What are some San Diego musts?

Question

I'll be going to San Diego just before Christmas and I need to find neat things to do there. We have two and a half days to fit some fun activities in. We are not going to the zoo or any aquariums or the like. We have already found places such as the USS Midway, balboa park, and la jolla cove. What I want to know is: Is there anywhere that some locals would recommend. I'm mainly looking for restraunts and some daytime activities. Please and thank you!

Answer 1

2 and a half day, perhaps you will get into a busy schedule according to the spots you mentioned. You know that the large Balboa Park will take you a whole day to get around, for this park is the home to a diversity of attractions and hot spots? But as you said that you are not going to visit the zoo, so probably you can manage it.



La Jolla cove sounds great! This small beach is often acclaimed to be the most beautiful beach in South California. However, don’t you think it is a bit cold to visit the beach area in days before Christmas? You know, the major fun of the beaches lies in the water-related activities, but definitely swimming, diving or snorkeling are not suitable for winter.



Then I suggest you to make a visit to the Old Town area, which is usually thought to be the birthplace of California. San Diego local residents frequent this area and it is seen as one of the best kept secrets of SD. This area has more than 25 award-winning restaurants, a wealth array of shopping, a variety of events and night entertainment, as well as the iconic Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, the most visited park in the State. Here is a brief intro to this historic area: http://www.sandiegohotelsadvisor.com/old-town-san-diego



As for daytime activities preferred by the local, personally, I think it is better to check whether there is any featured event going to happen in SD during your trip. Local forums or websites are good ways to find insider’s tips. You can seek advice there. Or you can try your luck at this website, which includes a full host of local info about San Diego, from lodging and dining, to attractions, transportation, things to do and trip ideas. http://www.sandiegohotelsadvisor.com/

Answer 2

La Jolla is nice. Balboa Park has many spots. Point Loma Lighthouse with San Diego in the background. We took pre-wedding pics at Sunset Cliffs.

Answer 3

For a great romantic dinner with the best view of the downtown skyline, go to Pehoe's in Coronado. You can take the water taxi across the harbor.

http://www.peohes.com/

http://www.sdhe.com/san-diego-water-taxi.html



La Jolla offers great views, great surfing, great food, great theater, and great shopping.

Take a stroll on Prospect St and check out the shops, galleries, and have some authentic Mexican food at Alfonso's. Jose's Courtroom is where the locals hang out to drink and eat. The Spot offers Chicago style food with both deep dish and thin crust pizza. For gourmet cuisine, it's George's at the Cove.

http://www.alfonsosoflajolla.com/

http://joses.com/

http://thespotonline.com/

http://www.georgesatthecove.com/



The Mandarin House in La Jolla features home made noodles and some of the best Chinese food in town. It's located one block from the world famous Windansea Beach. Check out the surfers and take a sunset stroll. Then have dinner. December is the ideal time to walk out onto the tide pools. It's the lowest tide or the year and just north of Windansea there is an enormous area that becomes accessible at low tide. You might even get a peak at Mitt Romney's new house.

http://mandarinhousesandiego.com/



Old Town has one of the best Italian restaurants in town. Pizza Bella features home made Italian food made from Mama Bella's recipies. During the day their courtyard is open for outdoor dining. It's one block from the Old Town trolley stop.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/pizza-bella-san-diego



Closer to downtown and one of my favorites is El Indio. Serving Mexican food since 1940, it's a short walk from the Washington St. trolley stop.

http://www.el-indio.com/



Serving breakfast since 1960, Harry's Coffee Shop in La Jolla is an institution. Everyone goes to Harry's.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/harrys-coffee-shop-la-jolla