Hotels near MCRD San Diego for graduation: 12 picks by area

These are the hotels families actually use for Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) San Diego graduation: close to Gate 5, close to the airport, or easy on the budget. Every hotel below was confirmed operating in 2026 on its own website or a 2026 listing. Distances are the straight-line figures HotelPlanner lists from the depot, not driving miles, and every visitor enters at Gate 5, 2200 W Washington St. Price tiers are typical rates from the hotel or booking sites, not quotes: $ is usually under $200 a night, $$ is $200-350 and $$$ is $350-600. Graduation weeks often run higher.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

+−

Leaflet | © OpenStreetMap contributors

Depot

1. 1MCRD Gate 5 — The only visitor vehicle entrance

Liberty Station & airport

1. 2Homewood Suites San Diego Airport-Liberty Station — Suites, free breakfast and shuttle
2. 3Courtyard San Diego Airport/Liberty Station — Walk to Liberty Station restaurants
3. 4Hampton Inn & Suites San Diego Airport Liberty Station — Free breakfast, shuttle
4. 5TownePlace Suites San Diego Airport/Liberty Station — Kitchens, free breakfast

Harbor Island

1. 6Sheraton San Diego Resort — Closest listed, bay views
2. 7Hilton San Diego Airport/Harbor Island — Bay views, long shuttle hours

Point Loma & Shelter Island

1. 8DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego Bayside — Formerly Holiday Inn Bayside
2. 9Kona Kai Resort & Spa — Splurge, private beach
3. 10Bay Club Hotel & Marina — Marina views, $10 shuttle
4. 11Humphreys Half Moon Inn — Relaxed, resort-style

Old Town

1. 12Old Town Inn — Free parking, Marine-family rate
2. 13Western Inn — Marine-family rate from $109

Pins are approximate. Source: hotel websites, HotelPlanner, KAYAK and La Jolla Mom, checked October 5, 2026.

See these on the full San Diego map

Liberty Station and the airport strip

Homewood Suites San Diego Airport-Liberty Station (2576 Laning Rd) is an all-suite hotel with free hot breakfast and a free airport shuttle. KAYAK puts typical nights around $291 weekdays and $331 weekends ($$). Self-parking is $21 a night. Next door, Courtyard San Diego Airport/Liberty Station (2592 Laning Rd) averages about $279 on momondo ($$), has a shuttle on request (619-221-1900) and the same $21 parking. Both are a walk from Liberty Station's shops and food. The drawback: $21 a night for parking adds up over a three-night stay.

Hampton Inn & Suites San Diego Airport Liberty Station (2211 Lee Ct) and TownePlace Suites San Diego Airport/Liberty Station (2311 Lee Ct) sit side by side near the airport, about 1 mile from the depot. Both include breakfast and a free airport shuttle (5 a.m.-10:30 p.m.). KAYAK shows the Hampton averaging $247-269 and HotelsCombined lists TownePlace around $208 ($$ for both). TownePlace suites have kitchens, which helps for a family of four over three nights. Self-parking at TownePlace is $25.

Harbor Island: closest with water views

Sheraton San Diego Resort (1380 Harbor Island Dr) is the closest full-service hotel, about 0.7 mile from the depot in HotelPlanner's listing and roughly half a mile from the airport. KAYAK puts typical rates at $227-238 ($$), and the free shuttle runs 4:45 a.m. to midnight. Guests on KAYAK flag high parking and resort fees. Hilton San Diego Airport/Harbor Island (1960 Harbor Island Dr) has 211 rooms with bay views and a free shuttle from 4:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. KAYAK's monthly averages run about $204-299 ($$); parking is $35 a day. Reviewers mention dated rooms.

Point Loma and Shelter Island

DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego Bayside (4875 N Harbor Dr) is the former Holiday Inn Bayside, so older guides may list it under that name. It has a free airport shuttle with limited hours, and Expedia listed rooms from $178 in September 2026 ($-$$). It's about 10 minutes by car from the airport.

Shelter Island is the splurge-and-relax option, farther from the gate. Kona Kai Resort & Spa (1551 Shelter Island Dr) quotes $250-600 a night plus a $48 resort fee and $48 parking on its own site ($$$), and has a private beach. Bay Club Hotel & Marina (2131 Shelter Island Dr) averages $249-287 on KAYAK ($$), has the island's only underground parking ($24) and a $10 airport shuttle from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Humphreys Half Moon Inn (2303 Shelter Island Dr) is the value pick here, with momondo listing typical nights around $160 ($). None of the three lists a distance to the depot; Kona Kai is about 2.6 miles from the airport.

Old Town: budget and Marine-family rates

Old Town Inn (4444 Pacific Hwy) is family-owned with 72 rooms, free parking and breakfast, about 1 mile from the depot on HotelPlanner ($). It has no shuttle, but it's across the road from the Old Town Transit Center, and Marine Parents says it offers late checkout at 1 p.m. for military families. Western Inn (3889 Arista St) gives Marine families a special rate starting at $109 when you mention MarineParents.com, with continental breakfast and covered parking at $15 a day ($). Both are basic. You're paying for location and price, not a pool day.

When to book

Graduation weeks fill the same handful of hotels near the depot. The remaining 2026 dates on MCRD's schedule are Oct 9, Oct 23, Oct 30, Nov 6, Nov 13, Nov 20, Nov 24 (a Tuesday, Thanksgiving week), Dec 4 and Dec 11. Family Day is Thursday and the ceremony ends at 11:30 a.m. Friday, so plan on at least Wednesday or Thursday night through Friday.

Getting from your hotel to Gate 5

Gate 5 opens at 6:30 a.m. on Family Day and graduation day, and lines build. If you rideshare, Uber and Lyft can enter through Gate 4 or 5 after a quick check. From Old Town, Marine Parents notes you can ride the trolley from the Old Town Transit Center to the Washington Street stop and walk to Gate 5. Hotel airport shuttles generally don't go to the depot, so ask before you count on one.

For the full week's schedule and ID rules, see the MCRD San Diego graduation guide. For Friday afternoon plans, see things to do after graduation, and if you're extending the trip, where to stay in San Diego by area.