San Diego Overnighter

We have been to San Diego on several occasions but this is the first time I am writing about our visit there. San Diego has always had perfect weather for the most part. Very seldom have I been there when the weather didn't cooperate with my visit. It is usually "just right"--not too hot, not too cold with the evenings perfect for sleeping. San Diego is a large city, but not too big to get around fairly easily with many of its prime attractions being located near downtown and the beachfront areas. In fact the beaches in San Diego are one its very best attractions. On this particular visit, we had relatives visiting from Tucson, Arizona over the long Memorial Day weekend and we were able to spend some time with them. We were able to visit the Old Town area, the hotel Coronado, and the Maritime Museum.

Quick Tips:

We did happen to walk by the aircraft carrier Midway prior to its opening. What a huge ship! It only opened after our visit so it will be one destination on my to do list for San Diego.

Best Way To Get Around:

It depends a lot on what you will be doing. If you will be getting outside of the city proper, a car would be the most convenient way to get around. If you are going to remain near the downtown area, then walking, taxis or even public transportation would be sufficient.

I would consider this motel average or slightly below average. It was clean, but the rooms were small and unremarkable in decor. Since the only thing we did was bathe, change clothes and sleep, I suppose you could say our unit served its purpose. However, I'm glad we were only here for one night. Its location in Mission Circle was convenient to most of the attractions in and around downtown San Diego--in just a few minutes we could get to the beach or across town. There was a nice swimming pool available for the guests.

This restaurant is at once elegant and enchanting. Upon entering, you are greeted by a warm and friendly atmosphere ready to take you away to a wonderful dining experience. The setting is lovely as it perches high on a cliff overlooking the Pacific in La Jolla, which is a few miles north of downtown San Diego. The specialty here is seafood, although chicken, beef and lamb are on the menu along with the usual salad and pasta dishes. There are numerous selections from which to choose. Deciding on one will be your toughest decision of the evening. Once you have chosen your fare, you will have nothing more to worry about except which dessert to cap off your dinner with.

Children of all ages will enjoy this museum and a trip to adventure only limited by your imagination. After paying your admission fee you are free to wander along the harbor front visiting each of the ships at your leisure. Depending on your interest you can study in detail the ships before you or merely step onboard and find a shady spot under a sail to relax and imagine yourself taken back to the 19th century. Each of the ships have their own personality and story and depending on your own tastes, each one will speak to you in their own unique way. Through the use of old photographs, personal accounts and other methods, each of these ships will relate a different adventure to the visitor. You will be able to walk the passageways, lean on the rails, view the captain's cabins, step into the crews' quarters, and walk literally in the footsteps of those sailors who lived and worked on these ships in an era found now only in books.

The Star of India, which dates from the mid 19th century, has been the main attraction here for many years and is the world's oldest active ship. Also on display are the Berkeley, a former steam ferry from San Francisco; the Californian, which was built in 1984 as a replica of the 1847 cutter C.W.Lawrence; the steam yacht Medea, built in 1904; and a retired San Diego bay pilot boat, the Pilot. From time to time there are other ships which may have temporary berthing at the Maritime Museum. The day we were there, the HMS Surprise from the movie Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World was on display, as was the World War II era victory ship the Lane Victory.

We were in San Diego for just a quick visit with some relatives when we all decided it would be fun to run out to the Hotel del Coronado. We had heard much about it and we had seen pictures of it as well as seeing it from afar once, but none of us had ever set foot on its grounds. We thought it would be fun to explore it if we could. We crossed the big bridge onto Coronado Island and were fed into an enchanting village of the same name. We were able to follow the signs and finally found our way to the 'Del', as it is known to the locals. Finding a parking spot was a major accomplishment, as I squeezed our minivan into a spot seemingly too small for it. Our trip had started on a bright note! We entered from the backside walking along the tennis courts, gardens and shops.

We worked our way around to the front entrance and lingered while we viewed all of the activity there. This was a Sunday afternoon and lots of folks were coming and going. So this is how the other half live, we thought to ourselves. We went inside and were told by a 'greeter' that we could wander around the lobby and first floor of the hotel, which we did do for the next 90 minutes or so. It is a beautiful place both inside and out. There are numerous vantage points outside from which to view the spectacular architecture of this venerable lady. Adjacent to the Del is one of America's premiere beaches--a mile and a half long and three hundred yards wide of the finest beach sand anywhere in the world.