I love NM too. Santa Fe is great. So is Albuquerque. Very different. And a drive on one of the loops to Taos is lovely too.
But I would not vacation there at Christmastime. Too cold.
My vote is still for San Diego.
Plus I never could tell the difference between an alligator and a crocodile, not planning to get close to verify either.
@DrGoogle I’ve lived in Florida for over 63 years and I have yet to see an alligator or crocodile in the wild here. Please don’t let that fear keep you away from the state!
There are probably over a million alligators loose in Florida…almost as many as ex New Yorkers. I’ve seen plenty over the years. Have had them in our backyard, but never had one get inside house.
If OP decides on San Diego / La Jolla, consider a stop at the Salk Institute, an architectural masterpiece by Louis Kahn:
http://www.salk.edu/about/architecture.html
http://www.salk.edu/about/architecture_tours.html
Photos don’t do the place justice.
ohhh, @AttorneyMother - Salk looks fabulous. We love doing architectural tours. Fallingwater and Biltmore Estate have been two of our favorites! There’s a flight that just came up from Charlotte to San Diego for $318 RT (though would have to travel Christmas Day and return the night of New Year’s Eve) …
mamaduck - Salk is right by Gliderport and near Torrey Pines so you could hike Torrey Pines and watch the hang gliders and tour Salk on the same day. My husband loves to take pictures and has many at Salk.
@mamaduck , I’m glad I saw this thread then! 
If you visit Balboa Park, it is full of great architecture. The Park is enormous and choices are plentiful. One small gem we are glad to have visited is the Timken Museum of Art:
http://www.balboapark.org/in-the-park/timken-museum-art
http://www.timkenmuseum.org/ (Wish I could go now to see the visiting Vermeer.)
And there is the outdoor organ concert at this pavilion which is, itself, well worth a visit:
That organ is spectacular. See if you can get a schedule of when it is actually being played.,we did…and it was well worth it!!
I Think we have given the OP 3 wonderful suggestions. If she chooses CA this year, then next year in NM or FL. When she is ready for those locations, then I will offer specific suggestions.
Woohoo! I’m so excited. Thanks for all the suggestions - keep 'em coming if you have more! I’ll post our plans when we get them together!
Okay - I’ll jump in here since I’ve lived in San Diego for a long time, have been most other places (and lived in other places, and love it here. I’ve been to Florida multiple times including for a vacation (all over Fla), have been to Santa Fe, and most other places. If I was from elsewhere I’d choose San Diego due to the wide variety of things to do, the weather, the varied terrain, etc.
Santa Fe is okay for a 1 or 2 day visit but unless you plan to ski nearby or hike a lot in the area you may run out of things to do. If you plan to hike keep in mind the winter weather there can make for a cold and possibly wet hike.
The weather in San Diego is usually great year round including Christmas time. Note the key word ‘usually’ because it’s possible to get a storm, have some rain, etc. but it’s usually minimal compared to anyplace else in the country. I often head down to the auto show at the San Diego convention center which is always right around end Dec/beginning of Jan and I almost always revel in how unbelievably nice it is out. Walking around that area (downtownish along the waterfront) always makes me feel like I’m on vacation.
I really like La Jolla as well and walking around LJ also always makes me feel like I’m on vacation. I was there about a week ago and it was great.
But I also will head to Coronado every now and then and of course, feel like I’m on vacation while I’m there.
- Where to stay: There are lots of choices and it depends on what you want and your budget. If it were me coming here for vacation I'd want to stay near the beach/waterfront, preferably within a short walking distance from the beach. 'The beach' could be many places including Coronado, La Jolla, downtown waterfront, or a bit further north in Del Mar or Carlsbad, for example. I would 'not' want to stay in Mission Valley - i.e. 'Hotel Circle, or 'Old Town' but only because I'd rather be on the waterfront. There are some hotels around 'Mission Bay' that are nice that are on the water although it's a smaller bay type of water area.
The reason I state the above is because the waterfront/beach area will make you definitely feel like you’re on vacation. They also provide ready access to nice walks, kayaking, sailing (including little sailboats), and other water activities.
I’d probably choose either La Jolla, Coronado, or possibly one of the hotels right along the downtown waterfront (there are some big ones there - Hyatt, Sheraton, etc. and some other options).
In Coronado the big hotel is the Hotel Del Coronado but it’s also expensive. Check into the ‘Glorietta Bay Inn’ which is right across the street from the Hotel Del but less expensive. If you stay in the mansion house it’ll be a unique experience. Check it out on the internet.
There are a number of hotels right in the La Jolla Cove area of La Jolla. That’s a great location.
- Restaurants: They're all over the place. Be sure to try some Mexican food places since there are lots of them in the San Diego area. 'Old Town' has a number of decent ones but again, they're all over.
There are fancy and expensive restaurants in La Jolla and a previous poster mentioned some but you can also grab some food, for example at Burger Lounge (really good burgers) and walk to the La Jolla Cove area and eat it there.
By downtown San Diego is the ‘Gaslamp District’ which has a number of restaurants but there are also many restaurants all along the waterfront including in ‘Seaport Village’ (shopping) which is all walkable from that waterfront area.
- Things to do: -- Go to the beach. It's free, fun, and interesting. I'm not a 'lay there in one spot person' but I go there frequently and walk - often for miles. If you're walking on the beach at La Jolla Shores down by the couple of hotels that fron the beach there, look for the leopard sharks you might see in the water there. They're harmless but interesting.
– Water things - snorkeling, surfing, boogie boarding, body surfing (would need a wetsuit in the winter), sailing, kayaking, San Diego bay boat tour, dinner cruise, sailing tour (your family on a sailboat piloted by someone who does it for a living), etc.
– Walk the downtown waterfront, perhaps go on the old ships and sub at the maritime museum there.
– Visit the USS Midway aircraft carrier - on the waterfront downtown.
– Go to La Jolla Cove (drive if you’re staying elsewhere) and walk around it and watch the sea lions and seals that are always there.
– Balboa Park - zoo, aerospace museum, other museums.
– Sea World, Safari Park (by Escondido - a northern suburb).
– Rent bikes in Coronado and bike around.
– Lots of places to hike and bike in the San Diego area.
– Many other things already mentioned by others.
– Further afield -
— Julian - an old gold mining and stagecoach stop town in the mountians east of San Diego. Something different and you might even get to see snow (I realize - you’re probably trying to escape snow)!
— Borrego Springs Desert State Park. This is in the desert east of San Diego and east of Julian. There are some great desert hikes there including some near the visitor center.
— Palomar Mountain 200" telescope - was once the largest in the country. This’ll be something different and again you might see snow.
— Temecula (north of San Diego) for wineries.
— Disneyland is about 1.5 to 2 hours away. Universal Studios is maybe a half hour or so further.
— Catalina Island
— Anything else in the Orange County or LA area.
- Getting around: Having a rental car means you can get around easily and could head between all the places mentioned.
The downtownish area of San Diego has a trolley/light rail system that could be used if you don’t have a car and are in that area.
If you’re staying downtown/waterfront or Coronado you could take a ferry between Coronado and downtown San Diego. It’s not that expensive and is quick (short distance) but if a family did it several times per day for multiple days it’d add up.
Getting from Coronado to downtown by car is actually quick and easy - just head over the Coronado bridge and you’re there (either downtown or Coronado).
I didn’t cover everything but as you can see there’s a lot to do and importantly ‘you’ll feel like you’re on vacation’.
As a local, I second that don’t ever go to Mexico (Tijuana). It’s very dangerous. You can still go near the border and see Mexico from the US side (LOL). While there, you can go shopping at the Las Americas Premium Outlet. The border is only about 20 miles from Mission Hills.
Side trip recommendation: You can go to Palm Springs and go ride the Aerial Tramway. Great view from atop the mountain. You can also go to Joshua Tree National Monument while there. But this is like a whole day affair.
I still say stay in Mission Hills for accessibility. If we have a rainy Christmas week, the beach areas tend to flood down by South Mission and PB. Getting a rental at Mission Hills sounds the most economical and most central. If you get a chance, drive by El Indio on (India Street) and try their Mexican fare. You can also visit Little Italy and sample the environment at Filippi’s Pizza (also on India Street near the airport). There is limited parking so try to go during the week for lunch. Evenings are crazy in that area. The kids will love it! You enter a “storefront” and pass through an Italian Deli (all original, maybe 1950’s era?) to get to the restaurant in the back. Service is fast and food is hot. Check out the messages on all of the old hanging wine carafes.
India street can get confusing because it was divided by freeways in the 1950’s, so you need to know that is it a long, really long, sometimes, one-way street. Ask and pre google map everything.
The Organ Pavilion publishes its schedule online but right now, it may be too early: http://spreckelsorgan.org/
The Balboa Park area is beautifully decorated for Christmas.
I second the Rubios Fish tacos and the Roberto’s/Alberto’s visits. For real Barrio food- Las Cuatro Milpas, bring Cash, “dey no take credeet cards”. (Near the Coronado Bridge exit/entrance.) It is the Barrio, so wait in line and sample the family food there on picnic benches. It doesn’t look good, but delicious and famous. Only open for lunch, but great Tamales!
In OB and downtown, I haven’t been in a while but HODAD’s for burgers. Google them. The OB location is a must see.
Take the kids on the Bahia Belle; it is decorated for Christmas and goes from Bayfront hotel to Bayfront hotel: http://www.bahiahotel.com/dining-entertainment/bahia-belle-boat-cruise/
Have fun!
^^ My reasoning for not staying in Mission Hills or any other inland point - it’d be much like staying anyplace else in the USA that’s not on the beach - i.e. not that interesting really. Comparing staying someplace like Coronado, La Jolla, in one of the waterfront hotels downtown, or even a Mission Bay front hotel like Paradise Point Resort or the Hilton Mission Bay (or San Diego Bay) or something similar to someplace in Mission Hills or points east is a world of difference in the feel. Some of these might be more expensive than some places further inland but it’s a vacation and for many - not all about finding a cheap place but anyone contemplating the trip is sure to find something that fits their needs and wants.
- Mission Bay hotels http://www.paradisepoint.com http://www.sandiegohilton.com/resort-overview.aspx
And for a different point of view - I would ‘not’ go to Ocean Beach. It’s one of the less nice beach areas with more sketchy characters, etc. hanging around than many other areas. I’d avoid it since almost all the other beach areas are nicer. It’s not horrible or anything - just not a place to go out of the way to.
Around Mission Bay along the ocean front is ‘Mission Beach’ which is a crowded packed in area but it also has Belmont Park, a small amusement place with an old roller coaster and a nice (cement) boardwalk along the beach. It buts up against Pacific Beach which might be fin to wander around in the beach area as well. Both have a lot of surf shops, beach clothing shops, restaurants, etc. and bars if you’re into that. It’s also a good place to rent a bike or roller blades.
I like Rubio’s fish tacos as well. There are a number of Rubio’s fast food places around the county. It’s a good place to pick up some tacos/burritos/etc. and head to the beach for a picnic.
All these mentions of Rubio’s reminded me to ask my D, who spent a long part of one summer in San Diego. She had complained that her camp group went to Rubio’s once a week because there was a special on the fish tacos. (She won’t eat fish for conservation reasons…). Anyway, if memory serves me, there is one day a week when the fish tacos are on special and perfect for mass consumption by large groups, but I don’t know which day that is. 
That’s - Taco Tuesday. I think on Tuesday tacos are half price at Rubios and probably other places as well.
And this is a tangent but for conservation concerns, Rubio’s is pretty responsible -
http://www.rubios.com/socialresponsibility/sustainableseafood/
Another thing to do in SD that people might have already mentioned - wandering tide pools. This could be in La Jolla just south of the Children’s Pool (a cove with a lot of seals) area, on Pt Loma just down from the Cabrillo Lighthouse (a historic monument) and a variety of other places. Download a free tide chart app for your smart phone to figure out when to do what at the beach. There are usually a lot of colorful (green mostly) anemones, small crabs, small fish, and miscellaneous other things to try to find.
Taco Tuesday is very common at many places that serve Tacos here in California, not just at Rubios.
My daughter’s college in western NY has Taco Tuesday! She’ll be all for it - and it will be better in San Diego than Rochester in December!
^^ I’ve been to Rochester in the winter - San Diego will be quite a change for a nice getaway. That gives it some context. Even if it ends up unusually cold for us here in SD, your Rochester D will likely consider it somewhat balmy in comparison (and laugh at the San Diegans who think it’s cold out).
btw - this’ll show what the weather was in San Diego for the week of Dec 25 last year -
http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KSAN/2014/12/25/WeeklyHistory.html?req_city=&req_state=&req_statename=&reqdb.zip=&reqdb.magic=&reqdb.wmo=