San Diego!

I love San Diego! This is such a beautiful city with so much to see and do! Its the second largest city in California but it still has a small town feel to it!

Take a Walking Tour:

Either take an organized walking tour or make one of your own! Walking is the best way to see a city and find the interesting places you might have missed if you were travelling by bus or car! I took part in a free and organized walking tour of the downtown area. It was taken by Thomas, a volunteer of Hostelling International and he had lived in the city for about 12 years and was really well informed on the area. We walked through the Gaslamp quarter, through the shopping district, to the railway station, along the harbour to the marina and back through the Gaslamp quarter. We were given lots of information on the architecture, history and culture of the areas we passed through and it was also a great way to ask questions and meet other travellers. Thomas told us about local bars, cafes and restaurants that he recommended, one of which was Vin De Syrah which I later visited (see nightlife.)

Visit the Gaslamp District:

The historic heart of San Diego, this area is full of interesting architecture. It is very lively with lots of shops, bars, restaurants and clubs. Just take a walk up and down the streets and look at the architecture. A lot of the buildings have the dates they were built and the name of the developer written on them, also keep your eye out for information plaques on the walls of some of the buildings. Take a walk down 5th and when you meet L you will find the archway into the Gaslamp district. If you make it here, cross the road over to the convention centre, just opposite on Harbor Drive and climb the steps to get a great view of the city. There is also an observation deck up there that you can look out over the bay!

Explore Balboa Park:

Spend some time exploring Balboa park and its beautiful gardens! If you are interested in going to any museums then this is the place to come to! You will also see street performers lining the main walk ways. There is also some very beautiful architecture to keep your eye out for.

San Diego Zoo:

The zoo which is located in Balboa park is absolutely enormous and has everything from Polar Bears, Pandas and snow leopards to gorillas, lions and elephants! You could spend a whole day exploring this place and the zoo itself is a very beautiful place. There are bus tours that you can take around the zoo but I chose to do it on foot. The enclosures are large and well maintained and the animals look well cared for. There are plenty of places to buy food, drink and souvenirs inside the zoo. Be prepared to stand in a long line up to see the Pandas, especially if you visit on the weekend!

Hillcrest Farmers Market:

If you are a lover of food like I am, you will love the Hillcrest Farmers market. The market is on every Sunday from 9am-2pm and is full of stalls selling fresh fruit and veg, bakery items, jewelry and artwork. There are lots of street food venders selling cuisine from all around the world, so skip breakfast and enjoy as much food as you can once you get there! There was also a band playing at the market and the atmosphere was great! You can catch the number 7 bus from downtown to Park and university, walk west along University to Normal st which is where you will find the market.

Watch the Sunset in La Jolla:

La Jolla is a beautiful part of San Diego and I wish I had more time to explore the area. I went there late in the afternoon to watch the sunset with some people I met at the hostel. They had a car rental so we also drove into the town and around some of the residential areas. There are lots of nice little shops, cafes and restaurants (although I think it is a very expensive area!) If you have a car drive round the coast line and look at the beautiful beach front houses! Sunset was around 7pm and we sat along the sea walls watching the sun sink into the sea. We then walked down to the beach which was lined with seals!

Visit Little Italy for lunch:

Visit little Italy for an afternoon walk and some yummy food! You can easily walk there from downtown and a nice walk is along the marina/harbour. When you get to the Maritime museum cross the street and head up to India street where you will find the gateway into little Italy. If you walk along the harbour front in the early evening you will also see the sunset over the bay!

Nightlife:

I spent my nights out in the Gaslamp quarter as this was where I was staying. There are lots of bars and clubs in the area and one I would recommend visiting is Vin De Syrah. The bar is located on the corner of 5th and E, under The Melting Pot restaurant. It is an Alice in Wonderland themed bar and it is so unique and interesting! You enter the bar down some steps which takes you to a small room where the walls are covered in artificial foliage, made to look like tall bushes. At first you can't see the door, but the trick is to find your way through the rabbit hole into the club! It is funny as there is a CCTV camera in the room and a TV screen in the bar so you can watch people confused and looking for the entrance! Once you find your way in, the bar is decorated with more artificial bushes, umbrellas hanging from the ceilings, playing cards stuck all over the place, big plush throne like chairs and mason jars shrug from the ceiling with twinkling fairy lights inside! If you need the restroom you will pass through the looking glass to get there! There is a dance floor in the centre of the room and a DJ playing the latest club music. Its free to get in and the drinks are standard price.