# Falling in love with San Diego



## gstepic (Jul 26, 2012)

After day four of our 12 day San Diego vacation I can say I am falling in love with this city. I think San Diego has the best weather on the planet and this place oozes with charm. Photos and a more detailed review to follow.

Gary


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## DaveNV (Jul 26, 2012)

Glad you're enjoying it, Gary.  I spent ten of my twenty Navy years in San Diego.  It's an awesome city.

Dave


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## jet dreamin (Jul 26, 2012)

gstepic said:


> After day four of our 12 day San Diego vacation I can say I am falling in love with this city. I think San Diego has the best weather on the planet and this place oozes with charm.
> 
> Gary



I have to agree!


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## LisaH (Jul 26, 2012)

Are you planning to move there?   DS#2 goes to school there. Growing up in NoCal, he would love to stay in San Diego after graduation. We will see...


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## bshmerlie (Jul 26, 2012)

Yes I agree its hard to beat San Diego.  Its a great city and great beaches.Too bad it is so darn expensive to live there.


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## Passepartout (Jul 26, 2012)

San Diego is a favorite of ours, too. Great Mexican food, beaches, all that Balboa Park has to offer, Coronado, what's not to love? Oh yeah, the cost of living there.

Jim


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## PStreet1 (Jul 26, 2012)

That's why we live 30 miles south in Rosarito on the beach.  It's true, San Diego is hard to beat.


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## Cathyb (Jul 26, 2012)

*Carlsbad, also *



gstepic said:


> After day four of our 12 day San Diego vacation I can say I am falling in love with this city. I think San Diego has the best weather on the planet and this place oozes with charm. Photos and a more detailed review to follow.
> 
> Gary



I'm a native Californian, born in San Francisco.  Moved to Carlsbad, CA about a dozen years ago from Irvine, CA.  Tain't too bad here too -- and less traffic   than San Diego.  We can catch the local train and visit San Diego for its beauty; we have the ocean nearby AND we have Legoland to help keep our taxes within reason.


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## Luanne (Jul 26, 2012)

San Diego is the only city in southern California I would willingly move to.  (I grew up just outside Los Angeles and lived in Orange County for years prior to moving north).


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## Rent_Share (Jul 26, 2012)

Sounds like a true Northern Californian  LOL

We would have split the state, except no-one wants to take Fresno


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## Luanne (Jul 26, 2012)

Rent_Share said:


> Sounds like a true Northern Californian  LOL
> 
> We would have split the state, except no-one wants to take Fresno



We, in the north, will trade Santa Barbara for Fresno.


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## klpca (Jul 26, 2012)

I'm so glad that you are enjoying your visit. I was a tad worried when it seemed like you were wanting Hawaii, because San Diego is wonderful, but it is not Hawaii. It's a different kind of trip, but just as nice in it's own way.

Years ago, I can to San Diego to attend college. I had grown up near the desert. I couldn't believe how wonderful the weather was, and how much I enjoyed living here. I went home the first summer, and that was enough for me. From that point on, I stayed in San Diego year 'round. My mother asked me, "when are you coming home?" I said, "Mom, have you been to San Diego? I'm never coming home!" And I've been lucky enough to live here ever since.


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## Rent_Share (Jul 26, 2012)

Luanne said:


> We, in the north, will trade Santa Barbara for Fresno.


 

Nah - we will throw in Bakersfield AND Barstow


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jul 26, 2012)

There's a reason why you can't agree on how to divide the state.  It's all San Andreas' fault.


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## ricoba (Jul 26, 2012)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> There's a reason why you can't agree on how to divide the state.  It's all San Andreas' fault.



:hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical:


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## Icc5 (Jul 26, 2012)

*Hotel Del Coranado*



gstepic said:


> After day four of our 12 day San Diego vacation I can say I am falling in love with this city. I think San Diego has the best weather on the planet and this place oozes with charm. Photos and a more detailed review to follow.
> 
> Gary



Gary, make sure you get a chance to spend some time over the bridge, well worth it.  
Bart


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## Luanne (Jul 26, 2012)

Icc5 said:


> Gary, make sure you get a chance to spend some time over the bridge, well worth it.
> Bart



Absolutely agree.  One of dh and my favorite things to do when we stayed at the Coronado Beach Resort was to walk over to the Hotel del and have drinks at their outdoor bar above the pool area.  I've never paid as much for a drink served in a plastic cup, but it was heaven.


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## Mickey Moe (Jul 26, 2012)

My family have been staying at the Welks resort in Escondito and  visiting the San Diego area for the last week. It has been marvelous .


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## hjtug (Jul 26, 2012)

Passepartout said:


> what's not to love?



How about traffic?


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## gstepic (Jul 26, 2012)

*The places we have been so far*

We got in early Sunday after staying the night in hell, er, I mean Yuma. We had a nice lunch near the resort, I will post the place when I can remember the name. The first evening we strolled around Mission Beach which was ok, but probably will be a low light of the trip after all the other places. Second day was spend at Coronado and of course we loved it. Got a little sunburned as the cool air kind of gives a false sense of security when it comes to the sun.

Tuesday was spent at La Jolla. While the family went swimming at the beach I walked up the hill to the village, taking a lot of pics on a little hiking trail. Actually it was a pretty good hike. I had a beer or two at Georges at the Cove, a pretty reasonable place to have lunch in the future.

The next day we spent the day at Balboa Park. Again I did a ton of walking and after two days walking in sandals, I developed huge blisters, but no regrets for all the walking. After Balboa Park we went to the Gas Light District. I love outdoor cafes. I spent several years in Germany while in the service and that was one thing I loved about Europe, all the places with charm where you could eat outdoors while people watching. I could not believe how many places there were to have a drink or meal and sit outside. I thought 16th ave in Denver was pretty cool but the Gas Light District puts it to shame. A few more visits to the area will be in order.

Today I am suffering because of my feet but while my family went to Sea World I did the Trolley Tour. I did a lot of walking around the Seaport area, did the Maritime Museum tour which I thought was very interesting, and took the little cruise that was offered for an extra $3 bucks. Checked out Old Town  and spent some time on the eastern side of Coronado, which had great views of the city. I really did not have time to get off the tour to check out the Little Italy section of town. 

Tomorrow we will do a dinner cruise and probably do the Midway tour. What is frustrating is my son is too cheap and does not want to go to the nicer restaurants. I kind of checked out the ones recommended in the thread and I know I would like all of them, hopefully we will try out at least one! Saturday we are planning on checking out the Carlsbad area. The Seapoint at Carlsbad may be someplace we would like to stay in the future.

The WorldMark Mission Valley resort has been perfect for us. Yes it has a small kitchen and the pool is pretty small, but the location is great as nothing is that far. It has been nice traveling with my son and daughter in law because I kind of been able to do my own thing while my wife does the things she really enjoys. Having a three year old kind of limits some of what we would like to do, but I know my wife and I will be back.

I would love to move hear, but not likely as my wife's family lives close to us in Rio Rancho NM. What Hawaii has that San Diego does not is more of a feeling of being out of the country while you really are not. I love the music, history, and beaches that have clearer water in my view. Hawaii is more picturesque in my opinion. But San Diego has it's own charm and is picturesque as well. It is a much cheaper vacation and has the kind of charm my wife and I enjoy. There is a lot more to do than I imagined when planning our trip, that has been a very pleasant surprise.

So not even half way done with our trip, I will post more as we experience more. Right now I am at Hooters trying to drown the pain of my sore feet in beer while I wait for my family to finish up at Sea World. Public transportation is another plus as it was easy to get hear from the Old Town area using the trolley. I could not figure out how to pay for the trolley but no one checked anything and I was able to get on and off without a problem. Hope the trolley police don't come after me. 

And to answer the last post, traffic has not seemed to be a huge problem. We ended up trying to come home a couple of time around rush hour time and we did not have any problems.

Gary


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## PStreet1 (Jul 27, 2012)

Be sure to go to Little Italy:  the food is good, and the price will appeal to your son.


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## GregT (Jul 27, 2012)

I am so pleased you are enjoying San Diego, i love it too!

A couple things to consider:

Right now is racing season - the Del Mar race track is a lot of fun if you like horses and the people watching is a blast. 

Another thing would be to see the Star of India - beautiful old Tall Ship down by the Midway.   

A charming little restaurant is Old Venice in Point Loma (great tide pools also In Point Loma by Cabrillo Lighthouse too) and also Busalacchi's in Hillcrest.  Should make your son happy too. 

You have hit great spots already, enjoy the rest of your trip!

Best

Greg


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## bshmerlie (Jul 27, 2012)

If youre going to go up and see Carlsbad check out Grand Pacific's Carlsbad Inn.  It has a much better location and the proximity to the beach is great.   I would also second the Del Mar races.  Its inexpensive and great fun for even the kids.


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## klpca (Jul 27, 2012)

*Cheap(er) eats*

First of all, do not be afraid when you walk up to the place that I am going to tell you about. Locals love this place.

You need to find the corner of Beech and India Street in Little Italy. On the southwest corner is a parking lot and near the sidewalk you will see a very small brick building. It has a canvas awning on it and I'm pretty sure it says "Mexican Fiesta". You order at the window on the left, and pick up at the window on the right. This place is cash only but don't worry, the four of you can eat for under $20. There is no seating, but if you go across the street, there are tables and chairs near the fountain. This place is breakfast/lunch only. I think they close at 4:00.

Good eats here: Carne Asada anything - burritos, tacos etc. The bean and cheese burritos (I add "mexican" guacamole - make sure to be specific or you will get sour-creamy stuff. Gack) The California burrito is a big hit, and also the carne asada fries. Tacos are yummy but can be a bit greasy. I would pass on the taquitos. Do not order the quesadillas. I don't know anyone who likes them.

Another less expensive option for lunch is Davanti's (about a block up India to the north)  which has lunch specials (M-F). They have three lunch specials under $10 and another that is $15 but includes a beer. You may have to ask for the special lunch menu. Across the street is a frozen yogurt place that is inexpensive if you don't put a lot of stuff in your bowl - they price it by weight.

Since you aren't from California, I suppose an obligatory trek to In-n-Out is in order. This should be the closest to your WM location: 2005 Camino Del Este Mission Valley, CA 92108

If you have some time, you can head to Ocean Beach (called OB) and have burgers at Hodads. It's an experience, and not too pricey. http://hodadies.com/locations/ . There is a downtown location as well, but you really should check out the original location. OB is fun and quirky.


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## Stressy (Jul 27, 2012)

klpca said:


> First of all, do not be afraid when you walk up to the place that I am going to tell you about. Locals love this place.
> 
> You need to find the corner of Beech and India Street in Little Italy. On the southwest corner is a parking lot and near the sidewalk you will see a very small brick building. It has a canvas awning on it and I'm pretty sure it says "Mexican Fiesta". You order at the window on the left, and pick up at the window on the right. This place is cash only but don't worry, the four of you can eat for under $20. There is no seating, but if you go across the street, there are tables and chairs near the fountain. This place is breakfast/lunch only. I think they close at 4:00.
> 
> ...




Woot!! Hodads! Was just there last week and I'll second anything carne asada. It's how we live here.

and KLPCA...where is near the desert? High or Low?

Signed,

High Desert.

P.S. I have the new Seapointe resort map for you. Let me get it scanned and I'll forward it.


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## LisaRex (Jul 27, 2012)

Spent a long weekend in San Diego a few years ago, and love, love, loved it, too.  The biggest downside, by far, was the traffic.  I'd never seen a 16 lane highway before (8 each direction?), but it was the weekend, so we didn't get to see it in full glory.  

We stayed at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe most of the time, which was lovely but too remote.  (We stayed there for free, because it was a business appreciation trip).  Next time we go, we'll definitely stay somewhere closer to the beach.   

But we loved the weather and the fact that there was SO much to do.  In the two days we had to ourselves, we visited the Animal Park (not the Zoo), Coronado and a few of the beaches.  We definitely had enough stuff on our Wish List to make a return visit or 5.  

It didn't hurt that we rented a darling little red convertible to zip around in.   

We'd move there in a minute, but I'm a tad concerned that San Diego is dependent on water from the Colorado River.  I wonder if, one day in the not too distant future, these wacky weather patterns are going to turn San Diego, Phoenix, and Tucson into ghost towns.


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## klpca (Jul 27, 2012)

Stressy said:


> Woot!! Hodads! Was just there last week and I'll second anything carne asada. It's how we live here.
> 
> and KLPCA...where is near the desert? High or Low?
> 
> ...


Hey Stressy - low desert area but my sister and my dad live in Apple Valley. It's a bit toasty up there!

Thanks for the Seapointe map. I'll be looking for it!


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## DaveNV (Jul 27, 2012)

LisaRex said:


> We'd move there in a minute, but I'm a tad concerned that San Diego is dependent on water from the Colorado River.  I wonder if, one day in the not too distant future, these wacky weather patterns are going to turn San Diego, Phoenix, and Tucson into ghost towns.



A lot of Southern California cities get water from the Colorado River.  I believe the way things currently are, none of the Colorado River runoff ever makes it to the ocean.  There are also huge reservoir lakes east of San Diego that feed the city, too.  Because of the millions of people who live in the region, I doubt San Diego, Phoenix and Tucson would ever become ghost towns, as long as other water was available.  And if not, we'll be having much bigger issues on a global scale than those three cities and one river.

If your only reason for not moving to San Diego is because you worry about the public water system, I'd say it's not anything to be overly concerned with, and you should start packing.  

Dave


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## ricoba (Jul 27, 2012)

Los Angeles is free from the Colorado due to what some would call the scheming or conniving, others would call the genius of William Mulholland, who brought water to LA from the Owens Valley.

You are right, without water, Southern California would be a desert.   

Water wars are not new, here is an interesting article from Wikipedia regarding the California Water Wars.

The movie Chinatown is loosely based on this "war" for water.


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## Koontzy (Jul 27, 2012)

San Diego is a awesome city, but like others have said its sooo expensive. I lived there for 6 montths and I loved it... I've been trying to get my wife to visit there, but she isn't too keen on itt lol..


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## Fisch (Jul 27, 2012)

Well I can down here for college in '88 and haven't left...


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## Icc5 (Jul 27, 2012)

*Bus  Tour*

I almost forgot what we did a few years ago.  We have been to San Diego many, many times so we decided to do something different.  We did the City Bus Tour and it was fantastic.  Things we found out about the city and how it was rebuilt, what certain buildings represent, the jail in the middle of the skyscrapers.  Well worth the money.
Bart


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## pedro47 (Jul 28, 2012)

bshmerlie said:


> Yes I agree its hard to beat San Diego.  Its a great city and great beaches.Too bad it is so darn expensive to live there.



Ditto on your comments.  This is a great place to live, the people are so laid back and they have some of the finest parks and beaches in the state.


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## LisaRex (Jul 29, 2012)

Koontzy said:


> San Diego is a awesome city, but like others have said its sooo expensive.



Can you explain what makes it so expensive?  Is it just the housing prices, or are there other variables (e.g. cost of food, income taxes)?


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## Fisch (Jul 29, 2012)

LisaRex said:


> Can you explain what makes it so expensive?  Is it just the housing prices, or are there other variables (e.g. cost of food, income taxes)?



It's mostly the housing costs.  Gas is a bit more expensive in here also.(I believe the only place with higher gas is Hawaii)


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## gstepic (Aug 6, 2012)

*Just got back from our trip*

I know my wife is not thrilled with the idea but I would live in the San Diego area in a heartbeat. i especially like the area near La Jolla village and Pacific beach. I will post photos and a more detailed review once I recover from our trip. 

Gary


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## csalter2 (Aug 8, 2012)

*I Still Love San Diego*

Gary, 

I understand falling in love with San Diego. When I first moved to California from New York City, I instantly fell in love with the city, found work and lived there for five years. I moved toward L.A. after a divorce.  

That city has it all and I don't find the traffic that bad in San Diego itself. Also, there is no traffic on weekends like L.A. 

Although I like where I live now in Mission Viejo which is an hour from downtown San Diego, I still consider moving back to San Diego. It is a great place.


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