So my girl and I are going down to San Diego for the weekend and I need some cool, different things to do. We’re going to do Sea World (I love dolphins), but we’ve done the Gas Lamp thing to death. I hear Coronado (sp?) Beach is really nice. Cool shops and interesting streets and such.
Anyone have any suggestions???
Also, I used to visit San Diego a lot when I was a kid and I slightly remember a restaurant that had actual Sea Lions out in front. There were like these little bridges and you could check out and feed the Sea Lions as you waited for your table. Anybody know what I’m talking about - and does this place still exist??
The only place I can think of where seals hang out close enough to get a good look at is the (former) Children’s Pool at La Jolla. It’s a very small cove and there is a walkway that lets you get pretty close to them. No feeding, though. La Jolla is a very cool place to hang out. Lots of shops and restaurants and beautiful beaches. It’s pretty crowded on weekends, but Coronado would be, too.
Coronado has the famous Hotel del Coronado and lots of the usual tourist-type restaurants and shops.
Overall, I prefer La Jolla. It also has the University of California and Scripps Institute of Oceanography (there’s a small but nice aquarium associated with Scripps.) The shops and restaurants are also more varied.
The Silver Strand on Coronado is a very nice beach, though, and less populated that some this time of year.
I grew up in San Diego and know just what you’re talkning about. The restaurant was in the Bahia Hotel, just off Mission Beach. They have a little pool out front that had two seals. We even had names for them: Omelet and Eeyore.
I have a terrific story about a friend of mine getting trapped in the pool but time does not permit me to tell it…
Well, I live in San Diego so I think I’m qualified to answer this one.
Touristy stuff:
-We do have the world’s largest zoo
-All of Balboa Park where the zoo is located is very nice and parking is free (when you can find it). Loads of museams of every type.
-Coronado and La Jolla both have very nice beaches and are the ‘Beverly Hills’ of San Diego. Nice to walk around in, very safe, but far too expensive to actually afford anything in the shops.
Mission Beach has the rollercoaster (which you can see from the Bahia if you are going there to see the sea lions
Heading south you do have Mexico, but also a Soak City waterpark.
Go to Old Town and check out the Whaley House (it’s certified by some random agency in California as actually being haunted)
Go to Seaport Village and wander around the shops
Just steer clear of Legoland. That place is a rip off
If you want to do less common stuff:
Take a drive up to Julian and check out the ‘other’ gold rush that happened in California and try the best damn apple pie you will ever have at Mom’s. Also, be sure to stop at Dudley’s in Santa Isabel and get their fresh bread.
Go hiking at the Torrey Pines reserve
Check out the hanggliders/ paragliders at the Black’s Beach cliffs just down the road (and try it if you have the guts!)
Check out the awesome antique stores on Newport avenue in Ocean Beach
From my time in San Diego 10 years ago (whose climate SPOILED ME FOR LIFE, I might add), I would suggest the Zoo’s Wild Animal Park in Escondido over the Zoo itself. From the people I knew, that’s where the ‘locals’ preferred to go. I must say, I much preferred watching animals living together in a vast area that represented their natural habitat and cohabitants than seeing a rhino walk around in a space the size of my apartment.
Another bonus of seeing Black’s Beach: it’s clothing optional. Of course, you’re probably only going to end up seeing a 50 year old dude who really shouldn’t be naked in public, but you can say you were there.
JohnCocktoasten, I love your username. You are my hero.
