First of all, "San Diego" is BIG. People use the name San Diego to basically refer to anything within about an hour and a half drive of Mexico. The City of San Diego covers an area of about 370 square miles and with that in mind, most people refer to neighborhood areas to be more specific. Going from South to North here are the main neighborhoods and what they have to offer:
- San Ysidro is the area just north of the border. Generally speaking it is an area that I wouldn't be in past dark. There is a good (and safe) outlet mall you can access from the last highway exit before getting to the border. It is possible to park near that mall and walk across a pedestrian bridge into Mexico. If you go over, I highly recommend having your passport and at least 1 other form of ID, just to be safe. You used to be able to cross without a passport but it has gotten more restrictive lately so don't chance it. Without crossing the border you can still see into Mexico and get a view of the huge flag flying just inside Mexico.
- Imperial Beach is the southern most beach in SOCAL and is a very laid back area. Like San Ysidro it is a little lower income and may not be a good spot after night in some places.
- Coronado is the "island" North of IB and is really a peninsula (also its own city). You can either drive up the Silver Strand from IB or take the Coronado Bridge (no toll) from I-5 just south of Downtown SD. Coronado is quintessential SOCAL small town. I highly recommend a minimum of taking a drive down Orange Avenue and check out the Hotel del Coronado. This beach is also consistently ranked as one of the best in the nation. You are able to walk through the hotel without being a guest and there are some good restaurants and bars there too. Otherwise, Coronado has a fantastic view of Downtown SD and also is home to U.S. Naval Air Forces and the aircraft carriers, when they are in port. There is a ferry that goes between downtown and Coronado that is a fun way to go back and forth if you have more time.
- Downtown San Diego has a lot to offer. The Gaslamp Quarter is where many of the trendy restaurants, bars and nightlife reside, mostly on 4th - 6th Avenues. PETCO park is the Padres stadium and may have events happening during the offseason. If you want to get a great view while enjoying a drink check out "Altitude Sky Lounge" in the Marriott next to PETCO Park or "Top of the Hyatt" in the Manchester Grand Hyatt on the waterfront. Neither has a cover at night but the drinks can be pricy. The touristy part of Downtown worth checking out is Seaport Village which has undergone a nice revitalization in the last couple years. There are a lot of cool shops, eateries and a semi-boardwalk style area along the waterfront. Just north of Seaport Village is the USS Midway museum which has the "Kissing Statue" next to it. Overall, Downtown is a safe area at all times, but is best to stay in the gaslamp or near the hotels along the water at night. As a general rule the further east you go in downtown the worse it gets. Just northwest of Downtown is Little Italy which has some amazing food and shops just a few blocks from the water and is home to one of the most popular farmer's markets in SOCAL on Saturdays from 8am-2pm.
Downtown San Diego at Night (Petco Park on the right)
- North of Downtown is Balboa Park, which is actually larger than Central Park in NYC. It has the world famous San Diego Zoo. This is a must visit if you have time and brought the kids. It is unlike any zoo I have ever been to and I still go. The park itself has a nice historic area with museums and galleries you can walk around.
Balboa Park looking south (Museums in the foreground)
- Just West of Balboa Park are Bankers Hill (residential area) and Hillcrest. Take sixth avenue north out of Downtown and it will take you along the western border with Balboa Park and into Hillcrest which is a fantastic and eclectic restaurant area. Hillcrest is proud of being San Diego's LGBT friendly and culturally diverse neighborhood. You will find food from all over the world. Also worth a try is Hash House which is a well known brunch place. San Diegans brunch on the weekend like it is a sport so join in!
- West of Downtown and Hillcrest is the airport which is in Point Loma. Harbor Drive runs the entire length of the waterfront and is probably the first road you will drive on leaving the arrivals terminal. Point Loma is a very nautical area with marinas and yacht clubs lining the waterfront. There are great views of the water and downtown from Harbor Island. If you drive west on Harbor Drive and keep going out onto the point you will find the Cabrillo National Monument and old Point Loma lighthouse which are on National Park land. To get there you will drive through the National Cemetery and past the Naval Submarine Base. The Cabrillo Monument, Lighthouse and view of all San Diego are definitely worth the trip and small fee per car to access the park. There is a museum which discusses San Diego's early history and some nice hiking trails along the water. I recommend going down to the tide pools which are on the ocean side of the point. At low tide you can go out on the rocks and explore a lot of great sea life. Whale watching "season" is December to April so Dad 2.0 could be great timing for some whales migrating along the coast which I have seen from Point Loma before.
Old Point Loma Lighthouse from the West with Downtown in the distance
- North of Point Loma is Ocean Beach which I think of as the last quiet holdout on the coast of old SOCAL beach towns. The center of town is lined with old shops and bars. There is a pier you can walk out on and see most of the coast on a clear day. Also near OB is Sunset Cliffs, a beautiful spot for a quick walk or just to sit and enjoy the water view and setting sun on clear days. Inland slightly from OB and North of Point Loma is SeaWorld which really needs no explanation.
One of our engagement photos at Sunset Cliffs
- SeaWorld sits on the southern edge of Mission Bay which is a great outdoor/watersport area. Most of the small islands in the bay are protected from development. Boat rentals and resorts mostly line the rest of the area.
- North of IB and West of Mission Bay is Mission Beach which marks the southern end of the main beach boardwalk in San Diego. Mission Beach is the more family friendly side of the beach. There is an old wooden roller coaster and beach carnival area the kids might like. Parking can be tight but in February it shouldn't be as busy. The southern end of the Mission Beach has a large parking lot with dozens of volley ball courts open to public use as first come, first served if that is your thing.
Belmont Park (Mission Beach) from the West
- North of Mission Beach is Pacific Beach which has the continuation of the beach boardwalk. PB is known as the trendy beach area which means it has a lot of college students and tourists. The 2 main streets in PB which run east-west are Grand Ave and Garnet Ave. Garnet Ave. has a lot of restaurants, bars and shops. It is definitely worth a look!
Pacific Beach and Mission Bay from the North (Crystal pier in PB on bottom right)
- North of PB is La Jolla which is still a part of San Diego. This is where the Dad 2.0 conference will be held. The Hyatt Regency La Jolla is 14 miles north of the airport and will take about 20 minutes to get to without traffic. La Jolla is like the Beverly Hills of San Diego. It is full of amazing homes, upscale shopping, restaurants and beautiful views. La Jolla Cove (also called Children's Pool) is a big landmark where you are almost guaranteed to watch seals/sea lions on the beach and swimming in the cove. University of California San Diego is located just North of La Jolla. Near La Jolla is also Torrey Pines Golf Course and State Natural Reserve. If you like golf or hiking then this is a beautiful place. The park is in view of some of the golf course so park at the bottom of the hill and either hike up the hill and back down on the beach or the other way around. It is about a 2-4 hour hike depending on how fast you want to go and if you take any of the side trails.
"Children's pool" in La Jolla with Seals on the Beach
- Inland from Mission Bay and the rest are a few areas worth a look. Taking I-8 east from the ocean you will go through Fashion Valley and Mission Valley. Fashion Valley is called that because of the large upscale mall which is at the intersection of I-8 and CA-163. It is an outdoor mall that I definitely recommend taking a look at if that is your thing. You will find shops that run the gamut from JC Penny to Gucci. Also near Fashion Valley is University of San Diego which is a beautiful campus and has a historic, active Catholic Church. Mission Valley is a little east of Fashion Valley and got its name because that is where you can find Mission San Diego de Acala which is the most recent version of the mission Father Junipero Serra erected on July 16, 1769. Otherwise, Mission Valley is the location (for now) of Qualcomm Stadium where the Chargers play.
Mission San Diego de Alcala
- Further East of Mission Valley is mostly suburbs but there are a few places you could be interested in going. Cowles Mountain is part of the Mission Trails Regional Park and is the tallest point in San Diego. You can hike to the top in about 45 minutes to an hour and is a great 360 degree view of all of San Diego and the mountains to the East. Also along I-8 is San Diego State University which has a great campus.
- North of La Jolla are several other beach/coastal towns (going south to north): Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Carlsbad and Oceanside.
- In North County you will find LEGOLAND (hello Friday night LEGO event?!), the famous Del Mar Racetrack, the Carlsbad Outlets and Mission San Luis Rey. At the northern border of those areas is Camp Pendleton which is home to the Third Marine Expeditionary Force. If you drive north to Los Angeles, you will go directly through the base, which is very large by area (125 sq mi) and runs 17 miles along the ocean.
- Inland and north of San Diego are a couple spots you may be interested in visiting. Temecula is SOCAL's wine country which has really grown in the last decade or so. My favorites are Briar Rose, Lorimar, Robert Renzoni and Monte de Oro. You can't go wrong with South Coast or Wilson Creek (famous Almond Champagne) but expect them to be more crowded. About an hour and a half north east of San Diego you will find Santa Ysabel (Dudley's Bakery) and Julian which is an old mining town now famous for Apple products (Julian Apple Pie Company) and the main street lined with antiques shops and quaint restaurants/cafes.
Briar Rose Winery (tastings are by appointment only, well worth it!)
Monte de Oro Winery
Main Street Julian (1.5 hour drive through mountains from Downtown SD)
- If you decide to explore further, Los Angeles is about 2 hours north of San Diego, depending on traffic and where you are headed. Plan for the coast traffic to be bad in the evening hours, no matter which way you are traveling.
Airports:
- San Diego International Airport (SAN) is a relatively small airport considering the size of the city and is broken up into 2 terminals. If you are traveling via Southwest, Alaska or Frontier you will go to Terminal 1, all others go through the renovated Terminal 2.
- A lesser known option is John Wayne Airport (JWA) in Orange Country near Irvine which is about an hour and a half from the hotel in La Jolla. I have had some luck getting considerably cheaper flights into this airport and then driving, if that is something you are willing to do.
- The other obvious option is Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) which is a little over 2 hours from the hotel in La Jolla.
Beaches: Different beaches are better for different situations depending on what type of beach activity you want to do. If you want to surf then North PB (north of the Crystal Pier) is probably the best spot because other beaches restrict surfing. If you are doing the beach with kids then South PB, all of Mission Beach, Coronado and La Jolla are best. Be aware, alcohol was banned on the beaches after an unfortunate "riot" in 2007 so you have to drink in the bars and then go to the beach. Police do patrol the beaches for violators. If you want to just see the beach and some amazing scenery then the La Jolla cove and the "Children's pool" are great.
Rental cars: SAN airport recently consolidated all car rental agencies into one parking garage which is a bus ride from the airport. If there is a lot of volume it can be a 15-20 minute wait to get on the shuttle buses to the new garage, but once you get there it is extremely efficient finding your car and getting on the road.
