What to do in San Diego

[dbot]

Just found out im going to San Diego for a week in June. I'm planning on going to the zoo already, what else is there to do?

What are some good restaurants?

 

[her209]

Go to Tijuana, Mexico.

 

[Homerboy]

Tour the USS Enterprise! Was super cool when we went.
I ahve to say "old town san diego" or whatever it was called, was kinda neat as something the whole family could do (obvious tourist trap of course, but was still cool to see/read about the history.


Edit: in before Jules takes the thread over!

 

[Away]

Catch a Padres game at Petco.

 

[SamQuint]

Yes like Homerboy said go to Old Town. It is a small Mexican/Western village with a lot of shops and good restaurants. I like the Old Town Mexican Cafe, great Mexican food. Also it sounds stupid but the Trolley tour is pretty good. The trolley will take you all over the city. From Old Town to Balboa park to the Seaport Village and the Gaslamp district it covers just about everything. You can hop off and back on at all the stops and it runs all day long. This will give you a great overview of the city and will give you ideas on what else you can do for the remainder of your trip.

http://www.trolleytours.com/san-diego/

 

[CrackRabbit]

Tour the USS Enterprise! Was super cool when we went.
I ahve to say "old town san diego" or whatever it was called, was kinda neat as something the whole family could do (obvious tourist trap of course, but was still cool to see/read about the history.


Edit: in before Jules takes the thread over!

USS Midway, the Enterprise is still on active duty.

You can take a drive out to Coronado Island and enjoy the historic Hotel Del Coronado and a bit of the beach.

Head up to Point Loma and Cabrillo National Monument, get some views of the city and boats heading in and out of the harbor. Might even get to see some Navy ships and Jets.

Old Town is a tourist trap but has some ok Mexican restaurants, there are also plenty of awesome places to eat (and drink) in the Gaslamp District.
My Favorite is Croce's. It is run by Jim Croce's widow, Ingrid. Great food, but pricey.

 

[manimal]

fish tacos

 

[JulesMaximus]

Go to Tijuana, Mexico.

Don't do this...unless you want to get killed.

What do you like to do? Downtown has tons of cool things to do. Seaport Village is nice, Gaslamp District is nice, many good restaurants and pubs, there is the Maritime Museum which has a Soviet sub you can go in, the HMS Surprise from the movie 'Master and Commander' is docked there and you can explore her, then there's the Star of India which is an 1800's wooden sailing ship that was used for hauling cargo and passengers.

I second touring the USS Midway. That will take the better part of 4-6 hours but it's really cool.

Then there is Old Town, Coronado Island, SeaWorld, the Wild Animal Park, beautiful mountains, beaches...I could go on and on.

Palomar Mountain

Coronado bridge

I love this town.

 

[dbot]

Sweet, thanks for all the replies. I will be arriving there sunday and have all day sunday free. Mond-Wed i will be at a conference until 4pm. and then leave thursday morning. I'm thinking of trying to find stuff to do during the evenings. Might try to hit some of the beaches and relax with some food and drinks

 

[anxi80]

Which week in June? If the Padres are playing and you're interested in seeing a ballgame/checking out the park I may be able to hook up some tickets to the game.

I love this town.

^ this!

 

[olds]

Last year we drove up to the Wild Animal Park. We took a tour where they took you around in a cart to different areas and we got to go into areas were they animals were caged/housed. It was pretty cool.

Hmm, looks like there was a name change and the tours changed.
Here's the closest to what we did at the time:
http://sdzsafaripark.org/safaritickets/cart_safari.html

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Just found out im going to San Diego for a week in June. I'm planning on going to the zoo already, what else is there to do?

What are some good restaurants?

Don''t go to the zoo. Go to the safari park in Escondido (a fairly short drive away). It blows the zoo away, which is saying something.

http://www.sdzsafaripark.org/

 

[Homerboy]

USS Midway, the Enterprise is still on active duty.

You can take a drive out to Coronado Island and enjoy the historic Hotel Del Coronado and a bit of the beach.

Head up to Point Loma and Cabrillo National Monument, get some views of the city and boats heading in and out of the harbor. Might even get to see some Navy ships and Jets.

Old Town is a tourist trap but has some ok Mexican restaurants, there are also plenty of awesome places to eat (and drink) in the Gaslamp District.
My Favorite is Croce's. It is run by Jim Croce's widow, Ingrid. Great food, but pricey.

I knew "Enterprise" didn't look or feel right after I typed it. But I just stuck with it.

Gaslamp is cool.
I still say Old Town is kinda neat if he's got a family or anything.

There were these little "tourist go-carts" you could rent when we were there, but we just didn't have enough time. They looked super cool and fun....

http://www.gocartours.com/

 

[dbot]

Don''t go to the zoo. Go to the safari park in Escondido (a fairly short drive away). It blows the zoo away, which is saying something.

http://www.sdzsafaripark.org/

Yea, that's actually the park I want to go to. I'm not going with family so it's just me and a coworker. Oh yea, I will be there from June 12 - 16... might catch a padres game

 

[Fayd]

What do you like to do? Downtown has tons of cool things to do. Seaport Village is nice, Gaslamp District is nice, many good restaurants and pubs, there is the Maritime Museum which has a Soviet sub you can go in, the HMS Surprise from the movie 'Master and Commander' is docked there and you can explore her, then there's the Star of India which is an 1800's wooden sailing ship that was used for hauling cargo and passengers.

yeah, but the image you linked there is the california, not the star of india. star of india is much much bigger. it's the black and red-hulled one you can see a bit of in the HMS Surprise pic.

 

[anxi80]

Yea, that's actually the park I want to go to. I'm not going with family so it's just me and a coworker. Oh yea, I will be there from June 12 - 16... might catch a padres game

The only day they're home that week is Sunday and its a 1:05 game so I don't know how that'll fit in your schedule but if its something you're interested in shoot me a PM or something. I have season tickets plus a bunch of unused tickets that I can trade for other games so just let me know.

And smart choice, the Wild Animal Park (or whatever they're calling it now) is miles better than the Zoo in my opinion.

 

[KeithP]

Don''t go to the zoo. Go to the safari park in Escondido (a fairly short drive away). It blows the zoo away, which is saying something.

http://www.sdzsafaripark.org/

I have been to both several times (Wild Animal Park/San Diego Zoo) and they are both worthy of a visit. Just realized the Wild Animal Park has changed its name to the San Diego Zoo Safari park.

Another worthwhile stop would be the USS Midway (http://www.midway.org/).

-KeithP

 

[dbot]

The only day they're home that week is Sunday and its a 1:05 game so I don't know how that'll fit in your schedule but if its something you're interested in shoot me a PM or something. I have season tickets plus a bunch of unused tickets that I can trade for other games so just let me know.

And smart choice, the Wild Animal Park (or whatever they're calling it now) is miles better than the Zoo in my opinion.

Thanks, I'll definitely let you know. Yea kind of sucks, fly across country to san diego and end up watching them play the Nationals (live in Maryland)LOL. I am going to try to catch a really early trip so I have all day sunday free.

 

[Fayd]

I have been to both several times (Wild Animal Park/San Diego Zoo) and they are both worthy of a visit. Just realized the Wild Animal Park has changed its name to the San Diego Zoo Safari park.

Another worthwhile stop would be the USS Midway (http://www.midway.org/).

-KeithP

yeah, i had to google that. sounds so retarded now.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

Second on the gass lamp district food.

I want to move to SD in 5 years, what's it cost for a four bedroom in a nonviolent part of town near UCSD? Do you think you can buy a home in the city on a prof's income (apx 120k)?

 

[JulesMaximus]

yeah, but the image you linked there is the california, not the star of india. star of india is much much bigger. it's the black and red-hulled one you can see a bit of in the HMS Surprise pic.

I never said it was the Star of India, just that the Star of India was part of the Maritime Museum. No, this was just a cool pic I took off the coast of San Diego on a whale watching trip a couple years ago. This is a schooner, the Star of India is a square rigged ship with 3 masts.

The California is part of the Maritime Museum but I'm not sure if you can go aboard her or not. There is another early America's Cup replica they sail too but I can't remember what her name is at the moment.

 

[foghorn67]

Never correct a San Diegoan (San Diegoite?) on sailing ships.
Let that be a lesson to you.

 

[John P]

Like the other said, definitely do the San Diego Safari Park and spring the extra cash for the Safari trip into the compound - make sure to do the one where you get to feed the rhinos. It seems like a lot of money, but was the highlight of our California trip back in 2008 and well worth it. Make sure to take a nice camera/camcorder along, you'll get some great photo ops.

And of course the obvious like Sea World and the even more obvious like In-N-Out Burgers (if you don't already live near one).

 

[Fayd]

I never said it was the Star of India, just that the Star of India was part of the Maritime Museum. No, this was just a cool pic I took off the coast of San Diego on a whale watching trip a couple years ago. This is a schooner, the Star of India is a square rigged ship with 3 masts.

The California is part of the Maritime Museum but I'm not sure if you can go aboard her or not. There is another early America's Cup replica they sail too but I can't remember what her name is at the moment.

yes you can go aboard the californian. they regularly take her out for tourists to go on. a few hours of your time, they take and motor you about a mile outside the bay, then sail back in. least they did with us. ymmv depending on wind. dunno how much it costs, tho.

and i'm pretty sure the america's cup replica is literally called the America.

 

[bignateyk]

Ah yes, San Diego, or as we locals know it, "A Whales Vagina"