San Diego 5 day Intinerary

Old Feb 15th, 2007, 09:02 AM
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San Diego 5 day Intinerary

Thank you to several of you who gave me tips last fall for planing ahead for our San Diego trip! All of your responses made it even easier for me to look forward to this trip! (http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...name=sanibella)

My husband and I will be attending a conference in March. We will have 5 full days there. He will be in the conference most of the time, but there will be some time for sightseeing also. We are staying at the Hilton in the Gaslamp Quarter. The conference is at the Grand Hyatt.

Here is the itinerary so far. Your suggestions are appreciated. Also I have questions at the end if any of you can help.

Day 1:
Hubby in conferences all day.
I will go to La Jolla for the day. If I can work it right, I will try to get my husband to meet me for dinner at George's at the Cove.

Day 2:
I will walk around Seaport Village in the morning.
After morning conference, we will both go to lunch and do the afternoon whale watching excursion.
We will come back for a workshop at 5:30.
Dinner that night with an industry rep.

Day 3 is all mine by myself! What to do?!
That evening we will have a big conference dinner on board the USS Midway.

Day 4: I will take a trolley tour in the morning. I'd like to head over to Old Town in the afternoon and maybe even see the Whaley House (I'm curious!).

Day 5: Husband has early am and late afternoon workshops. He has a big mid-day break. During htat time we will go to the Zoo and eat lunch at Prado.

After workshops that afternoon, we will take the water taxi to Hotel del Coronado for dinner and drinks.

Questions:
On one of the conference days I would like to meet for lunch at Taka. Is that nearby?

On the days that we do not already have dinner plans I am considering Chive, Lou and Mickeys, Dobson's or the Strip Club. Your thoughts?

I'd like for us to hang out mostly in the Gaslamp Quarter in the evenings. I am sure we will seek out Croce's. Any other places you might recommend? Live music is a plus, or really any unusual characteristic or detail will interest us.

I also want to head over to the Marriott one evening for a drink. I am intrigued byt eh rooftop bar. Any other places we need to go?

Other questions:
Where is the Point Loma Lighthouse?
Is there a good spa anywhere?
Any particular shops you recommend for local art, etc?
Are cabs readily available? We are not planning on renting a car, but we will if we need to.
What is the dress in San Diego? I know that is a very vague question. Perhaps someone could compare it to, say, Ft Myers, where dress is very casual even for fine dining, or NYC where sometimes a coat is required to eat. We're game for anything; I just need to know what to pack.

Thanks in advance for your helpful suggestions.



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Old Feb 15th, 2007, 09:15 AM
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Just realized George's at the Cove is CLOSED! Anything else to die for in La Jolla?
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Old Feb 15th, 2007, 09:23 AM
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The "fine dining" room at George's is closed (but should be re-opening with a freshened concept any day now). Have dinner at the Ocean Terrace Bistro, or something a bit lighter at the Pacific Terrace Bar. Same kitchen, different rooms. Basically the same wonderful views.
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Old Feb 15th, 2007, 09:31 AM
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To answer some of your questions:

Point Loma - from downtown, you head west, then south to the end of the point. If you are looking at a map of SD, you will see it on the west side of Coronado Island, on the other side of the ship channel into that harbor. There is a bus that goes out there - I saw a bus stop - but I don't know any details other than that - LOL. We have always had a car.

For spas, I have been to the spa at the Hotel Del Coronado on Coronado Island and enjoyed it very much. The hotel is great - on a nice beach with some good places to relax and people watch, enjoy the water, etc.

Dress is very casual. I don't know of any restaurant that requires a coat. This is California - on the beach. I would say that for men, slacks and a shirt with a collar and for women, a skirt or pants with a nice top will get you in just about anywhere.

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Old Feb 15th, 2007, 09:31 AM
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Hi sanibella..
George's is open on the Terrace and really that is where you want to be..go about a half hour before sunset..
Day 3 you can hike the stunning Torrey Pines State Reserve..
torreypine.org
Day 4 Do take the Old Town Trolley Tour and DO the Whaley House..go have a Marg at Old Town Mex Cafe across the street..they have the best Carnitas Plate.
Chive, Lou & Mickey's or Dobsons are outstanding and remember to have the mussel bisque if you are at Dobsons!
Croce's is fab for live music and Taka is one of the best for Sushi on 5th.
Make sure you have drinks at Top of the Hyatt downtown.
Dress attire is smart casual but do bring a jacket because it does get cold at night.
Cabrillo National Monument and the Lighthouse is a must to see and I would stop by Point Loma Seafoods to have fresh seafood...also, like to have drinks on the patio of the Fish Market on the bay..love their oyster bar for steamed mussels and great chowder.
Hotel Del has a spa and pretty much all the big hotels have them.
When you go take the water taxi to Coronado, you will have to take a pedi-cab or cab to the Del...you can walk it but it is a hike.
Love the Prado for lunch and the botanical gardens across the way is a must!
Have fun and make sure you give us a trip report.
 
Old Feb 15th, 2007, 09:33 AM
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Since Georges is closed you might consider the Delmar Plaza (in DelMar) there are several nice restaurants there with beautiful ocean views- one of my favorite places to go.
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Old Feb 15th, 2007, 09:41 AM
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Just to clarify my post a bit more:

Not ALL of George's is closed. The Fine Dining room is poised to re-open any day now. The other rooms are open. And the food is great there too.
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Old Feb 15th, 2007, 09:47 AM
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Hi
Go to San Diego several times/year (kids and granddaughters) --

Dress: Weather will be cooler than FL, evenings in 50s, days 60s plus chance of warmer days if sunny, and you're near the water. Mostly longsleeves, plus a tee or two, and a tank for layering, spring jacket, sweater, one pr capris, one pr sandals, should suffice. Can't think of one restaurant requiring a tie, Georges in LaJolla and Anthony's (downtown & excellent w/great views) would be the dressiest, a sportscoat would look nice, if not required.

Shopping: Horton Plaza has the usual mall shops, LaJolla has also gotten 'usual' -- however the streets between Horton and the Marriott (along the trolley route) have some offbeat finds & galleries. My fave shopping is up in Solana Beach on South Cedros and along the 101 (Pacific Coast Hwy) there. But you'd need a car, taking in Solana and Delmar.

LaJolla: Girard/Prospect is worth a stroll, dont miss Seal Beach, and walk over to The Cottage for lunch, on a pretty corner for outside brfst/lunch.
Aqua Trattoria is also very pretty & yummy, couple doors from Georges.

Hillcrest: Our favorite restaurant in the city is Kemosabe up in Hillcrest; probably on a bus route, just north from the Gaslamp area up the hill; stores here funky & interesting. Worth an afternoon stroll and inbetween Old Town (horribly commercial now but still good food) and the Gaslamp.

Coronado: You would probably enjoy a tour of the Hotel Del Coronado, at least have a drink or meal there. Georgeous setting, historic, and truly the Grand Dame of the west, town is worth an hour stroll too. You can ferry over and take a shuttle bus over to the hotel. Much more authenticity than Seaport Village, that can be skipped.
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Old Feb 15th, 2007, 10:00 AM
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Very, very helpful information. Thank you.

I'd noticed the spa at Hotel del Coronado...I might opt for that. However, are there any you could recommend in the Gaslamp district, within walking distance of the Hilton? Unfortunately, the Hilton does not have a spa. This is not "must' - I realize I am not going to San Diego for the spa, but I rarely get any luxury time away from my young children, so...

So glad we can eat at George's still!

Alice, thank you for the additional information, especially about shopping. I think I might skip Seaport for Coronado at your advice. Also the specific advice about the shops is perfect. I like to take things home that I can't get just anywhere.

Glad to know about temps. I was actually wondering if I could go to the beach one day. Not with that cool wetaher! (I'd not checked temperature averages yet, but I will.)

Thank you, thank you for all of your suggestions. I am still checking in and planning, so please feel free to chime in with more advice anytime.


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Old Feb 15th, 2007, 10:00 AM
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Balboa Park is great with museums and just a nice place to stroll. I think you could get there by bus.
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Old Feb 15th, 2007, 10:24 AM
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Found a spa....connected to the Hilton, called Artesia. Perfect.

Anyone ever heard of the Museum of Unnatural History? Sounds like a crazy thing to do one night; is it worth it?
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Old Feb 15th, 2007, 10:25 AM
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For San Diego Bus or Trolley info use SDCommute.com
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Old Feb 15th, 2007, 10:36 AM
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ibob--awesome link, thanks! After I work out the details on my itinerary I can plan the quickest trip from point a to point b!
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Old Feb 15th, 2007, 10:58 AM
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Do you like bicycling? Coronado is best seen on a bike or next choice would be the little surreys that you pedal. I believe there are rentals right as you get off the foot ferry, if not Holland's bikes on 10th and Orange uptown has bikes. Make sure to get a bike lock so you can get off your bikes.

From there take the bike path along the water, go under the bridge and then follow the golf course down to the Boat house and across to the Hotel del. A You can eat there or there are tons of great places on Orange Ave from the Del down to about 8th St. After that, ride down Ocean Blvd, along the beach, to the end.

From there, you can go back to the del or just cruise the various streets...the entire town is full of charming homes and by March the gardens should be shaping up for the annual yard competition in April. It is impossible to get lost as the EAst west streets are numbered and North south streets are A-J. You'll want to end back at 1st and Orange (between C&D) to catch the ferry. It is a fun way to spend a day if you include shopping and eating or just a few hours.

I would definitely not waste time at seaport village. Horton Plaza or even Fashion valley are much better places to shop. Tour the Star of India, or visit more of the museums at Balboa Park, or wander in Hillcrest/North Park.

Anothe nice place for a dinner is JRDN at Tower 23, right on the beach in Pacifi beach. Nice for watching the sunset over the water.
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Old Feb 15th, 2007, 07:57 PM
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Okay, with all these suggestions I am now REALLY looking forward to this trip.

I am spending a full day on a Sunday at Coronado. I am very excited about the Sundays in the Park artists, as I will be there during one of the Sundays they will be displaying their work. I will also do a guided tour of the Hotel del. (And a whole lot of other things in between, I'm sure.) I am not sure about transportation yet, but I am not scared to bike it! I guess this will laregly depend on whether or not I buy any art...

On another night, I am thinking about booking a gondola ride at sunset. Is this advisable? (Has anyone actually tried this?) After the gondola ride, we will have dinner.

Where should we eat? Hotel del? Or somewhere else along the stretch lcuy mentioned above?

Also, I am having trouble with George's at the Cove (for a different night). I can't find a way to make a reservation because everything I see says it is closed. Obviously from your posts parts of the restaurant are open. Do you know how I can make a ressie? For the record, I also tried to book under the new name of the restaurant, with no luck.

ibob, I can't thank you enough for that link to the transportation schedules. I knew to look up schedules, etc, but that website really is great with the trip planner. This is going to save us many headaches and ensure that we do not get lost!

We are booked for a whale watching cruise also. No one has mentioned this so far...am I wasting our time or is this a good thing to do?

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Old Feb 15th, 2007, 10:53 PM
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I know the whale watching can be fun, but kind of cold and I don't always fdo well on longer boat rides. Worth it if you find whales though! The foot ferry will get you on the water in the bay if you don't have the time for the longer whale trips.

This is a good site for Coronado:
http://www.coronadovisitorcenter.com/things-to-do.html

There are tons of good places to eat in Coronado. Tomaso's or Primavera for Italian uptown, or Il Fornaio or Peohes down on the bayfront/Ferry landing, Chez Loma for French, the Boat House for Steaks and Seafood, Miguels for Mexican, or one of my favorites is Tent City. Sheerwater inside the Del is very nice. Rhinocerous (sp?)is also nice. I love Villa Nueva for breakfast or lunch, and Coronado Brewing company is a fun place for beer and burgers.

Drat, now I'm getting really hungry and I won't be in Coronado until the beginning of May!

You'll have a great time. San Diego is an easy city to amuse yourself!

Lucy
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Old Feb 16th, 2007, 06:41 AM
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haven't read through everything that was recommended but my first thought was why don't you reverse day 3 & 4. if you do the trolly tour first, you might discover where you'd like to spend your free time. san diego is an awesome city...have fun.
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Old Feb 16th, 2007, 07:26 AM
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Here's the link for George's web site. You can click on the links at the top of the page for the Terrace and the Bar.The phone number's there too.

http://www.georgesatthecove.com/
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Old Feb 16th, 2007, 10:59 AM
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Thank you, Lucy, for the Coronado restaurant recommendations. Can't wait to get started on researching these.

I've been calling Geroge's and could not get through until this morning. Finally got through today and they said the restaurant will be fully opened on the 20th. They are accepting reservations (whew!) but I have to choose which place to reserve: the casual, bistro menu outside, or the upscale, more sophisticated inside room. They promised great views and atmosphere in both places. The menu is kept a surprise until the 20th, so I think I will wait until then to view the menu and let that make my decision for me. What an adventure this little restaurant has turned out to be! It will make it that much more fun to finally get there.

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