Going to do a little SoCal trip–we have a couple of friends there, and walking on the beach seems like a good idea. We are staying on the oceanfront in Encinitas. We’ll probably hit the zoo and eat good food. Anything we should look for in particular? Mostly food and activity oriented…
It’s been a while since I lived there (~35 years), but I’d suggest a quick trip to view the Flower Fields around Carlsbad, which is free, and taking a hot air balloon ride (I recollect seeing scores of ballons floating over the Del Mar valley, or was it a valley farther north, maybe Cardiff?) which is not.
Since you’re talking of going to the zoo, you’re not limiting yourself to Encinitas proper.
Last summer wife and I had a pretty darn nice meal in downtown SD. The restaurant is on the top floor of a bank building with great views of the city, the harbor, etc. The wine list is pretty extensive as befits a place like that.
There are plenty of places to get a memorable high end meal in La Jolla just south of Encinitas as well.
You might already know about this:
Not that you’d necessarily want to follow the physical drive around town (which really takes 2 days to do well), but more that the website is a good one-stop catalog of potentially interesting stuff.
Old Town Mexican Cafe, for the hand-made tortillas right off the stove, and whatever filling you like. Yeah, it’s in Old Town San Diego, if you are in the area. But, there are likely plenty of good Mexican places in Encinitas as well.
In terms of activities, I don’t know that there are any particular obscure crannies that you need to look into when coming to a town with SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari, and Lego Land.
I could recommend some food options but they’d all be in more San Diego proper. If you’re in Encinitas, then there’s an interesting Hawaiian place (The Switchboard) in Oceanside. Likewise, there’s good Hawaiian at Duke’s in La Jolla.
If you do go into town proper, I’d suggest staying late for the show at the Shout House and climbing the stairs to the top of the Convention Center. I don’t think there are any shows at the Rady Shell (or, at least, none that would be worth the cold), but if you ever come in Summer, I’d always recommend buying tickets to something.
Awesome–keep 'em coming!
The Museum of Making Music is just up the road–you can walk across the street and get a nice view overlooking the fields and out towards the coast.
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is a great place for a hike. Parking in the lots is expensive, but if you’re lucky you can get a free spot on Torrey Pines Road or on Carmel Valley Road near the entrance to the north lot. If you can time your visit to a moderately low tide you can hike from the upper trails down to the beach and then walk back to the main lot on the beach.
Within spitting distance of each other – a couple of my old faves:
As good as the zoo. Say hello to my beloved nephew while you’re there (employee, not exhibit):
ETA: I had two ties to Coronado Island. Used to run on the beach there a lot. Also on the Silver Strand which is a pretty drive, particularly if you’re heading South toward the border.
Also, the Zoo is in Balboa Park – an enchanting place on its own, but maybe a bit of a time suck unless you just hit the highlights.
Wherever you are, ask the locals which low-end burrito joint is the best. They’re life-changing 
My favorite restaurant in Old Town: El Agave. Expensive but great food and something like 2000 tequilas to choose from.
Was in San Diego many years ago and stayed in old town. If this is the place I’m thinking of, there was a lady at street level making tortillas and the restaurant folks would go down stairs and get them from her. We were seated outside and could watch.
Is my memory correct?
Close. From your description, that sounds like Cafe Coyote which is just down the street from OTMC. There’s no upstairs/downstairs at OTMC and they no longer have outdoor seating. You can see the ladies making the tortillas from the street/sidewalk through a window.
I’ve been to both, and prefer OTMC (their tortillas are the best - we usually try to get some to take home).
I enjoyed going down to the bay and seing all of the ships and taking a boat tour. If you have any interest at all in military vessels I’d highly recommend touring the USS Midway aircraft cariier.
As for food, the Strip Club in the Gaslamp district is nice. It’s not an actual strip club, but a place where you grill your own food with friends and compare your cooking methods and dishes. The have fish, chicken, vegatable and of course strip steaks to choose from. Also, they do not have scantily clad women working there, but half of the fun is telling people you are taking them to the strip club!
I saw some amazing bands at The Casbah when I lived in SD. If you’re into that sort of thing.
And I’ll second Torrey Pines Park.
Perhaps the best view of San Diego is from Cabrillo National Monument. You can check out the lighthouse and the tidepools if you time it right. I like the Bayside Trail because it’s usually not crowded and you can soak in the view without the hustle and bustle of tourists around you. Check out Sunset Cliffs on the way up or back.
If you’re going to the Zoo, get there early. If your friends aren’t members, you might consider going in on a membership – depending on what level you pick the membership comes with a free pass, two 50% off coupons and other perks. My “secret spot” to park is the small lot next to the Carousel–people have a tendency to head for the huge main lot on the right as you approach the Zoo and bypass the smaller lot on the left.
There are a lot of museums in Balboa Park worth checking out. I really like the Model Railroad Museum–if you look closely there are a whole bunch of dramatic and humorous miniature tableaus scattered amongst the various layouts.
If you’re not afraid of heights you can take a tour of the California Tower and get a great 360-degree view of the park.
Oceanfront Encinitas is a gem. You’ll probably be at either Swami’s beach or Moonlight beach (or more likely walk the shore from one to the other), they are great beaches. And you’ll find great food right there as well. Maurizio’s Trattoria and Buona Forchetta are good. Valentina just up in Leucadia is good too. The Regal Seagull is good for sausages and beer. But there are plenty of restaurants.
The entire county is littered with breweries. And it may be hard to believe, but a few of them do make something other than IPAs.
The Coaster stops right at Encinitas, so you could take the train to San Diego.
Awesome–thanks all!!!
It’s been almost thirty years since I’ve been there, so a faulty memory isn’t much of a surprise. Thanks
I like IPAs and NEIPAs, so I’m good…
The Taco Stand is a great place for - wait for it- tacos. There is one in Encinitas right there on Coast Highway. The camaron taco is terrific, but for an authentic San Diego experience you would want a California burrito.
For breakfast, Kono’s Cafe in Pacific Peach (20-30 minutes south of Encinitas) has great food for reasonable prices (considering it’s right on the beach). Plus, you can eat from a deck overlooking Crystal Pier with a cool view up the beach.
The San Diego Botanic Garden is in Encinitas and is pretty nice if you’re into that sort of thing.
On the quirkier side, if you’re a fan of houses shaped as boats, this spot makes for a good selfie background.
Thinking on the small side, there’s a really neat collection of miniatures and models in Carlsbad at the Carlsbad Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum. It’s sort of hidden away in a non-descript building in a office/warehouse complex, definitely worth checking out if you have any interest in model building.