From SAN to campus
The simplest plan is a rideshare, taxi, or rental car from SAN to 3900 Lomaland Drive. Parents who like transit have a real option on weekdays. The airport runs the San Diego Flyer, a free, all electric shuttle between SAN and Old Town Transit Center every 20 to 30 minutes, seven days a week, from 4:45 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.
At Old Town, catch MTS Route 84, which runs toward Cabrillo Monument and lists Point Loma Nazarene University as a key destination. Route 84 operates Monday to Friday only, roughly once an hour, so weekend arrivals need a ride for that last leg. Route 28 runs daily from Old Town to Shelter Island. Check the current timetable before you count on either.
How students get around
Your student may never need you to rent a car. PLNU runs a free shuttle from Smee Hall to Target, Old Town, Liberty Station, and Fashion Valley Mall every day except Monday and Tuesday. Zipcar vehicles are parked on campus across from Brown Chapel, and rideshare covers the rest. This matters because residential freshmen are not allowed to have cars at PLNU.
Driving and visitor parking
When you drive onto campus, stop at the Welcome Center at the Lomaland Drive entrance and ask for a one day visitor parking permit. The Public Safety parking page does not list a cost. If you are staying overnight as your student's registered guest, your student orders your permit online before you arrive.
During Family Weekend, parking is open across campus, with attendants in the Commuter and Fermanian parking structures at peak times. For move in day, plan on two vehicles at most, and trailers, rental moving trucks, motorhomes, and RVs are not allowed on campus. If you are delivering a car for an upperclass student, they register it online and order a permit.
Where families stay
PLNU partners with Bartell Hotels, and PLNU families get 15 percent off the best available rate by using each hotel's booking code from the Bartell PLNU page. The eight partner hotels are spread around San Diego:
- San Diego Bay: Humphreys Half Moon Inn, Best Western Plus Island Palms Hotel & Marina, and DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego Bayside
- Harbor Island: Hilton San Diego Airport, which Bartell notes is directly across from the airport
- Mission Bay: The Dana on Mission Bay
- Pacific Beach: Pacific Terrace Hotel, perched above the beach
- Hotel Circle: Days Inn by Wyndham San Diego Hotel Circle
- La Jolla: Sheraton La Jolla Hotel
Bartell's general reservations line is 800-345-9995, and Pacific Terrace has its own at 800-344-3370. You can of course stay anywhere. This list simply reflects the university's own partnership.
Big event weekends
Expect the most competition for rooms over Family Weekend in October and commencement weekend in May. The Family Weekend page tells families to book early and ask for the PLNU rate. Welcome Week guests are in the same position, since PLNU does not provide overnight rooms for move in guests and points them to the Bartell discount instead.