Beach, Sunshine, Action!

It makes sense that a Hollywood director conceived of Paradise Point Resort & Spa in Mission Bay. The movie set-like gorgeous landscape, the private island appeal where VIPs can escape the public, the world-class amenities and the location near L.A. all lend themselves to a celebrity-worthy getaway. Yet this family-oriented resort is accessible to everyone, literally, as it backs up to a public beach where boats dock for the day to enjoy its sandy shores and beautiful vistas.

Bungalow with a View

Celebrating 50 years since it was established in 1962 by Jack Skirball, the AAA four-star rated resort looks as fresh as a starlet back from rehab, thanks to a $20 million renovation in 2010. The 462 bungalows and suites that line the beach and lagoons are outfitted with contemporary furnishings and amenities, including wet bars, granite bathrooms, luxurious designer bed linens, plasma TVs, wi-fi, leopard patterned rugs, and padded leather lounges perfect for reading that paperback you’ve longed to finish.

The upscale and sophisticated décor belies the fact that the resort is made-to-order for kids. Just outside our door was a patio lanai where I could relax and watch my 4-year-old play in the sand a few feet away. We could walk everywhere on the property, or hitch a ride with the friendly attendants cruising the resort in golf carts. We rented bikes, with my son pedaling behind me on a tandem-like trailer, to explore the 44-acre grounds and sites, including a lookout tower with 360-degree views of the resort’s lush tropical gardens and its one-mile expanse of beach.

Kids’ Paradise

Besides the beach, other great attractions for families and kids are Paradise Point’s Island Adventure Club, a day camp offered during peak season that includes arts and crafts, treasure hunts, seaside frolic, nature walks and other activities. The whole family can enjoy “Dive-In” Movie Nights where guests watch films poolside or on floats. Ask any kid, though, and they will tell you the coolest thing about Paradise Point is building a bonfire at night in one of the fire pits along the beach and roasting s’mores. Don’t worry if you forget your supplies, as the Island Market sells s’more kits complete with sticks and bundles of logs.

It is no wonder Forbes.com designated the resort as one of the “Top Ten Family Resorts in the World.” Families can partake in an abundance of exciting activities without leaving the island, including swimming in the five pools, mini-golf, sailing lessons, court sports, jet skiing or kayaking. One of the most popular attractions of the resort is its proximity to SeaWorld Adventure Park, just a five-minute drive, or guests can take Paradise Point’s own water taxi service to SeaWorld, bypassing the entrance lines and parking fees while touring beautiful Mission Bay en route.

Shamu Who?

My 4-year-old loved his first trip to SeaWorld, though he was more exhilarated with the rides than shows. He got fidgety during Sea Lions Live, and he groaned when I suggested the Sesame Street show. I tried to convince him that seeing Shamu was a huge deal, but after a few minutes watching the famed killer whale swim in his aquarium, my son was tugging on my arm to go to the rides. I was leery after seeing other park guests in drenched clothes, but I was assured by those in line that as long as we avoided the front boat that we would not get soaked on Journey to Atlantis – unlike Shipwreck Rapids, which was sure to be a bath. We rode a half dozen times, daring to ride in the front boat at last, which sure enough left us soaking wet.  Luckily I was a prepared with extra clothes and shoes in my backpack.

Cheeseburgers and Sea Bass in Paradise

Three eateries at Paradise Point offer distinct options. Barefoot Bar and Grill serves farm-fresh casual fare in an indoor or outdoor setting with spectacular views of the marina and bay, wonderful for a lazy morning of reading the newspaper, enjoying the early sun and watching the sail boats drift past. Tropics Bar and Grill at the main pool also offers salads, sandwiches and snacks along with a variety of refreshing drinks.

Baleen is a family friendly fine dining restaurant with creative dishes of seafood and land cuisine. Entrees include a delicious Matcha Crusted White Sea Bass served with mascarpone polenta, wild mushrooms, sweet pea, tendrils, blistered tomatoes, cauliflower soup, chive oil and a micro salad, and a divine Angus Filet Mignon with Point Reyes blue cheese chive butter, truffled potato puree, asparagus and Cabernet sauce. My son opted for chicken quesadilla from his choices of sophisticated kid-size dishes, such as petit filet, soy-orange black tiger shrimp with pasta, or grilled wagyu burger, all made better with a side of Truffle Parmesan Fries, served in a stylish tall spiral basket deserving of the delicacy. For dessert, the treats on the menu looked fabulous, but for my son nothing could compete with s’mores we made later under the stars on the beach.

For more information on the resort and its offerings, go to www.paradisepoint.com