Trip report - 4 days in San Diego
Oct 20th, 2009, 08:51 PM
#22
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Day 4 - Part 1
We were a little tired on our last full day in San Diego and got up later than usual. We ambled over to La Valencia for breakfast. Arindasue, I don't know if we were on the tiny side terrace you talked about but we were on a terrace overlooking the picturesque lawn and pool. It was very foggy that morning so the seats were wet and the occasional drop of water plopped onto our table from above. I thought it was amusing that we were sitting at the famed La Valencia getting wet behinds. A waitress then gave us napkins to sit on and later a fellow turned over all the chair cushions. The service and the food was good. I had ginger pancakes and bacon. We looked at photos and the Whaling Bar before we left.
It may be comparing apples to oranges since the pancakes weren't all the same type but the winner of the pancake contest between The Cottage, Harry's Coffee Shop and La Valencia is:
Harry's Coffee Shop!
USS Midway Museum
Time marched on and we decided we'd better go straight to the aircraft carrier. I still hoped to get to Old Town later in the day. A small lineup had already formed at the Midway ticket booth when we arrived ten minutes before the opening time of 10:00 am. Admission is $17 for adults, $13 for seniors.
We unintentionally did part of a self-guided audio tour before we got to where we really wanted to go - the flight deck. It's so large I felt like I was standing on the roof of a department store. But here I was disappointed that I couldn't get a clear view of the runway for the clutter of aircraft on display, the type of aircraft that don't particularly interest us. So, for me, the Midway was not terribly exciting other than for the fact that its sheer size is almost beyond belief.
I did like the statues in the park next door: "Unconditional Surrender" - the 25 foot statue of the sailor kissing the nurse and, “A National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military.”
We bought tickets again for the Old Town Trolley and stopped at Seaport Village to visit the Upstart Crow book store (thanks, wildblueyonder) before trollying across the bridge to Coronado.
We were a little tired on our last full day in San Diego and got up later than usual. We ambled over to La Valencia for breakfast. Arindasue, I don't know if we were on the tiny side terrace you talked about but we were on a terrace overlooking the picturesque lawn and pool. It was very foggy that morning so the seats were wet and the occasional drop of water plopped onto our table from above. I thought it was amusing that we were sitting at the famed La Valencia getting wet behinds. A waitress then gave us napkins to sit on and later a fellow turned over all the chair cushions. The service and the food was good. I had ginger pancakes and bacon. We looked at photos and the Whaling Bar before we left.
It may be comparing apples to oranges since the pancakes weren't all the same type but the winner of the pancake contest between The Cottage, Harry's Coffee Shop and La Valencia is:
Harry's Coffee Shop!
USS Midway Museum
Time marched on and we decided we'd better go straight to the aircraft carrier. I still hoped to get to Old Town later in the day. A small lineup had already formed at the Midway ticket booth when we arrived ten minutes before the opening time of 10:00 am. Admission is $17 for adults, $13 for seniors.
We unintentionally did part of a self-guided audio tour before we got to where we really wanted to go - the flight deck. It's so large I felt like I was standing on the roof of a department store. But here I was disappointed that I couldn't get a clear view of the runway for the clutter of aircraft on display, the type of aircraft that don't particularly interest us. So, for me, the Midway was not terribly exciting other than for the fact that its sheer size is almost beyond belief.
I did like the statues in the park next door: "Unconditional Surrender" - the 25 foot statue of the sailor kissing the nurse and, “A National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military.”
We bought tickets again for the Old Town Trolley and stopped at Seaport Village to visit the Upstart Crow book store (thanks, wildblueyonder) before trollying across the bridge to Coronado.
Oct 20th, 2009, 09:08 PM
#23
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Great report - makes me want to venture 1.5 hours south and go home 
-
Yes, Dr. Seuss lived on Mt. Soledad - I believe my Mom catered a few of his events in the 1980's when she owned a catering company in La Jolla. She had some funny stories to share (not about him as I recall just for the record.
What a great report!
-Yes, Dr. Seuss lived on Mt. Soledad - I believe my Mom catered a few of his events in the 1980's when she owned a catering company in La Jolla. She had some funny stories to share (not about him as I recall just for the record
. What a great report!
Oct 20th, 2009, 11:00 PM
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Lucky you, annetti, getting to go there in December. I hope it does works out for you.
MomDDTravel, I'd love to hear your Mom's stories. If we could get to San Diego in an hour and half, I'd be making plans to go there this weekend! ;-)
Thanks both. I will try to get the last installment done tomorrow.
MomDDTravel, I'd love to hear your Mom's stories. If we could get to San Diego in an hour and half, I'd be making plans to go there this weekend! ;-)
Thanks both. I will try to get the last installment done tomorrow.
Oct 23rd, 2009, 07:00 PM
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Final installment.
Day 4 part 2
Coronado 'Island'... is a pretty place.
Here was a flaw in my planning. The Old Town Trolley stops at the Coronado Ferry Landing and by the Hotel del Coronado, in that order. After stopping at the hotel it drives straight over the bridge again, so if you plan to return by ferry as we did, you can't get back to the dock by trolley.
It was quite a kick to finally see the Hotel del Coronado - the place I'd admired in postcards years ago. I always thought I would stay there but, as you know, we didn't. Inside, we looked at the decor, photos and the L. Frank Baum designed chandeliers in the Crown Room and visited the shops. We found "chicken bones" in a candy store, which we haven't seen in years. Outside we wandered the grounds and the beach. The beach is beautiful. On the trolley we were told it was rated number 4 of beaches in the USA, the first three being in Hawaii and Florida if I remember correctly. My husband stood for a photo in front of a tree where Marilyn Munroe had posed.
Unfortunately, it was cloudy and slightly chilly on this day.
Our energy was waning so we didn't want to walk too far. We decided to have a late lunch at a nearby Brigantine restaurant. I was determined to try a fish taco before we left San Diego and this was almost my last chance. Well... hmmm, somehow I was expecting something more like ahi tuna rather than fish 'n' chip type battered & deep fried fish. I didn't care much for the taco and all the onions in the sauce, but the fish itself was good. My husband had tomato soup, which may have been the best tomato soup I've ever tasted. The service at this restaurant though was the worst we encountered in San Diego. It was something in the attitude of the waitress when she, for instance, unceremoniously slapped our napkin-wrapped cutlery on the side of our table and walked off without a word.
We caught a taxi to the ferry landing. Had the driver known where the dock actually was, we would have been on our way but we missed the boat by moments. We ducked into shops because it had started to rain.
After we got on the ferry and it made a stop at the naval base, we got off on the other side and walked to the Maritime Museum. This was around suppertime - I hadn't realized it was open until 8:00 pm. We could have boarded the ships but didn't feel the need to - we only wanted to see them up close. The Star of India was impressive in its size and rigging. The one moored next to it was a 'surprise' because my husband thought it was the replica of HMS Bounty but it turned out to be HMS Surprise. A fair number of tourists were in this area and there seemed to be a relaxed and jovial atmosphere.
It was too late by this time to go Old Town. Regretfully we didn't get to see the Church of the Immaculate Conception but I'm hoping dbdruand will tell me about the painting behind the altar.
Back in La Jolla, I remembered the Brick & Bell coffee shop, which Nanabee had mentioned, but now it was too late. My plan was to have dinner at George's Ocean Terrace but my husband was too tired and didn't want to eat anywhere fancy.
We ordered dinner up to the room instead.
We would be getting up at 4:00 the next morning to catch the train to LA, then to Seattle.
We didn't get to see a lot of San Diego with only four days. We barely scratched the surface, but what we saw exceeded my expectations and left us wanting more. Next time I would like at least 5-6 days for the zoo & Balboa Park, and a day in La Jolla to do nothing. Actually, we'd rather just move there!
Thanks again for all your help, Fodorites.
The end.
Day 4 part 2
Coronado 'Island'... is a pretty place.
Here was a flaw in my planning. The Old Town Trolley stops at the Coronado Ferry Landing and by the Hotel del Coronado, in that order. After stopping at the hotel it drives straight over the bridge again, so if you plan to return by ferry as we did, you can't get back to the dock by trolley.
It was quite a kick to finally see the Hotel del Coronado - the place I'd admired in postcards years ago. I always thought I would stay there but, as you know, we didn't. Inside, we looked at the decor, photos and the L. Frank Baum designed chandeliers in the Crown Room and visited the shops. We found "chicken bones" in a candy store, which we haven't seen in years. Outside we wandered the grounds and the beach. The beach is beautiful. On the trolley we were told it was rated number 4 of beaches in the USA, the first three being in Hawaii and Florida if I remember correctly. My husband stood for a photo in front of a tree where Marilyn Munroe had posed.
Unfortunately, it was cloudy and slightly chilly on this day.
Our energy was waning so we didn't want to walk too far. We decided to have a late lunch at a nearby Brigantine restaurant. I was determined to try a fish taco before we left San Diego and this was almost my last chance. Well... hmmm, somehow I was expecting something more like ahi tuna rather than fish 'n' chip type battered & deep fried fish. I didn't care much for the taco and all the onions in the sauce, but the fish itself was good. My husband had tomato soup, which may have been the best tomato soup I've ever tasted. The service at this restaurant though was the worst we encountered in San Diego. It was something in the attitude of the waitress when she, for instance, unceremoniously slapped our napkin-wrapped cutlery on the side of our table and walked off without a word.
We caught a taxi to the ferry landing. Had the driver known where the dock actually was, we would have been on our way but we missed the boat by moments. We ducked into shops because it had started to rain.
After we got on the ferry and it made a stop at the naval base, we got off on the other side and walked to the Maritime Museum. This was around suppertime - I hadn't realized it was open until 8:00 pm. We could have boarded the ships but didn't feel the need to - we only wanted to see them up close. The Star of India was impressive in its size and rigging. The one moored next to it was a 'surprise' because my husband thought it was the replica of HMS Bounty but it turned out to be HMS Surprise. A fair number of tourists were in this area and there seemed to be a relaxed and jovial atmosphere.
It was too late by this time to go Old Town. Regretfully we didn't get to see the Church of the Immaculate Conception but I'm hoping dbdruand will tell me about the painting behind the altar.
Back in La Jolla, I remembered the Brick & Bell coffee shop, which Nanabee had mentioned, but now it was too late. My plan was to have dinner at George's Ocean Terrace but my husband was too tired and didn't want to eat anywhere fancy.
We ordered dinner up to the room instead.We would be getting up at 4:00 the next morning to catch the train to LA, then to Seattle.
We didn't get to see a lot of San Diego with only four days. We barely scratched the surface, but what we saw exceeded my expectations and left us wanting more. Next time I would like at least 5-6 days for the zoo & Balboa Park, and a day in La Jolla to do nothing. Actually, we'd rather just move there!
Thanks again for all your help, Fodorites.
The end.
Oct 23rd, 2009, 07:34 PM
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Oct 23rd, 2009, 11:54 PM
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Me too, Annetti. Truthfully, I thought San Diego would pale in comparison to San Francisco, but not so.
You're not missing anything here except rain. I miss your reports though.
Going through photos of Balboa Park now has me wondering how they keep graffiti off the buildings.
You're not missing anything here except rain. I miss your reports though.
Going through photos of Balboa Park now has me wondering how they keep graffiti off the buildings.
Oct 24th, 2009, 08:09 AM
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April,
What Brig did you go to?
You can have any type of fish like halibut, salmon, mahi mahi and grilled too..is a $1 more
The best time to go is the happy hour..never been for lunch..oh well..
Glad you had a great time in SD!
MomDD..we would always see Dr. Salk at the Marine room and he would always hug my wife and I and we were fortunate to see him right before he passed..he was a great man!
Ted Geisel too..his wife Audrey still lives at the top of Mt. Soledad.
What Brig did you go to?
You can have any type of fish like halibut, salmon, mahi mahi and grilled too..is a $1 more
The best time to go is the happy hour..never been for lunch..oh well..
Glad you had a great time in SD!
MomDD..we would always see Dr. Salk at the Marine room and he would always hug my wife and I and we were fortunate to see him right before he passed..he was a great man!
Ted Geisel too..his wife Audrey still lives at the top of Mt. Soledad.
Oct 24th, 2009, 11:40 AM
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BTW, April, next time you are in town the best fish tacos (IMHO) are at El Pescador on Pearl Street in La Jolla. It's also a fish market so the fish is brought in freshly caught ususally that morning!!
You can also ask for a specific type of fish - and they always grill it (they don't have a deep fryer).
You can also ask for a specific type of fish - and they always grill it (they don't have a deep fryer).
Oct 24th, 2009, 02:10 PM
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enjoyed your report, April.... there's always next time to try the tres leches at the Prado, the gelato at Bubby's and do the actual hike on the beach trail at Torrey Pines. If you're adventurous, I also think kayaking in La Jolla shores is unforgettable. I don't do it often enough, and I live here!
Glad you enjoyed your trip, and I agree Balboa Park is fabulous. I am going tomorrow to see the show Oliver! at the Junior theater there. can't wait! I'll probably stop at the Prado afterward and have a tres leches in your honor, with their fantastic virgin mojito.
Glad you enjoyed your trip, and I agree Balboa Park is fabulous. I am going tomorrow to see the show Oliver! at the Junior theater there. can't wait! I'll probably stop at the Prado afterward and have a tres leches in your honor, with their fantastic virgin mojito.
Oct 24th, 2009, 03:22 PM
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Could you continue your report for a little bit and tell us about the train trip home? We're considering taking the train RT from San Francisco/San Jose to San Diego. We may take it from San Francisco/San Jose to Seattle someday too. Any information you share could help us decide 1) whether to do this or not and 2) in case we should decide do it, please give us a heads-up on anything you think is relevant. Thanks a bunch!
Oct 24th, 2009, 03:52 PM
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I was going to ask the same thing, not because I'm planning a train trip, but just out of curiosity. When I left Chicago in 1952 (by plane) I vowed never to take a train again for the rest of my life. It would also be interesting to hear your comments about the cruise.
Oct 24th, 2009, 05:10 PM
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ksucat, there were choices of fish?! I don't remember seeing that but maybe I didn't read the whole menu. It was the Brigantine on Coronado, so it must have been the one at 1333 Orange Ave. It has a neat, old-time photo on the wall of people on horseback, in front of the hotel perhaps.
MomDD, you have interesting people in San Diego. That reminds me, someone said that Warwick's was where the stars shop. I'm wondering what stars live in San Diego... or maybe they meant resident and visiting stars alike.
spirobulldog, the meerkats are a real highlight. One was on sentry duty just as you see on Meerkat Manor, if you've ever watched that. The rest were horsing around like little kids.
nanabee - ok, if we get there again, El Pescador it is! What kind of fish do you prefer in a fish taco?
ncounty, I'm somewhat adventurous but not around water, so no kayaking for me. I am so glad you will have the tres leches for me! I'll be thinking of you.
Betsy, I will write something on the train trip soon.
dbdurand, I vowed I would not take an overnight trip on Amtrak again after we took it from San Francisco to Seattle! But when you want to go somewhere and flying isn't an option... plus I always wanted to take that Coast Starlight trip. Sounds so nice, doesn't it?
Barbara and everybody, thanks again for your kind words. I like the way San Diego residents and fans are so enthused.
MomDD, you have interesting people in San Diego. That reminds me, someone said that Warwick's was where the stars shop. I'm wondering what stars live in San Diego... or maybe they meant resident and visiting stars alike.
spirobulldog, the meerkats are a real highlight. One was on sentry duty just as you see on Meerkat Manor, if you've ever watched that. The rest were horsing around like little kids.
nanabee - ok, if we get there again, El Pescador it is! What kind of fish do you prefer in a fish taco?
ncounty, I'm somewhat adventurous but not around water, so no kayaking for me. I am so glad you will have the tres leches for me! I'll be thinking of you.
Betsy, I will write something on the train trip soon.
dbdurand, I vowed I would not take an overnight trip on Amtrak again after we took it from San Francisco to Seattle! But when you want to go somewhere and flying isn't an option... plus I always wanted to take that Coast Starlight trip. Sounds so nice, doesn't it?
Barbara and everybody, thanks again for your kind words. I like the way San Diego residents and fans are so enthused.
