California Paradise

It sounds cliche, but don't miss the San Diego Zoo - it is worth a visit. I recommend a sunset sailboat cruise around the harbor - very romantic! Visits to La Jolla, Cleveland National Forest, and Torrey Pines Beach are also highly recommended.

Quick Tips:

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We rented a car at the airport - it was moderately expensive, but San Diego is a very easy city to drive around. It was extremely helpful for us to have a car. Without it, trips to Cleveland National Forest, La Jolla, Torrey Pines, Mission Beach, and other out-of-town places we visited would have been impossible.

The landmark "Del" is a beautiful old hotel, and is among the most famous hotels in the U.S. Almost 120 years old, the Del has been updated several times, resulting in some very small and oddly-shaped rooms in the main structure of the hotel. More standard rooms (in size and decor) are available in the seven-story tower built in (I believe) the late 1960s. The rooms in the older part of the hotel are small and plainly furnished. Be sure to request a room with ocean view, since many of the rooms have no view at all. I thought that the rooms were a bit mundane for the price, but it''s really the whole "Del" experience that you are paying for.

The hotel complex is spectacular. The red-roofed, wooden structure is elegant, with a sweeping veranda and instantly recognizable cupola towering over the beach. The hotel has a wonderful pool, complete with pool bar and outdoor patio restaurant (serving sandwiches, salads, burgers and hot dogs, etc...) The Del is situated on a gorgeous stretch of beachfront property. The wide beach, made famous in the Marilyn Monroe film "Some Like it Hot," looks much now as it did in the movie, with a magnificent view of the grand old hotel behind you as you lie on the sand. (Just be aware that the other end of Coronado is home to an Air Force base, and low-flying military planes are a regular occurance.)

My favorite part of the Del is the rich, wood-paneled lobby. Decorated in the dark, heavy style of the Victorian-era, it is a great place to meet for a drink. The old-fashioned elevator, complete with filigreed "cage" is a beauty. The "Crown" dining room, which features crown-shaped chandeliers designed by "Wizard of Oz" author Frank Baum, is the where Sunday Brunch is served - don''t miss it! Although the brunch is a tad on the expensive side (I don''t remember the exact price) the food was very good and plentiful and dining in the famous room is a real treat.

The Del also has a basement shopping concourse, with very nice shops and services, as well as an interesting photo-history of the hotel lining the walls.

There is also a spa. I had a massage and whirlpool in the 20s-style spa and was very pleased.

I also attended a small wedding held in one of the beach-front cabanas - the food and service were excellent.

While the rooms are so-so, the hotel itself is perfectly lovely. Go there for the whole experience - if you are only looking for a room to sleep in while you check out San Diego, I wouldn''t recommend staying here. However, if you are looking to spend some time at your hotel, a few days at the Del is a vacation in itself.

http://www.hoteldel.com/

The Glorietta Bay Inn is located directly across the street from the famous Hotel del Coronado. The elegant main building of Glorietta Bay was once a mansion owned by a member of Coronado''s high society, and houses the main lobby and eleven antique-filled guest rooms. Two or three modern motel-style buildings were built on the grounds and house more standard rooms with basic decor. The rooms are clean, the hotel is ideally situated, and rooms here are much, much cheaper than at the Hotel del Coronado.

Glorietta Bay does not have a restaurant, but there are plenty (including the Chart House and the Hotel Del''s many restaurants) within walking distance. They have a decent swimming pool, and boat rental (kayak and sailboat) is located within walking distance. The beach is just across the street with access by the Hotel Del. The front desk rents bicycles for a modest fee - it''s a great way to see Coronado!

I stayed here for a business/pleasure trip. It''s not the type of hotel I typically opt for (I usually go for smaller places with some character), but I was very pleased with the rooms and service. We had a large, clean, nicely decorated room with all the amenities, a balcony and a terrific view of the marina. The service was excellent - the front desk was very good with directions and restaurant recommendations, and we were very pleased with room service and housekeeping''s special attention).

The Marriott Hotel and Marina is a huge complex, with two high-rise towers and over 1000 rooms. There are numerous banquet and conference facilites, several restaurants, and a lovely pool area. The hotel is within easy walking distance of a very nice waterfront pedestrian shopping area that features several restaurants and bars, and is also within walking distance to the historic Gaslamp Quarter.

The Cheese Shop is a funky breakfast spot/deli that serves up an incredible breakfast and also makes a mean bagel sandwich. We had breakfast here several times while staying in the nearby San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina. Hearty breakfasts, gourmet sandwiches, lovely homemade desserts (cookies, brownies, cake!), and more are served up in the kitschy atmosphere of a restored brick carriage house. The service is friendly and fast. They have several tables on the sidewalk which are very nice in good weather. We loved it - we even got lunch to go here for the plane ride home to spare us from another Continental culinary nightmare. We were the only happy people on the plane!

Bella Luna provided us with one of the best Italian meals we have ever had (and I have lived in Italy). The food is so good here that we thought we had died and gone to pasta heaven. Their pink sauce is incredible - not too creamy, with just the right blend of tomato. They also make outstanding potato gnocchi. The chef prepares a special risotto each evening that is worth checking out. Their bread is superb. The entire menu is wonderful - I can't say enough about this little Italian restaurant. They have really put a lot of thought and effort into their recipes and everything they make is delicious. The service is excellent - wait staff is friendly and outgoing without being pushy or intrusive. The moon-themed decor is eclectic and soothing, and there is an outdoor dining patio that is lovely in warm weather. There are a lot of Italian restaurants in the Gaslamp Quarter on 5th (many with hostesses standing outside vying for your business), but I would always opt for Bella Luna over all of them.

George's is a bit of an institution in La Jolla, and is highly touristed as a result. However, the high quality of the food hasn't suffered in spite of its popularity. We most recently visited the Terrace at George's (the restaurant consists of the main George's at the Cove, and the more informal and less pricey George's Cafe and Terrace). The outdoor dining terrace is perched high above the rocks and ocean and affords terrific views of the sunset. The only drawback to this idyllic setting is that when the sun began to set, our prime-spot table was suddenly besieged by tourists from tables with lesser views, who crowded us as we tried to share a romantic dinner. You can't make this stuff up - it was unbelievable. People were standing their kids on the empty chair at our table - it really cast a pall on what could have been a most perfect night out. At least 10 people (and their children) were breathing down our necks throughout the entire sunset - pleas for a little elbow room went unheeded.

Rude clientele aside, the food was excellent. We shared thick steaks and seafood that night and were extremely pleased with our meal, once we were finally left to enjoy it in peace. We had an incredible dessert, a cookie-crusted ice cream pie, that was worth every calorie. The staff was efficient when it came to describing and serving the food, and sympathetic but unhelpful when it came to giving us room to actually eat the food.

As great as the sunset from George's Terrace is, if you would like to have a nice romantic dinner wait until the sun has already set to enjoy the great food.

Trattoria Acqua is a very pretty and romantic restaurant, featuring open-air dining in a romantic gazebo overlooking La Jolla Cove (ask for table 50 when you call for reservations - it's secluded and has a terrific view!). The restaurant also has a lovely courtyard, decorated with white lights.

The food is delicious. Their pizze are incredible, and they make a really great Penne Piemontese (red sauce with veal, pork, and white wine). Their seafood and salads are also very, very good. Can't comment on their dessert - never had room for it by the time I was done eating dinner (the appetizers and entrees are that good - I usually NEVER skip dessert!).

Try Trattoria Acqua for a romantic meal in La Jolla instead of George's - the view is prettier, the setting is more romantic and the food is out of this world.

Rubio's is a fast food taco joint that has outlets all over the San Diego-La Jolla area. My husband is crazy for their fish tacos - he says they are sublime, and apparently there are a lot of folks out there who agree with him. We drove all over looking for Rubio's when we arrived in San Diego, in search of the famed Fish Taco, which may as well have been the holy grail, the way Rob was carrying on. He loved the tacos so much that he still has cravings for them a year later. If fish tacos (deep fried whitefish, wrapped in a soft corn tortilla, topped with shredded cabbage and a sauce made of yogurt, mayo and lime juice) are your thing, Rubio's is your place.

Fish tacos are not my thing. I had the chicken soft tacos, which would normally be my thing, but not from this place. Stick to the fish tacos, apparently, that is what they do best. Enjoy!

We walked only a short distance before coming to a spectacular cliff with the most incredible views of the desert. Cleveland National Forest is densely wooded, however the vegitation changes abruptly at the steep cliffs that border the Anza-Borrego Desert. It's hard to put this view into words -- we didn't quite know what to expect when we arrived and were completely blown away. It seemed as if we could see clear out to Nevada from our vantage point. Cleveland Forest itself is a beautiful, fragrant, mountain pine forest dotted with lakes. The hiking is easy and the trails were not too crowded when we visited in October.

The San Diego Zoo lives up to its reputation - hundreds of animals, many housed in "natural habitats," are on display in a well-thought-out park. As an animal lover, it was a bit disconcerting for me to see the animals confined with such limited range (particularly the elephants, bears and some of the grazers), however the Zoo staff does a good job of explaining how every effort to provide humane, comfortable, and realistic habitats for all of the animals has been made.

The park has several pathways which "loop" through the zoo, enabling visitors to see all or most of the exhibits (depending on which loop you choose to take). You can walk the whole thing at a leisurely pace in about 3 hours or so. Don't let them con you into paying the higher price to take the tram tour of the zoo unless you really cannot walk any distance at all. You get a better view and can go at your own pace if you walk the park yourself. Plus you never know when the animals are going to decide to show themselves, and on the tram you can miss them if they choose to hide when the bus rolls by.

The gorillas are fascinating, and are housed in a beautiful new exhibit which features a very realistic recreation of their natural jungle habitat. Also of note is the hippopotamus pool, which affords underwater and above-water views of the giant creatures. Polar bears can be viewed in the same fashion - it's amazing to see these huge animals swim so gracefully underwater.

Just a note - food and beverage prices are very inflated in the park. Bring your own bottle of water and make a direct donation to support the animals instead.

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/zoo/homepage.php3

This is one of the prettiest beaches in Southern California. Torrey Pines Beach is a gorgeous strip of white sand bordered by steep, jagged, sandstone cliffs that jut 300 feet straight up from the sand. When we were there in early October, we had much of the beach to ourselves, and enjoyed a spectacular sunset. The sand is smooth and clean, and the cliffs are incredible - the rocks were tinted red and orange by the setting sun. It's really something to sit on the beach and have the ocean in front of you and the cliffs behind you.

Torrey Pines is a quiet beach, visited mostly by couples and people looking for some peace and quiet. The beach is located in the Torrey Pines State Reserve, home to the rare, twisted Torrey Pine tree. I recommend spending half a day exploring the park (there are some great trails with beautiful views of the ocean), and the other half relaxing on the beach.