In which we ponder San Diego...

[jesshartley]

Is anyone on my flist from (or very familiar with) San Diego? 

I'm planning a little vacation jaunt there with my mom and the Valkyrie at the first of the year. We're going to hit the Zoo, SeaWorld, Fleet Museum, etc and want advice on good places to stay (we'll have a car, but don't want to have to navigate more of the town between destinations than we have to) and eat, other "must sees" for a three-generation girls' outting, etc.

Our current plans are to do the Zoo from opening to noonish (we've heard it's best to get there first thing, less crowds, more active animals, etc.) and then something else in the afternoon (museum? Wild Adventure?). Then SeaWorld the next day, from open to... whenever.  

We're considering buying one of these GoSanDiego cards as if we're going to do 3 or 4 "attractions" during the 2-3 days we're there, it seems like a good buy. The Zoo alone is 33$ per person, or 1/3 of the cost of the card for 2 days.  Assuming we do buy one, what out of this list of attractions would those of you in the know recommend we see during our time there? (We're probably going to avoid any waterparks or amusement parks where the major focus is rides/etc, out of respect for mom and a desire to do things everyone will enjoy.)

Comments

[seimaisin.livejournal.com]

When my friends and I went last year, we stayed at the Pacific Shores Inn, which I loved! It seemed to be in a pretty central location - didn't take more than 10 minutes or so to drive to any of the major landmarks we visited - and it was relatively inexpensive. Also, steps away from Pacific Beach, which I adored!

We did a sightseeing tour that started in Old Town - the trolley tour, I believe, that let us get on and off at varying points, just made a loop around a lot of major attractions. It was a really good way to get a full view of the city!

[antoniseb.livejournal.com]

I went to the Mount Palomar observatory. It was interesting to me. It might be for you too.

[thisearthlyride.livejournal.com]

I'd highly recommend the Wild Animal Park. I went to a summer camp there as a kid and it was amazing!

[mrscrittenden.livejournal.com]

We have been to SeaWorld, the Wild Animal park, the Zoo, Coronado, and SeaPort Village. Loved them all.

We stayed at Humphrey's Half Moon Inn on the bay, it was beautiful. Found it on www.skyauction.com pretty cheap.

Wish i could join you guys, have fun!

The City of Revelers

[jcomer2001.livejournal.com]

See the Zoo and Balboa Park, which it is in (just...walk around and it's awesomely fun). Coronado is cool: the hotel at teatime is especially nice (grrl thing). The Old Globe has great plays, and the Gaslamp district is nice to walk around in (so is Hillcrest, the major gay area).
I'll be there next week en route to MX. Whale watching (which I've done in NF) is iffy. Sometimes you don't see anything.
Enjoy. I always do. I stayed at the 500 West, which I highly recommend.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Personally, I spent most of my time in Old Town. Admittedly, I'm a history geek and I was also staying about a mile's walk from it.

[neutronjockey.livejournal.com]

Imperial Beach is nice--- during the daylight hours.
National City is a cheap place to stay--- for drug dealers and prostitutes.
If you find yourself in Rosarito---congratulations,you have driven too far South. you are now in Mexico. Illegaly.

Now for the useful information (not that the above wasn't useful, but this is more useful): There is a Mexican joint off the US Navy training center (which is now mostly the anti-submarine warfare training stuff) on Rosecrans St called Adelbertos on the left hand side of the street (driving north) that has the ZOMG hugest-est carne asada burritos you have evar laid eyes on.

[gailedon.livejournal.com]

I returned to San Diego for the first time in twenty years last month. I didn't get to do a quarter of what I wanted to. The zoo is definately a must see, the Ruben H. Fleet space theater is awesome, as is the museum of natural history and the rose garden there in Balboa Park.
The Wild animal Park is fantastic usually but it was pretty heavily damaged by the wildfires, as of November 10th only about 30% of the park was operational so you will probably want to give that a miss. Scripps aquarium is awesome. Coronado and gaslight area's are great.
As far as restaurants Pinnacle Peaks is a spectacular steak house that has a thing about cutting the ties off of anyone that visits. The walls are covered in them :-) There is also a Brazilian place I saw (but did not have a chance to sample unfortunately) In Ocean Beach, which is very close by Seaworld.
If you like that sort of thing, they have half to full day deep sea fishing available which is also a lot of fun.
As a complete aside when you tour the zoo pay attention to the fences. At one point you will spot a chain link fence separating the zoo from a school blacktop area. That is Roosevelt Junior high, where I went to the 7th grade. :-)

Allow lots of extra time

[arvanna.livejournal.com]

What I remember from my 1991 visit: (I lived there as a first-fourth grader, but that almost doesn't count) The Zoo is not a half day visit. One day is just barely enough. There's a cool reptile house in there which I was reminded of when reading Harry Potter: The Sorcerer's Stone. Sea World is not a half day visit either. Don't short change yourselves. I think those two are the most worth while. The Zoo is in Balboa Park, which is also worth mentioning independently of the zoo. Among other things, there's a kick butt Natural History Museum.