It is almost the time when half of Arizona escapes the heat and heads to cool and breezy San Diego. Did you know that one out of every six visitors to San Diego is from Arizona. San Diego has endless things to do as any visitor will discover very quickly. It has several beaches and they have near perfect weather all year. There are other attractions like the San Diego Zoo, Sea work San Diego, Balboa Park and Legoland California. If you are planning a trip to San Diego, here are a few tips to make the trip easier and more fun.
Fill your tank before you leave and again at Yuma. The gas in California is really high. If you plan to do mostly sand and surf, spend a little extra for a beachfront hotel. There are also vacation homes that can be rented and they allow more room and flexibility for a family. This may be better than a beachfront if you plan to visit other sites like the zoo, Sea World, and Legoland. Check out Airbnb for some listings.
While in San Diego, there are bus and boat sightseeing tour that is a must see. On these tours, you can see the neighborhoods and attractions that this city has to offer. Some of the ones that are really good are:
Old Town Trolley tours
San Diego Seal Tours
Hornblower Cruises –they have a new party boat that has DJs on weekends this summer.
Flagship Cruises
Eating in San Diego is more fun if you don’t buy everything at the grocery store. Spend some time visiting the many Farmer’s Markets. They sell fruits and vegetables, some meats and seafood, snacks, and deserts. Some of the weekly ones you need to check out are:
Little Italy
Hillcrest
Ocean Beach
Pacific Beach
La Jolla
Encinitas
**New this year** Thursday market in Liberty Station at the Liberty Public Market
Don’t forget the Fry’s Food & Drug VIP card. You can now use it at Ralph’s as well.
Seaport Village which has been here since 1980, is a tourist area but it is scheduled to be redeveloped. No worries, there are other waterfront restaurants in San Diego. Next thing to remember is to visit the downtown area. Make a quick visit to the things Gaslamp Quarter have to offer then move on to the East Village. Here is where you will find the home of the San Diego Padres known as Petco Park.
One of the best ways to save a little on the major attractions is to go online to their websites and purchase these tickets in advance. Also, check out the brochure racks at the hotel and some of them may have coupons you can use. When visiting a place ask the desk about discounts for AAA, AARP and military members. Sometimes Costco has packages you can purchase. Then there are places like Groupon, LivingSocial, and Travelzoo that offer specials and discount tickets. Another idea is to check into the Go San Diego Card. These ideas take some research, but the savings are well worth it.
While in San Diego, go to the beach and browse downtown often. You may want to go paragliding. If so, a good place for that is Torrey Pines Gliderport. Rent a bike at one of the bike-sharing stations and explore the beachfront. In planning attractions, one you do not want to miss is the Cabrillo National Monument at Point Loma. The Old Globe Theater not only offers shows but also has gardens and museums to explore. Also, do not miss the bayfront walk at Harbor Island or Shelter Island. Both are beautiful.
There is nothing like a drive along the coast. Some pretty places are La Jolla, Del Mar. Solano Beach, Encinitas, and Carlsbad. Go swimming while you are there.
Little Italy has weekend street festivals that are a lot of fun. Great places to picnic include Sunset Cliffs in Point Loma, Mount Soledad in La Jolla and Torrey Pines State Beach.
Avoid the time the Comic-Con is in town because during this time the room rates and it can be hard to find vacancies. This year it takes place on July 19-23. However, on July 19 and Sept 4, you can watch the horse races at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.
There is a lot to do in San Diego and once you are here, you will not want to go home until next fall.
