Dog Day Afternoons

Description:

This Kimpton property is stylishly urban and sophisticated, and provides excellent Gaslamp Quarter digs, just around the corner from PETCO Park. There are the usual high-end amenities like plush beds and flatscreen TVs and DVD players, as well as more thoughtful ones like complimentary yoga accessories, art supplies, and condoms. You don't even have to leave the hotel for fine dining or exciting nightlife. Solamar's JSix restaurant, serving coastal California cuisine, is a creative space with lots of interesting architectural features and decor, including a wall of fezzes. Up on the fourth-floor pool deck, you will find J6 Bar, which quickly became a favorite with locals. With its fire pits, lounges, and cabanas, it can be quite a scene here. If you plan to go to bed early, ask for a room away from the pool. Hotel Solamar also offers an evening wine hour in the lobby "living room."

In Rooms: A/C, TV w/DVD/CD player, dataport, minibar, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron, laptop safe, yoga channel and yoga accessories, 2-line phone, alarm clock/radio, in-room spa treatments, patios (some rooms), open-close windows, daily newspaper

Description:

Adjacent to the new Hotel Solamar, Jsix Restaurant is a bustling gathering place, perfect for meeting friends for dinner, sharing a glass of wine and an appetizer, or delighting in an enjoyable dinner for two. Chef Christian Graves menu features Coastal cuisine, showcasing fresh, innovative, seasonal foods, area farms, sustainable seafood, and an exciting global wine selection. Many of the menu components at JSix are made in-house, ensuring food that is incredibly fresh and bursting with flavor. These include, among others, a full bodied tapenade, which accompanies the selection of fresh baked breads at the start of the meal, the housemade and cured salami and meats for the charcuterie plate, the housemade breakfast pastries, pastas, and the crackers that accompany the artisan cheese board. JSix even bottles its own water for the table--both sparkling and still. A perfect complement to chef Graves creative menu, the dining room, designed by Puccini Restaurant Group in San Francisco, offers an exotic, sensual ambiance, blending different cultural influences, mirroring the diversity of the area. Visit JBar, a 13,000 sq. ft. rooftop world of its own, with palm trees, private cabanas, fire pits, and 120 seat bar and grill.

Our Local Expert Says:

You can spend the whole trip in the Gaslamp district - with Petco, tons of exciting restaurants, shopping and elegant hotels!

Description:

Vibrant, eclectic, and endlessly entertaining, the Gaslamp Quarter covers more than 16 city blocks of downtown San Diego in the area once infamously known as Stingaree, with hundreds of specialty shops and dozens of trendy restaurants, bars and avant-garde playhouses. Most of the shops keep late hours, so delightful shopping, drinking, and dining can occur virtually simultaneously. Cutting-edge women's fashions elbow up against exclusive art galleries, and once- run down-hotels have undergone multi-million dollar makeovers and found new and chic lives. The San Diego Convention Center is just steps away from the Gaslamp, and during major conventions the flow of souvenir-hunting attendees floods the area. For an upscale shopping mall experience, the adjacent Horton Plaza offers major department stores and a hundred or so mall shops set in an architecturally amusing maze of bridges, stairways, and intricately tiled walls. If you have just a few hours to devote to shopping - or San Diego itself - spend the time and the money here. Credit card acceptance varies by business.

Description:

Since 1972, San Diego's Dog Beach has been a legal 24/7 off-leash paradise for dogs and their humans. It offers 38 acres of sand where the San Diego River meets the Pacific Ocean. Please pick up after your pet.

Description:

Designed by a local architect, this informal cafe is a tiny, angular room located near Horton Plaza. The indoor area includes just six wooden tables. Most patrons eat outside on the sidewalk tables. The breakfast menu is the most popular, featuring Joe's Special (a Frittata with eggs, potatoes, spinach and peppers). Other breakfast favorites include home-baked scones and muffins, as well as Pumpkin Waffles. For lunch, the Cafe Burger is a hit, served with Goat Cheese.

Our Local Expert Says:

Sunset Cliffs Park, at the southern end of Sunset Cliffs Drive provides walking trails and a good place for dog exercise

Description:

Sunset Cliffs might be a familiar name to many locals, but the real beaches and cliffs of the area are found by only a select few. Natives can often be seen walking to and from the boardwalk lined streets of Ocean Beach, crossing over cliffs of all shapes and sizes in order to find the perfect beach spot. Lined by some of the area's greatest views, this area in Ocean Beach is spread out for many and showcases some of the real beauty of the area. Pack a picnic and enjoy lunch on the grassy knolls that float atop some of the higher spots, or creep down into the secret beach alcoves where only a sprinkling of natives call home. Ocean Beach's Sunset Cliffs are a place to visit when the weather is fine and you're feeling a bit adventurous.

Description:

Why not Frisbee Golf? Sports of all description, from the inane to the most inventive, are here for everyone to enjoy. On the Frisbee course, participants heave their Frisbees through hoops to make par! Recently, the National Wheelchair Rugby finals were held at this site. Morley Field is the home of the Balboa Tennis Club with 25 hard tennis courts and several prestigous tournaments held annually. Classes and clincs are offered. Also at Morley Field, is a public pool, archery ranges, playgrounds, soccer, softball,and baseball fields, a bicycle velodome and a 24 hour off-leash dog park.

Description:

Stop to smell the roses, all 2,200 bushes of them! This rose garden in Balboa Park is home to 178 varieties. April and May offer the best season for viewing, but flowers are in bloom anytime between March and December. With free admission, the award-winning garden offers beauty, tranquility and an incredible variety of rose scents. It is no surprise that this rose garden is the most popular spot for weddings in the entire Balboa Park.

Our Local Expert Says:

You can easily devote at least a whole day to wandering around this huge urban park. Package deals are available for museum entrances, and can include the San Diego Zoo, at the north end of the park, as well.

Description:

The world-renowned San Diego Zoo is only one part of this magnificent 1,200-acre city park that was built for the 1915-1916 Panama-California Expo. California's Hispanic roots were celebrated as the city erected breathtakingly ornate Spanish-style buildings, which were eventually permanently restored. So much more than just an urban park, it is home to the zoo, 14 museums, a pipe organ pavilion, botanical gardens, international cultural centers, theaters and performance venues, an antique carousel, off leash dog parks, sports fields, hiking trails, a tennis center, municipal pool, and a miniature-scale train. The December Nights Celebration is held the first weekend of December annually and this popular event is an opportunity for the whole family to enjoy pageants, plays, food and music all in the tradition of the Christmas holidays.

Our Local Expert Says:

If the weather is fine, opt to sit on the garden patio!

Description:

Graciously housed in the House of Hospitality, this venue has hosted myriad weddings, parties and intimate dinners. Casual elegance with a Spanish-fusion flavor is on the menu in the heart of Balboa Park. Zesty seafood paella, wild mushroom risotto, or adobo braised pork will all have your taste buds shouting "olé." The Chicken Milanese is richly flavored with garlic and sage, served with rosemary-infused potatoes with arugula in a tomato concasse. If you want plainer food, try the Prado Cheeseburger. The luscious dessert tray varies daily.

Our Local Expert Says:

One of the best blues venues in the city, there is a live band every night, 362 days a year. The dance floor is minuscule, but usually packed with dancers doing west coast swing or freestyle.

Description:

Gaslamp's Patrick's II is highlighted for the older crowd who still know how to have a great time. With live music year round, and a special happy hour drink menu, you should never worry about spending too much here (free cover Sunday through Thursday). Patrick's II has the essentials for a fun time in downtown San Diego, so enjoy yourself and relive the golden days.

Description:

Enjoy eating your breakfast overlooking the oceanfront on a warm sunny morning? Eat up while the sun comes up at Shades Oceanfront Bistro, located at the bottom of Santa Monica in Ocean Beach. The waffle selection is second to none, the service is friendly and efficient, and the view is breathtaking. Try a tasty breakfast, lunch, or dinner item, or just sit on the deck and enjoy your beverage at this popular restaurant. Several different entrees include Mexican foods, hickory smoked ribs, and other tantalizing dishes that round out this large menu ensuring your entire family goes home satisfied.

Description:

Located on its own private 15-acre peninsula 4 miles south of downtown Coronado, across the highway from the Silver Strand State Beach, the Loews is an all-inclusive resort destination. It offers a plethora of water-related activities like sailing and jet skiing from its private 80-slip marina; it also has direct, private access to the beach. It's a family-friendly place with special (healthy) kids' menus, supervised children's activities, and teen-themed DVDs and Gameboys to borrow; pets are always welcome at Loews, too. Adult pleasures include romantic gondola rides through the canals of the adjacent Coronado Cays, an exclusive waterside community; fine dining at the excellent Mistral restaurant (ask for table 61 or 64 for best vistas); and a full-service spa, one of the few in Southern California to offer watsu, the shiatsu-influenced massage that is given as you float in a pool heated to body temperature.

Facilities: 2 restaurants; 1 bar; 3 outdoor pools; 3 tennis courts and lessons; fitness center and classes; spa; 2 Jacuzzis; watersports; gondola rides; surf lessons; kids and teens programs and services; concierge; business center; boutique; 24-hr. room service; babysitting; pet-sitting service; shoeshine service; laundry service; dry cleaning; private beach access; herb garden

Description:

This is how San Diego must have looked prior to the landing of the Spanish in 1542. Spread over 5,200 acres, over 40 miles of trails wend through a magnificent variety of habitats, including rugged hills, peacefull valleys, a lake, riparian woodlands,and some of the last remaining grasslands in the area. Found there are numerous bird species, including both golden and bald eagles, and wildlife such as coyotes, bobcats, foxes and possibly mountain lions. Cowles Mountains, at 1592 feet is the highest point in San Diego, and climbing it, or East or West Fortuna Mountains, affords spectacular 360 degree views from their peaks. Of historical significance is the remains of the Old Mission Dam, built on the San Diego River by Kumeyaay Indian slave labor to supply irrigation water to the Mission San Diego de Alcala, the first of the chain of missions established by Junípero Serra in California. Scattered throughout the park, close to the course of the river, are remnants of "morteros', or grinding rocks, where the Kumeyaay ground acorns into flour. Lake Murray, a reservoir with recreational opportunities is a part of Mission Trails Park and there is one campground near the Old Mission Dam area.. The visitor center, open daily, is architecturally outstanding, and worth a visit for the dramatic views. Guided hikes and interpretive programs are offered regularly.

Description:

This restaurant is so familiar to many local diners that they use a nickname for one of the dining rooms - it is known as 'The Hearth Room'. The building that houses this restaurant was formerly a thrift shop, but has been renovated into a lively local cafe. Available seating areas include an outdoor garden patio (with a large clock, green umbrellas and tall trees), the front dining room, as well as the Hearth Room, hosting a wood-burning fireplace. The menu is vast and rather unusual. Try the Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings or Pan-Roasted Mussels.

Description:

This should be your first stop when planning to spend any time in the Mission Bay area. Here, you will find water regulations for Mission Bay Park, a self-guided tour map, and a small gift shop. Of course, information about all city accommodations, dining and attractions is available here, as well as discount coupons. If you have any questions or concerns about the area, you should bring them here to be answered.