Archive for the ‘News & Updates’ Category

San Diego Number One on Hotwire.com’s Top 10 Summer Road Trip Destinations

Saturday, June 13th, 2009


Hotwire.com, a leading travel search engine recently came out with a top 10 list of the best places to go on a road trip for summer 2009. The list showcases the most highly-sought summer destinations with the highest percentage of hotel transactions coming from nearby locales, and San Diego is number one! I guess vacationers just can’t resist the amazing weather and gorgeous beaches ;)

With gas prices at historical lows and families looking for cheaper alternatives for vacations, now is a great time to take a road trip and spend some time in a San Diego vacation rental.

Curious to see what cities made the rest of the list? The top 10 summer road-trip destinations are:

1. San Diego
2. Philadelphia
3. Houston
4. San Francisco
5. Dallas
6. Los Angeles
7. Boston
8. Phoenix
9. Saint Louis
10. Washington DC

San Diego Student Rentals

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

Looking for a San Diego student rental for next year? Penny Realty offers a great selection of rentals specifically for students. Now you can browse through our Student Rental listings on the website to find the place that matches your needs. Whether you’re looking for a one, two or three bedroom, Penny Realty has a great selection of beautiful and spacious properties in Mission Beach and Pacific Beach, some right next to the ocean. Our San Diego student rental properties are available for rent from 9/1/2009 to 5/31/2010.

To help with the application process, please keep the following in mind:

  • All paperwork must be completed including notarized guarantor forms, all application fees, and proof of income within five (5) calendar days of first application.
  • Guarantor required unless income standard requirements are met.
  • A $36 application fee per applicant and $36 application fee per guarantor is required. Exact cash only (no personal checks).
  • Approved applicants must bring in full security deposit in the form of money order or cashiers check at time of lease signing.
  • Lease must be signed within 7 days after approval.
  • Due to high volume of students, application fees must be paid to “hold” unit and the process is “first come first serve”.
  • Due to high volume of applications, approval may take up to 10 days.
  • No pets allowed at any time

Note: All units are occupied. Do not disturb occupants.

Enjoy Your Spring Break with a San Diego Vacation Rental

Thursday, March 19th, 2009

Spring is here! Getting a group vacation rental in San Diego truly is a part of creating an unforgettable spring break. Right now, San Diego is warming up and offering a great chance to soak up the sun and enjoy the laid back SoCal hot spots and beach bars. Here are some suggestions for springbreakers wanting to make the most out of their break.

Belmont Park/Mission Beach
Belmont Park offers a classic laid back beach experience. Off the breezy sandy coast are a dozen rides, amusement park games, shops and oceanfront restaurants and an idyllic white wooden roller coaster (the park’s most distinctive attraction). San Diego’s historic beachfront amusement park, located beside Mission Beach, is a perfect noon escape. Causally enjoy amusement park rides and relaxe on the beach in the evening with a bon fire. Belmont Park is also the nation’s first amusement park to feature the FlowRider, a simulated wave attraction in the Wave House. If the outdoor tides aren’t you thing, there is also Plunge, built in 1925, is the largest indoor public swimming pool in Southern California.

Pacific Beach
Locally referred to as PB, it has been described as “an event in itself; ocean, boardwalk, parks.”
Pacific Beach is one of the main centers of nightlife in San Diego offering concerts, bars and beaches. Garnet Ave between Ingraham St and Mission Blvd is the main area where bars and restaurants are located. Check out the PB Bar and Grill, the Firehouse, Canes, The Tavern, Typhoon Saloon or Mondoggies. There are also a good selection of medium sized bars and a few smaller ‘locals’ places such as PB Pub and The Silver Fox. Pacific Beach’s sidewalks are filled younger, college-oriented crowds compared to downtown San Diego. Unlike downtown, dress codes are rarely enforced, if at all.

Gaslamp
The Down town Gaslamp Quarter does have a dress code but also a great selection of clubs. According to gaslamp.org, the area is home to more than 150 restaurants, coffeehouses and nightclubs and has nearly another hundred unique shops and galleries. If dress codes are too constricting for you, then you might want to opt for the Hilcrest district, filled with upscale restaurants, bars and night clubs.

Tijuana
If you are look for a more traditional/crazy spring break experience, TJ is a short distance from San Diego. Staying in San Diego is a great way to avoid lagging standards of hotels or food in foreign countries but still enjoy the wild parties that can only happen in Mexico.

Tijuana is the world’s most-visited border city. You can check the Department of State website for the latest information, but until things improve, we should caution visiting Tijuana alone. If you want to go, the best thing to do is take a guided tour.

San Diego Events: Mardi Gras Meets America’s Past Time

Wednesday, February 25th, 2009

As always, San Diego is full of activity. This week, the beloved Gaslamp District is bustling with action. Here are some great things to do downtown this week.

The Gaslamp’s annual Mardi Gras celebration is housed in one huge festival area, the event is gated, ticketed and only for 21 and up. Beginning at 6 until Midnight, there are two parades at 7:30 and 10 p.m. with strolling dancers, drummers and street performers treating the audiences to all the Mardi Gras revelry and beads. Cajun, Creole and other vendors line the streets, along with craft and bead booths. Three stages of live entertainment will also be in full swing featuring traditional Zydeco, blues, retro, house music and more.

The tickets prices start at $20, but for $40 you can upgrade to VIP, including entry to special locations and lounges at 10 Gaslamp nightlife hotspots. There are also $30 tickets available that include dinner at several downtown eateries.

Partygoers have 4 ways to get tickets this year:

  • Advance tickets on-line – quick & easy, print at home, no waiting.
  • Ciro’s Pizza (Tickets will be available at this location on Friday Feb 6, 2009)
  • F Street Bookstore
  • Buy your ticket at F Street Bookstore and get 20% off any one item.

Questions? Call at 619.233.5227, or visit the official Gas Lamp Mardi Gras site.

In early March, San Diego will host the The World Baseball Classic. This international baseball tournament features many of the best baseball players from around the world. It occurs every 4 years and for 6 days, the games will take place at Petco Park in San Diego! See your favorite players represent their home teams!

Penny Realty has a number of San Diego Vacation Rentals around the area and near the Gaslamp District. This Southern Cali city is a perfect place to kick back and enjoy the beach and local area. With year-round perfect weather and events, right now is a perfect time to book your vacation for spring.

Travel News: Valentines Day

Wednesday, February 11th, 2009

For all you procrastinators out there, it might be a little late to book a flight and treat you significant other to beach get away. But that doesn’t mean you can’t start preparing for a perfect vacation for a Val’s-day gift! What could be a better Valentines Day gift than a vacation this summer off of a warm Pacific beach? If you plan wisely this Valentines Day you could take advantage of some great travel deals.

One deal, perfect for this season, is from FTD flowers. A person can earn 25 miles per $1.00 spent on flowers for your loved one from FTD.com. This is a great way to send your true feelings with FTD’s selection of beautiful, hand-crafted, hand-delivered red roses. They also offer spa sets, chocolates among other things. On their Web site, FTD offers same day delivery and satisfaction guaranteed (http://www.ftd.com/united25/?campaign_id=Caravan7175).

Check your credit card’s points program, if you receive points by using your card, then treat your loved one, friends, or yourself, to dinner on Valentine’s Day. Whether you dine out or have take-out for a cozy evening at home, remember you can earn a ton of points for travel by using these programs.

Some mileage programs like United Miles will also give you extra points for eating out at select dining locations. They will  give more points when you create an online profile and dine at your favorite spot (http://mpdining.rewardsnetwork.com/bonus.htm).

You might not have had enough time to plan a romantic destination on V-Day, but with some savvy choices and great about deals, you might be able to plan romantic summer vacation at a beautiful San Diego vacation rental.

Pet Friendly Vacation Rentals: Websites, Restaurants and More!

Saturday, January 31st, 2009

Going on vacation and hoping to bring the WHOLE family (yes, including the dog)? After some research I have found that there are a few great sites for pet owners who travel.  Take a look at some of the links below:

PetCast (www.weather.com/activities/homeandgarden/pets)
This is a fun little tool! It can be used to see how the weather could affect your animal and even helps schedule the days best outing times. Seems like San Diego provides great weather year round for not only humans, according to the pet index tomorrow is: a 4-paw out of 5-paw day, with low mosquito level and the perfect time to walk your dog would be from 6 am to 4 pm.

Fido in Flight (www.petflight.com/airlines)
This is another blog that has gone through all the trouble of accumulating and organize pet regulations for the airport. Browse through the airlines on this site before you book a flight to make sure you can take your dog and cat along for your vacation. It covers everything from pet carry-ons to containers.

San Diego Vacation Rentals (www.missionbeach.com)
Penny Realty has a great selection of pet friendly vacation rentals in San Diego. With such a large selection, rentals range in size and cost, and are perfect for your canine or feline friend. In addition, all our pet-friendly vacation rentals are located near great spots for your family, with plenty of activities, dog-friendly beaches and parks.

The Dancing Dog Deli (novusjuicebaranddeli.com)
Grab some grub for you and your best friend! This Little Italy cafe in San Diego is a great pet boutique where downtown dog-lovers can unite. Get a tasty sandwich and you can pick up some canine treats for your loving pet; just don’t get the little brown bags mixed up!

Enjoying such a pet-friendly vacation will definitely make for one happy pet!

New Updates to Website!

Saturday, January 17th, 2009

In order to make it easier to browse our San Diego vacation rental listings we’ve added a few new pages to our website. On the side panel you may have noticed the Custom Vacation Rentals section. From here, you can view listings for your specific rental needs – browse through our 5-star Vacation Rental Properties section to view all of our luxury properties for the perfect upscale getaway, or click on Pet Friendly Vacation Rentals to see a list of all our rentals that allow you to bring along your cat or dog.

If you’re looking for a San Diego vacation rental for a winter vacation, try using these new pages on your search – they’re a great help for narrowing down our listings (we have a lot!). There’s even a section for Group Getaway Rentals, perfect for planning a family get together.  Check it out! www.missionbeach.com

San Diego’s Beach Fire Pits Saved

Friday, December 19th, 2008

Having a beach campfire is one of the many fun and memorable things to do in San Diego year round. If you are spending time at a San Diego vacation rental, it’s a great way to spice up your trip and enjoy the beach – at night!

Thanks to an anonymous donor, San Diego gets to keep this wonderful activity! The beach fire pits were scheduled to be cut from the city’s budget and the city had begun removal last week. However, a “secret santa” stepped up a donated the needed amount of money to keep them.

San Diegans are pleasantly surprised with the news, and are thankful to the anonymous donor for helping to preserve the quality of life in San Diego. For some families, the beach fire rings are a family tradition.

Community groups and members had previously tried to organize to fight the beach pit removal with efforts including an online petition and a web site, savethefirepits.com.

To read the full article, go here.

Want to have your own beach fire? Browse through our San Diego vacation rentals and you just might find the perfect place. Start planning your trip today!