Downtown San Diego Advice

Hello all. I really like all of the advice on this site! You guys are awesome!! So, here is my question - it%26#39;s a biggie!

My husband and I (no kids) are traveling to San Diego and staying for 4 nights. We are in our mid thirties and we are staying in the downtown area which I have visited once briefly and I REALLY liked the area.

We are planning on staying in the area (no rental car), except for one day in which we will rent a car to go to the Wild Animal Park to do the Photo Caravan.

Here is what I am looking for - restaurant and sophisticated nightlife recommendations in the downtown area.

Also, any other recommendations for things to do/see downtown that we can do without a rental car? We like beaches too, and I think we will take the ferry to Coronado and maybe try to get a surf lesson (my husband, not me).

Any advice would be MUCH appreciated. Thank you!

Owl Girl

Downtown San Diego Advice

Great place to say and lots to do and see downtown - right at San Diego Bay www.thebigbay.com - great idea to a ferry ride over to Coronado and go to the beach there, it%26#39;s a fantastic beach.

For nightlife, part of downtown is the Gaslamp District www.gaslamp.org - lots of clubs and nightlife within easy walking distance of any downtown area hotel. Lots of great restaurants in the Gaslamp District too (Croce%26#39;s, Blue Point Coastal Cuisine among them) and also in Little Italy www.littleitalysd.com

If you want to see another area, you can easily take the trolley (train) to Old Town for about $4 round trip, and explore there as well http://gothere.com/sandiego/oldtown/

Downtown San Diego Advice

Awesome Chissis! Thank you so much for the web sites. I appreciate it.

I%26#39;ll second chissis on Blue Point - excellent seafood! Kind of pricy but definitely worth it if you%26#39;re into to fresh Maine lobsters!

A favorite of ours: Go to the top of the Hyatt for cocktails - the views are amazing. You can also charter a sailboat (with captain) at the marina and go sailing at sunset.

You should try to see the play Triple Espresso. The theater is downtown and the play is very funny. I highly recommend it.

From downtown without a car, you can hit all of the Gaslamp district, Seaport Village, the East Village (get tickets for a Padre game!). A great place to eat, if you like steaks, is the Gaslamp Strip Club... they bring you your food raw, and there are several large grilles throughout the restaurant and you cook the food yourself. Its a lot of fun, easy way to meet new people, and the food is great. All that is within walking distance.

As they mentioned, catch the trolley to old town, and hit up dinner at Casa de Bandini (though new ownership took over the whole area, so I dont know if that restaurant%26#39;s still there or if it just changed names, but it had the BEST margaritas). Even better, catch the Coaster train (the commuter train that runs from downtown SD up to Oceanside) up along the coast, hop off in Solana Beach to hit the beach, or hop off in Encinitas to catch what a real southern california beach town looks like, with great shopping and great beaches.

Catch a cab to Balboa Park and you could spend a whole day there, including the SD Zoo, the best in the world.

If you guys are photographers, definitely get yourself to La Jolla for sunset, the most gorgeous spot. Maybe on your way back from the Wild Animal Park... take the 76 all the way west to the 5, then head south... exit La Jolla Village Dr and go west, then left on Torrey Pines Rd and head down into La Jolla, follow the signs to La Jolla Cove. Great tidepools and the best spot to watch the sunset.

Check my website for SD photos!

http://www.chrisaustin.us/index2.html