Surprising Paradise Point

The first surprise was discovering a delightful resort, with tropical island flair, mere minutes from the bustle of downtown San Diego.

 

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Tucked away on a lush, private island in gentle Mission Bay, the 18-hectare property basks under sunny skies, swaying palms and overflows with lush gardens. Ducks and turtles swim in the man-made lagoon.

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Each of the resort’s 462 comfortable, bungalow-style guestrooms provides garden, lagoon or bay views and each comes with a private or semi-private patio.

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Steps away from our back door, a sandy beach wraps around the island. The lush, tropical setting is home to more than 600 varieties of exotic foliage,

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The second surprise was discovering that upscale and unpretentious do co-exist. Far from a snooty, gated enclave putting on airs, the island is an easy-going, family- and dog-friendly oasis – a one-stop shop of fun activities including the outdoor patio at the laid-back Barefoot Bar and Grill – the kid-friendly restaurant.

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The first clue is a bundle of firewood and a welcome package delivered to our door, minutes after checking in. The package contains everything needed to make s’mores along with the invitation to build a beach bonfire at sundown for a memorable s’mores roast. How much fun is that! And they’re better than hot dogs.

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Guests can ride the 22 kms of island bicycle trails, check out golf skills on the18-hole, real-grass putting course or spend their day lounging by one of five swimming pools .

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Should water sports strike their fancy, the full-service marina provides jet skiing, sailing or kayaking – even a Paradise Surf Academy.

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One of San Diego’s biggest attractions, SeaWorld Adventure Park is a five minute ride in a water taxi.

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The third surprise was discovering Tidal, the resort’s signature restaurant. Not unexpectedly, the atmosphere is casual.

And the food? Amazing!

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Celebrity chef Amy De Biase puts a California twist on traditional fine-dining with an emphasis on “craft and catch” seafood. Her version of Salmon Wellington includes a layer of ground morel mushrooms, all wrapped in buttery, flaked pastry. Sea bass is cooked to perfection in parchment along with caramelized onions and potatoes and zucchini, sliced paper-thin. DiBiase’s inventive flair has earned accolades for her and for the restaurant.

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Tidal is perfect place to watch the sun go down on beautiful Mission Bay

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