Travel Writer's Pad
House in La Mesa, CA
6 guests · 2 bedrooms · 1 bath
Reasons to book
Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Free cancellationFull refund if you change your mind
Great for petsBring all your friends and family, even the furry ones
About this house rental
Hello, Bonjour, Hola, Ciao, Ni Hao!
Welcome to Travel Writer's Pad. It’s a pleasure to have you as my guest.
For the past two decades my career as a travel journalist has taken me around the globe. I’ve stayed at thousands of accommodations, where I learned personal touches create a comfortable home away from home. Certain places I visited offered extra special amenities. Green tea at a Japanese Ryokan; chardonnay infused bath salts at a Mexican posada; pink sugar at California’s Madonna Inn; and more. I’ve collected many goodies on my travels for you to enjoy at this vacation rental.
The house was built in 1946. My family lived in it for 25 years. We added modern day amenities and appliances, but kept the historic integrity of the sweet bungalow. The property has a 1/3-acre park-like, fenced backyard surrounded by citrus, fig, and persimmon trees, whose fruit you’re welcome to enjoy. Adirondack chairs sit nearby for you to relax, sip coffee and watch your children or dog run around the lawn.
A secluded patio extends outside the dining room French doors. Vine covered walls, blooming flower beds, and a Mexican terra-cotta chiminea are the perfect setting for grilling and dinner at the outdoor table.
The kitchen is equipped for all your cooking needs. There are five TVs, including one in the bathroom. Central air conditioning and heat throughout the house. Linens and towels provided. Washer, dryer, and dishwasher, also.
The location is easily accessible to San Diego highlights — the San Diego Zoo, Gaslamp Quarter, Coronado, beaches, Balboa Park museums, Petco Park, Seaworld, and the airport. Yet, it’s away from the hustle and bustle of the city in a quiet, residential neighborhood. Plus, the added benefit of being close to hiking and mountain biking trails.
Our house is a five minute drive to popular La Mesa Village with it’s trendy restaurants and boutique shops. Grocery stores and Starbucks are within walking distance. And, San Diego State University is two miles away, with concert venues and sports stadium.
Enjoy!
Welcome to Travel Writer's Pad. It’s a pleasure to have you as my guest.
For the past two decades my career as a travel journalist has taken me around the globe. I’ve stayed at thousands of accommodations, where I learned personal touches create a comfortable home away from home. Certain places I visited offered extra special amenities. Green tea at a Japanese Ryokan; chardonnay infused bath salts at a Mexican posada; pink sugar at California’s Madonna Inn; and more. I’ve collected many goodies on my travels for you to enjoy at this vacation rental.
The house was built in 1946. My family lived in it for 25 years. We added modern day amenities and appliances, but kept the historic integrity of the sweet bungalow. The property has a 1/3-acre park-like, fenced backyard surrounded by citrus, fig, and persimmon trees, whose fruit you’re welcome to enjoy. Adirondack chairs sit nearby for you to relax, sip coffee and watch your children or dog run around the lawn.
A secluded patio extends outside the dining room French doors. Vine covered walls, blooming flower beds, and a Mexican terra-cotta chiminea are the perfect setting for grilling and dinner at the outdoor table.
The kitchen is equipped for all your cooking needs. There are five TVs, including one in the bathroom. Central air conditioning and heat throughout the house. Linens and towels provided. Washer, dryer, and dishwasher, also.
The location is easily accessible to San Diego highlights — the San Diego Zoo, Gaslamp Quarter, Coronado, beaches, Balboa Park museums, Petco Park, Seaworld, and the airport. Yet, it’s away from the hustle and bustle of the city in a quiet, residential neighborhood. Plus, the added benefit of being close to hiking and mountain biking trails.
Our house is a five minute drive to popular La Mesa Village with it’s trendy restaurants and boutique shops. Grocery stores and Starbucks are within walking distance. And, San Diego State University is two miles away, with concert venues and sports stadium.
Enjoy!
Amenities
Air conditioner
Pets allowed
Kitchen or Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Fireplace
Parking
Laundry
Balcony or Patio
Dishwasher
TV
Garden
Family friendly
Map of La Mesa, CA
$$$$
Reviews
5.0
Cute place with beautiful back yard
5.0
The property is lovely-spacious, attractive and spotless. The host is delightful and provided little amenities to make our stay special. She also did an in-person walkthrough. This was great as I was was traveling with my two young dongs and was able ask her questions in person. Total thumbs up/paws up! We look forward to returning!
5.0
The host and house were amazing, huge back yard for the kids to run around.
5.0
My husband and his came to San Diego to visit our daughter. The Traveler Writer's Pad is the peaceful, we decided to spend a whole day resting and enjoying the serenity of the back yard.
We are very grateful to have found this gem in La Mesa.
5.0
Stayed here for our daughter's graduation weekend. Quick drive to campus from this neighborhood. House was very cute, yard was huge and very beautiful!
5.0
This is the second time staying here. Always a comfortable place to stay. We really enjoy the backyard. It is a large yard for your dog to romp around on.
5.0
Best getaway my family has had in a long time. We all LOVED this house. And our dog did too. The backyard is enormous, lots of space for our dog to run around/lay in the sun. We loved eating outside on the patio every morning and at night playing games. Maggie is the perfect host, she literally has thought of everything, The Travel Writers Pad has it all. This house was absolutely wonderful, quiet neighborhood, close to everything and to say we had a great time is an understatement. Next time we are in San Diego, we will be staying here.
5.0
This home was adorable. The yard was perfect for our dogs. Very clean and had everything we needed. Communication with Maggie was great.
5.0
Maggie is a great host with an awesome oasis. I loved exploring the home's decor and uniqueness. I highly recommend this clean and comfy place.
5.0
We had a great time at Maggie's. The property was clean and comfortable. We enjoyed all of her memorabilia. One friend who visited for breakfast called the house charming, which it is. Also, the beds are very comfortable. and the yard and seating areas are fabulous. Thank you so much!!!
5.0
First time for us in the La Mesa neighborhood. We were pleasantly surprised when we saw how nice this home was. For it’s small size, it had unique charm and pride in ownership. The yard was beautiful and very spacious with lots of fruit trees. The region is very close to downtown and the beach-20 minutes. The town boasts great food and shops and we walked only 2 miles to get there. The host provided great neighborhood recommendations for trails, and restaurants in a nice booklet. The only things I would suggest changing would be to have a better seating arrangement around the TV with one additional sofa or couch on the opposite side for family, and a 4 slice toaster. We would definitely stay again!
5.0
Beautiful yard, wonderful host
Maggie was by the way the best host I’ve experienced with a rental! Her communication, thoughtfulness, etc were wonderful. Her home was just right for our family vacay. The backyard is amazing and perfect for kids, too!
5.0
Will stay here again
The owner had everything we needed. It was perfect for us to visit with family and friends. Very nice backyard.
5.0
Wonderful 'home away from home'
Maggie's place is exceptionally beautiful and peaceful. I highly recommend staying in La Mesa at the 'Travel Writer's Pad'!
5.0
Lovely home!
Maggie's property is awesome! The location was so convenient to SDSU, La Mesa's cute downtown, the 70th Street trolley station, and the freeway, making it a good home-base for exploring San Diego. The decor inside the home was fun to peruse, the kitchen is well-appointed, and the back yard cannot be beat. We hope to return!
5.0
La Mesa jewel
My sister and I very much enjoyed our stay! Great outdoor space for gatherings and dogs. Perfect for exploring San Diego. We hope to stay here again soon!
5.0
Hidden Gem
Maggie was super friendly and helpful, greeted us and showed us around the entire home! Beautiful place, clean, cozy and the back yard was huge, nice outside patio area with fire pit, logs, beach toys, chairs… we had everything we needed! It’s a hidden gem, convenient to airport and beach and restaurants… hope to be back soon
5.0
Wonderful outdoor spaces to relax
We loved our stay at the Travel Writer’s Pad, especially enjoying the variety of outdoor seating areas in the spacious porch, patio and yard. Our gracious host met us at the house for a tour and was always very responsive during our stay. Great location for local walks in the neighborhood (check out the Rainbow Stairs and the walk-up Mission Brew Coffee) and hikes in Mission Trails Regional Park, and easy drive to Balboa Park to ride the historic carousel and stroll through the Japanese Friendship Garden. Thanks for providing such a lovely spot, Maggie!
5.0
Cozy cottage
Great neighborhood, easy access to highway, property owner was very helpful and accommodating.
5.0
Location, location, location!
This property offers easy freeway access for getting around San Diego in all directions while being in a lovely, quiet neighborhood. We were welcomed into the home with a personalized chalkboard greeting sign, snacks, and cheery Christmas decorations including a beautiful Christmas tree as well as a tour of the property by neighbor Judi who helps Maggie, the Traveling Writer from time to time. The outdoor space is peaceful and delightful, and the huge yard is an oasis, especially for travelers with dogs. Our dog loved having her own private dog park to explore. Note: we were told that there can be skunks in the area, so we used a leash after dark. The home is a charming, vintage bungalow with lovely original hardwood floors. The retro furnishings from Granny's attic give the home a comfortable 1950's feel along with the diverse and unique collection of kitchen items and a large assortment of the owner's travel memorabilia filling every room with interesting items, books, and decor. Good wifi and TV in all rooms including the bathroom were easy to use. We had plenty of nice towels. The queen bed in the master has a comfy memory foam topper but it makes the bed quite high to climb into for those of us with shorter legs and the comforter looked as though it was sized for a double as it only covered the top of the bed. The duvet insert was flat in places and lumpy in others, but it was warm and cozy. The laundry facility in the garage was great but note that access is either through the back door, down 2 steps and through a gate or out the front door, down 4 steps and down the driveway. This was not a problem for us, but potential guests with any mobility challenges might want to know this. Maggie the host checked in on us via text and seemed easy to reach if we had any problems, which we did not. She even dropped off cookies to the front porch one evening -- so nice! -- and asked us to leave her mail for her to pick up on the front porch bench. Overall, this was a lovely and quaint place to stay.
4.0
Great for pets; great outdoor area!
We enjoyed our stay! The backyard is especially nice!
5.0
Great Property With Huge Backyard
Everything was clean and easy. You basically have a park attached to your backyard so we had a lot of fun.
5.0
A Magical House of the World
The Travel Writer’s Pad is a magical mashup: part France, part India, part old Mexico, part 1930’s San Diego, and ALL WONDERFUL! Every corner is thoughtfully and artistically curated to create fantastical moments of beauty and joy! The backyard is incredible! Like having our own private park! Maggie met us when we arrived to give us a tour and make sure we were comfortable. It is not hyperbolic to say this is our favorite place we have ever stayed, right up there with the Madonna Inn. We can’t wait to come back again and again!
5.0
A beautiful oasis in the city
Experience from first greeting online with Maggie to our stay was excellent. Grounds are beautiful. Home has eclectic appeal to it. We enjoyed our visit immensely.
5.0
Great yard for bbq, dogs and kids
Nice neighborhood for walking the dog with lots of nice neighbors and dogs to meet. The house was well equipped and worked well for 4 adults. Would work well for children too. My dog loved the backyard and found several hiding places to observe from. We enjoyed the evenings outside with the chimera. Very close to San Diego State area. We spent the week here for my son's graduation.
5.0
Great find!! Two thumbs up!!!
This listing is absolutely everything it claims to be! This is our 2nd stay here and will not be our last! The backyard is large and beautiful just as the pics show. We enjoyed grilling in the back porch outdoor area which is beautiful and relaxing!
They are in the process of putting in a Doggie park 8n the far back part of the yard- we can't wait to check it out on our next stay! Maggie is an absolute doll of a host! Responsive to anything you need and has thought of everything to make the stay great! The house was clean bed is comfy and overall the house smelled fabulous! The property is conveniently located takes 15 mins or so to get to the beaches or anything you need really...the zoo sea world etc.
5.0
The home was just right.
This home was perfect for our recent visit to relatives. The yard was a great place to wear out our grand pup. We were also able to social distance while having wonderful meals out on the patio by the fire. We're already planning to come back!
5.0
Great place to relax!
My family and I really enjoyed the house. The backyard was large enough for everyone to play, and for our dog to run around. The house had great space and it was super cute! We will definitely stay here again.
5.0
COZY and COMFY: Home Away from Home
Maggie is an amazing host and made us feel like family. The house is beautiful and comfortable. The house is also close to everything. I highly recommend this property, especially if traveling with family and pets. Wonderful place!
5.0
Just What We Were Looking For
Perfect property for our short stay in the San Diego area. The house was charming, well-equipped and nicely maintained. The highlight, though, was the lovely patio and beautiful large yard. We spent time each evening around the patio table and in the lawn chairs. The owner checked in with us a time or two to make sure we had everything we needed. Will definitely visit this lovely home again!
5.0
Can’t wait to stay again
What a wonderful home and garden!! Maggie was an amazing attentive host. The house was perfect and beautifully decorated but my favorite was the back garden with several seating areas each one more relaxing that the other. It was wonderful to be able to bbq and have guests over especially during this pandemic. The backyard lighting, chiminea and fire pit were wonderful additions to the ambience. I look forward to staying in this beautiful home again soon.
5.0
Great Cali home
What a great house! This house to me is a quintessential California house, it reminded me of summers with my grandparents. The house is clean and Maggie was always so easy to get a hold of and very courteous. With 3 kids the backyard was amazing and fun for them to play in. Great restaurants in walk distance or a short drive. We would definitely stay here again if we are ever back in the area.
5.0
Cozy Cali Casa
Adorable home centrally located, pretty much everything is 15-20 mins away including the zoo, sea world and the beach. Very quite peaceful neighborhood. The backyard is as large as described in the listing. The back patio area is such a nice touch; we spent almost every night out by the chimannea. Maggie thought of absolutely everything to make our stay enjoyable.
Thank you Maggie for opening your home up to us and our two fur babies, we all had an awesome time!
5.0
House
We had a wonderful time. The house is A great place to stay with pets . And had everything we need .
5.0
Just like Home!
The house was very comfortable and absolutely as cute as could be.
Extremely pet friendly, huge back yard. Highly recommend>
5.0
San Diego Fun Times
Maggie's place is beautiful! The whole house and yard are immaculately clean and tidy. Maggie thought of everything to make your stay welcoming, fun, and interesting, with so many little touches that make you feel at home.
And it is perfect for bringing your dogs! The yard is large and private. It's completely fenced, with flood lights at night, which makes it safe and easy to use.
Plus, it is very centrally located, making it super easy to get around San Diego.
We loved staying here and hope to return again and again! Thank You Maggie, for everything!
5.0
Delightful place to stay! Feels like home!
Outdoor Oasis is wonderful. It is a very nicely kept home in a quiet neighborhood in La Mesa. The home is stocked with everything you need for a weekend stay or a week long vacation. The decoration of the home is travel themed and very warm and welcoming. The bedrooms are comfortable and quiet. Plenty of tv's for entertainment. The yard is outstanding - huge and private, with little covered seating areas and places to enjoy the weather. I enjoyed watching the sun rise from the patio. The location is pretty central in La Mesa, with easy access to Rolando Park, La Mesa Village, SDSU, MIssion Trails, etc... Walk to local Terra for a good meal or Tako Factory if on the run and want tasty takos. . Maggie was awesome and was helpful when we checked in. She was very responsive when I had a question. Overall a wonderful stay. I would go back for sure! (Oh - very pet friendly property!!!!! :)
5.0
Lovely Stay!
Maggie's place was awesome. My mom, brother, wife, and little guy stayed there for 6 nights and absolutely love the stay. Maggie met us and did the walk thru. She is very professional and certaintly desired we get the best out of our stay. The home was roomy with all the amenities we needed. A huge plus was the large backyard area where our little guy was able to fun freely and we played some Frisbee as well. Overall, highly recommended place for the San Diego area :-)
4.0
Very impressed
The property was very nice and cozy. Was very clean and organized enjoyed all the amenities
5.0
Comfortable house with tons of amenities, Amazing Host!!
What an amazing place! We were warmly greeted by Maggie the owner and gave us a full tour of the property which was nice to know where things were at. Super accommodating, She made us feel like we were family. Anything you could possibly need for a stay, she has covered. The home is beautiful with a lot to offer. From relaxing in the back table to enjoying a beverage looking out into the VERY large back yard. The inside was filled with tons of special touches to welcome you. If you are looking for a place to relax and feel comfortable THIS is the place! I highly recommend this place to anyone. Kid Friendly and DOG friendly as well. Our family enjoyed our stay very much. Thank you again!!
FAQs
How much does this house cost compared to others in La Mesa?
The average price for a rental in La Mesa is $198 per night. This rental is $64 above the average.
Is parking included with this house?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Travel Writer's Pad. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this house?
We didn’t find pool listed as an amenity for this house. It may be worth double checking if a pool is important for your stay.
Is Travel Writer's Pad pet friendly?
Yes! This house is pet-friendly. For more information, we recommend contacting the booking provider about animal policies.
What amenities are available at Travel Writer's Pad?
We found 12 amenities for this rental. This includes air conditioner, pets allowed, kitchen or kitchenette, internet / wifi, and fireplace.
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