Pier South Resort, Autograph Collection

Location and History

Sitting on the favored side of Seacoast Drive, with more than half of the accommodations beachfront, this seaside getaway is a real rarity in California, where modern regulations would prohibit this kind of proximity to the coast.

It is the last resort of note before the Mexican border, which is about five miles to the south as the crow flies; the border crossing is a circuitous 20-minute drive.

An easy and scenic 30-minute drive from San Diego's International Airport, the hotel was built in the late 1950s, and while its monolithic concrete exterior shows wisps of Soviet era grim, a sunny yellow paint job sets the tone for the upbeat and beachy interior.

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