Right after moving to San Francisco, we learned that we have a long weekend thanks to the President Day on Monday and decided to use this long weekend opportunity to visit San Diego! So in this post, I will talk about all the highlights about San Diego.
Let me tell you from the beginning that we were planning to use one of these days to pass to Tijuana for an adventure there (and for tacos, obviously) but then changed idea for multiple reasons. First of all, we realized that San Diego is bigger than we thought so squeezing everything wouldn't be as fun as having free time here and there. Second of all, we were not very lucky about the weather: it was cold, windy and even stormy, such that we were stuck in a coffee shop one afternoon because it was raining cats and dogs (I have to admit that as a non-native English speaker, I love this term!). And finally, we didn't feel safe without making sure that our phones will be working once we cross the border. Long story short: we didn't go. If we had one more day, we could but I don't think that we missed an amazing opportunity as well - eventually we will be back to Mexico! 1. Balboa Park: Featuring museums, performing arts venues, gardens, outdoor activities, and more. Even if you are not planning a visit to the zoo itself, I am sure that you will find something that you will enjoy. We wanted to visit the Japanese Friendship garden (admission $12) and Museum of Man ($19 they had an exhibition for cannibalism, you don't see it everywhere!) buuut we didn't. For the Museum of Man, we didn't have any energy or time so I have some regrets about it. About the friendship park, I was just disappointed that it costs $12. I mean, I thought we were friends! If none of these things are appealing to you, you can check out also the National History Museum or Institute of Art.
The park and the buildings here have the old Spanish architecture and it feels just like the Colonial times if there weren't so many tourists taking selfies with their smartphones. The buildings are gorgeous and at some point I felt like I was in Sevilla visiting Alcatraz.
From the blogs I read before my visit, I was expecting to find a huge, old suspension bridge that we can simply reach the city. It turns out, it's not like that. There is a small wooden bridge in the park: super cool and going into the woods, but it's not a suspension bridge. The real suspension bridge is located in Banker's Hill neighborhood: about half an hour walk to the park entrance. Its original purpose back in 1912 was to connect the neighborhood, which sits on opposite sides of Kate Sessions Canyon. But now the suspension bridge is a fun stroll for those looking for a little thrill -- it sways from side to side as it's suspended across the canyon by cables. It is only for pedestrians and it's a cool experience, but keep in mind that it is kinda out of nowhere. From the beginning of the bridge you might say "ook this is lame" but it is not, just keep walking. Right at the exit of the park, we found the cute WestBean Coffeeshop with an amazing coffee and delicious vegan ice-cream. They also serve sandwiches, soup and some snacks.
2. San Diego Zoo: Even if the zoo is located inside the park, it should be handled separately. I like zoos or safaris to learn about the animals but I always feel sorry about them and even cry time to time. From my point of view, we shouldn't support organizations that keep animals captivated and make money out of it and be rich while animals (especially the ones like polar bears who should be living in the cold environments) suffer. I still purchased the tickets for a daily entrance ($56) and when I was in there, I found an opportunity to talk to one of the staff. She told me that the SD zoo is completely non-profit. They rescue animals from their wild nature, rehabilitate and take care. If the animal feels better after all this, he is released back to their environment. If they get attached to the people or couldn't get better, then are exposed in the zoo. Furthermore, they also invest on research projects to help endangered species be saved in their own habitat. I was told that the polar bears for instance were rescued when they were babies in Alaska and were transferred to San Diego. As they literally grew up in San Diego, their fur grow in a way to help them adopt the Californian climate. And then, they are fed with a special 5%fat diet (I don't know how many people in US can actually afford doing it but these bears do) so that their body don't have all the layers to cope with cold. Inside the zoo, my plan was to take the bus tour (free for 1-day ticket owners) and then see some of the animals closer and get out in about 2-3 hours but somehow it took us almost 5 hours and we literally skipped some of the animals and we didn't attend any attraction! My favorite animals in the zoo were panda, penguins and flamingos! So, prepare your plan in advance thinking that you'll be inside for a while. You can always find people to get more information or chat about their experience in the zoo, which gave me a completely new perspective. Besides the zoo, there is also a zoo safari, which is located outside the city so you might want to plan your day and transportation in advance. But, I have to say that I skipped this option.
3. La Jolla Cove: Moving to California made me better friends with sea lions and seals somehow. I gotta say I still cannot differentiate them really, but they are all super cute! So, meeting with sea lions in San Diego can be the best in La Jolla beach. I know that it's a little bit far away from the city but spending a sunny morning here is a brilliant idea. We started our walk from the La Jolla Cave to watch the ocean and sea birds, many of them!
Then, we moved to the La Jolla Cove, thinking that this is probably the best place to enjoy the sand and ocean. The cove is guided by a coast guard, whose duty is to warn tourists whenever they get closer to the sea lions or seals so that the animals could keep up with their naps comfortably.
It is said that both of these animals are wild and if they get scared or intimidated, they might abandon their babies to save their lives or just attack people. From what I've seen, they are pretty cozy on their own and do not care about people whatsoever. While the sea lions and seals are used to humans, be safe and respectful by giving them their space.
Before visiting La Jolla, I kept reading from other blogs that the shore is full of sea lions and seals and I was supposed to be amazed by them. So, I got kinda disappointed to see only one of them at the shore.
But it turns out, La Jolla Cove was just the tip of an iceberg! Once we kept walking on the seaside to reach Children's Beach we started to realize that all those bloggers were right!
Hundreds of animals were laying side by side, yelling and swimming. Those animals are amazingly cute, except the horrible smell! Oooooh that smell!!
Then, we reached Children's Beach. So, Californians decided to build a breakwater wall to create a beach with no wild winds such that children can enjoy the calm water and learn to swim safely. But things didn't go as they planned: the seals loved this calm shore so much, they started to come more and more everyday and now is completely under their control! The beach belonged to the seals at least on February, but I am not so sure how the situation is in Summer.
Then, we decided that we had enough of the smell and headed to the city. Here, there are tons of little coffee shops and restaurants. We found a cute little Italian ice cream shop Gelateria Frizzante and enjoyed an amazing (full of sugar tough) gelato. I need to say that we used Uber to reach there and we couldn't spend more than just a morning. But, if you have more time you can extend your visit to La Jolla Shore Beach, Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier or Black's Beach.
4. Mission Beach: I would completely believe if someone tells me San Diego has at least 10 incredible beaches that are worth a visit, But, we didn't have much time and chose one of the closest, which is the Mission Beach and it was a right call! Mission beach is the perfect location to feel the Californian dream.
There are many surfers on the shore (yeah, even in February!), families enjoying the sun and musicians. Right next to the beach, there is also an entertainment park you can feel the American spirit even better.
5. Coronado Island: Coronado Island is the home for Naval Air Station and US Navy center but also a popular tourist attraction. The sandy beach around the famous Coronado Hotel is one of the best in US. It's amazing for a daily walk around the island, get a milkshake from iconic-styled Clayton's Coffee Shop.
Once here, you should also visit the skyline point view and view San Diego harbor from ashore. I have to tell you, maybe because I was born and raised in a big city and this is why a skyline full of skyscrapers over the sea always amazes me.
6. USS Midway: The USS Midway Museum is a maritime museum located in downtown at Navy Pier. Midway was the United States' second longest-serving aircraft carrier of the 20th century, from 1945 to 1992. In fact, it was the only carrier to serve during the whole Cold War period and in 2004, it became a museum with 29 restored aircrafts on board. The museum offers self-guided tours and live demonstrations from USS Midway veterans and docents.
We skipped the museum itself, but we enjoyed the magnificent look from the shore. Once there, do not forget to pass from the Unconditional Surrender Statue. The statue is from the series of the same statue, that was built based on the famous photo captured byVictor Jorgensen.
7. Old Town: Between 1821 and 1872, San Diego was found as a Mexican pueblo and was about to switch to an American settlement. Old town is where the whole California started and today, the neighborhood is kept as original as possible for the visitors to travel back to time.
The place is almost as Mexican as Mexico itself in terms of music, mood, food and stores. Even though most of the buildings are built lately for touristic purposes, five of them are original and are being used as museums.
8. Food: Being so close to Mexico and San Diego, the Mexican heritage is undeniable. So, when in doubt, search for a Mexican restaurant! Obviously, we did some taco tasting in the Old Town. Other than that, following the tips from Lonely Planet, we visited super cheap El Indio Mexican Restaurant for a local experience. This might be also a good timing to experience the Hillcrest neighborhood.
One of the most popular destinations for nightlife and dining is the Gaslamp Quarter. The neighborhood is surrounded by buildings from the Victorian Era. The name comes from the fact that the place used to be lit by gas lamps during the Victorian times.
You have to visit the place at least once, especially during the night to observe the vibrant mood of the city. In particular, we tasted probably the most amazing ramen of San Diego in BESHOCK Ramen.
Another destination for dining/nightlife experience is the Little Italy. It is claimed that San Diego has the highest Italian immigrant society in California. This is why we decided to give a shot for a pizza tasting and I assure you - we have a winner! Isola Pizza Bar has very reasonable prices, very cool atmosphere and the best pizza in US. Please PLEASE pay a visit!
