San Diego is filled with people from all cultures: Italy, Mexico, Vietnam, China, Japan, Thailand, India,Africa and of course Californians! The culture is what defines San Diego….we are a city full of life, love, and liberty. Thousands of people visit San Diego and miss the places the locals call “The Best of San Diego,” but don;t worry you won’t miss a thing on your next trip. Here are the best places to visit on your next trip to San Diego:
#1. Mission Beach and Belmont Park: The beach voted the best in North America, Mission Beach provides a great tan, good beer, fish tacos, swimming activities, and a great boardwalk stretching over four miles! This is the beach that defines California. With warm sand and cool water, one could spend the entire day here reading, barbecuing, drinking beach side, roller-blading, and swimming of course. What is even better is Belmont Park directly connected to the boardwalk which features a year-round carnival area with a roller coaster, the tilt-a-whirl and awesome beach shoppes where you can find hermit crabs, sweatshirts, and much more to make your beach experience top of the line!
#2. Farmer’s Market in Ocean Beach: Known as the care-free hippie side of San Diego, Ocean Beach has a lot to offer such as the tidepools, the dog beach, and most of all, the farmer’s market, which happens every Wednesday from 4-8pm. Here you will find handcrafted jewelery, starving artist’s paintings, and the freshest produce in the area! So come on by and find some great deals on clothing and other household goods. While you are there catch a bite to eat at one of the local eateries!
#3. Gaslamp District: Even if you have never stepped foot in Southern California, you have probably heard of the Gaslamp District in San Diego! From sidewalk cafes and high scale shopping to the baseball games and extreme nightlife, this historic area has something for everybody! Known for the parties, the Gaslamp holds festivities for the hottest holidays like St. Patty’s Day, Mardi Gras, and Halloween. Themed parties go on every weekend at the different bars. If you are looking to chill out, there are many great sports for that too. Don’t forget to walk through Horton Plaza, a great mall featuring the best shopping in the area, I promise!!!! The parking is a nightmare, so I suggest parking at a trolley station for free and hopping a board for the fraction of the price that it would cost you to park down there….
#4. Balboa Park: Just steps from downtown San Diego lies a mystic sight- Balboa Park. Filled with luscious grassy knolls, museums, theaters, and other attractions, this place is truly heaven in San Diego!!! Here you can have a picnic, walk across Laurel Bridge and into a fairytale like scene. Museums, grandoise architecture, and the Old Globe are in itself magical. The events change constantly with some always being there(the aviation museum is a must). And if you walk further down the cobblestone walk, you will run right into the San Diego Zoo! So see some animals too(like the baby panda).
#5. Tijuana: Okay so this is not even in the same country, but it is a piece of San Diego nonetheless….cross the border and become apart of a lively cultuyre filled with the smell of carnitas and margaritas! Mexico offers what the US cannot and you can dance the night away here and spend less than $20.. If you are an adventurous soul, I highly suggest stepping onto the foreign soil, buy a fifty cent taco, a two dollar margarita, and dance to the music of a mariachi.
#6. Pacific Beach’s Taco Tuesday: Taco Tuesday is a sacred event that occurs once a week. Restaurants serve amazing tacos for less than $2 a piece(some places they drop to a quarter). Pacific Beach is very laid-back and filled with vibrant young people. On Garnet street is the strip of bars and restaurants that partake in this heavenly event. The tacos range from the basic fish taco to a squid and mahi mahi taco. The choices are limitless. So the next time you are down, stop in one of the shop’s for the best taco you have ever tasted.
#7. Cowles Mountain: Looking for a good workout on your vacation? No problem…..Cowles Mountain in east county is the place to try. It is a 4 mile(roundtrip) sidewinding trail that will make your quads scream stop! So if you can handle it, give it a whirl and maybe I will see you out there…I go every Saturday.
So there you have it, the local’s most valued spots in the city. San Diego has even more than that to offer so don’t forget to check out a guide book for the “touristy” places! Have a great trip.
