Hot Licks is always worth a quick wander through (and I mean quick; the store is tiny!). It’s a store that specializes in hot sauces and essentially anything that would make your face turn beet red. I can’t say I’ve ever bought anything, but I always get a kick out of the spicy Mexican candies.

Another favorite of mine is the Whitt/Krauss - Objects of Fine Art. Everything may be expensive and overpriced, but it’s fun just to walk through a gallery right by the bay. The only way they could make it any better would be to put it in the bay. Then again, there is a risk of seasickness, so maybe it should stay where it is.

If you’re in a bit of a goofy mood, stop by the village hat shop. Here you can find anything from dainty Sunday hats to hats shaped like birthday cakes. Ample mirrors allow for plenty of laughs. There’s also Crazy Shirts right next door. Family-friendly surfer wear with a twist. Look for shirts dyed with chocolate, wine, and even money.

No vacation is complete without a visit, so don’t forget to put Sea Port Village on your list.

The stores fall mainly into two categoties--clothing and collectibles. In the collectibles/knickknacks category, you can find shops for soaps, windchimes, nostalgia, magic, toys, San Diego-themed merchandise, Christmas decor--you get the picture. Almost ANYTHING can be here, and most of it's highly unique merchandise. In the category of "clothing," the main emphasis of the shops here is "resort wear," for the whole family. You can find the hard-to-find: unusual clothing labels, unique prints, offbeat designs. One store even specializes in clothing that changes color when it gets into the sunlight! Still another category of visitors who'll enjoy Seaport Village is "seafood-lovers."

There are four restaurants here that cater just to seafood! One of them that you REALLY need to know about the San Diego Pier Cafe. This is the type of restaurant that can make a tightwad like me part with a dollar! This restaurant has views unlike any other because it actually sits on stilts out OVER the bay! Yet, it's prices aren't any higher than the other restaurants, with dinner entrees in the $12--$30 range, and lunch sandwiches/entrees ranging from $8-$17. Try to sit in the "back deck" area--its floor-to-ceiling windows ensure that you WILL get a bay view no matter where you sit. The Harbor House is an award-winning seafood restaurant with lunches ranging from $9-$25 and dinners from $18-30. Although not over the water, it, too has bay views. So does the Edgewater Grill, a seafood restaurant with entrees in the $11-$28 range--although their best views are from an outdoor patio. Not only the fine-dining restaurants have great views. Marion's Fish Market is a casual-dining seafood restaurant that has patio dining along the waterfront. There are other casual-dining opportunities to fit every taste--Italian, Greek, Mexican, and American--burgers, sandwiches, and even hot dogs.

In addition to shopping and dining, you can hear live musical entertainment at the gazebo on weekend afternoons. A beautiful 1895 hand-carved carousel will delight the children in your group.

On a return visit after many years' absence,we were astonished by how much things had changed,yet how many things had remained the same. The shell store,the South Paw(for lefties only),the kite shop,a number of our favorites were still a part of Seaport Village. Many new restaurants had been added,but our favorite Greek cafe was still here. During the summer, on Saturdays and Sundays, musical groups perform at various spots in the plazas,just as,years ago,I first saw break dancing performed for free at Seaport Village. For kids, the beautifully restored 1890 carousel with its hand-carved flying horses is still an irresistible draw, and the Time Out Family Amusement Center draws those more attracted to contemporary game-playing.

For those tourists stopping in San Diego prior to going on a cruise to Mexico,there are shops selling apparel for everyone in the family,apparel ranging from extremely casual to extremely extreme. For art lovers,there's Wyland Galleries; for patriots, Alamo Flags. Seaport Village is another San Diego "institution" that really comes alive during the summer,a kind of Tourist Point Central. It typifies the San Diego accent on family fun in the sun and it is well-worth spending a lazy afternoon soaking up some of its San Diego flavor. Two hours of parking is free if you show proof of any purchase -the tariff thereafter is $2.00 an hour. Show your California Auto Club card at the Seaport Coffee & Fudge Shop and get a VIP shopping pass for discounts & specials.Its location right next to the recently remodelled and expanded Convention Center and its proximity to many downtown hotels could not be better for the carless tourist, who, still wants to be where the action is.