Mission Bay around a fire pit with our toes in the sand, to the putt-putt golf and riding bicycles or just relaxing by one of the pools is true paradise. There is no reason to vacation in Hawaii since this resort has everything and more. Looking forward to many more memories.

2012 will be my sixth consecutive Labor Day Weekend spent at Paradise Point and my husband Kent’s  31st. He has spent every Labor Day weekend of his life at Paradise Point with his family. I have many fond memories of roasting marshmallows, reading celebrity gossip magazines by the bay, relaxing in the hot tubs, and barbequing with our extended family. But my favorite memory is when our nephew accidentally let his handmade skateboard slide into the lagoon and it was Kent’s job to fish it out! We look forward to Labor Day weekend every year as a chance to catch up with family and friends while relaxing and enjoying the last few days of summer.

Our first visit to Paradise Point was some 40 years ago. Vacation Village, as it was known then, was recommended to use by one of our close friends.  Our family fell in love with our new vacation spot.  We have since returned on well over 20 different occasions with our now three adult children, eight grandchildren, and many friends. We took our children there some 13 years straight. It was always their first choice for a vacation spot.

Our treasured memories at Paradise Point took place almost one year ago. We, along with our daughter and dozens of our relatives, friends, and church members, were in town for our son's graduation from Marine Corps Basic Training also known as Boot Camp.  It had been over 3 months since we waved, hugged, and kissed him goodbye, as the recruiter drove him away from our home in the wee hours of the morning, carting him off to the bus heading to the Marine Corps Recruitment Depot in San Diego for boot camp.

In the weeks leading up to the graduation and other festivities that were to take place, we searched and searched for a location that would be suitable for such a joyous reunion.  We wanted a setting that would be an exact contrast to the basic, cold, drab, sterile environment in which our son had spent the last 3 grueling months of his life.  We wanted an environment that was relaxing, beautiful, serene, welcoming, and conducive to a plain old "good time".  It couldn't just be ok - it had to be AWESOME.  You see, not only was our son graduating from boot camp, he was graduating at the top of his class, as the Company Honor Man, the #1 graduate amongst over 600 new United States Marines.  He had earned a title that many only dreamed of earning.

After much searching and eliminating places that just did not create the ambiance we were searching for, we discovered Paradise Point, and looked no further.  We were sold! Our satisfaction level from the initial phone call to make the reservations, all the way up to our third day there when we checked out was a consistent 10/10.  My son felt as if he was literally in paradise.  We had 2 adjoining suites and another one separated only by the walkway.  Our out of town guests that had driven from as far away as Nevada rested in extreme comfort.  We roasted marshmallows and hot dogs, shopped in the stores, enjoyed the lakefront view, watched the sun rise and set, gathered for dinner after the graduation, lounged on the beach chairs, enjoyed the impeccable grounds and scenery, and received five-star service and courtesy from all of the staff we encountered.  At the top of the list was Jayme Fancher, the Reservations Specialist that we were blessed to connect with at the onset.  Not only did she take care of our immediate family, but she took care of the grandparents, the aunts, the uncles, the friends. She even took care of the packages that we had delivered to the front desk prior to our arrival that contained very special graduation gifts we had purchased for our son.

As a family, we were able to release all of the stress and anxiety that had built up over the 3 months leading up to these 3 days.  Our son, who had been tested far beyond the imaginable physical and emotional limits gave Paradise Point 2-thumbs up and a big "oo-rah", and saluted us for choosing the perfect spot for him to spend his first few nights back in civilization.

In June 1970, my wife and I got married. We decided to spend our honeymoon week at Paradise Point (then called Vacation Village) because I had vacationed there with my family while I attended high school in La Habra, CA during the early 1960s. I had enjoyed the nice accommodations and all the recreational activities at the resort, as well as the attractions nearby such as SeaWorld and the San Diego Zoo. 

So we booked our week-long honeymoon, and as I recall, we got a “honeymoon special” price of about $30 per night!  We had a magnificent week dining, golfing, sailing, and just lounging on the sand. Of particular note was our sailing adventure. Neither of us had much experience sailing, so it took us forever just to get away from the dock. Finally, we got the hang of it and actually made it all the way to the north end of Mission bay and back to the dock without needing a rescue party.

We love that Paradise Point and some of the spots we visited back in 1970 still exist (though sadly, some do not),  as we have returned occasionally to the San Diego area over the years. Over 40 years later, my wife and I still have very fond memories of our honeymoon week on the island, and whenever we drive down the freeway toward the heart of the city, we point it out to our children and grandchildren as we pass by. It was the start of a very happy marriage and a family of three children, now all grown up!

Our luxurious $30/night honeymoon accommodations - 1970

If I had to summarize all my memories of Paradise Point in one word, it would be “Dad”. 

The Ciccoianni family has been vacationing at Paradise Point since long before I was born.  My parents, Louis & Katie Ciccoianni, started visiting the resort in the mid-70s when they had just 3 of their 8 children.  As their family grew though the years, the island became more and more a part of our family and our memories.  Each year we would look forward to the days we'd be able to spend playing on the bay, swimming in the many pools, riding bikes throughout the resort, climbing the tower and, my Dad's absolute favorite, feeding the ducks. 

Prior to my father passing away, we all went to Paradise Point for a few days.  Through the many hardships we faced with my father being sick, there was something about spending those days at Paradise Point that breathed joy into my Dad as he recalled the summers past, and as we created those lasting memories of his final trip.

Since his passing, all of us have continued to visit Paradise Point.  Now that we are grown, we are making new memories with our own families and together as one big Ciccoianni family.  It makes us all happy to spend time at Paradise Point and I know my father is looking down at us while there, and is smiling.

I thank the many staff who have helped us over the many years make our stay so incredibly special and for being such a huge part of each and every one of our memories and lives.

Our first stay at Paradise Point was a surprise to my husband (who was then my boyfriend).  We ate at the Barefoot Bar and Grill and took a stroll after dinner.  I was following his lead, and oddly enough, he chose to walk right past our room; earlier that day I had checked in and got our key without him knowing!

We laughed and talked on the beach, and on the way back to the car I said “I would love to stay here sometime”.  I walked by our room and peeked in the window and said “I wonder what the rooms are like?”  At this point, Richard was getting a little uncomfortable. He had his arms crossed and was standing 10 feet behind me.  He asked what I was doing. I said, “I wonder if a regular credit card would open the door?” I reached in my wallet to pretend to get a credit card, but really grabbed the room key and opened the door.  I said “Come on, let’s go inside!”   He was shaking his head, thinking I was really breaking in, so I started laughing and told him my sneaky plan.

We came back another time in the winter with our teenage children.  It is the one place my teenagers will hang out with me and have a good time.  We swam in every pool and rented bikes.  Even my 16 year old son said it was his favorite vacation.

On April 23 of last year, Richard and I got married on the Island Point Lawn.  The staff was excellent and everything went perfect.  They even upgraded our room to the Governor’s Suite! We are planning to sail our boat to Paradise Point and stay for our 1 year anniversary.

I took a picture of the Island Point Lawn from the Governor’s Suite right before we got married, and still use that picture as my screen saver at work.  I love the picture, because if you look real close you can see my husband waiting at the altar for me!

My family has spent every July 4th at Paradise Point, starting in 1973. When I met my husband, he said his parents used to take him there as well, and we were married in one of the bayside bungalows in 2006. We have since been down there at least twice a year with our children, Logan and Paloma. We love the resort, the food, the fun, the family activities, and the spa. Ah, the spa...lovely! There is really no need to leave the resort. This past summer we were able to come down twice. We rented bikes, played on the beach and had lots of fun in the pool. Thanks for the memories!

"For a little bit more you can go first class," my dad said several decades ago. With this in mind, my wife and I booked a stay at Paradise Point. We had visited the resort previously and were looking forward to a wonderful, relaxing stay. It was great. The grounds were beautiful, the restaurants excellent, and the atmosphere very relaxed.

On day as we were driving our little rental car out of the parking lot, I turned the wheel a bit too much and backed over a decorative rock and high-centered the car. Within a minute several guys from the grounds crew arrived to help dislodge our little car, but not before my wife snapped a photo of my embarrassing state of affairs. Another guest and his family came by and commiserated a bit. The odd thing was that everyone was smiling. No one was upset. I guess it's difficult to be upset when you're in beautiful surroundings? No wonder it's called Paradise!

My family has long been visitors of Paradise Point.  My first visit to Vacation Village was in 1971. I was about 18 months old.  My mom, dad, and sisters were all there.  Being one, I really had no memory of the resort, though I do remember in later years seeing the photos of our visit there.  I distinctly remember the pictures of my sisters on those great surrey bikes, wishing that I could go there and ride them someday. 

Who would have guessed that 40 years later I would take my family to your resort while we were visiting SeaWorld?  My mom, my 2 girls and myself stayed together in one of the Lanai rooms near the bay.  It was absolutely the best vacation we had in a long time.  My girls, 12 and 9, loved all of the activities.  Never a dull moment!  They loved the room with the patio and feeding the ducks.  They loved the gift shop (we were there 3 times a day, I think).  Most of all they loved the surrey bikes, and yes, I even got to ride them this time (unfortunately no photo of me on the bikes...just my girls!).  My mom was so pleasantly surprised at how well the resort has been maintained and updated.  We plan to visit again. 

Congratulations to Paradise Point and staff on their 50th anniversary this year! We found your special hotel as the perfect spot to be our home away from home in 1969 to celebrate our 1st wedding anniversary. Due to family situations and life happenings, we were unable to return until recently when we celebrated our 40th anniversary. And, unbeknownst to us at the time, it turned out to be our last anniversary as my husband, Bob, journeyed from Paradise to Paradise. How blessed we were to be able to visit our home away from home one last time together! Thank you for your welcoming ways that led to unbelievable and outstanding memories. They are helping the healing process now.

An ode to Paradise:

P rovided
A ccommodations and an atmosphere that
R eached out to
A ll ages in our multi-generational family. It was a
D estination spa that
I ncluded an incredibly awesome
S taff ready to serve and help
E ach and every one of us.

P lus, it was a perfect place for
O ptimal fun, relaxation, inspiration, quality play time
I nviting snack, meals, and dining, along with a
N uturing, natural environment
T hese times are truly treasured!

Grandma's 75th birthday started out with just my family (3 children under 13, my husband, and I) and Grandma because everyone was "too busy" to come out to celebrate. But, when my brothers and their families heard we were taking Grandma to Paradise Point, they BOTH brought their families all the way from Wyoming and New York to celebrate.

Paradise Point is a very special place for my mom because she (we) came here years ago when Paradise Point used to be Vacation Village. This was going to be a very special and emotionally intense time for my mom, so I wasn't sure how it would go over. It turned out to be one of the best times our family has had together! We had family members from age 9 to Grandma's 75 years young present and there was something to do for everyone.

We had made reservations for only 2 nights thinking that we are all so different and 48 hours of family would be plenty, but we found the opposite. We didn't have enough time to do what we all wanted to do and the amazing part was, we wanted to do it all together! There are endless activities to participate in and if the family gets a little challenging, there is plenty of space to venture out and not run into anyone for hours so you can regroup. We all were in heaven the entire time we were celebrating Grandma's birthday.

In 1963, my parents took my little sisters and me to San Diego’s island resort for a family vacation . I was the only son, and in my teenage years at the time.  

Following lunch one day, my mother and younger siblings decided to take a nap. With the rest of the family asleep, my father invited me to join him at the Barefoot Bar, which looked like a men's club at the time. The place was full of fathers and grandfathers, socializing amongst each other during this hour that we all seemed to have just to ourselves. It was a time for male bonding, meeting new people, exchanging information about the area, and recommending places to go with our families and friends.  

Now that I’m a grandfather with four grandchildren, I continue the tradition by taking my son-in-law to Barefoot around that same time of day to bond with me and make new friends.

I hope Barefoot Bar & Grill will stay open at least another 50 years, as my grandsons are just in their teenage years and I know that my son-in law will want to pass the tradition on to them when it’s “their time”.

My husband Jason and I have been married for many years and for a good number of those years we'd tried and tried to have a baby. Through years of infertility and various treatments we'd always escape to Paradise Point to relax, unwind and try to forget about our issues if only for a long weekend. Back in 2009 we finally decided to pursue adoption. It was another difficult process with many ups and downs. We decided yet again to run away to Paradise Point to recharge our batteries. The day before we left, we received the call that we'd been chosen to become the parents to twin baby girls. They were just 2 1/2 months old and we'd get to bring them home soon. Needless to say that vacation wasn’t very relaxing but in the most wonderful way. We got no sleep and spent most of our time walking along the beach and dreaming of bringing home our babies. The rest of our time was spent wondering what they looked like and deciding what we'd name them. We brought home our beautiful girls 4 days after we returned home and decided to name them Sidney Ann and Sophey Lyn. When the girls got a bit older, we decided it was time to share our special place with them. We came back to Paradise Point and to the very same room where we'd spent all those hours dreaming of them. Paradise Point will always hold such special memories for our little family. Attached is a photo of our girls playing on the grass outside our room.

My husband and I have a long history with Paradise Point. When we first started dating, his college fraternity had their formal on the resort’s waterfront Paradise Lawn. We went together and had a magical weekend - our first real trip together! The bungalows were so perfect, and we cuddled on the patio outside in the plush robes that came with the room, watching the waves wash in and out.

Later on in our relationship, we decided we needed a nice weekend getaway for just the two of us. We decided we had enjoyed Paradise Point so much the first time that we wanted to go back. We had another magical weekend in an awesome room. We even had some duck visitors come to our patio the next morning!

A few years later, Mike proposed to me. We immediately knew we wanted to get married at Paradise Point. The atmosphere was everything we wanted for our wedding, and a year later, we got married on the same lawn where we had the fraternity formal the first time we went, in front of all of our friends and family. The sun was setting over the water, making for the perfect wedding photos. We danced the night away at our perfect wedding, and retired to our amazing bungalow on the water. Things couldn't have been more perfect.

Paradise Point will always have a special place in both me and my husband's lives. We hope to return there many more times to make more memories at this wonderful resort.

One October in the late 1960's, during the production run of television's “Hogan’s Heroes”, my parents (the stars of the show) were offered a weekend stay at Paradise Point, then named Vacation Village. Needless to say, Bob Crane and Sigrid Valdis fell in love with the island resort.

This marked the beginning of a long tradition for them. They visited every October, always staying in their favorite suite looking out across Paradise Cove. One October, quite a few years after starting their tradition, I was conceived in that same suite!  

I have so many fond childhood memories of my family playing on those beautiful beaches, feeding the wild birds and fish, climbing the tower, riding tandem bikes, and swimming in the massive pools.

I remember one visit I spent the entire day playing on those white sandy beaches with Nicholas Bradford from the television show “Eight Is Enough.” I was shocked to learn that his real name was Adam, and that his dad was not really Dick Van Patten. 

 In 2006, I returned to Paradise Point to share this magical place with my own wife and son, and of course they loved it just as much as I did.  We are now expecting our second child and cannot wait to bring our newest family member to Paradise Point.  

Hopefully this tradition will live on and one day our grandchildren will have fond memories of Paradise Point as well.

The Crane Family
(Scott, Zoe, Jack & future baby Crane)

We have made Paradise Point a special place for our family. About 16 years ago we had two children - Elizabeth and Christopher. My wife was going stir crazy and we planned our first trip to Paradise from Chicago. This was our first BIG trip and everybody was excited, but there was one problem. Christopher was 3 and he was having very, very painful ear infections. If his ears didn’t clear up, then we wouldn’t be able to fly. My wife, Adele, spent many days at the doctor’s office trying to help Christopher. He was in SO much pain, it was hard to take. Finally, it was 3 days before the trip and the doctor had tried all the different medicines, but it was getting worse. He said they had to operate on Christopher’s ears and implant tubes. We were scared to death, but had no choice, otherwise his little eardrums would burst and he could be deaf for the rest of his life. A day before the trip they operated on Christopher and it was like a miracle. It worked perfectly, and he was completely pain free; all the gunk drained from his ears and he was fine!

My daughter, Anita, wanted to celebrate her 7th birthday at Paradise Point last August.  She said it is her very favorite placel and she wanted to spend one night there with three of her girlfriends (and little brother). 

When we checked in, I was immediately delighted to find out we got a free upgrade.  We were placed in a bayside suite and it was absolutely perfect. During our "down time" the girls played on the beach right outside our suite. They also enjoyed feeding the many ducks that wandered the grounds. We walked around the pond and climbed the tower before dinner. The girls swam for many hours in the main pool and loved bringing their rafts and toys.  Many hotels do not allow rafts and we loved the casual atmosphere here.  At night, they visited bonfires and roasted marshmallows.

I loved the kitchen and dining area in the suite as I was able to store snacks and the birthday cake in the fridge. The bathroom and rooms were spacious and as you can see by the pictures, four girls slept comfortably in the bed. 

These photos capture the smiles of the kids as we created many memories at Paradise Point and hope to again in the near future. 

When we visited Paradise Point in 2008, we were in a group of 5 people. We were often all together and quiet time wasn't easy to find. One morning my young son and I woke up before everyone else. We went out and had a bonfire, ate s'mores for breakfast, and watched the fog slowly lift off the bay. We were lucky enough to see a sea lion pop its head up very close to shore! I felt like I was alone in the world with my son as we were enveloped in the fog. It was so peaceful and beautiful that morning and it was such a nice way to spend time together and just talk for a while. My son and I will treasure that precious time shared between just the 2 of us for a lifetime.

My 20-year-old and 17-year-old daughters still recall the three ducks that waddled up to our sliding glass window of our bayside bungalow at about 4pm every afternoon.  It was our first trip to this beautiful property along Mission Bay.  After that fun-filled week, we knew we would return many times. We loved the spectacular views, the great weather, the pools, and the friendly staff, and of course the kids loved waiting for that family of ducks to make their rounds so they could feed them some bread from our room.  It was this first trip that also started one tradition (although we didn’t know it at the time), which was having a seafood feast at least one night during our stay. We chose the “dine-in” lobster dinner from the room service menu, which worked out great since the kids were too young to stay content for long in a restaurant.  So, instead of going out, we had a wonderful seafood meal together right outside our room overlooking the bay as we watched the sunset.

After a few years sharing our stories of this kid-friendly as well as adult-friendly vacation spot, another family joined us each year.  We would have one trip in the spring or summer and then again over New Year’s.  As the kids grew up our activities expanded and included boating, tubing, fishing, sand castle contest, bingo, cards, parents vs. kids sand soccer game, lawn bowling. You name it, we played it!  And, we can’t forget movie night at the pool! Each night would end with a campfire and some rich campfire storytelling.  Oh yeah, and those little fire starters at the gift shop took the frustration out of getting the campfire going!

For working parents, this was pure quality time with our kids.  When most kids become teenagers, going on vacation with their parents is not “cool” but this was not the case at Paradise Point.  They basically had 40 acres to explore, ride quad bikes, ride razors, and do plenty of water sports every day.  For years, they couldn’t wait to get there and play ultimate hide and seek! And, as for us parents? Well the dads fished the bay, the moms relaxed, even went to the spa! But mostly, we did nothing but hang out in the sun and watch the sunset every day. We believe this is the real reason why it is appropriately called Paradise Point.

The teenagers were such regulars at the Barefoot Bar, going there for breakfast and sometimes lunch on their own. The four girls made bright yellow t-shirts that said “Barefoot Bar VIP” - they thought they ruled the place!  Not sure the staff agreed but they were always good spirited and laughed at their antics. 

Every night, we would play cards, bingo, or a board game.  Bingo was a favorite because we would give away fun, goofy prizes.  We literally never left the grounds!  In this fast-paced world and constant demands on our time, when we were at Paradise Point, we didn’t want to have to go anywhere else or watch the clock, except maybe to get up early to see if the fish were biting or to go for a walk and make a stop at the coffee cart by the gift shop.

But it wasn’t until the last 4 or 5 years that our New Year’s Eve at Paradise Point really developed into an almost flawless family tradition.  Each year, we kept perfecting it until now there is literally no way to improve it. The seafood feast by the bay is now on New Year’s Eve night.  We go to the local market and buy huge King crab legs, jumbo shrimp, corn-on -the-cob, red potatoes, sausage, and a big pot to boil it all in.  Then we ask the hotel staff to let us borrow a banquet table.  They exceed our expectations by also bringing us the linens to go with it!  With the bay-facing table draped with linens, we place candles inside hurricane-style lamps (which came about by us learning one year that the wind can ruin a candlelit dinner table!).  Then we melt plenty of drawn butter in the microwave, scatter the shell-cracking utensils, add garlic bread, a fine Chardonnay and serve.  A delicious seafood feast to ring in the New Year with our loved ones while looking out at the moonlit sky over the bay!

As midnight approaches, the games begin.  First a musical chairs contest (yes the teenagers still want to play, but the music has changed through the years from Disney tunes to hip hop), then a dance competition, then a version of the Newlywed game – cousins, brothers/sisters, spouses compete on who knows each other best. Finally, we put the TV on in the room to the Times Square ball dropping and countdown "10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!"  Everyone hugs, we make a lot of noise, greet all the guests that have come out of their rooms and wish them all a new year too!  At this point, it is truly Paradise…and we want to come back again next year and do it all over again.

I love Paradise Point and so does my family!  As a 44-year-old San Diego native, I grew up in Point Loma and we would visit Vacation Village most summers with other families for fun on “the island” - building sand castles, riding bicycles and playing miniature golf.

As I got into my 20’s I spent many Sunday nights at the Barefoot Bar with my friends – and met many new friends.  I spent my 30^th birthday aboard a Mission Bay cruise with 30 of my best friends, and we had a fun stop at the Barefoot Bar for old times’ sake.

Now that I’m married with young children of my own, I wanted to share the island experience with them. Last December, I surprised them (and my husband) with a weekend away at the Paradise Point.  We had a beautiful bayfront room where we built sandcastles, had dinner at the Barefoot Bar & Grill, wrote “Merry Christmas 2010” with seashells and later had a bonfire with s’mores. We met many people that night as we watched the amazing boat parade pass by.

My son asked to go back to the “local Hawaii” again this year.  I hope I can treat them again as it was one of the best family vacations we have ever had – and it’s in our own backyard! Thanks for the memories.

We started coming to Paradise Point in 1989 when our youngest daughter was only one year old. It was our island getaway, our paradise, our refuge from everyday life into a retreat where we could enjoy family time. We would park our car, break out the bicycles, and wander around the Island. Not having a pool at home, we would wander from pool to pool always ending up back at the main pool for the famous Dove Bar ice cream treat.  We would plan a trip nearly every year and even when our daughters were in high School and college, they would plan their activities around the family trip to Paradise Point. 
 
We have had fires by the bay, watched movies at the main pool and enjoyed s’mores by the fire pits.  We also have had some rather interesting trips as well.  One year we were visiting when the electricity for the entire complex went out.  Vance came prepared with flash lights and we walked the complex checking on other guests.  On another trip, Laurie's nose was broken by one of our daughters as she flipped her hair backwards drying it in the room.  She was a trooper and iced it, and then we went out to Old Town for some Mexican food.  On our 25th Wedding Anniversary, we were working out at your gym and Laurie turned her ankle and broke it.  A brief visit to the emergency room, and we were back in the pool relaxing (she insisted on having a removable cast!)  The girls, now in their 20's and living out on their own, still love to stay at Paradise Point whenever they can.  Our most recent trip was in August of this year to celebrate our 28th Anniversary.  When we mentioned it to our daughters, they got depressed! This was the first time we did not invite them to join us.  Feeling guilty, we ended up getting them a room for one night due to their busy schedules.  We once again enjoyed the bike riding, lounging by the pool, roasting s’mores and having breakfast at Barefoot Bar and Grill.
 
The employees at Paradise Point have been impeccable.  They have always been respectful and are very helpful to make sure our room location and accommodations meet or exceed our expectations.  Everyone from the support staff, house cleaning, grounds keepers, and the front desk has been wonderful.
 
Congratulations again on your 50th Anniversary! The property is still the best in San Diego.  We look forward to seeing all of you in 2012!

I took this picture of my 2 lovely ladies outside our beautiful room at Paradise Point. It's truly a paradise for our family and we can't wait to return.

In 2009, my fiancé and I were on the hunt in San Diego for the perfect location to say “I do.”   We checked out several venues but none of them seemed to fit our personalities. The trendy downtown venues felt cold and uninviting, and the beachfront hotels were too hokey.   We needed something that was modern and classic, yet embodied the essence of the San Diego beach culture. The moment we drove through the lush tropical entrance to Paradise Point, we knew this was the place.  

The expansive grounds of the resort were overflowing in greenery and flowers, the private beach was tranquil, and the décor was contemporary.  When we crossed over the bridge to make our way onto the Island Point Lawn, we looked at each other and said “This is it!”

On 10/9/10, surrounded by the beautiful Mission Bay waters, we were married in front of our closest family and friends. Our airy beach ceremony was complimented by a dazzling ballroom reception. The stand-out part of the reception was seeing the fireworks over the bay!  I was truly blown away by how perfect our wedding was. The following year, my husband and I returned to Paradise Point to celebrate our 1 Year Anniversary and we plan on returning every year.  

We will cherish the memory of our wedding for a lifetime and we give our thanks to Paradise Point for making our dream come true!

We first discovered this gem of a resort from a leadership training conference that was held here and fell in love with it. I've stayed here several times since, but my favorite visit was probably with my parents and daughter.
My wife and I stay at top resorts around the world quite frequently but my parents hardly ever do, so it was such a pleasure to go there with them and my daughter and see how impressed they all were. We still talk about this trip often. My mom is ill with blood cancer so this was a really special treat for us to spend some real quality time together as a family. Look at the view of the standard room we got! My mom couldn't get over what a beautiful resort it was.

I was 8 years old when my mom and dad said they had a big surprise for my sister and me.  They piled us and the token neighbor friend in the old Ford stationwagon and off we went from our home in Mission Hills to Vacation Village.  The new Vacation Village was the buzz in San Diego with the most fanciful tropical grounds, pools, and the most elaborate wrought iron creations one could ever imagine.  I remember well my family touring repeatedly with each out of town visitor, some from as far away as New Zealand.

Many of my childhood friends had families that spent a summer week or long weekend in a bungalow on the bay.  Years later I fulfilled my childhood wish over and over by bringing my own family down from Del Mar for stays in one of those same bayside bungalows.  Wonderful memories were made with my own family at Paradise Point.

I still return frequently from out of state to renew those warm memories we enjoyed as a family.  What a special place.

My family stayed in a bayside bungalow for the first time in August of 2011 with our two little girls, ages 2 and 5.  On the first night after a full day in the pool and playing on the bay, we put them in the bath to clean them all up before dinner.

In fresh, clean jammies, the girls took one look at the sand and it was like a magnet calling them back outdoors.  We couldn’t keep them away! So here they are after their bath in their clean PJ’s!  I love this memory because my husband and I just looked at each other and said, “It’s vacation, let them go at it!” They thought it was so funny to be playing in the water with their jammies on and the look of joy in their eyes was priceless.

Our first family trip to what was then Vacation Village was the summer of 1981. We have come every Labor Day since with 2012 being our 32^nd year.  As you can see, it’s quite the family tradition and we look forward to ending each summer at our favorite resort.  Our 4 sons and now 5 grandchildren continue to have a great time each year.  Our vacation that started with our 2 young sons has now grown to include our 4 sons, 5 grandchildren, and several other families. Last year we had 11 rooms and our group is just continuing to grow! We appreciate how helpful the staff has been over the years in trying to grant our room requests.  We have many stories and memories from over the years.  We remember numerous soccer, volleyball, and football games and kite flying on the grass in front of our rooms as well as sandcastle contests and barbeques for as many as 50 people.  Our son Kent will not forget having to fetch his nephew’s skateboard out of the duck pond.  Every year, we take pictures in front of the same tree in front of room 256 and most years, it is our Christmas card. 

This hotel has truly been an important part of our lives.  Congratulations on 50 years – we are looking forward to 50 more!

We just returned home from another wonderful getaway at Paradise Point. It has been great to see the place grow and consistently improve over the years. A tradition that started with the birth of our son in 2001 was to start taking photos of him in front of the El Camino Real bell near the gift shop. They are California history at its finest and make for great photo ops. Above are examples of what we have lovingly done for the last 6 years. We would love to keep doing it.

Paradise describes how our whole family feels about the resort.  It is a paradise for all 3 generations of our family because there is so much to do and it keeps everyone happy. Each year, we all get together and plan when we will be there, remembering the past visits, what we’ll do the next time we’re there, and who will bring what.  The funny thing is we always plan to leave the property, but we have yet to do that.  There is so much to do on the island – swimming, building sand castles, bike ridings, feeding the fish and ducks, renting a boat, making s’mores and watching fireworks from SeaWorld.  It is truly a paradise for us (the grandparents) having our family together and thanks to your wonderful staff and amenities, one of the best of our family traditions.  We all look forward to many more years at our little bit of heaven, Paradise Point.

As a kid growing up in Los Angeles in the 1970s, my family regularly took short weekend vacations and San Diego was the favorite destination.  As my older brothers moved away to college, my parents and I took more and more trips to Vacation Village as my mother loved the beach.  I remember making my dad climb to the top of the tower every morning and my mom would meet as at the bottom with bread to feed the ducks.  The hot chocolate in the coffee shop (then located where the front desk is today) was a treat every morning with breakfast.   Exploring the beautiful property and swimming in all five of the pools was always the highlight of the getaway, as was renting sail boats or peddle boats for several hours of fun on the water.  Bonfires along the shore capped my memories of the warm nights by the bay.

In the 1980s, when I was a student at San Diego State University, I worked as a front desk clerk at the hotel (which was then named San Diego Princess Resort).  Some of my favorite memories of my time in college were mingled with my time working there.  Being a front desk clerk meant serving the guests who were bringing their families to create similar memories to those that were joyous in my own childhood.  Some of my best friends were those who worked at the front desk, concierge, gift shop and bell stand.  We worked hard and had lots of fun afterhours.

Now, as a parent of two daughters, we have had the pleasure of staying at Paradise Point several times.  While many things have changed, much still remains the same.  We climb the tower each day (and as the dad, I find it much harder than it was as the kid), and we have stood on the deck feeding ducks, who are many generations descended from the ducks to whom I tossed bread.  My kids love making me take them to every pool, and peddle the boat around the island (how did my dad have the strength to do that every day?).

Last year I had the chance to be the keynote speaker at a conference held in the convention center.  While I often speak at business events, there was something magical about being on the agenda at Paradise Point.  I live in Texas, and my days in San Diego are limited, but for me there is something just right about driving over the bridge and into the resort, as there is no other hotel in the world to which I have a special connection.

My daughter calls Paradise Point "the greatest hotel in the world".  While my mom passed away many years ago, I know that she also felt that way about this place.  Decades and generations later, it is still part of our family.