Horton Plaza is a multi-level outdoor mall in downtown San Diego that is adjacent to the historical Gas Lamp Quarter.
It has very picturesque colors and architecture. There are colored tile mosaics, walls, and flags everywhere, and walkways coming and going in all directions. They even have a clock from the 1907 World's Fair in Sacremento.
Oh, and they have great shopping too, with anchor stores like Nordstrom's, Macy's, Mervyn's, and over 100 other stores and lots of kiosk merchants.
Horton Plaza has a large parking garage, and up to 3 hours of parking is free if you buy anything (even a candy bar) in Horton Plaza. This means you can park in Horton Plaza and go shopping and sightseeing in both Horton Plaza and the Gas Lamp Quarter.
The locals probably think it is too touristy, but Horton Plaza is not to be missed! Even if you don't enjoy shopping, the colors and architecture at Horton Plaza are worth seeing.