Before we became parents, my husband and I loved to travel, reveling in the adventure of exploring new places, new cultures and new cuisines. Perhaps we should’ve started earlier with our kids because we’ve somehow raised two picky eaters attached to their creature comforts. Consequently, vacations have consisted of either theme park- based whirlwinds, requiring a recovery day after the vacation ends, or resort destinations with the requisite pool/beach combo … relaxing but not that exciting.
At last we’ve found a destination that satisfies all our needs … San Diego, a place that has it all. Gorgeous weather and attractions for kids, yes, but also museums, fine cuisine, history. Even ghosts! Historically, San Diego was the first crossroads into Spanish California and is the birthplace of the Golden State. It’s a collection of small, distinct areas, each with their own personality and appeal – Old Town, Coronado, La Jolla and Mission Beach just to name a few. And, as it’s located near the Mexican border, much of it even offers the flavor of another culture. There is so much to see and do that we could have stayed a month and still not have covered everything.
We began our trip where the action is … downtown. No pun intended, but we chose the Omni San Diego Hotel as home base, the only hotel actually connected to a ball field, the Padres’ Petco Park. Our room had amazing views of San Diego Bay and Coronado Island and of course, the park. For the kids, there was a heated pool and Jacuzzi on the roof that stayed open till 10pm. Around the corner was the heart of the historic Gaslamp Quarter, for years a seedy and rundown area that’s been transformed into a National Historic District thanks to a renovation project in the 70’s that restored the original buildings. Today there are fine restaurants, nightclubs and shops that fill the charming sixteen blocks comprised of a mix of Victorian, Western and Spanish revival buildings, streets lit by gas lamps and brick sidewalks. After dinner, a stroll and a quick swim for the kids, we were off to bed, still on east coast time. We wanted to look our best for the pandas.
Balboa Park
After a hearty breakfast at The Broken Yolk café (with more omelet combinations than seemingly possible), we were off to Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo.
Balboa Park is the largest urban cultural park in the U.S. and is home to 15 major museums, performing arts centers, and 1,200 lush acres of magnificent gardens. In 1915 the park was the site of the city’s Panama-California exhibition and later the 1935-36 California Pacific Exhibition. The Exposition committee adorned the park with stately Spanish Colonial style buildings with colonnades and tiled roofs and ornamental plantings from around the world. Often referred to as “The Smithsonian of the West”, it offered the beauty and culture that my husband and I craved. Alas, we all know who was really in charge … first, we were off to the zoo.
San Diego Zoo
Situated on 100 acres within Balboa Park, the world famous San Diego Zoo was actually created in 1916 with the animals left behind from the first exhibition. Its wild animal collection is now the largest in the world with about four thousand animals representing over eight hundred different species. The zoo has developed nine different ecosystems resembling the animals’ natural habitats and some of the zones include Urban Jungle, Africa Rocks, Asian Passage and Polar Rim. Of course, the highlight is the pandas, on loan from the Republic of China. HELPFUL HINT: as there’s always a wait, go during lunch hours when you’ll hopefully catch them awake. We fell in love with the lesser known red pandas lounging on tree branches during our wait to see their famous cousins as well as a family of koalas with the baby riding piggyback on mamma while dad hung out in another tree (no comment). We had to pry ourselves away from the apes, gorillas, and monkey trail, where we found our close relations quite the enthusiastic entertainers. With a 2-visit pass we were able to do the Safari Park on another day, an amazing adventure that puts you on the vast, open plains of Asia and Africa with thousands of animals roaming freely around you. Lions, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes … this was as close as we’re going to get to a real safari for a while and well worth the 30 mile trip.
With variety being the goal of this family vacation, on the following day we returned to Balboa Park, but this time it was culture day. We could easily have spent a week exploring the magnificent architecture and numerous cultural offerings along El Prado but we honed in on just a few: The San Diego Air and Space Museum, chronicling flight history from the experiments of da Vinci to the exploration of Mars; The Museum of Man, featuring a plaster cast of “Lucy”, the oldest skeleton in the world; and The Spanish Village Arts Center, a charming Spanish square filled with art studios and gift shops offering paintings, sculptures and ceramics. Also, the stunning gardens of Balboa Park are a horticultural paradise with tropical, desert, rose, and even butterfly gardens, set amidst ornate fountains, paths and ponds.
When speaking of beauty and history, let’s not forget the famous Hotel Del Coronado, with its distinct round red roofs, domes, and turrets. “The Dell”, as it’s dubbed, is another National Historic Landmark and has some history. It was the first hotel in the world lit by electricity (by some guy named Thomas Edison in 1888), has hosted about a dozen presidents, and was where England’s Prince Edward first met Wallis Simpson, the woman for whom he eventually abdicated his throne. It’s also haunted. We bought the book, “Beautiful Stranger”, after dinner one evening at Sheerwater’s in the hotel and my daughters and I became obsessed with Kate Morgan, the tragic woman who committed suicide at the hotel and supposedly haunts it to this day. Well, fair is fair and after all that history and culture in one day, it was time for LEGOLAND the following day.
It’s true. Old habits are hard to break and this park was one of the highlights of our trip. Boasting over 60 rides and attractions, LEGOLAND is an interactive, fun park that encourages imagination at every turn. There are 5,000 models created from 30 million LEGO bricks, rides and a new water park but the big draw is Miniland USA, a 1:20 scale reproduction of American landmarks including New York City’s new Freedom Tower. To the delight of my husband, the biggest kid of all, we were just in time for the unveiling of an all new STAR WARS area, featuring settings from the series and photo ops with LEGO models of favorite STAR WARS characters. Even the gift shop was a treat; instead of another stuffed animal to be carried everywhere then forgotten about when we returned, my kids got … LEGOS, which they’ll use again and again. Guilt-free gifts!
By the way, if you happen to be visiting San Diego in March or April, check out The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch. Every spring, fifty plus acres of fields explode with brightly colored rows of ranunculus flowers. No need to tour, just pull over on the side of the road for a great view and photo opp.
Sea World
SeaWorld is best visited on one of San Diego’s many sunny days. I say this because when we visited this 150 acre marine life park, the world’s largest of its kind, its star attraction, Shamu felt the need to splash our section not once, not twice, but relentlessly. Okay, my kids did insist on being in “The Soak Zone”, but we negotiated seats at the top of this sure-to-be-splashed section of the Shamu stadium and thought we were out of firing range. No way! Once waterlogged, we hopped on the other water rides like Shipwreck Rapids and Journey to Atlantis but there are dryers there, after all, if you’re drenched. The new show, “One Ocean”, was both entertaining and educational, reminding everyone that we’re all part of the same world. The other must see show is “Blue Horizons”, a Cirque de la Mer acrobatic performance on water, featuring leaping dolphins, diving tropical birds and dramatic music.
Other than rude Shamu, the other animals were quite charming. Sea World offers up- close encounters with penguins, sharks, and whales, but petting the dolphins at Rocky Point Preserve was the most hands-on, literally. For the wee ones, Sesame Street Bay of Play has two acres of toddler friendly rides, character appearances and an expansive play zone. Sure, this was an amusement of the theme park variety, but the kids were also learning about preserving marine life and the environment at every turn. No sushi for dinner!
In fact, we decided to head to Old Town for dinner that night, a popular tourist attraction. Originally a Spanish fort and trading post in the 1800’s, the six block area just north of downtown has been a state historic park since 1968, and features some of California’s oldest adobe and log houses, colorful restaurants and shops. It’s a festive atmosphere where you feel the city’s Spanish and Mexican heritages. There are many guided and self-guided walking tours of this quarter and ghost tours as well. We decided on a self-guided tour (the kids loved the Mason Street School, an original one-room schoolhouse) then had some delicious traditional Mexican food at Café Coyote, home of the famous Grande Margaritas (music to mom’s ears). With over 110 specialty tequilas and fresh tortillas handmade out front, no wonder it is consistently voted “San Diego’s Best Mexican” … and in this town, that’s saying something.
Our last day was spent ride and attraction free in La Jolla (Spanish for “jewel”), where the best thrills of all were the ones that nature made, the spectacular seven mile coastline and sandstone cliffs. Kayaking in La Jolla Cove is a must, with its caves and amazing snorkeling. The sunsets over the bluffs are magnificent and further along the coastline you’ll experience an amazing sight – families of harbor seals swimming, huddled on the rocks, and most surprising of all, beached on the sand along The La Jolla Children’s’ Pool at “Casa Beach”. You can get right next to them on the beach, literally inches away while they lounge and flop about. Talk about a close encounter … no aquarium, zoo or theme park can compete with that!
Hmmm, perhaps we’ve made progress after all.
Where to Stay:
Omni San Diego – Located in the heart of the historic Gaslamp Quarter, this four-star hotel puts you close to everything, with contemporary accommodations that feature views of the bay, city or PETCO Park Stadium, connected to the hotel via a pedestrian skywalk. 625 L Street San Diego CA, 92101; 619 231 6664; www.omnihotels.com
La Valencia Hotel – “The Pink Lady” is a beautiful, historic hotel situated atop La Jolla Cove, featuring magnificent views of the Pacific coastline. You’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time in this beautiful seaside gem, with its Mediterranean inspired architecture and Old World Spanish charm. 1132 Prospect Street La Jolla, CA 92037; 800 451 0772; www.lavalencia.com
What to Do:
San Diego Zoo – Park Blvd and Zoo Place, San Diego, CA 92112; 619 718 3000; www.sandiegozoo.org
San Diego Zoo Safari Park – 15500 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA 92027; 760 747 8702; www.sandiegozoo.org/park/special/tours
Balboa Park – 1549 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101; 619 239 0512; www.balboapark.org
LEGOLAND California, SEA LIFE Carlsbad Aquarium, LEGOLAND Water Park – (Currently under construction: The Nation’s First LEGOLAND Hotel opening summer 2013.)
1 LEGOLAND Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92008; (760) 918-5346; www.LEGOLAND.com
SeaWorld – 500 Sea World Dr., San Diego, CA 92109; 800 380 3203; www.seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-sandiego
Old Town Trolley Tours and Seal Tours of San Diego – (619) 298-8687; www.trolleytours.com; www.sealtours.com
Harbor Tours – Narrated harbor sightseeing excursions and Coronado ferry. (619) 234-4111; www.flagshipsd.com
La Jolla Kayak – Cave tours, snorkeling, bike tours. (858) 459-1114; www.lajollakayak.com
Where to Eat:
Broken Yolk Café, Gaslamp – 355 6th Avenue, San Diego, CA; 338-YOLK; www.thebrokenyolkcafe.com
The Sheerwater Restaurant at Hotel Del Coronado- Casual oceanfront restaurant with outdoor dining terrace and California coastal cuisine. 1500 Orange Avenue, Coronado, CA 92118; 800-468-3533; www.hoteldel.com
Café Coyote– Traditional Mexican food in Old Town for 22 years. 2461 San Diego Avenue, San Diego, CA ; (619) 291-HOWL; www.cafecoyoteoldtown.com