enjoy the lovely two hour drive from san diego
1 Thirty degrees of separation: The sand, the surf and SeaWorld: It's all good. But the best reason Fake Louis Vuitton Replica Bags for a summer trip to San cheap louis vuitton bags from china uk Diego comes down to the weather. The average July temperature in San Diego peaks at about 76. In Phoenix, the mercury typically rises to 106. The summer breeze in San Diego makes you feel fine. Do you really need another 63 reasons to visit? Probably not, but they can't hurt.
1:1 replica handbags 2 Sailing star: Most cities would have turned the Star of India, a 142 year old sailing ship, into a dockside seafood joint. Fortunately, this merchant ship of a bygone age retains its charm and elegance. Star of India is part of the San Diego Maritime Museum, which includes the Berkeley (1898 steam ferry), the Medea (1904 steam yacht) and the Californian (replica of a 19th century revenue cutter). The most recent addition is the HMS Surprise, a replica of an 18th century Royal Navy frigate that was used in the film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.
3 Dick's Last Resort: Would you like a snappy comeback with those fries? How about a heaping plate of attitude on the side? At Dick's, in downtown San Diego, you won't find servers weighted down by "flair" (buttons, pins and assorted accessories mandated by corporate honchos who have lost touch with how annoying those things are). But you will find service with flair, if flair is about servers throwing wadded up napkins at you, or speaking in double entendres. They may crack wise, but don't worry, you can dish it replica louis vuitton bags right back. If you want a nice, quiet and civilized dinner, then Dick's really would be your last resort. You want a phone number? What do we look like, the Yellow Pages? Oh, sorry. Got a little caught up there. That'd Discount Replica Louis Vuitton Bags be 1 (619) 231 9100.
4 Sand and solitude: Want to escape the hordes that descend upon most San Diego beaches? Go to Encinitas and turn west on D Street. The avenue dead ends where the land plummets to the ocean, and there you will find a wooden staircase leading to the small, narrow beach about 60 feet below. Down here, you will find no hot dog stands, no lifeguard and no restrooms. But you will find room to spread out, especially on the weekdays. (The beach can be thick with surfers on the weekends.) Just make sure you plant yourself well away from the cliffs, which look about as solid as Social Security's future.
5 Night of art: "Ray at Night" is San Diego's Perfect Quality Louis Vuitton Replica version of the Phoenix art community's First Fridays, where galleries throw open their doors and entice visitors with food and music. On the second Saturday of each month, galleries along Ray Street in North Park (a small community just north of Balboa Park) stay open late and showcase up and coming artists. If the art doesn't appeal to you, maybe the music (live and DJ) will. Or enjoy the wine and snacks.
8 A little bit of Italy: Just north of downtown San Diego is a community as vibrant now as it was when it started in the 1920s. A sign across the entrance of the business district announces Little Italy's presence, but it's clear from the number of restaurants, most offering patio dining and any number of pasta dishes. The neighborhood nearly disappeared when the tuna industry collapsed and Interstate 5 took 35 percent of its land, but owners and residents banded together in the early 1990s to save the neighborhood from extinction. It's now one of the most popular places to live, its many rainbow colored condominium complexes bringing in more residents every day. Little Italy's heart is at India and Elm streets.
9 Hold your sea horses: The Birch Aquarium at Scripps in La Jolla may not house the largest display of fish in the San Diego area (that'd be SeaWorld, of course), but the aquarium is well worth a stop. One exhibit focuses on the sea horse, many species of which are disappearing due to fishing and destruction of habitat. These delicate creatures are part of a breeding program at Birch, and each step is on display (though a video of mating and birthing is hidden discreetly behind translucent panels that you can lift for a peek). The aquarium has the usual assortment of tropical and oceangoing fish (including sharks), but many visitors linger in front of the collection of jellyfish and the mesmerizing moves of their undulating bodies. The plaza overlooks the ocean and has one of the best views of downtown La Jolla. 1 (858) 534 3474.
10 Life's a beach, man: Pacific and Mission beaches gladly devote themselves to the tourist trade (go ahead, count the number of Starbucks), but Ocean Beach stubbornly clings to its roots as a funky beach community. Its shores are lined with bungalows badly in need of paint, rather than gleaming hotels and rental homes, and its downtown prefers surf shops, bars and tattoo parlors to another handsome retail chain. Follow Newport Avenue where it dead ends at the beach and you may well stumble onto a circle of aging hippies, their conversation peppered with "Right on, man." Ocean Beach may well succumb to gentrification in the next decade or so, erasing a rather charming time warp.
31 Gaslamp Quarter: This part of downtown was the center of commerce in the mid 19th century before evolving into a sailor favorite (saloons, gambling halls and other adult diversions). The rough and tumble edge has smoothed over time, but Gaslamp is still the place to stay up late. Today, it's filled with lively restaurants and clubs. See story below.
32 La Jolla's upper coastal crust: Many visitors to La Jolla shed their flip flops and swimsuits for high heels and sundresses, because this is where the cash enriched like to spend their time. High aaa replica designer handbags end stores selling Gucci, Cartier and Louis Vuitton line Prospect Street, La Jolla's version of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. But unlike its well off neighbor to the north, zoning laws in La Jolla apparently have nothing against gift stores and souvenir shops. If you can't afford a Rolex, you still can buy a "I Went to La Jolla and You Didn't" T shirt. (OK, it's not an actual T shirt saying, but it should be.)
33 Hotel del Coronado: At the posh Hotel del Coronado, on Coronado Island, it is said the only thing more terrifying than minibar charges is the ghost of Kate Morgan, who in 1892 was found deceased on the steps leading to the beach, a bullet hole in her right temple. Some say it was suicide. Others believe it was murder. Many swear her spirit still hangs out in her old haunt, room 3312. Over the years, employees and visitors have reported muffled voices, flickering lights, disembodied footsteps and more. But never has the ghost been seen attempting to pay her bill. Now, that's scary, to the proprietors at least. For reservations, call 1 800 468 3533.
34 So Seuss Me: He's known for his books and his odd little words, he's known for his bunkles and crangles and blurds. But if you'd like to know the real Dr. Seuss, the man who wrote sentences so fast and so loose, then head to a gallery where you'll see his cool art photos and paintings you can put in your cart. And if you're just looking, well, that, sir, is free, but for rare Seussian art you must cough up a fee. (Our sincerest apologies to Dr. Seuss for mangling his magnificent prose.) See the secret art of Dr. Seuss, who lived in La Jolla for more than 40 years, at the Fingerhut Gallery, 1205 Prospect St., La Jolla.
35 Balloon ride: After a heavy day of sightseeing, perhaps a lighter than air flight is just what you need. Balloons rise as the sun fake designer bags sets, giving you a view that all of the ground bound folks can only envy. Trips can cost $150 or more per person, so the other thing you might want to float is a loan. Operators include California Dreamin', 1 800 373 3359, and Skysurfer Balloon Co., 1 (858) 481 6800. Both lift 1:1 replica handbags off from Del Mar.
36 Mormon Temple: This building's so bright, you gotta wear shades. Just off Interstate 5 near La Jolla, in a shade so white that even night doesn't stick, the temple is among San Diego's most recognizable landmarks. Its columns and towering spires dominate the landscape. And unless you are a member of the Church of Latter day Saints, keep driving. The temple is accessible only to those of the Mormon faith.
37 Group excursions: There are times when high quality replica handbags china three is not a crowd, but a start. If your San Diego tradition involves family members and friends, consider Out of the Ordinary, which customizes half and full day tours based on a plethora of preferences. The adventurous may want to mountain bike or parasail. The more sedate may want to tour downtown or visit San Diego's microbreweries. The most difficult part is agreeing on which of the dozens of excursions to book.
38 Thriving diversity: Hillcrest is the latest San Diego neighborhood to enjoy a revitalized interest from visitors and residents alike. The gay and lesbian community breathed new life into a once dying area, and now the restaurants, clubs, antiques stores and boutiques make it a popular destination. The cuisine alone allows you to travel around the world in one night. Choose from Afghan, Indian, Thai, Italian and French food. Start your tour at Fifth and University avenues, just north of Balboa Park.
39 Botanical gardens: OK, so you missed the blooming of the giant Corpse Flower, one of the largest, smelliest flowers in the world. But there's still much to see at the Quail Botanical Gardens in Encinitas. The 30 acre gardens feature habitats, including bamboo groves and a rain forest, not common to this part of the continent. The desert, the Mediterranean coast and, yes, California also are represented.
40 History in the drinking: It is, on first impression, a dive of the first order, with worn bar, limited menu and small seating area. But to ignore the Waterfront would be a big mistake. In Little Italy, north of downtown, you can't see the waterfront from the Waterfront (the harbor is two blocks away), but the nautical theme is evident with the stuffed marlin on the wall and the stuffed captain fishing on the roof. The Waterfront has 14 brands of beer, several brewed locally, on tap. You'll find the bar at 2044 Kettner Blvd. 1 (619) 232 9656.
48 History in the drinking, part 2: Tivoli Bar offers what few other bars can: character and a huge photo of former patron Wyatt Earp. It's acknowledged as the oldest bar in the Gaslamp Quarter, in downtown San Diego, and benefits from a huge mahogany bar made during a more innocent time, when destroying a forest meant nothing compared with a quality drinking experience. Tivoli fell on hard times in the 1960s and '70s, like the rest of Gaslamp, but new owners plowed money back into the place to bring it up to code and make it one of the most popular establishments high quality designer replica handbags on the weekend. On weekdays, it draws members of construction crews working in nearby East Village. Tivoli has 15 brands of beer on tap. You'll find the bar at 506 Sixth Ave. 1 (619) 232 6754.
49 Seal of approval: It's not that marine mammals want to rub flippers with San Diego's finest, but the La Jolla Children's Pool Beach has become part time home to harbor seals and California sea lions. The blubber endowed have found the beach to be the perfect resting spot in the fall, winter and spring, attracting a large crowd of camera carrying onlookers on weekends. Marine mammal protection laws forbid you from getting too close, but stroll along the concrete path erected along the jetty for a close up view of these seagoing mammals.
50 History's no mystery: Explore Old Town San Diego, a collection of surviving frontier treasures. Walk along San Diego Avenue, an Old Town main drag and a pedestrian friendly street filled with shops and restaurants. See story below.
51 Naval gazing: As you walk aboard the USS Midway at the Aircraft Carrier Museum, there is something inherently cool about exploring such a vast military ship with no threat of being escorted to the brig for trespassing. The fact that the Midway served its country for 47 years is impressive, but better still is how its deck is big enough for a most excellent game of touch football.
59 Seaside amusement park: Enthusiasts might consider the Giant Dipper a rather ho hum affair, but for children who've spent the past three days fruitlessly trying to bodysurf, it will be the roller coaster ride of the summer. The wooden coaster is the centerpiece of Belmont Park, a collection of carnival like rides in Mission Beach that easily could slip by unnoticed if not for the coaster. The Giant Dipper, and the park, can provide a nice break from building sand castles.
60 Not so deserted island: Vacation Island is a conveniently located body of land in Mission Bay. On one side is a park and boat landing, and on the other the Paradise Point Resort Spa, with hundreds of bungalows stretched along narrow lanes. Ponds, lagoons and vegetation lend a tropical look to the quiet and isolated resort, yet it's just five minutes from SeaWorld and the freeway. Sandals, its casual bar and restaurant, cheap replica handbags offers a patio right on the bay. A fitness center, large pool and 18 hole putting course add a nice finishing touch. A resort that comes with its own private beach does not come cheaply, and summer rates range from $250 $645 a night. Then add an $18 a day park ing charge.
61 Irish pub: There are several Irish pubs in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, but the Field has the nod as the most Irishy est. Along the wall, bottles of Irish whiskey dangle upside down, plastic taps attached for easy pouring. Among the Irish beers on tap are Guinness, Harp and the vastly underrated Smithwick's. Bartenders, several of them speaking with an Irish brogue, know how to properly pour a Guinness: filling the 20 ounce glass two thirds full and letting it settle before topping it off. Standard Irish fare, such as boxty and corned beef and cabbage, also are available. It's at 544 Fifth Ave., 1 (619) 232 9840.
62 Bazaar del Mundo: This time, ignore the impulse to buy friends back home the San Diego souvenir spoon or T shirt. Stop by the Bazaar del Mundo, in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. Shops and restaurants surround a lush courtyard crisscrossed with tiled walkways. The hacienda once was the Casa de Pico Hotel, which had been abandoned by the early 1970s, when it was purchased by entrepreneurs and resurrected as the Bazaar del Mundo. Its 16 shops sell gifts, clothes, food, books, art and more. Try the Guatemala Shop or Artes de Mexico for something different. The Casa de Pico restaurant serves Mexican food on a large patio.
63 Stargazing: Head to the Palomar Observatory to see the big daddy Hale telescope, a 200 inch behemoth housed within a 1,000 ton rotating dome. daily (except for Dec. 24 and 25), also houses a Near Earth Asteroid Tracking center. Enjoy the lovely two hour drive from San Diego, especially the curves and twists of Mount Palomar.
64 Spooky cemetery: In the midst of Old Town San Diego, between the restaurants and shops catering to tourists, the waist high gate at the entrance of the El Campo Santo Cemetery rarely is used. Few bother to wander among the graves where hundreds of the city's early residents were buried beginning in the mid 19th century (and 18 of them are said to lie under San Diego Avenue, forgotten when, in 1889, a path was built for a horse drawn streetcar). Mists, apparitions and cold spots have been reported in the area, and it's said cars parked next to the cemetery are hard to start. The cemetery is at San Diego Avenue and Mason Street.
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