Travel Blogger Daily Post: 5 Things To Know About Visiting Sunny San Diego

Tip Tips On Traveling To This California Paradise Destination

By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Travel Blogger

I lived there for a few months and learned some things about being in San Diego that you’re unlikely to find in other tour guides.

1.) All About The Gaslamp Quarter

The place to stay and to play – at night – is San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. It has European-style cafes, happening bars, roaring multi-level nightlife (most places have an upstairs lounge and downstairs club, so be sure and everything out when you go into one of the bars), rooftop bars, live music venues, upscale and kickback bars. It’s also buzzing with activity during conventions. So if you’re wondering where to stay when in San Diego it’s a no-brainer: The Gaslamp.

2.) The San Diego Beaches

Here’s a quick rundown on the individual beaches.

Ocean Beach – Traditional hippies hangout, it’s now got a few nice and new places to go along with its old dive bars. South Beach restaurant & bar is known by many locals to have th best fish tacos in San Diego.

Mission Beach – This is the most happening beach town in San Diego. Much of the activity is focused around the rollercoaster, which is laughingly small by amusement park standards but does provide a quick thrill by the beach.

Pacific Beach – The traditional “good looking people” party beach it’s still good but right now, I actually prefer Mission Beach.

La Jolla – Beautiful cove, gorgeous cliffs and quaint town. Jose’s has good margaritas. Streets are deserted by 9 p.m.

3.) Use The Public Transportation: Train/Bus System

If you’ve been to Los Angeles and then go to San Diego, then you’ll probably not pay any attention to using the public transportation system. But don’t overlook it, because it’s great. The red train (they actually call it a “tram”) has stops downtown/Gaslamp and goes all the way to Old Town. The buses run from Old Town to all the beaches and over to Coronado as well as to Balboa Park. A sign at the bus stop has a code you punch into your phone; within seconds you get a text telling you when the next three buses arrive at that stop. And they are on time! Amazing. I wish we had this kind of public transportation service in L.A.

4.) Be Sure To Visit San Diego’s Little Italy

This is one of my favorite little places in San Diego. A one-stop ride along the tram from the Gaslamp will get you there from downtown/Gaslamp; it will take about 20 minutes to walk there and it’s about a 3-minute Lyft/Uber ride. There you’ll find an English pub, some really good pizza places – PubClub.com’s favorite is – Filippi’s Pizza Grotto which is also an Italian market – and a must-stop for a beer is Waterfront Bar & Grill, the oldest bar in San Diego. Oh, and it was once on the waterfront. It’s also great for that “morning after” Bloody Mary breakfast.

5.) Take The Coronado Ferry

Forget driving over the bridge, take the ferry! It’s dock is right behind the Convention Center and it drops you off at an area full of shops and restaurants. You’ll have to take a bus to get to the Hotel Del Coronado and its area of more shops, restaurants and bars but it’s a carefree way to get across San Diego Bay. It’s only something like $5 a trip and it will get you on the water.

BONUS: The Top Gun Bar

Okay, everyone visiting San Diego – downtown at least – wants to know about the Top Gun bar. Where is it and did they really film scenes of the movie here? Well it’s called Kansas City Barbeque and it’s downtown across from the Convention Center. Yes, they filmed scenes from the movie there and in fact knocked out part of a wall at the bar to accommodate the lights and cameras.

This is a dive bar that was one of my favorite “have a beer” watering holes downtown. The BBQ is pretty good but it’s not the kind that will bring you back to it. The characters on both sides of the bar will bring you back, tho.

Cheers!