Homestays in Northern San Diego County
How to find a good family to stay within San Diego County, and what to do once you get here! The sights and sounds of Southern California, covering San Diego, Los Angeles, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Vista, Encinitas, Leucadia, Solana Beach, Del Mar, and anywhere else in California we think is worth visiting. If you're ready to come visit, be sure to scroll to the bottom for links to Carol's Travel Deals where you can book a flight or car. (Or even a hotel room, but why would you want to do that?)
Be sure to drop by our San Diego Coastal Homestays website for more information!
New Itinerary Listing!
We now have a listing of our program itinerary here on Squidoo! To see what we've got in store, visit our San Diego Homestay Itineraries lens.
Why Stay With a Host Family?
Or... Do I Really Want to Live With Those Crazy People?
UPDATE: By request we are once again forming a group with tours and Surf Camp for next Summer. For a look at the itinerary, visit our San Diego Homestay Itineraries lens!
Staying with a host family can be both an intimidating and exhilarating experience. Intimidating because you never totally know what to expect. Exhilarating because you are not only seeing new sights, but meeting new people and making new friendships that can last a lifetime.
Staying with a host family gives you a much truer version of the culture than you'll get from a book and a more real vision of what life is like here. Southern California isn't necessarily what you see in the movies, and the only way to really find out what it's like is to live it from the inside.
If you wish to hone your English skill, living with a family where you must speak English is the best way there is to do it. We've seen students come in barely able to put a whole sentence together who improved their ability 1000% in just two weeks.
Lastly, living with a family gives you a great home base to explore from, and knowledge of the area to draw from. Home cooked meals are something that no hotel can offer, and the only way to learn the best places to go and which ones to avoid is from the locals.
Having traveled considerably ourselves, we can truly say that the best experiences we've had were staying in the home of someone who knows the meaning of the word "hospitality".
Favorite Places to Visit in San Diego County
Not just the Tourist Traps
Here are our favorite places in San Diego County. (This started as a top 10 list, but we couldn't stop at 10!) We do include some of the touristy places, but only the really good ones. Feel free to vote on them or even submit your own. If you'd like to steal this list for your lens- Take it, please!
Oceanside Beach
One of the longest stretches of wide, sandy beach more...0 points
San Diego Zoo & Wild Animal Park
The San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park are world f more...0 points
Cabrillo Monument, Point Loma
Situated at the top of Point Loma overlooking and more...0 points
Hotel del Coronado
Huge luxury hotel built in 1880s. First place on W more...0 points
Oceanside Surf Museum
This is a must see for anyone interested in surfin more...0 points
Midway Museum
The Midway, a WWII vintage aircraft carrier that s more...0 points
Mt Palomar Observatory
The 200 inch Hale telescope was once the largest i more...0 points
Anza Borrego Desert
Just a two hour drive from the coast, Anza Borrego more...0 points
Balboa Park
1400 acres (now 1200) set aside in 1868, Balboa Pa more...0 points
San Diego Coastal Homestays Videos
Students, Families, and Fun
Here are some of our own videos from YouTube. Vote for your favorites and let us know what you think.
San Diego County Museums
You mean there's something more than beaches???
Oh yeah, museums. Museums aren't exactly the first thing people think of when they think of San Diego, but San Diego County is home to some of the best museums in the country, some of which you probably didn't know existed.
There are, of course, the 15 fantastic museums at Balboa Park, where the architecture itself is part of the exhibit. Originally built for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition and the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition, the buildings are still standing and house most of the museums including the Museums of Man, Natural History, Art, Science, Aerospace, and more. Typical museum fare and well worth your time when you visit.
But those aren't the museums we're here to talk about. San Diego County also hosts museums for some more unusual (and for many, more interesting) items.
In Oceanside you'll find a museum you might expect in Southern California- The California Surf Museum. Dedicated to the history and some of the great names and innovators of the sport, you'll find photos, films, and boards covering over half a century of surfing.
A few minutes south in Carlsbad is the Museum of Making Music. This excellent museum is dedicated to just that, all the various forms of music and instruments that have been used to make music over the centuries- focusing mostly on the last hundred years or so. Exhibitions cover one specific area, genre, or time period and are updated frequently. Most include performances and hands on demonstrations and teaching sessions by experts and performers in that particular field.
Finally, over in Vista, is the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum. Located on Sante Fe Dr. on the north edge of town, the Gas & Steam Engine museum houses some very cool machines dating as far back as the turn of the last century when steam was taking the place of horse and human power and all sorts of contraptions were being designed to make life easier. The Gas & Steam Engine Museum host biannual threshing bees and power up some of these amazing machines as well as demonstrate what life was like 100 years ago. They also host various car shows and other events throughout the year.
We will add more museums we think may be of interest as we come across them. In the meantime be sure to visit Carol's Travel Deals to fill all your travel needs both on your way to San Diego and while you are here.
Books About San Diego
Mission San Luis Rey De Francia (The Missions of California)
The missions of California were the key to settling the area. This is a history of our own San Luis Rey mission in Eastern Oceanside.
Amazon Price: (as of 07/19/2008)
The Thomas Guide 2007 San Diego County street guide, including portions of Imperial County
This is a must have if you're going to explore on your own by car. Detailed street level maps of the entire county updated yearly.
Amazon Price: (as of 07/19/2008)
Hidden Coast of California: Including San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Francisco, and Mendocino (Hidden Travel)
A guide to some of the least known (and most beautiful) spots on the California Coast.
Amazon Price: $18.95 (as of 07/19/2008)
San Diego Then and Now
A brief pictorial history of San Diego. Where we've been, where we're going, and why we're poised to be a powerful leader in so many areas.
Amazon Price: $15.66 (as of 07/19/2008)
Our Favorite San Diego Websites
Links to our favorite sites about San Diego County
Here are some links to our favorite websites about San Diego and our home town of Oceanside. We want your input on this list, so please, vote for your favorites, suggest some we haven't listed, and add it to your own lens.
www.osidealive.com
Your guide to the city of Oceanside, California. W more...1 point
www.surfmuseum.org
The one and only California Surf Museum. Must see more...1 point
About San Diego - San Diego History, People, Events and News - San Diego CA
Great site with little known stories about San Die more...1 point
Del Mar Fairgrounds
Holds annual Fair in June and July for San Diego C more...1 point
Oceanside, California (CA) Detailed Profile - relocation, real estate, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, news, sex offenders
Oceanside, California detailed profile &am more...0 points
http://www.turnhere.com/city/oceanside.aspx
Videos from Oceanside0 points
About San Diego - Your city guide to San Diego, California
Welcome to About.com's city guide to San Diego. Fi more...0 points
http://www.turnhere.com/city/san_diego.aspx
Videos from San Diego0 points
www.sandiego.org
San Diego Convetion & Visitors more...0 points
www.oceansidechamber.com/
Oceanside Chamber of Commerce0 points
Smoke Free San Diego
San Diego is a very health conscious city, and man more...0 points
Solana Beach - City of Solana Beach, CA, 92075
A Solana Beach portal. Extensive information about more...0 points
Oceanside Historical Society
Official website of the Oceanside Historical Socie more...0 points
http://koct.org
Oceanside's Community Television. Local programmin more...0 points
Just For Duffers
One of the best places in the world for Golf
What you may not know is that little old Carlsbad, right here on the San Diego Coast, is home to some of the top names in golfing equipment. Callaway, Taylor, and Top Flight are all based here and have most of their manufacturing facilities here. Come visit, take a tour, play a few rounds, and oh yeah- visit the beaches too while you're here.
If you'd like to book your tee time at some of the best know courses in the world (or maybe your local club), plan the ultimate golf vacation (how about St. Andrews), or be in the gallery for The British Open, The Masters, or any of a number of other top tournaments, visit Carol's Golf Deals for some of the best rates and most fantastic golfing vacations you can imagine.
Photos From Our Flickr Account
San Diego Coastal Homestay Photos
Photos from various homestays and student exchange groups we've hosted over the years.
Steve & Carol at...
moonset2
yosemite
Iguchi 1
ClaireAlex1
GroupPhoto
2girls2
beetle~1
group2
Group 997
Weird News From San Diego
Keep up with the strange and goofy goings on in San Diego
Our thanks to NBC 7/39 for keeping us up on the strangest news they can find in San Diego.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byOceanside YouTube Plexo
Vote on your favorite scene from Oceanside
Here are just a few of the great videos on YouTube that were shot in Oceanside and just a taste of what's in store for your visit. Vote for your favorite, submit your own, or share this on your lens.
Reader Feedback
Let us know you dropped by and tell us what you think.
We love to hear from our readers. Tell us where you're from and why you'd like to come to San Diego.
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likeitgrowsontrees
Hey! Posted March 03, 2008 |
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MuddyLaBoue
Thanks for your visit to my France travel lens. Posted January 10, 2008 |
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DanielaMickova
Great lens! Posted November 28, 2007 |
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AllPurposePapoon
I love this lense and am glad to be part of this group. Keep up the great work! Posted September 14, 2007 |
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sdtechteacher
This is an excellent lens! There's a new group, Everything San Diego, and your lens would be perfect. I hope you'll consider joining. Posted July 24, 2007 |
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Carol's Travel Deals
Helping you find the best travel deals on the 'net.
Before you book your trip, let us help you find the best deal we can. Visit Carol's Travel Deals for some of the best prices available on airfare, hotels, cars, and local attractions. They can also set you up with cruises, tours, and all sorts of other great stuff anywhere in the world, so go to Carol's Travel Deals first- and tell all your friends.Oh, by the way, don't forget to sign up for the Deals & Steals newsletter while you're there. You'll get a weekly e-mail newsletter with 5 of the best deals of the week for you to take advantage of.
