THE US SAN DIEGO NEIGHBOURHOODS DESTINATIONS
W
hen it comes to big-name West Coast destinations,
San Francisco and Los Angeles get the lion’s share of the limelight. But San Diego is hot on their heels. California’s second-largest
city by area, San Diego is just as easily accessible from the UK as its famous siblings, with a host of airlines including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic offering direct flights. San Diego’s restaurant and nightlife scene is booming, the beaches are breathtaking and the attractions abundant and diverse. Plus the highlights are pretty close together, so clients can pack a lot in, whether you sell them San Diego as a long weekend add-on to a larger itinerary or make it their Californian casa.
w DOWNTOWN Why go: Those who want to step out of their hotel lobby and straight into the action should bag digs in downtown. Visitors can explore on foot or take a seat on the hop-on, hop-off Old Town Trolley tour. Do Something Different offers a one-day pass for £28 for adults and £14 for children, with two-day passes from £45/£27. What to do: Stroll along the waterfront promenade that hugs San Diego Bay, perhaps stopping to browse at the souvenir shops of Seaport Village, or ride the 19th-century carousel with its
wood-carved horses. San Diego is a hub of US seafaring history, so to get up to speed on the whys and wherefores, visitors should check out the Maritime Museum of San Diego, which boasts two submarines and a tall ship. The neighbouring USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum features more than two dozen aircraft on its giant deck (adults £14, children £8 with Do Something Different). Another must-do is the Hornblower Harbor Tour, which offers a view back to the city skyline, while taking in the outlying islands and Point Loma naval base.
Clients will also sail by
Coronado Island, famed for its mile-and-a-half soft-sand beach and the whimsical Queen Anne revival-style Hotel Del Coronado, where Marilyn Monroe’s Some Like it Hot was filmed. For those who fancy going back later to join the sunbathers and swimmers, a water taxi runs between Coronado and Seaport Village. When it comes to dining out,
downtown is brimming with independent restaurants run by ambitious young chefs eager to make their mark on San Diego’s thriving gourmet scene. One option is to head to the Little Italy area. As well as offering fine dining, or pasta like mamma used to make, this neighbourhood is full of atmosphere, and there’s
a mini piazza with a fountain and al fresco dining. Once you’ve lined your
stomach, the Gaslamp Quarter is the place for a night of hedonistic pleasure. Innumerable bars and nightspots line the 16 blocks of restored and ornate Victorian buildings here. Once San Diego’s red-light district, this area is abuzz with bands and entertainers playing into the wee hours. Where to stay: The newly refurbished, 436-room Westin San Diego offers amazing views from the rooms located on floors 10 to 25. Accommodation is spacious with pleasing pastel-coloured soft furnishings, while a pool deck offers more views of the bay.
w LA JOLLA Why go: This chic, trendy neighbourhood with its broad avenues and delightful coves lies to the north of downtown San Diego, and is home to upscale galleries, boutiques, eateries and designer-wear stores. “La Jolla is a great walking town with that sophisticated southern California allure,” says Brendan MacDonagh of North America Travel Service. What to do: Those who love wild and untamed scenery could take a hike through the 800-hectare Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, where the rare and indigenous torrey pines stud well- marked, undulating trails that lead across sandstone cliffs to
spectacular beaches such as Flat Rock. Another highlight is the cliff-top Torrey Pines Gliderport, where visitors can watch hang gliders soaring over the ocean – or even sign up for a lesson themselves. Finally, for a view of this quintessentially Californian stretch of coastline, drive up to Mount Soledad memorial, a hill-top vantage point with a monument to war veterans. Where to stay: For those seeking upscale luxury, the arts and crafts-style 170-room Lodge at Torrey Pines is sumptuous, and features the esteemed A R Valentien restaurant and an 18-hole Rees Jones-designed golf course. Five nights’ room only with flights and rental car in June cost from £1,595 per person with North America Travel Service.
w MISSION VALLEY Why go: Lying north of downtown, Mission Valley, a lowland area through which the San Diego River flows, offers low-cost hotels that are perfectly placed for accessing hip neighbourhoods, hot retail centres and the green lung of the city, Balboa Park. What to do: Idle away a Sunday morning at the Hillcrest Farmers’ Market taste-testing local produce, then check out the eclectic cafes, bric-a-brac and vintage stores of this funky neighbourhood. For a culture
7 July 2016
travelweekly.co.uk 43
TOP TIP Pick up a Go San Diego card for entry to 45 attractions. A one-day pass starts at £60 with Attraction World
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
