2 full days in San Diego
Jan 4th, 2008, 07:43 PM
#1
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2 full days in San Diego
While my brother goes to all day meetings - i have 2 days to see San diego. This will be Feb 7th and 8th. I have a car if needed - never have been there. suggestions? - I am in my mid-50's - I know they have an awesome zoo - anything else I should not miss? thanks
Jan 4th, 2008, 08:21 PM
#2
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Hey jbean..
Being you only have 2 days, I would skip the zoo..
Where are you staying in SD?
La Jolla in the downtown/village is gorgeous to walk the coastline, seals and have lunch at George's on the terrace or Crab Catcher on the patio..Alfonso's is the best for Mex.
The Birch Aquarium, Cabrillo National Monument in Point Loma, Torrey Pines Hike in LJ, Balboa Park is so beautiful..go to the Hotel Del and take the water taxi..whale watch and make sure you have a fish taco at any of the Brigantine restaurants for the happy hour..best in town!
sandiego.org
sdhe.com
georgesatthecove.com
torreypine.org
crabcatcher.com
brigantine.com
gaslamp.org
Being you only have 2 days, I would skip the zoo..
Where are you staying in SD?
La Jolla in the downtown/village is gorgeous to walk the coastline, seals and have lunch at George's on the terrace or Crab Catcher on the patio..Alfonso's is the best for Mex.
The Birch Aquarium, Cabrillo National Monument in Point Loma, Torrey Pines Hike in LJ, Balboa Park is so beautiful..go to the Hotel Del and take the water taxi..whale watch and make sure you have a fish taco at any of the Brigantine restaurants for the happy hour..best in town!
sandiego.org
sdhe.com
georgesatthecove.com
torreypine.org
crabcatcher.com
brigantine.com
gaslamp.org
Jan 4th, 2008, 09:29 PM
#3
The Zoo is awesome and you can easily spend a few hours there and then wander round the museums in Balboa Park. Wear comfy walking shoes!
Cabrillo National Monument that TahitiTams mentioned is a fabulous place-great views and some history of the beginning of San Diego. Old Town also has some interesting San Diego history. You can drive up to the Presidio from there, then head to Mission San Diego de Alcala in Mission Valley,the first of the California Missions.
The Embarcadero has the Maritime Museum, including the Star of India sailing ship, and not far away is the Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum.
I hope the weather is nice for you. Have a great time.
Cabrillo National Monument that TahitiTams mentioned is a fabulous place-great views and some history of the beginning of San Diego. Old Town also has some interesting San Diego history. You can drive up to the Presidio from there, then head to Mission San Diego de Alcala in Mission Valley,the first of the California Missions.
The Embarcadero has the Maritime Museum, including the Star of India sailing ship, and not far away is the Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum.
I hope the weather is nice for you. Have a great time.
Jan 5th, 2008, 03:17 AM
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jbean1016
TahitiTams and Barbara have both given you excellent information and are locals.
I'll just add the very first time we visited San Diego, even though we had a car, we did take the Old Town Trolley Tour www.historictours.com It takes 2 hours and has 8 stops. You can hop on and off as you wish. We found it a good way for a first time visit to get a lay of the land and did indeed get off a couple places and explore further.
For me each time I visit San Diego I enjoy walking the coastline - never get tired of it.
Sandy
TahitiTams and Barbara have both given you excellent information and are locals.
I'll just add the very first time we visited San Diego, even though we had a car, we did take the Old Town Trolley Tour www.historictours.com It takes 2 hours and has 8 stops. You can hop on and off as you wish. We found it a good way for a first time visit to get a lay of the land and did indeed get off a couple places and explore further.
For me each time I visit San Diego I enjoy walking the coastline - never get tired of it.
Sandy
Jan 5th, 2008, 07:32 AM
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Agree with TahitiTams--skip the zoo this trip. Seeing that you are a Baby Boomer, take a side trip out to Ocean Beach. It was San Diego's answer to Haight Ashbury, and it's still an interesting place (the anti-La Jolla, you could say). Step inside The Black, a legendary 'head shop', for a glimpse of VERY local color. OB itself is a great place to sit on the wall and people-watch for a while. Continue on to Mission Beach and stop at The Mission Restaurant on Mission Blvd for a delicious, hearty, inexpensive lunch (the anti-George's, you could say). There have been comments on this thread that MB is a dodgy area, but I disagree, and especially on a weekday at noontime.
Jan 5th, 2008, 08:10 AM
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mahlquist..
Love that you find OB a wonderful place..I was one of the few that was born in OB and a true OB'shean!
The Black..Do you think a tourist in their mid 50's wants to see a head shop? hee hee
Mission Beach has lots of color and it is fun to rent a bike at Hamel's and ride the boardwalk..beach and bay.
Mission Restaurant is very good and one of the best for breakfast!
Ocean Beach has some of the most beautiful beaches and cliffs to view the sunset and you can drop down after going to Cabrillo..
Have fun!
Love that you find OB a wonderful place..I was one of the few that was born in OB and a true OB'shean!
The Black..Do you think a tourist in their mid 50's wants to see a head shop? hee hee
Mission Beach has lots of color and it is fun to rent a bike at Hamel's and ride the boardwalk..beach and bay.
Mission Restaurant is very good and one of the best for breakfast!
Ocean Beach has some of the most beautiful beaches and cliffs to view the sunset and you can drop down after going to Cabrillo..
Have fun!
Jan 5th, 2008, 08:38 AM
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You've been given some excellent advice.
What do you like to do?
Where do you live? If you don't live near an ocean already, a trip La Jolla would be great.
Museums? Try balboapark.org, we have lots of museums; art, car, history, aeronautics etc. Then there is some interesting shops of local artists at the Spanish Village in the park.
Hiking? Shopping?
Many first time visitors love the zoo or wild animal park.
I also agree, that although the cliffs in OB are very nice, I don't know that I would go out of my way on a two day trip. Unless, of course, you need papers or a bong.
What do you like to do?
Where do you live? If you don't live near an ocean already, a trip La Jolla would be great.
Museums? Try balboapark.org, we have lots of museums; art, car, history, aeronautics etc. Then there is some interesting shops of local artists at the Spanish Village in the park.
Hiking? Shopping?
Many first time visitors love the zoo or wild animal park.
I also agree, that although the cliffs in OB are very nice, I don't know that I would go out of my way on a two day trip. Unless, of course, you need papers or a bong.
Jan 5th, 2008, 08:39 AM
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OMG..
Don't you have a City Park named after you on West Pt. Loma/Nimitz blvd?
A Pointer...LOVE THAT!!!
My Dentist and a lot of my friends are Pt. Loma High..
How awesome is that!
I have probably drank with you at Pac Shores when our beloved Ruthie was still alive..
Still one of the best dive bars in the world!
Don't you have a City Park named after you on West Pt. Loma/Nimitz blvd?
A Pointer...LOVE THAT!!!
My Dentist and a lot of my friends are Pt. Loma High..
How awesome is that!
I have probably drank with you at Pac Shores when our beloved Ruthie was still alive..
Still one of the best dive bars in the world!
Jan 5th, 2008, 08:57 AM
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No No! I meant that I graduated from DC Collier Jr High in '69!! It's now called Correia Jr High! But I have friends who would say that I deserve a park in my name on W.Pt.Loma blvd 
I moved away right after HS so didn't get into the bar scene--although back the bars along the beaches were pretty rough places.
Now I'm not saying that we drank, but IF we had, we would have done so out on Sunset Cliffs or we might have done so at somebody's house when their parents were away...Around the fire pits in MB at night MAYBE we would have. But I'm not saying we did, you understand.
L84Sky: the OP only has 2 days--the zoo can easily soak up the better part of one. When I travel I like to get off the beaten track, and OB is a great place to do that. I like TahitiTams idea of just renting a bike and going up and down the boardwalk at MB--what a great way to spend an hour or so after a morning of museums and shopping.
I moved away right after HS so didn't get into the bar scene--although back the bars along the beaches were pretty rough places.
Now I'm not saying that we drank, but IF we had, we would have done so out on Sunset Cliffs or we might have done so at somebody's house when their parents were away...Around the fire pits in MB at night MAYBE we would have. But I'm not saying we did, you understand.
L84Sky: the OP only has 2 days--the zoo can easily soak up the better part of one. When I travel I like to get off the beaten track, and OB is a great place to do that. I like TahitiTams idea of just renting a bike and going up and down the boardwalk at MB--what a great way to spend an hour or so after a morning of museums and shopping.
