Timeshare Information

Shell Vacations has announced the addition of the iconic Park Manor Suites to its portfolio of San Diego timeshares. As part of the acquisition, the company also announced it will officially change the name to Inn at the Park in an effort to maintain brand recognition with other similar properties within the Shell Vacations collection. Inn at the Park is also the name of one of the hotel’s restaurants.

“After more than five years of searching in the San Diego area, we are delighted to have found our dream property. The ambiance, location and timeless appeal of Inn at the Park are ideal for our family of customers both current and future,” says Sheldon H. Ginsburg, Chairman of Shell Vacations LLC.

“We are very pleased and excited to announce the acquisition and addition of this historic hotel into the Shell Vacations’ portfolio. Inn at the Park will be a signature location for our Company and we look forward to serving its customers and guests with the quality and service our Company is known for,” says Tracy L. Sherles, President and COO of Shell Vacations LLC.

With a reputation for superior service, neo-renaissance architecture and home-away-from-home amenities, the Inn at the Park is an ideal addition to the Shell Vacations family of hotels and resorts that are designed to accommodate leisure vacations, business trips and everything in between.

The classic hotel features a combination of studio, one- and two-bedroom suites, ranging in size from 525 to 1,000 square feet, with 9-foot ceilings and large sage windows with postcard-picture views of the city below. Some units have balconies for enjoying the famed San Diego weather.

Designed by Frank P. Allen in the Italian Renaissance style, the hotel is closely tied to San Diego civic history. The red brick building was originally built as an apartment complex to house the architect and his family. Frank P. Allen is also known for his design of the stately Cabrillo Bridge. In 1991 it was named a Historic Site of San Diego. Keeping the original design footprint of the suites, the hotel also boasts one of the most grand and detailed lobbies in the city.

The historic hotel is situated steps away from the world famous Balboa Park and is the premier, all-suite boutique hotel in the city offering easy access to the world-renowned San Diego Zoo, the Old Globe Theatre, 15 museums, beautiful gardens and the city’s best performing arts venues.

(Photo Credit - parkmanorsuites.com)

In Part 3 of our 6-part series on the wonderful world of walking tours, we'll look at the great ways to explore San Diego. A timeshare rental in the San Diego area not only gives you a perfect vacation destination year-round, but also the opportunity to really investigate some of this city's best-kept secrets.

San Diego is made up of many quaint neighborhoods, and walking tours are a fun way to get to know them on a personal basis. Urban Safaris offers walking tours to just about every San Diego neighborhood you're likely to want to encounter.

1. Point Loma
   You might as well begin at the beginning. Point Loma (see photo) is where it all started for San Diego when the Portuguese explorer, Cabrillo, came ashore in 1542. The first real residents on this long finger of land were Chinese and Portuguese fishermen. Today Point Loma will show you everything from Navy installations to yacht clubs. From here you also get incredible views of downtown San Diego, and the Harbor.


2. Gaslamp Quarter
   Registered as a national historic district, the Gaslamp Quarter is where you'll encounter San Diego of the 1860s. During that raucous time prostitutes and gamblers abounded. Did you know that Wyatt Earp even ran gambling parlors here? On this walking tour you'll relive a part of San Diego's past that you might find hard to believe.


3. Banker's Hill and Balboa Park
   This walking tour gives you the opportunity to see some of the gracious homes that were built beginning in the 1890s, above the canyons west of Balboa Park. The pedestrian suspension bridges that were constructed during that time allow you to see this neighborhood from high above the canyons. This tour also gets you up close to gardens designed by Kate Sessions, and you get to actually go inside one of the magnificent homes. You'll also explore a part of beautiful Balboa Park.


4. The Urban Art Trail
   San Diego's East Village neighborhood is an artsy community with an urban flare. On this walking tour you'll discover how an old warehouse district has transformed itself, and is now modern with the San Diego Padres ballpark, and timeless as an art colony with an eclectic mix of warehouse lofts and Victorian architecture.


5. Hillcrest
   San Diego's first suburb, this neighborhood retains a small village feel, but is also a thriving community of eclectic theater, restaurants and shops. What you won't find here is strip malls. This is also an area showcasing some of the finest examples of Irving Gill's early 20th century minimalist architecture.

These are just a few of the many fascinating neighborhoods San Diego has to offer. Rent a San Diego timeshare and take a walking tour - and become friends with a fascinating city.

Walking Tours – Part 1: New York City
Walking Tours – Part 2: San Francisco
Walking Tours – Part 4: Miami
Walking Tours - Part 5: New Orleans
Walking Tours - Part 6: Hawaii

(Photo credit walkingtoursofsandiego.com)

"Rediscovering Balboa Park While Searching for the Prado Restaurant" is a delightful little article at GreatFoodFunPlaces.com. And Balboa Park in San Diego, California, is definitely worth discovering. A San Diego timeshare vacation gives you the opportunity for a great beach vacation, to visit a world-famous zoo, enjoy Sea World, and explore Balboa Park.

Balboa Park is a family-friendly destination, full of all sorts of places perfect for every member of your tribe. The largest urban cultural park in the U.S., Balboa Park is home to 15 major museums, renowned performing arts venues, beautiful gardens, hiking and biking paths, and the San Diego Zoo. It covers over 1200 acres and was placed in reserve way back in 1835, making it one of the oldest sites in the United States dedicated solely to public recreational use.

Admission to the beautiful grounds of the park is free, allowing you to walk across a wooden footbridge and down some stairs to the hidden oasis of Palm Canyon. More than 450 palm trees, many of them dating back to 1912, offer a still, quiet getaway. Or meander through the sweet-smelling Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden, an award-wining All-America Rose Selection Display Garden containing over 2,400 rose bushes in 180 varieties. The Japanese Garden (which does have a nominal entrance fee) offers lovely secluded areas, a zen garden and koi pond for peaceful contemplation.

The world-class museums in Balboa Park include the San Diego Art Museum, the Timkin Gallery, home of the Putnum Art Collection, and the San Diego Air and Space Museum which exhibits mint condition restored aircraft, just to name a few. Admission to the Balboa Park museums is always free on every Tuesday.

Another weekly free activity is the organ concert at the Spreckels Organ - given every Sunday afternoon from mid-June through August. This 1914 pipe organ is one of the world's largest outdoor pipe organs, and has been giving the citizens and visitors of San Diego free concerts since 1917.

Balboa Park's Starlight Theater, presented by the San Diego Civic Light Opera Association, is one of the oldest continuously producing musical theatre companies in the United States, and offers delightful revivals of Broadway musicals on an outdoor stage mid-June into September. Built in the style of Shakespeare's Globe Theater in London, Balboa Park's Old Globe Theater is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee in 2010. The Old Globe Theater is the first theater in the country to win the prestigious Tony Award for Best Regional Theater, and offers theatrical productions year-round.

Your timeshare vacation in San Diego will give you plenty of time to explore and relax in beautiful Balboa Park. And remember to hunt for the Prado Restaurant!

Calling all Military Families! The latest news from Washington is that the National Endowment of the Arts is partnering with over 600 museums across the country to offer free admission to military families throughout this summer. There are many budget timeshares available for rent in almost every state, and coupled with free museum admission, you can have an affordable, fun, and amazing summer family vacation.

NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman said he was very pleased by how many museums joined the effort, despite the poor economy, from the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum to the International Quilt Study Center and Museum in Nebraska. "I think it is good karma for the museums," he said. "Long-term, it promotes museum-going and engagement with the arts." The Defense Department is helping to promote this "Operation Appreciation" offer.
The program, called the Blue Star Museums Initiative, is for active duty military personnel and their families, and runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day, 2010.

All you have to do is think of the museums that you've dreamed of visiting, but could never afford the admission prices. Go ahead - choose just about any one of them - and the doors are opening wide just for you. For example, a San Diego timeshare rental will give you an inexpensive hub from which to not only enjoy great beaches, but also explore 14 participating museums in the area, including the Timken Museum of Art in Balboa Park which houses the Putnam Foundation Collection of European Masters.

Rent a budget San Francisco timeshare downtown, and take the cable car over to the newly-opened Walt Disney Family Museum. Featuring the life and legacy of Walt Disney, as presented by his family, this fun museum exhibits, among other things, film clips that range from experiments with trick shots - such as "unspilling" a glass of milk - to reels that documented Disney's life at home with his family.

You can rent a New York City timeshare and visit the pricey New York Museum of Modern Art. Other great NYC museums participating in this program include the Staten Island Children's Museum, (and remember, a ride on the Staten Island Ferry is always free!) Also, over Memorial Day weekend in New York City, NY Sen. Kristen Gillibrand has announced more than 50 museums and historic sites will offer free admission to military personnel and veterans.

Visit the Blue Star Museum Initiative online for a complete list of all participating museums.

(Photo of Vincent van Gogh's "The Starry Night" from moma.org)

What kid doesn't like animals? A summer family vacation that is definitely kid-friendly is anything that involves seeing exotic animals. This could include zoos with lions and tigers and bears (oh, my!), or getting up close and personal with exotic marine animals. And what better place for kids to do that than visiting SeaWorld. There are three SeaWorld parks in the U.S., one on each coast, and one in the middle. Take your pick: rent an Orlando timeshare in Florida, a San Diego timeshare in California, or a San Antonio timeshare in Texas, and visit SeaWorld!

SeaWorld is a marine mammal park, an oceanarium, and an animal theme park all rolled into one. The parks feature killer whale (orca), sea lion, and dolphin shows, along with zoological displays featuring various other marine animals including graceful rays, slippery eels, sharks and even penguins.

SeaWorld was the brain child of four UCLA graduates who originally set out to build an underwater restaurant in San Diego. When the underwater restaurant idea proved unfeasible, they decided to build a marine park instead, and the San Diego Sea World opened to the public in 1964.

Today all three SeaWorld parks also feature a variety of thrill rides. Sea World Orlando has the Kraken and Manta roller coasters; Sea World San Antonio offers two rides called the Steel Eel and the Great White; and a "splashdown ride," Journey to Atlantis, can be found in all three parks. Because the giant beer brewing company, Anheuser-Busch, owned the Sea World parks for a number of years, each park also keeps some of the famous Budweiser Clydesdales as an additional non-marine type attraction.

SeaWorld has made many contributions to wildlife conservation, including scientists and zoologists who participate in research and marine wildlife preservation. SeaWorld rescue teams routinely save stranded whales, dolphins, seals, and sea lions, and have helped raise the awareness of Florida's endangered manatees. SeaWorld's commitment to conservation, research and animal rescue was recently formalized with the creation of the non-profit SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund. SeaWorld is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which means that the parks have met and exceeded the Standards in Education, Conservation and Research.

A family timeshare rental vacation near one of the SeaWorld parks will not only give the kids the unique opportunity to see and learn about marine wildlife, and even have fun on some amazing thrill rides, but your family will also be participating, in a way, in marine conservation efforts the world over.

(Photo provided by seaworld.com)

Today is Cinco de Mayo! Celebrations will be in full swing across the U.S. and in Mexico, of course, which means it’s a great time to plan and take a vacation. Here’s a few suggestions on where to travel to for the hottest Cinco de Mayo festivities:

Rent a timeshare in San Diego and visit historic Old Town where you’ll find live music and entertainment on 3 separate stages at Bazaar del Mundo, and great Mexican food too!

When you stay in a Las Vegas timeshare, you’ll find plenty of bars and restaurants offering food and drink specials such as The Patron tequila fiesta at Eve nightclub, $5 shots of Casa Noble and Corralejo tequila at El Segundo Sol and $5.55 dinner and $5 margaritas at Macayo's restaurants, with three locations in Las Vegas.

New York City puts a real kid-friendly spin on its Cinco de Mayo celebrations. While staying in your New York City timeshare, visit Staten Island where your kids can build their own piñatas and at NY Kids Clubs, adults can sip a Corona while the kids learn Mexican dances. Ole!

Celebrate in your Phoenix timeshare with outdoor performances of Spanish rock, Latin jazz, salsa, ranchero, and Chicano rock music. Enjoy watching the Mexican dancers that symbolize the color, fun and heritage of Cinco de Mayo.

And, even though Cinco de Mayo is mostly an American holiday, you will feel very “authentic" if you celebrate in a Mexico timeshare rental. Just the Mexican music will get you in the mood to dance and create your own fiesta. The best part will most likely be basking on the beautiful beaches while eating Mexican food and enjoying a margarita! Sounds like the best Cinco de Mayo celebration of all.

(Photo provided by wikipedia.org)

When you are planning your family's summer vacation and will be traveling with kids, remember - the Zoo's the thing. What better kid-friendly vacation activity is there than a zoo? Rent a timeshare and give yourself the gift of spending time in these amazing "theme parks." We'll tell you about three of the country's best kid-friendly zoos.

Rent a San Diego timeshare and head to the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Its remarkable Children's Zoo has 30 exhibits that range from nurseries for sick or weak baby animals, to a "Petting Paddock" where kids can touch goats and sheep and even miniature horses. "Zany Science Shows" are hosted by Dr. Zoolittle, and at "Bugtown: The Itty Bitty City" your kids can watch waterbugs, diving beetles and katydids in their own natural habitats.

Added fun for the kids in San Diego are interactive boards around the zoo with buttons they can push to hear various sounds the animals make when communicating. If they practice, your kids can be talking just like tigers by the time they're headed home!

There are many wonderful Phoenix timeshares available for rent in Arizona. And the Phoenix Zoo (see photo) is made to order for kids, and the entire family for that matter. For starters check out its Wilderness Experience Night Camp. Jeff Williamson, the zoo's executive director, explains that this is a great family activity. "We invite families to stay lakeside in a private tent, enjoy a grilled dinner with s'mores, learn about nocturnal animals, take a guided hike, and receive advice on how to navigate using the stars."

The Enchanted Forest is a magical exhibit created for kids 5 and younger, and the older kids will have fun exploring the "Forest of Uco," an exhibit designed to replicate a Colombian rainforest.

A New York City timeshare rental will set you up in good shape for a visit to the Bronx Zoo. One of the oldest zoos in the country, the Bronx Zoo was the first to teach students, and today has educational activities for kids from preschoolers to high school seniors. Its teaching materials have been translated into Chinese, Spanish, and African languages, and its curriculum is used in every state in the union and 15 foreign countries. "Our zoo is a living classroom," says Richard Lattis, general director. "Children are constant fountains of knowledge who are going to keep adults headed toward saving wildlife." The zoo's programs are divided into children's group visits, summer camps, and family outings.

To paraphrase Dr. Seuss - when you travel with kids, oh the places you'll go and the fun you'll have! And, there’s always fun at the zoo.

Just north up the coast from San Diego, California, is Carlsbad, home of the amazing Flower Fields. Here you'll experience spring in such a blaze of color that you'll be dazzled for weeks. Imagine 50 acres of rolling hillsides in solid bloom overlooking the blue Pacific Ocean.

The beautiful Ranunculus, grown for the bulbs, flower here mid-March to early May, What began 85 years ago as single petaled blossoms in red and orange, have been carefully cultivated over the years to result in double petaled flowers in 13 exceptional colors, including the unique picotee, a mixture of variegated colors. Besides the Ranunculus flower, spears of colorful blooming gladiolus also fill the fields.

Known as a "national jewel," the extraordinary Flower Fields are both a working horticultural ranch and a tourist destination. There are a number of ways that you can enjoy the Flower Fields. Pick up visitor information and take a self guided tour, or join a group walking tour led by a knowledgeable tour guide. For some extra fun, climb aboard a tractor-driven wagon ride that also includes commentary by a guide.

Many other activities await you at the Flower Fields, including the ever-popular Sweet Pea Maze. As you wind your way through the maze you'll be immersed in the incredible sweet fragrance of this old-fashioned flower. The Walk of Fame is the only display in the country of every All-American Rose Selection winner since 1940. And the All-American Rose Selection (AARS) Garden is one of the 130 AARS-accredited public rose gardens in the nation that tests and displays new varieties of roses.

To give your family a truly remarkable spring vacation, and the opportunity really become immersed in Carlsbad's amazing Flower Fields, rent a timeshare at the Grand Pacific Palisades Resort in Carlsbad. At this resort you'll get the best of two worlds when you find yourself actually staying next to the colorful fields of flowers, and the beautiful Pacific Ocean beaches less than a mile away.

A timeshare at the Grand Pacific Palisades Resort is also perfectly located to be a hub for many other fun Southern California activities. Sea World and the world-famous San Diego Zoo are just a quick drive down the coast. And the Concierge will be happy to arrange trips for your family to Disneyland and even Hollywood.

See all San Diego timeshares.
See all Carlsbad timeshares.

It’s family vacation time and you know where your kids want to go? A theme park of course! There are so many great theme parks to visit with rides and thrills galore. In addition to rollercoaster’s, you can visit your favorite character, tour movie sets or watch aquatic animals in their natural habitats. There’s even music, dancing and parades to enjoy at a theme park, so, which one will your family visit this year?

Here’s a few suggestions of the top theme parks we think you and your kids will enjoy:

• Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure
  
  Live the magic at two enchanting Theme Parks — Disneyland® Park and Disney's California Adventure® Park. Located in Anaheim, California, you’ll fill your days and nights with the wonder and excitement. At Disneyland, known as “The Happiest Place on Earth,” you’ll find great rides for all ages like Finding Nemo and It’s a Small World for the younger kids and rocking rollercoaster’s like Space Mountain and Matterhorn for those who want a little speed. Parades and shows are happening throughout the park all day and there’s also great fun and shopping at Downtown Disney. At California Adventure, you’ll find the California that Walt Disney himself loved with his celebration of the state’s natural wonders, like the Soarin’ Over California ride which takes you on a simulated hang glider tour of the Golden State. Or, experience a typical state fair atmosphere with carnival games and Ferris wheels. Also, remember that Disney parks are free on your birthday in 2009.
  Find Anaheim Timeshare Resorts for rent.


• Walt Disney World
  
  The theme parks at Walt Disney World are so plentiful, you’ll be glad you decided to stay a week (or even two) in Orlando, Florida! In addition to the famous Magic Kingdom® of the Walt Disney World theme park where you can enjoy classic attractions, your favorite characters, parades and fireworks, you wont want to miss the other theme parks close by as well. At Epcot® you’ll experience the culture and cuisine of 11 nations and discover how the future is now a reality by learning about technological innovation. Disney’s Animal Kingdom® is the world's largest animal-themed park where great adventures abound. Disney’s Hollywood Studios offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse of Hollywood-style action. And, water fun awaits you at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach where you’ll find water slides, waves and raft rides.
  Find Orlando Timeshare Resorts for rent.
  
  
• Sea World
  
  With parks in San Diego, California, San Antonio, Texas and Orlando, Florida, Sea World is a great day of fun where you can enjoy rides, shows and interact with your favorite sea animals. Watch Shamu the killer whale in the “Believe” experience, feed dolphins in the petting pool, or be amazed by acrobats who perform over the water in the Cirque de la Mer show. Ride and splash in the Journey to Atlantis ride, enjoy the view from the Skytower or let your little ones run free in Shamu’s Happy Harbor with rides just their size and the chance to meet Elmo and other Sesame Street friends.
  Find San Diego Timeshare Resorts for rent.
  Find Orlando Timeshare Resorts for rent.
  Find San Antonio Timeshare Resorts for rent.


• Busch Gardens
  
  Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia and Tampa, Florida, celebrates old and new traditions with charming European villages set against the backdrop of state-of-the-art coasters. Enjoy spectacular shows featuring like the Sunny Days Celebration with Sesame Street friends, Goin’ Country and the Festivale Italiano. Coaster enthusiasts can experience the finest and most thrilling coasters in the world, like the 205-foot Griffon that takes you 70 mph, and excites you with a 90-degree drop.
  Find Williamsburg Timeshare Resorts for rent.
  Find Tampa Timeshare Resorts for rent.

Graduation celebrations are in the air. Whether you or someone you know is graduating from high school, or college, graduation is a special time that deserves a memorable event to celebrate. Getting the family together by renting a timeshare resort is a great graduation gift idea, and because timeshares are so much larger than typical hotel rooms, there will be enough room for everyone.

No matter where you live, there is sure to be a timeshare resort nearby. It may require a few hours, or a day long drive, but, that is also part of the fun of a family vacation, (and in this case celebration), adventure.

If your budget allows, you can always fly to a popular resort location, such as Lake Buena Vista, FL for such great attractions as: Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld. See Lake Buena Vista timeshares. Or, try a visit to San Diego, CA and go to the Wild Animal Park, San Diego Zoo, or choose from their beautiful beaches at: La Jolla, Del Mar or Coronado. See San Diego timeshares. New York City, NY is always a popular destination with its’ great museums, Broadway Shows, Manhattan night life and fine restaurants. See New York timeshares. Or, enjoy the stunning Caribbean in the tropical setting of Cancun, Mexico. Enjoy enjoy many different activities like snorkeling, kayaking, biking, cliff jumping, and Mayan Ruins. See Cancun timeshares.

So, reward your graduate for a job well done and celebrate their bright future ahead with fun family vacation memories that will last a lifetime.