San Diego Itinerary-- Suggestions???
 

I will be in San Diego next week for four days. I will have all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday to explore the area. I will be joining my brother, his wife, and their adult son. These are the things we have planned, in no particular order:
Zoo
Balboa Park
Coronado Island
drive up the coast to Oceanside

Nephew lives in Del Mar, and we will be staying at home just southwest of the Claremont Town Square. We will have a car and he will escort us wherever we want to go.

We want to make the most of our limited time. Would some days better than others for our plans? Any other suggestions, considering our limited time?

Thank you

I don't know what you enjoy doing but some of the major attractions are:


Wild Animal Park in Escondido

The San Diego Zoo which is also in Balboa Park which has major art museums, air & space museum, science center, natural history museum, old globe theatre, and various other places.

The USS Midway (a former Navy ship open to the public) on the Embarcadero (foot of Broadway in the downtown area) which has access to a foot ferry over to Coronado (which I recommend for a day trip - and a visit to the Hotel Del Coronado - which has a small but interesting museum about the hotel and the island). The Embarcadero also has day cruise ships.

You might enjoy Old Town about five minutes north of Downtown.

The Cabrillo Monument on Point Loma

At night the Gaslamp area has fun restaurants and shops (downtown)

If you like the beach, La Jolla has the La Jolla Cove, La Jolla Shores (there are tons of dive/snorkle shops to spend some time in the water - they also have wet suits which you'll need)

The Birch Aquarium (La Jolla Shores) which is fun for youngish kids

I think the Scripps Institute of Oceanography has tours and is in the LJ Shores as well.

Torrey Pines has nice hiking trails and sometimes docents that can explain the significance of the area

Del Mar's main street is fun to window shop and has nice restuarants.

I love Coronado for biking around the island and seeing all the cute homes, they also have a lovely beach and parks.

La Jolla restaurant for casual dining:
El Pescador (fish)
Burger Lounge
The Cottage

More formal diners:
Zen Bu (Japanese)
TApenade (French)
George's - only go to the very top level and go early for the ocean view. It's dark by 7:00.
Lupi's Italian (Bird Rock)

LaJolla/Pacific Beach
Fig Tree Cafe (lunch & breakfast)
The Fishery (lunch & dinner)

BTW, gracie, you'll be arriving at a good time weather wise. It's supposed to be in the 80's on Monday!! Maybe a day at the beach?

Take in the free concert at the Spreckles Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park at 2:00 on Sunday.

http://sosorgan.org

It's the world's largest outdoor pipe organ, and it turns 100 yeas old at the end of 2014!

Thanks, nanabee and cranachin.

I live in Northwest Florida and brother and SIL live in South Alabama. It is so flat where we live. We are looking forward to seeing the different elevations- hills, mountains, cliffs, etc. SIL and I love to ride around and look at houses that are different from what we see back home.

Nephew is very much an outdoors person. We will do some hiking, maybe rent a segway or bike on Coronado. After I leave, they may go camping.

Although I am younger than my SIL and brother, I do not have the biking endurance they have, so I just hope I can keep up.

I don't think shopping will be in our plans, except for window shopping. The cost of the flight is taking a big chunk of my "budget."

If you want to see houses that have nice views you might drive up La Jolla Mesa and look back over the city with views of the ocean and Mexico. Drive around the La Jolla area called Mt. Soledad they have some neat neighborhoods (especially Hillside Dr.)

Coronado IMHO is the best area to bike - it is flat and easy to get around. It is safe as there are only one or two main streets with traffic. You might like biking the perimeter along First Street (views of the downtown San diego area), around the Glorietta Bay area (really nice homes and a golf course overlooking the bay) up to the Del Coronado and then down the street where the beach is (Ocean Blvd) which has some really historic homes.

There are a number of good places to eat, pretty much anywhere. Some people like Miguels Mexican Cantina, Tent City, Rhinocerous.

Hope you have a great time, we'll look forward to your trip report :)

Nanabee, I really appreciate all your suggestions. I am very excited.

I will post a trip report tonight. Thanks to all for the suggestions.

Drive up to the top of Mt. Soledad - overlooking La Jolla - for a great view - and if you want more "hills" - go east on I 8 for 40 miles and turn off/north - to go 20 more miles up to Julian - an old mining town - at about 4,000 feet. Very pretty around there and wonderful apple pie. :)