5 Top Things To Do From The Beaches To The Gaslamp
San Diego is one of America’s great cities. It’s as sunny as you think it is, there are beaches and a lot more, and the people are as cheerful as the weather.
But what if you only had one day to spend in San Diego? It would be impossible to do everything, but I used to live there and here are my Top 5 suggestions.
My first suggestion, tho, is to stay overnight in the Gaslamp. That’s San Diego’s version of downtown and it is full of restaurants, cafes and sensational bars and nightlife. Click here for more on where to eat and drink in the Gaslamp.
1.) Ride Bikes Along Mission Beach & Pacific Beach
You can’t go to San Diego without going to the beach, and here the two main ones are Mission Beach and Pacific Beach. They are right next to each other and there’s even a rollercoaster in Mission Beach. Begin your day here. Rent a bike and cruise The Strand (NOT a boardwalk), a sidewalk of sorts that goes right along the beaches. There’s plenty of place to stop and eat (and drink) for breakfast and lunch, plus shop for beachy-type of stuff.
Time Allotment: 4 hours.
2.) Go Snorkeling In La Jolla Cove
While you’re in the neighborhood, head one beach north to gorgeous La Jolla. There, you’ll find cliffs plunging into the Pacific and seals hanging out within full view of you. Get yourself wet in the Pacific by going swimming or even snorkeling (equipment available for rent) in La Jolla Cove.
Time Allotment: 2 hours.
Transportation Tip: To get to these places from the Gaslamp, you can take public transportation (yes, in Southern California!). Catch the trolly to Old Town, then a bus to Mission Beach. From there, catch a bus to Pacific Beach and then to La Jolla. They actually run on time and the signs have codes to put into your phone which sends you a text about the arrival time of the next bus. Bikes can go on the trams and buses.
3.) Take The Ferry To Coronado & See The Hotel Del
Hurry back to the Gaslamp area (actually, just get off the trolly at the convention center) and take a short ferry ride across San Diego Bay to the island of Coronado. If you’ve got a bike, it’s a 15-minute ride to the famous Hotel Del, the stylish wooden hotel that was featured in the movie Some Like It Hot. It’s also where Jimmy Buffett wrote the song “Pre-You.” If you don’t have a bike, you can catch a bus from the ferry drop-off dock.
The ferry departs from a dock behind the convention center.
Time Allotment: 2 1/2 hours
4.) Visit The Top Gun Bar
Kansas City BBQ is a dive joint across from the convention center where the bar scenes from the Tom Cruise movie Top Gun were filmed (“Great Balls Of Fire” and when Meg Ryan’s character said “Goose, you big stuuuud! Take me to bed now or lose me forever!” Sit at the bar and ask the bartender “is this where Top Gun was filmed” and they will break into a one-minute routine that explains it all you you. There are bras hanging from the ceiling and the beers and drinks are cheap here; told you it’s a dive joint! The BBQ is pretty good, too, tho that’s not what you will remember from this place.
Time Allotment: 30 minutes to 1 hour
5.) Dinner & Drinks In The Gaslamp
There’s so much here the choices can be overwhelming. The best street to cruise is 5th Ave. Here’s a few PubClub.com favorites. Barley Mash: this is a nice sports-and-everything bar with food that looks like bar food but its really pretty good. It’s one of of the best singles scenes and be sure and check out Ginger’s down the stairs. Seersucker: right across from Barley Mash, more upscale with a very good mingling bar scene. Cafe Sevilla: Sit at the bar, enjoy the sangria, have some tapas and listen to the band. There’s a nightclub downstairs. Vin de Syrah: this is a great bar (901 5th Ave.) with a cool DJ, and a kind of funky lounge, artists scene. To get in, you go down stairs and are staring at for ivy walls. You have to guess which one is the door.
Time Allotment: Until last call/closing time (2 a.m.)
Keep in mind that all these are great ways to spend your time in San Diego and take your time to enjoy each one of them. If you find yourself enjoying one place and don’t want to leave, then don’t leave.
Just come back for another trip.
Cheers!
Thank you for sharing, interesting article. I will be here in just two days, but I will have a rental car and therefore I think I will have time to visit all the places that I have planned.