The Beach Retreat
Your home away from home, steps from the sand.
Welcome to Our Home
Welcome to The Beach Retreat, our home away from home in the beach village of Mission Beach. This guide is here to help you get acquainted with the area and with our home — we've packed ten years of local knowledge into it, so you can spend less time figuring things out and more time relaxing.
You want to have a wonderful holiday, and we want that for you too. This is your home for however long you're staying — we hope you'll feel relaxed, comfortable, and happy. Welcome to our piece of paradise!
We've equipped our home to a high standard and tried to anticipate everything you might want for a luxurious stay. Hair dryers and beach towels are provided as standard, and a washing machine is available so you don't have to pack one in your luggage.
Arrival & Check-In
Everything you need for a smooth arrival — Wi-Fi, directions, parking, and check-in timing.
Wi-Fi is provided for your enjoyment — please use it safely and in line with the law. If service drops, just let us know.
Arriving early? Reach out and we'll do our best to arrange an early check-in. Otherwise, check the Local Adventures section for plenty of ways to fill the time!
Door and gate codes are emailed separately for security. Check your inbox or booking messages if you haven't received them yet.
By GPS
Enter address redacted into your car's navigation system or maps app.
Without a car
Landing at the airport, train station, or cruise terminal? Grab an Uber or Lyft and give them the address on file. Ask your driver to drop off on the alley side for easy luggage access.
The garage fits two mid-size cars, or one full-size truck/SUV if backed in with a spotter — watch for the concrete posts across the alley, they can hide in your blind spot. Extra cars can use street parking, or the no-time-restriction lots on El Carmel and Santa Clara.
House Guide
How to work everything in the house, from the dishwasher to the TVs.
Ceiling fans
Second-floor fans use a wall switch. The third-floor fan is controlled by a remote on the north wall next to the closet. Portable fans are in the hall closet.
Central heating
The control panel is in the second-floor hallway. We recommend a setting of 70°F, which keeps the place comfortably warm.
Dishwasher
Tablets are under the sink — drop one into the flip-door tray inside the dishwasher door, choose a program, then press start.
Fridge / freezer
No adjustments should be needed. If it's not cooling efficiently, please let us know right away.
The washer and dryer are on the first floor in the garage. Detergent and dryer sheets are supplied — instructions are posted on the machines.
Living room — 65" Samsung Smart TV
Uses a Fire TV Stick: press Power, hit Home, navigate down the ring to the Sling TV tile, then press the center button to select.
Primary bedroom — 55" LG Smart TV
Press the power button and Sling TV should open automatically. If not, press Home and select the Sling tile from the apps row.
Third floor — 20" Vizio Smart TV
Connected to the internet with apps like Netflix, but this TV is not configured with Sling TV.
Games
A retro Nintendo Entertainment System is hooked up to the living room TV. Board games and playing cards are stored underneath.
Accidents happen! Please let us know right away — minor issues usually aren't charged. For anything larger, we'll agree on a cost together before you leave.
Beach & Outdoor Gear
Our garage is stocked with everything you need for a day at the beach.
- 2 paddleboards (10'6")
- 2 surfboards (8')
- 7 beach chairs
- 2 beach cruisers (lock code: code redacted)
- 2 sand mats
- 3 boogie boards
- Assorted sand toys
- Beach wagon, to haul it all down
Please hose the sand off equipment in the garage before putting it away — that sand gets everywhere! Need more gear? Cheap Rentals is right around the corner at 3689 Mission Blvd, 92109 (858-488-9070).
The front patio table with the umbrella is your designated spot, and there's additional balcony seating on the third floor. The grill facing the umbrella table is available for your use.
Local Adventures
You're in the heart of Mission Beach — here's what's worth checking out nearby.
Belmont Park
Just south of you on Mission Bay. Unlimited-ride wristbands, the historic 73-foot Giant Dipper wooden rollercoaster, bumper cars, and a carousel.
The Boardwalk
Prime people-watching — keep an eye out for the Slow-Mo roller skate guy in his unforgettable attire. Head south to the jetty to watch (or join) a beach volleyball game.
Pacific Beach
Head north for restaurants, live music, shopping, and Crystal Pier.
La Jolla
A little further north — check out the tide pools and the Children's Pool to see the sea lions.
Torrey Pines State Park
A breathtaking, picturesque hike about 15 minutes north — a glimpse of San Diego before it was a city.
Mission Beach Aquatic Center
A stone's throw away, with every water sport you could ask for.
San Diego Zoo
About 15 minutes away — voted best zoo in the world for its habitat-simulated enclosures. Try the night-time zoo in summer. Safari Park is a further 40 minutes northeast.
SeaWorld
A short 10-minute drive across the bay. Don't miss the newer roller coasters — Manta Ray and Electric Eel.
Dining Guide
Our go-to spots — and don't skip the little mom-and-pop Mexican joints on every corner!
Underground parking — take a right on Thomas Ave. Grab a free Ralphs Club card at checkout; no application needed and it saves you money.
Nearby Essentials
Where to find the basics if you need them during your stay.
House Rules & Safety
A few ground rules and important safety info for your stay.
Pets under 25 lbs are welcome. Sorry, no Pitbulls, Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers, or German Shepherds. Carpet cleaner is under the sink for accidents — please clean up right away, don't let it sit. A pet bed is in the first-floor closet. No pets on the furniture.
Leash required on the beach, boardwalk, and bay side: Apr 1–Oct 31 after 6:00 PM until 9:00 AM; Nov 1–Mar 31 after 4:00 PM until 9:00 AM.
Please be mindful of neighbors enjoying the same great location — there's one adjoining wall to the north at the entrance stairs. Noise ordinance hours are 11:00 PM–7:00 AM.
Noise complaints: number redacted or number redacted
No smoking of any kind inside the unit. Please use exterior spaces, and be mindful of neighbors' open windows.
First aid kit
Under the sink in the primary bedroom.
Emergency exit
In an emergency, exit the house from the first floor.
Fire extinguishers
One in the kitchen, one in the garage.
Gas shut-off valve
West side of the building, in the alley.
Smoke & CO detectors
Installed in every bedroom.
Windows & garage
Open windows at your leisure, but close them in bad weather or when you leave. Keep the garage door closed at all times.
For emergency services, call 911 immediately — don't delay if you feel an emergency has arisen. For a power outage (rare, but it happens), call SDGE at 1-800-411-7343 or check their outage map.
Check-Out
Check-out is strictly 11:00 AM. Here's the quick list to leave the place ready for the next guests.
- Remove all food from the fridge
- Take trash out to the bins in the alley labeled unit redacted
- Load and run the dishwasher
- Strip the beds and pile the sheets on top
- Leave dirty towels on either bathroom floor
- Check the washer and dryer for stray items
- Start a wash load with the dirty beach towels
- Turn off all lights (the front door light is on a timer)
- Lock the sliding glass door off the kitchen, the third floor, the front door, and the garage door
- Rinse beach equipment and return it clean to the garage
You'll find the house clean on arrival — please let us know if anything's not right. For one-week stays there's no mid-stay cleaning; our cleaners take care of it after you depart. Staying two weeks? We can often arrange an extra clean, usually the middle Saturday — just let us know. Need cleaning more often than that? We're happy to arrange it for an added fee.
Let us know ahead of time and we'll do our best to accommodate — though if new guests are arriving that day, we can't always promise it since cleaners need time to prepare.
We hope you had a wonderful stay and wish you safe travels home. We'd love to see you again soon!