What a gem! Loved the location and the house. We got so much use out of the beach equipment (boogie boards, chairs and wagon), saved us a ton of money and took advantage of all that mission bay/beach had to offer. Jaime was wonderful with suggestions for places to eat and working with our travel schedule. We didn't need the car to get to the boardwalk, the beach or the bay. We will definitely be booking this house next time we are in San Diego (fingers crossed it is available!) You won't be disappointed

Great place to stay and bigger than pictures indicate. Very clean bathroom which we greatly appreciated. Lots of recreational equipment to use as well.

J-me and Clark’s beach cottage was absolutely perfect for our family of four! We were specifically looking for a standalone house with two bedrooms close to the water—something that’s surprisingly hard to find in the summer—but their cottage checked every box and then some. In addition to the ideal location, the home had both a front and backyard, a washer and dryer (a must with kids and beach days!), plenty of towels, tons of beach gear, and a fully stocked kitchen. It truly had everything we needed. The cottage itself felt like something out of a summer beach novel—classic, cozy, and so comfortable. J-me’s communication was excellent from the moment we booked, and we would absolutely stay here again!

We had an amazing stay at J-Me’s place in San Diego! The home was spotless, well-equipped, and perfectly located for exploring the area. J-Me was incredibly responsive and thoughtful, ensuring we had everything we needed for a comfortable stay. We were even provided proactive last minute driving instructions to help us navigate around some local construction that had popped up and otherwise may have made it hard to find the spot. We highly recommend this place to anyone visiting San Diego and would absolutely stay here again. Five stars all around!

We loved this rental and if we return to San Diego this will be our first choice of places to stay. Hands down. It’s true-the ocean and the bay are both very close. J-me was very helpful and friendly but in no way intrusive. The rental is set in a lovely area and was very well-stocked for all our needs. I cannot say enough great things about it!

We absolutely loved the cottage. The location was perfect. The cottage itself was so roomy, there was plenty of space for our belongings. The hosts had absolutely everything we could possibly need and more. They are very thoughtful and definitely care about their guests. Also, the beds were very comfortable. We will definitely be back.

Nice place, easy walk to beach. Had fun riding the beach cruisers that they provided. Kitchen was fully equipped and place was very clean.

Perfect cottage for our family of four. Quick walk to beach and restaurants. Had all the “extras” needed for beach life: boogie boards, bikes, beach towels, beach chairs, a wagon to carry it all. We would stay again!

Our family of 4 enjoyed another stay at this lovely cottage. It's tucked between the waters on south mission, and makes a great base for going to "the bay or the waves." The house is stocked with child toys, books, high chairs, stroller, bikes, pack and play, wagon, beach towels and more. J-me and Clark are super responsive. We'll be back!

Every single aspect of this home is PERFECT. Kitchen fully stocked (with essentials). House is immaculately clean. Bikes, scooters, kids toys, boogie boards, a kayak.... everything you need for the beach. The location is incredible. Smack dab between the ocean and the bay. J-Me is by far the best host we've had at an AirBNB. So many thanks. You'd be fortunate to get to stay here.

We stayed at the Happy Little Cottage in 2008. Always been trying to book it but always too late. It books up fast. We succeeded this year. That should say something about how wonderful it is in every respect. You can book this place with confidence your stay will be memorable.

We stayed at the Happy Little Cottage in December, 2020. It is the perfect place in Mission Beach for a small family. We had 2 adults and to kids(16 & 12). Plenty of space for all of us, all the amenities in the kitchen you could want, and a great location. 1 minute walk to the Bay and 2 minutes to the Beach. 2 blocks to the store and off street parking for 1 car(huge bonus in So. Mission). We rode the bikes everyday and there are enough sand toys and beach gear to make any kid happy in the sand. Communication was superb and every part of our stay exceeded expectations. We will definitely stay there again.

All that we expected...and more. We recently spent a week at the happy Little Cottage and the name couldn’t be more appropriate. Arrival at the cottage went precisely as indicated on the instructions, and even more important the directions were spot on. This is important as your first arrival can be tricky. Streets/alleyways are narrow and a tad confusing. But as I said the directions were great. On arrival we were greeted by a nice little bit of artwork on the rear patio welcoming us. The cottage was immaculate and well supplied with towels, toilet paper, soap, dish detergent, shampoo, and paper towels. This may seem insignificant, but after a day of travelling it was a relief to not have to go and find this stuff. The cottage had bicycles, a kayak, paddle board and more, everything you’d need for a great time at the beach. Speaking of the beach, the ocean was about a four minute walk while the bay was less than half that. Belmont park with its rides, arcades, restaurants and other attractions was around a five minute walk. All in all the Happy Little Cottage lived up to and even surpassed our expectations. While we didn't need to contact them, it was also comforting to know that the owners were right next door. Enjoy yourself at this great little spot.

Our family had a wonderful time at this cottage. Everything is as described, the extras and amentities they keep available (beach gear, toys for kids, extra towels, wagon, bikes, kayak, etc. etc. etc) were a really nice touch, and the house felt very much like a home. Communication was quick, easy and personable. The house was clean and well-maintained, and the location was really great. Close enough to both ocean and bay-side beaches. The area nearby was busy, but the house and neighborhood felt calm and safe. We would absolutely consider booking here again the next time we're in the area.

After spending our vacation in a hotel on the beach last year, I didn't think it would be possible to say that our family could have a better experience in San Diego, but from the second we walked in to the Happy Little Cottage, I knew we found our new home away from home. Besides only being a few minutes walking distance from the beach and the bay, this cottage had everything we needed for an incredible stay. From all the amenities to cook, relax, wash clothes and enjoy a comfortable night's sleep, to the littlest details of toys for the kids to play with at the cottage as well as at the beach, books for us to read them to sleep, to bikes, body boards, chairs and umbrellas for a relaxing day on the beach. You couldn't ask for anything more (except for maybe more time off work) by staying at The Happy Little Cottage.

We spent the week at the Happy Little Cottage with our two year old and it was a perfect getaway. A cosy quaint space with everything we could need, including supplies for our toddler that helped her (and us!) feel right at home. J-me came by to meet us and our toddler warmed up to her right away. Such an awesome location with the beach right at your door, and all the attractions within easy driving distance. A great vacation!

For years, we have gone to Mission Beach for our daughter's school breaks. We stayed in one of the early cottages, 1940s through-and-through, all the charm, history and character of those decades up to today. When the owner passed and it was sold to a home flipper, we lost a piece of our story as well. After much searching, we came across The Happy Little Cottage and just returned from our first stay there. Big smiles as soon as we walked through the door! It was exactly what we were hoping for! We met the host, J-Me and she is immediately caring, informative and welcoming. Very much enjoyed our conversations. The cottage itself provided all we needed...every kitchen item you might need (except a dishwasher, so you have to do it the way Grandma did it, which was fine). The garage is full of fun things for a day at the beach, a swim or a ride down the Boardwalk. Our room and bed were comfy. There's one bathroom so that is an adjustment but it wasn't unexpected either. We went in totally aware of the pros and cons of one of these vintage cottages and we welcome them all. Thank you, J-Me and Clark for allowing us to stay in this lovely place. We plan to come to back!

This was our third time staying at the Happy Little College. It's just the perfect place for our family. Quiet, relaxing and very close to the beach, with chairs and play equipment and even bikes. J-Me and Clark made us feel very welcome and even brought us cupcakes one night. We'll certainly try to stay a fourth time when we are back in San Diego.


A beautiful little home away from home. Close to the local beaches and an easy drive into downtown San Diego. The house has loads of amenities and the hosts are excellent. There are lots of suggestions for days out and the garage is packed with beach items for you to use. The bedrooms are comfortable and the whole house is clean. We will definitely return.

We loved this charming cottage! The front and back patios were creatively landscaped. We enjoyed the fact that it had an older style with all kinds of fun nicknacks. The owners do a great job providing many different useful items, such as beach cruisers and umbrellas. The cottage was very clean and close to the beach, bay, stores, and restaurants. We plan on staying again in the future.