Detours on the Road to Where Ever

"Establishing goals is all right if you don't let them deprive you of interesting detours".

Doug Larson

"So many roads. So many detours. So many choices. So many mistakes."

Sarah Jessica Parker

When you are taking a road trip, you usually have a destination in mind. Quite often you have time limitations and schedules, so you need to just hit the road and get to where you are going.  We seldom seem to have all the time in the world to just meander and see all the sights along the way. But even when you are on a schedule you can take a few little detours and still get to your destination, and you will be rewarded for doing so.  You will have had an experience, or learned something new, or just seen something entertaining that you will remember long after the trip is over

My husband and I take a road trip to Washington every year.  Now that we are retired, we do have the time to do a little wandering off the beaten track.  But the trip this year was going to be shorter than the past years, and when we left home we did have a schedule, as I had made reservations at a cottage on the Washington coast, which was our first destination.  It is a 2 day trip from San Diego to the Washington coast.  We made it to Redding the first day, and that was pushing it.  We got stuck in terrible traffic through Los Angeles, which really slowed us down by several hours.  Also, we have the 2 dogs with us, so we do have to stop every few hours for them to stretch their legs and take a potty break, and for that matter, us too. 

Rogue River Creamery

So the second day we are headed for our destination, and I see a sign along the side of the road which advertises The Rogue River Creamery.  They are located in Central Point, Oregon and we were approaching that area.  They said they had samples.  Now I have to say that I LOVE cheese and have actually read about this place.  I had seen an article that talked about how good their cheeses are.  So when I saw the sign I said to my husband, "we have to stop."  The good thing about traveling with George is that he is pretty easy going and willing to stop most of the time.

Since we had the dogs with us and it was a hot day, George said he'd stay in the car and I could go check it out.  I went in and had a few of their samples, and fell in love with several of the cheeses.  Their blue cheese was so creamy, and probably the best blue I had ever had.  A couple of the cheeses in their display case caught my eye, especially one that had the word raspberry attached to it.  I found out that you could ask to taste anything, and they would gladly oblige.  The raspberry cheese had been soaked in a raspberry ale, and it was my favorite cheese of the day.  I ended up purchasing 3 packages of cheese, the raspberry, the Rogue River Blue and the Mt. Mazama cheddar.  I told them I would be putting them in the cooler of my car and not actually eating them for about 5 days, when we would be at our cabin, so they wrapped them special for me, so that they would stay fresh. 

Then I noticed that there was a chocolate factory next door.  Convenient, since besides cheese my favorite thing is chocolate.  So I just had to go check it out and get a few samples there.  They had a chocolate that was very spicy, which I quite enjoyed.  The stop took just over an hour, including the driving time to the shop and back to the freeway, and I thought it was definitely worth the detour.

On the way home we also made a detour.  We had heard about VooDoo Doughnuts from several people in the area.  They are quite popular in Portland, so much so that they always have a line around the block waiting to get in.  I guess the draw is that they are different from the usual doughnut shop, in that they have unusual toppings and also, I was told, unusual shapes.  We decided to skip the one in Portland and instead stop at their shop in Eugene, which would be a quick hop off the freeway on our way south.  Their signature doughnut seems to be their maple bar which is topped with bacon.  I thought, what the heck, might as well try it.  I do require my bacon to be cooked well done and crispy and this seemed like it was.  Sometimes you just have to try the unusual.  However, I have to say that I don't really see the draw.  The doughnuts were good, but you can get good doughnuts lots of places.  The shop was a little unusual, you have the weird name going for it, and some of the doughnuts were different, but I wouldn't necessarily go back.  But still, I was glad we made the detour and checked them out, or I would have always wondered what they were like.

VooDoo Doughnuts

The maple bar with bacon

I will tell you that if you are anywhere near the Portland area, and you are at all into literature and books, then one detour you should definitely make is a stop at Powell's Book Store.  It is different from the ordinary book store.  Powell's City of Books is a book lover's paradise, the largest used and new bookstore in the world. Located in downtown Portland, Oregon, and occupying an entire city block, the store stocks more than a million new and used books. Nine color coded rooms house over 3,500 different sections, offering something for every interest, including an incredible selection of out-of-print and hard-to-find titles.



The Travel Section at Powell's

 A few facts about Powell's:   
• It has 68,000 square feet packed with books.
• They buy 3,000 used books over the counter every day.
• Approximately 3,000 people walk in and buy something every day.
• Another 3,000 people just browse and drink coffee.
• They stock 122 major subject areas and more than 3,500 subsections.
• You'll find more than 1,000,000 volumes on their shelves.
• Approximately 80,000 book lovers browse the City's shelves every day in Portland and via the Internet

It is one of my favorite places in Portland, and I make a point of stopping there whenever we are in the area.  They have a great travel section, and I bought several new travel books there this year.

A fun little detour we did on this trip actually took us by complete surprise.  We had left Lassen National Park and were heading south on the 395.  I was dozing, I admit it. So I didn't see it.  My husband said he had just seen a shoe tree.  I was a little puzzled.  He found a place to turn around and we went back, and sure enough, there was a tree beside the road, covered in shoes.  It was worth going back for, just for the amusement factor. 

The Shoe Tree on Hwy 395

So whenever you are driving down the highways on your way to wherever, make sure you take time to occasionally take a detour and check out what is around you.  You may discover a cute little town, or a new kind of cheese, or just see something amusing.  Or you may find dinosaur tracks in the dessert, which we did when we made a detour in Arizona last year.  Those detours can be fun, and certainly a lot more exciting than spending more time in the car.

Dinosaur Tracks in the dessert in Arizona



A Beach Get-Away

“I have always loved the beach. The smell of the salty water, the wind in my face, the gentle roar of the waves all combine to create a sense of peace and calm.”

Anonymous

 

“The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”

Jacques Cousteau

Sunset at the beach

When I was a little girl I lived in Washington state.  We lived toward the middle of the state on the Columbia River, so water has always been nearby for me.  We had the river, one of the prettiest and bigger rivers in the country.  We also had a cabin on a smaller river about an hour away.  My dad had a boat and we water-skiied, and spent days out on the river, just having fun - or fishing, which was a different kind of fun.  But almost every summer, from my earliest memories, we also would spend a few days at the beach.  It was an all day drive to get there, but there is something about the beach that a river just can't take the place of.

Usually we would go to one of the Oregon beaches, somewhere near Rockaway or Newport.  There used to be a beach called Agate Beach, which is no longer named that.  I was told that the name was changed because there are no longer agates on the beach.  I have to say that is partly my fault.  When we would go there as kids, my mom, sisters and myself, would walk the beach with a sand bucket and pick up agates and take them home.  I'm still one to pick up any kind of interesting rock, no matter where I am, and bring it home.  My backyard, and jars all over my house, hold rocks that I have picked up from all over the world.  Those are some of my favorite souvenirs.  But not just rocks, when at the beach, I'm also looking for interesting shells, or sea glass.

Sadie and Baxter at the Beach

Even today, the beach is probably my second favorite place to be.  My cabin in Washington will always be first, but any beach will be a close second.  Living in Southern California, the beach is never far away.  We quite often spend the day at the beach.  To spend the day in the waves with my boogie board is ideal.  Especially when the water has had a chance to warm up a bit.  And there are some nice dog beaches near us, and I also love to spend the day with the dogs on the beach.  I can only wade while with them, because if I tried to swim, they'd try to be with me, and they are not big enough, or strong enough for the waves and tides.  But they don't mind getting in the shallow waves and even having the waves go over them  And they love running up and down the beach with the other dogs.



Pacific Beach in San Diego at sunset

I think any vacation that includes a beach, is a perfect vacation.  If you just want to get away and relax, where else could be more perfect.  You could rent a cottage, or a hotel room with a balcony, and sit and watch the ocean.  You can stroll along the beach, and reflex on life.  You can spend your days wading or swimming in the salt water, or just lying on a chaise lounge under an umbrella, reading your book.  And watching the sun set over the ocean at night will quite often give you some of the best sunsets of your life.

A beach in Northern California

There has been a lot of talk the past few years about "staycations".  Because of the cost of gas, people can't afford to travel as far.  If you are on a limited income, or just can't get away for whatever reason, and you live anywhere near a beach, then consider a weekend in a cottage by the seashore.  Everyone needs a break from the routine, and this would be a fairly inexpensive way to take that break without breaking the bank.  Don't go to one of the big resort area beaches, but to one of the little seaside towns.  They have more of a seaside atmosphere anyway, and are usually less expensive.  And if you go off season, it's even less expensive.  And the beach is a nice place to be even when it is not hot and sunny.  Sometimes it is more interesting when it is stormy.  And walking the beach after a storm could net you some interesting finds, such as glass floats.



The cottage we rented at the beach
 in Washington last summer

 

I know that along the Pacific coast there are quite a few lesser known beaches that have reasonably priced cottages to rent.  We usually spend a week on the Washington coast every summer after we leave our cabin on the river.  Even in the summer months it is possible to get a place for less than $80 a night, as long as we stay away from the more popular beaches.  And during the winter months they are even less expensive.  That doesn't mean it is right on the beach, those that are a block or two away are usually less expensive, but you are still at the beach.  Here in California they are slightly higher, but the weather is usually nice here year around, so that drives the prices up.

So if you need to getaway from it all, but can't afford to fly to some exotic place, and the ocean is anywhere within driving distance for you, consider getting in your car and just spending a few days at the beach.  It could do wonders for you.  Give you a sense of peace.  And if you have a family, what kid doesn't love to build sand castles and wade in the waves?  It is a great getaway, and it won't break the bank.

Sunset at the beach

Christmas Destinations

"The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others' burdens, easing other's loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas."
WC Jones

 

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence
of a happy family all wrapped up in each other."
Burton Hillis

Holidays are a time for staying home, especially if your family is in the same area as you.  I know a lot of people have to travel at Christmas, just to be with the ones they love.  But if you all live in the same area, then you will probably be home for the holidays.  But even so, there are day trips you can take around the holidays, that will put you in the Christmas spirit.

Hotel Del in Coronado, Calif.

Here in southern California we have several places that are famous for Christmas.  We live in San Diego, and we have the Hotel Del Coronado.  It has become a tradition in our family to go to the Hotel Del (as it is known locally) during the Christmas holidays, just to see the decorations.  They have the hotel lighted during the Christmas season, and there is a huge tree in the lobby area, which is several stories high.  Every year the decorations are different.  On the 6th of January they actually sell those decorations to the public, but you have to be in line early to get them, as they are very popular.  I have some decorations on my tree that came from the Del, and they are favorites of mine. 

Riverside, California is only a few hours from San Diego and is also a great Christmas destination.  There is a hotel in Riverside called the Mission Inn.  It is designed after the old missions that are located in California.  The hotel is a wonderful place to visit any time of the year, but at Christmas it is decorated for the holidays and is a fun place to go and explore.  It will certainly put you in the holiday mood.  And the streets surrounding the Mission Inn are filled with antique shops and other types of unusual shops, all of which are also decorated.  It is a great place to get some of your holiday shopping done.



Christmas in Leavenworth, Washington

I grew up in Washington state and I visit up there at least once a year.  There is a town in Washington that is known for its Christmas spirit.  The town is Leavenworth.  This Bavarian themed city is located in the central part of Washington State and provides all the necessary ingredients for a fun-filled time during the winter months and holiday season. You’re sure to find plenty of snow, kids sledding in the heart of town, horse-drawn sleigh rides. live holiday music, shops serving warm treats, and of course, plenty of Christmas lights.

Living in southern California I do have a hard time feeling like it is Christmas, because quite often it is warm enough to spend the day at the beach. I grew up where it was cold at Christmas, quite often snow on the ground.  There is a part of me that still feels like it should be cold on Christmas , but just for Christmas eve and Christmas day, then it can go back to warm weather. 

Christmas in New York

Last year my girl-friend and I decided to leave our husbands at home for a few days and head to New York, about 2 weeks before Christmas.  I had been to New York before, but never at Christmas.  I found New York to be a wonderful place to get in the holiday spirt.  It felt more like Christmas, because the weather was cold, although we didn't get any snow.  We saw the Rockettes Christmas show as well as a Broadway play.  We took in the lights and the tree at Rockefeller Center, and we considered going ice skating.  There are Christmas Markets in New York also, which were fun to visit.  It was a great way to start off the holiday season. To read about our trip to New York at Christmas, go to:  http://havelistwilltravel.blogspot.com/p/christmas-trip-to-new-york-december.html

Christmas Market in Nuremberg, Germany

Speaking about Christmas Markets, I have taken two trips to Europe during the Christmas season, to visit the Christmas Markets.  If you ever have the opportunity to do this, I highly recommend it.  Especially if you are into Christmas.  I am not at all religious, and am quite open about it.  But I do love Christmas, it is part of my childhood memories, part of our traditions.  I don't celebrate in a religious way, but I do celebrate, and it is my favorite holiday.  Besides, if you know anything about history, then you know that there is no way that the Christ child could have been born in December, it had to be in the summer months.  There used to be a pagan holiday in December, and the Christians decided to have there highest holiday celebration to coincide with that, with the idea of taking it over and turning the pagans into  Christians.  For the most part it worked.  The pagan side has the tree, the Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman, etc.  Combine that with all of the Christian symbols of the manager and such, and you have todays Christmas.  I personally celebrate more the pagan side. But whatever your beliefs, if you like Christmas, then you will love the Christmas Markets, especially those in Germany.  If you would like to read more about the Christmas Markets, go to:
http://havelistwilltravel.blogspot.com/p/christmas-market-trip-december-2006.html or http://havelistwilltravel.blogspot.com/2011/11/christmas-markets.html



Christmas in Colonial
Williamsburg

I remember years ago when we lived in Virginia, we went to Williamsburg at Christmas time.  They had the whole town decorated with Christmas wreaths and holly and they told us about the early settlers Christmas traditions.  They still hold their holiday celebrations in Williamsburg, and it would be a great place to go and experience Christmas the way our ancestors did.  There are historic houses with circles of greenery dotted on doors and windows, roasted chestnuts in an open-air market and much more. The jingling of real bells on horse drawn carriages will get you in the spirit, and you might even want to march with the colonial fifes and drums corps and let the crisp early evening chill envelope you. And you can learn about Christmas through a Jamestown settler, or a battle-weary Revolutionary War Soldier, or even a colonial farmer. For more information, go to: http://visitwilliamsburg.com/williamsburg-attractions/christmas-in-williamsburg

This year I am heading to Washington for part of my holidays.  My mom is 94 and she lives in a retirement home.  She won't travel, she says she just doesn't feel up to it, so I can't bring her here for the holidays.  For the past few Christmas' she has spent the day without family.  She has friends at the home, and she says she is fine with that.  My sister lives in Seattle, and she always gets down close to Christmas to see her, but not on the day.  So, this year we will spend Christmas eve here with our family, opening presents and doing our traditional Christmas eve stuff.  On Christmas day, my daughter and I are flying to Washington.  We should (if there are no delays because of weather) get to her place in time for the Christmas dinner at the retirement home.  We will spend a few days with her and celebrate the holidays together.  After all, my childhood memories of Christmas are all about her and my family.  I'm looking forward to our time together.

So, whatever your Christmas traditions, consider making a day trip, or a longer trip, that will get you in the mood, and give you that holiday feeling.  Go visit an area that has special decorations, or go a holiday show.   And have a Happy Holiday!

Sequoia and Kings Canyon - 2 of California's National Parks

"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world"

"Keep close to nature's heart...and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods.  Wash your spirit clean."

John Muir

Trees in Sequoia National Park

In the heart of the Sierra Nevada, just south of Yosemite, are Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, home to both the largest giant sequoia trees in the world and a deep gorge of a canyon that rivals Yosemite Valley for awe-inspiring beauty. Sequoia & Kings Canyon are separate parks snuggled next to each other and managed jointly. Combined, they outsize Yosemite. Peaks stretch across 1,350 square miles and include 14,505-foot Mount Whitney, the tallest point in the lower 48 states. These parks are also home to the Kaweah Range, a string of stark and magnificently beautiful mountains nestled among the Sierra. Three powerful rivers, the Kings, Kern, and Kaweah, tumble through the parks. Despite their large size, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks attract less than half the number of Yosemite's annual visitors, making them a great alternative for those looking to avoid huge crowds.

Muirs Rock on the south fork of the Kings River
John Muir used to give lectures from the rock.

I have lived in California for 30 years, and somehow I didn’t get to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks until 2 years ago.  I don’t know why we didn’t go there, we had been to Yosemite, which is very close by.  We have travelled all over California, seeing the sights of this great state.  But somehow we overlooked these 2 parks.  When we finally did go, it was because our friends came over from Scotland to see us, and we took them on a road trip.  They had said that they would like to see Yosemite, so we immediately booked that, but then I started looking at other things we could do in the same area, and I saw these 2 parks.  I thought, well – they are national parks, they must be interesting.  I booked 3 nights there, before our visit to Yosemite.   I am so glad I did.  I think that Sequoia/Kings Canyon parks were probably the highlight of our trip.  Our Scottish friends had never seen trees like the Sequoia’s and the whole area was just stunningly beautiful. 

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks lie side by side in the southern Sierra Nevada's.  This landscape testifies to nature's size, beauty and diversity.  Huge mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, vast caverns, and the world's largest trees.

Taken from inside a fallen tree

The parks are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, weather permitting. Their highest visitation is in July and August. Campsites and lodging may be difficult to obtain on summer weekends and holidays, as well as off-season holidays.  Because of the extreme elevation range in the parks, weather conditions vary greatly from area to area and day to day.  The park changes with the seasons.

SPRING (April to June) the sequoia groves are often still snowy. Rivers and creeks become especially swift, cold, and dangerous. Spring brings warm weather and abundant wildflowers to the foothills.

One of the easier hiking trails is the Zumwalt Meadow Trail
It is a 1.5 mile loop with spectacular scenery

SUMMER (July to mid-September) the snow has usually melted from High Sierra passes. Most facilities are open and many free ranger programs are offered. The foothills are hot and dry, which makes the dangerous rivers tempting - be careful!  Sequoia groves offer comfortable shade.

FALL (mid-September to November) the sequoia groves get chilly at night; light snows that melt quickly may begin in late October. Facilities begin to reduce hours or close, and fewer ranger programs take place. Crystal Cave closes in late October. The foothills cool down and rains may start by November. 

WINTER (November to April)the sequoia groves are snowy, peaceful, and cold, and rangers offer free outdoor activities. Foothills are cool, green, and decked with wildflowers starting as early as January. Solitude is abundant.

Sequoia Tree

  
The parks have 14 campgrounds of which the majority are first-come, first-served. Lodgepole, Dorst and certain group campgrounds are open to reservations. Campgrounds often fill up on Saturday nights in July and August. Sunday afternoons through Friday afternoons offer the best chance of finding a campsite, with the exception of Lodgepole which usually has limited sites even midweek. Each campsite has a picnic table, fire ring with grill and a metal bear box for food storage. There are no hookups in the parks. Dump stations are located at Potwisha and Lodgepole.

Lodging inside the park is limited. There are 4 facilities. One in Sequoia and 3 in the Kings Canyon area.  They are:

The Wuksachi Lodge is located in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park. The modern lodge offers 102 guest rooms, a full-service restaurant, cocktail lounge and a retail and ski shop. The lodge is located 4 miles from Giant Forest Museum. Elevation 7,050 feet.  The lodge is open all year.

The John Muir Lodge is located in the Grant Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park. The lodge offers 36 hotel rooms and a restaurant. The lodge is ½ mile from a sequoia grove, visitor center, market, restaurant, gift shop and post office. Elevation 6,500 feet . Open all year.

The Grant Grove Cabins are located in the Grant Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park. The cabins are ½ mile from a sequoia grove, visitor center, market, restaurant, gift shop and post office. Guests can choose from six types of cabins some of which are available year-round. Elevation 6,500 feet.

Cedar Grove Lodge is located within Cedar Grove Village, deep in the canyon of the Kings Canyon itself. The lodge offers 18 hotel rooms, a counter-service restaurant, market and gift shop. The lodge is also within walking distance of a visitor center, restaurant, gift shop and market. Elevation 4,600 feet.  It is at trailsend and near Muirs Rock on the Kings River.  Open: mid-May to October.  This is where we stayed with our friends when we visited the park.

River on the Zumwalt Meadow Trail

If you have visited some of the more popular national parks, such as Yosemite or the Grand Canyon, you will be surprised by how few people there are in these parks.  The crowds are thinner, there are few scheduled events, and the prime attraction -- and the real reason for the existence of these parks -- is the beauty and majesty of the mountains and the trees, some of the largest living things on earth.
There is plenty of terrain to explore at your leisure

The best way to see the park is by foot, on the many hiking trails.  There is a road, the Generals Highway, which connects Grant Grove in Kings Canyon National Park with Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park. The highway runs 25 miles between two giant sequoias named for famous American generals -- the General Grant Tree and the General Sherman Tree. Allow at least an hour to drive between the two on this slow, winding route, longer when there is construction. From several miles inside the CA 198 Ash Mountain Entrance to Giant Forest, the Generals Highway is narrow and winding and not recommended for vehicles over 22 feet long, which should enter the parks from CA 180.

Inside Crystal Cave

The trees really are the main attraction at these parks, although there are spectacular mountains, rivers, creeks and some fantastic caves.  A definite stop should be a visit to Crystal Cave.  It is a guided tour, and quite pretty inside, with its stalagtites and stalamites.  And of course you have to visit the General Grant and General Sherman trees, they are quite magnificent.  There are plenty of places to eat throughout the park, as well as several general stores.  A visit to one of the visitors centers will give you lots of information about the parks.

These two parks could easily be combined with a visit to Yosemite.  They are only a short drive apart.  You will certainly have more quiet and less crowds in Sequoia and Kings Canyon parks, and I think they are just as spectacular.

Destination - San Diego

"But do not ask me where I am heading,
As I travel in this limitless world
Where every step I take is my home"
~ Portion of a Poem by Eihei Dogen ~

San Diego Skyline

As part of this blog I have been picking different cities and writing about them as destinations.  It occurred to me that my own city, San Diego, is considered one of the great vacation destinations.  Just because I live here, I shouldn’t ignore it.  And for those San Diego residents who may be reading this, revisiting the city we live in can be fun.  We sometimes get busy and don’t take the time to see our own city.  I have heard of people who live in New York who have never visited the Statue of Liberty.  I am equally sure there are people who live in the San Diego area who have never been to the Pt. Loma Lighthouse.  The past few years we have heard the term “staycation”, which means taking a vacation where you live.

from the air looking toward OB

I recently had out of town visitors and I was showing them around San Diego.  It made me realize that this is a city that I am proud to live in.  Yes, it was February and sunny, in the low 80’s, and my company was from places that were cold and snowy, so the weather was a big factor in how I felt about the city.  It was nice to take them to the beach on a sunny day in the middle of winter.  But more than that, we really do live in a really pretty city, with a lot of history, and culture, and things to do and see.

There are a lot of guide books to San Diego, and information on the web, and everyone will have their own ideas of the top things in the San Diego area.  Here is my list of the Top 10 Things to See or Do in San Diego:

Inside the Natural History Museum
Balboa Park

     Visit the Hotel Del Coronado

      Balboa Park
      San Diego Zoo
      Beaches
      Take the Trolley tour from Old Town

       Old Town

       Pt. Loma Lighthouse

       Sea World

       USS Midway

       Seaport Village

Of course there are a lot more than 10 things, the list is just to get you started.  I’d like to talk about the things on the list, giving a little more detail.

Hotel Del Coronado

One of my favorite places is the Hotel Del Coronado.  I think this hotel is a symbol for the cities of both Coronado and San Diego.  When Presidents come to San Diego and spend the night, they stay at the Hotel Del.  It has been featured in movies, the most famous was “Some Like it Hot.”  It is considered by some to be haunted.  It is one of the oldest and most famous landmarks in the area, and certainly one of the most beautiful.  At Christmas time most locals visit the hotel just to see the decorations, we have made it a Christmas tradition.  There is not a better beach in the city than the beach in front of the Hotel Del.  Anyone can walk in and see the hotel, you do not have to be a guest.  Check out the shops, and in the hallways downstairs there are pictures of the hotels past and information about famous people who have stayed there.  Have lunch in the outside café on a sunny day and enjoy the ocean view.  Walk up the beach.  If you walk clear to the northern end of the beach you will reach the “Dog Beach” area and you can enjoy our four-legged friends romping on the beach and having fun.  You may even see my 2 schnauzers, it is their favorite place in all of San Diego to go to. The website for the Del is http://www.hoteldel.com/

Botanical Garden Building

Balboa Park is our version of New York’s Central Park.  It is in the city and covers a very large area.  There are beautiful gardens, lots of different museums, fountains, restaurants, an International Village, a Botanical building, Spanish Art village, Japanese Tea Garden, the Old Globe Theatre, and the Spreckel’s Organ Pavillion, which gives free concerts on Sundays.  It is a wonderful, diverse area to walk around and just enjoy the outdoors.  On the weekends in particular the park is full of street performers and families, and is a good place to do some people-watching.  There is also a wonderful fenced, off-leash dog park.  Even if you don’t have your dog with you on vacation, it is fun to watch the dogs playing with each other.  There is a large number of museums, the most famous ones being – The Museum of Man, The Natural History Museum, The Air and Space Museum, as well as various art museums. There is also The Reuben H Fleet Science Center and IMAX Theatre, which is a great place to take the kids.  On Tuesdays they offer certain museums free to San Diego residents.  There website is http://www.balboapark.org/

Panda at the SD Zoo

Also part of Balboa Park is the San Diego Zoo.  Our zoo is world famous, and is considered one of the great zoo’s in this country.  We have animals you won’t see at most other zoo’s.  We have several giant pandas, and I believe that we will soon have another baby panda, which is always a big attraction.  Our panda breeding program has been quite successful.  We also have koalas, which are certainly adorable, although I have to say they don’t do much except sleep, but you can watch them do that.  There is a bus that will take you around the zoo, and you can hop on and off whenever you want.  Some areas you do have to walk to get to, but if you plan it right with the help of the bus, you can do most of the walking downhill instead of up.  The zoo is well worth one day of your vacation.  http://www.sandkegozoo.org/

Crystal Pier - PB

My favorite place to be anytime is the beach.  In San Diego you can spend a day at the beach almost any time of the year.  The water is not necessarily warm enough for swimming year around, but certainly you can wade all year long.  I talked a little about Coronado Beach already, and it is certainly one of the prettiest beaches, but there are several other great beaches worth mentioning.  Ocean Beach, known locally as OB is a typical beach town.  The town is full of antique shops and other types of fun shops as well as some fun restaurants.  It has a great pier where you can walk out and watch the surfers.   Pacific Beach, or PB, also has a great pier and lots of surfers.  When I want to go boogie boarding PB is where I head because the waves are better there than some of the other beaches.  It also has the best hamburgers in town at Kono's and you can sit on their outdoor deck and watch the action on the beach.  Mission Beach is a nice beach and it has Belmont Park, where you can ride the old wooden roller coaster.  And the best of the northern beaches is La Jolla Shores, which is a sheltered cove, so the waves are milder for swimming.  You can take a kayak trip from here to the caves or to watch the whales when they are around.*  The town of La Jolla is more upscale, and The Scripp's Institute and Birch Aquarium are nearby.

Old Town

Old Town San Diego is where the city started.  It is now a historical park that recreates life in the Mexican and early American periods of 1821 to 1872.  There are old buildings that you can go into, lots of shops and restaurants. For the best carnitas in town, try the Old Town Cafe.  Spend a few hours, have lunch and then sign up for the Old Town Trolley Tour which is 2 hours and takes you around Old Town, as well as to Balboa Park, the Gaslamp area, Seaport Village and across the Coronado Bridge to see the Hotel Del.  You will stay on the trolley the whole time, so it is actually something you could do when you first arrive in town, and it will give you and overview of the city, and then you can go back and really visit those places on your own.  www.trolleytours.com/san-diego   http://www.oldtownsandiego.org/

Point Loma Lighthouse

The Point Loma Lighthouse is also home to the Cabrillo National Monument.  The Lighthouse has stood on this point of land since 1855.  It is no longer a working lighthouse, as they found it was not the best location to have it, but you can visit it and see how lighthouse families lived at that time.  The Cabrillo National Monument is also there.  Climbing out of his boat and onto shore in 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo stepped into history as the first European to set foot on what is now the West Coast of the United States. In addition to telling the story of 16th century exploration, the park is home to a wealth of cultural and natural resources. From both places you have fantastic views of the cities of San Diego and Coronado.  www.nps.gov/cabr/historyculture/old-point-loma-lighthouse.htm

A day at Sea World is certainly a fun thing to do while visiting our city.  How can you go wrong when you have Shamu, the killer whale doing several shows a day.  There are quite a few shows as well as some fun rides, lots of aquariums, and places where you can touch sting rays, dolphins and other sea creatures.  www.seaworldparks.com/SeaWorld-SanDiego

USS Midway in SD Harbor

The USS Midway was an aircraft carrier, the lead ship of her class and is currently a museum ship in San Diego.  You can go aboard and experience what life was like aboard ship.  There are over 60 different exhibits and 27 restored aircraft on board. http://www.midway.org/ 

Seaport Village is a shopping area on the harbor-side of San Diego.  It is a short walking distance from the Midway and has many different and quaint shops, as well as restaurants.  There is also a boardwalk area and a park behind the village where you can watch the boats on the water.  It is a pleasant place to spend an afternoon.  http://www.seaportvillage.com/

Besides the places I listed as my top ten, there are so many other areas to visit here.  The Gaslamp area downtown is also a historic area, and there is a great walking tour that tells the history of the area.  There are many great restaurants and antique shops in the Gaslamp. 

And there is of course the Zoo Safari Park, known to the locals still as the Wild Animal Park, which is about an hour drive out of San Diego in the Escondido area.  I didn’t put it on the list, because technically it is not in town, but certainly worth the drive.  You see the animals in their natural habitat, with much more freedom than they have in the zoo.  There is a train that takes you through a good portion of the park, but to see it all, there are walking paths that will give you good views.

Old Globe, San Diego

Starlight Theatre, Balboa Park

San Diego is full of culture, with some great museums and lots of theatre.  We have lots of little local theatre groups, and you can find a play to attend almost every day.  The Civic Theatre downtown puts on traveling Broadway plays.  The La Jolla Theatre and the San Diego Repertory groups are quite active, and both have great reputations.  The Lambs Players have theatres in both downtown and in Coronado.  And my favorite, The Old Globe, has 3 theatres in Balboa Park.  In the summer, I love going to the Old Globe's Festival Theatre to see a Shakespeare play.  The Festival Theatre is outdoor, under the stars, and it has a natural backdrop of trees behind the stage.  You can hear the animals in the zoo at night, in the not too far distance.  It is a wonderful way to spend a summer evening.  And nearby is the Starlight Theatre, which does strickly musicals, and is also outdoors in Balboa Park.  It is directly under the path of the airplanes landing in San Diego.  They have a person who watches for the plane, and as it gets close she turns on a red light, and all action on the stage freezes until the plane passes over, then the actors start up where they left off, even if it was the middle of a dance number, which can make for interesting theatre. 

fish tacos

I’m not going to cover places to stay, or restaurants - there are so many great ones in San Diego, but I will say that when you come to San Diego there is one thing we are quite famous for, and that is fish tacos.  So make sure you have those at least once while you are here.  Rubio’s is the home of the fish taco, and you will find them in various locations, and you can't go wrong with their food.  Pt. Loma Seafood also does a great fish taco.

*See my article about kayaking in the January archives.