Visitor’s Guide to San Diego: America’s Finest City
Geographically San Diego is close to perfect. With a good plan, a car, and a map you can go from the beach, to the mountains, to the desert, make a quick trip to Mexico and make it back to the beach all in a day.
If you start out early on a spring morning you can drive through the mountains to Ramona and drop down into the the Borrego desert and if you are there the right 3-4 weeks and California was blessed with winter rain you will be treated to a wonderful array of exotic cactus sporting reds, yellow, purples, and oranges on a background of warn sand, rocks and mountains. Leave early enough and watch a sunrise you will not soon forget.
Stop at a rest stop or make your way to Borrego State Park for the day and enjoy some of the trails and hikes. Make this same trip in the winter and maybe drive through the snow in the mountains. Be sure and stop for some hot apple cider and apple pie in Julian and maybe some Dudley’s bread from the bakery on the way.
Just don’t stay too long if you want to get to lots places in one day. Now head south through the Cuyamaca Mountains to Interstate 8 west to Interstate 5 south and on the way to Mexico for a lobster “Mexican style’ lunch in Puerto Nuevo and maybe a little shopping in Rosirito Beach.
Just be sure you get insurance for your car (insurance is about $15.00 and they have maps and other tourist info also), change for the small tolls (no need to exchange your money, in fact, I recommend not exchanging they like American dollars), and a valid form of ID (passports will be needed after 01-2008 to get back in the US) and your appetite.
Mexican style lobster is deep fried and it is the only way I will eat lobster. It traditionally served with chips, salsa, rice, beans and tortillas. Enjoy your lobster dinner looking over the blue pacific. Enjoy the margaritas and the Mexican beer with limes. Enjoy the local strolling mariachis, maybe buy some fresh vut roses, soak up the flavor.
Head back north to Rosarito for a little shopping or if you would like to go horseback riding on the beach. While shopping if you see a panaderia (bakery) and if you are real lucky you will stumble across the Rosarito bakery on the south end of town on the east side of the road. Do yourself a favor and stop in and get some hot bolios (most bakeries bake these all day most days), tortas, or anything that catches your eye.
Rosarito is abundant with shopping opportunities. Baskets, blankets, blown glass, stain glass, cooper, pots for plants, leather goods, perfumes, jewelry, and garden decorations. If you have the room this would be the place to get a chimenea (free- standing patio fireplace). Rosarito will be less expensive than closer to the border.
I am not one to bargain too much, but it is expected here. What I do is look around as much as time will allow, keeping in mind that they expect us to bargain and price things accordingly, I pick a reasonable price, go a bit low and we do a bit of what is expected, we bargain. Also, keep it simple, ask for the price in American.
You are allowed 750 mil of hard alcohol per adult. To find out all the other limitations coming back into the US ask where you buy your insurance and they should have a list to guide you. If you are down there on a week-end be prepared for a long line at the border. The San Ysidro border crossing is the busiest border in the world, so be prepared. If you are a good map reader and adventuresome then you may want to consider going back into the states via Otay Mesa ‘frontera’ (border) crossing. Whichever crossing you choose be sure and have all your purchases in one place, and declare all and you should be back on the US soil soon.
If you don’t feel comfortable about driving in Mexico then find your way to the Mexicoach near the border, park in a secure parking lot, pay a very small charge, be driven into downtown Tijuana in an air conditioned clean mini-bus. Shop and lunch there, then meet the Mexicoach back on Avenida Revolucion for your ride back to your car. There is also always the option of walking across and taking a taxi.
Back to your room for a quick shower and you will have plenty of nightlife to seek out and enjoy. Right in the center of downtown San Diego you will find things hopping in the Gaslight District. A plethora of restaurants and bars some with live music, all within walking distance. Ask you hotel concierge what concerts are in town. San Diego has many venues including live theatre. Maybe a cruise around mission Bay?
The next day you have the choice, among many other things, of the world famous San Diego Zoo, the Wild Animal Park, or maybe Sea World or drive a bit north to Legoland in Carlsbad. All are a wonderful fun filled day. The zoo is right near downtown in the largest urban cultural park in the nation, Balboa Park with it’s many museums.
If you don’t want to spend the whole day at the zoo or the park, which is easy to do, you can always drive a bit north to the San Diego Wild Animal Park located in the San Pasqual Valley. There you can ride the tram and see the animals in more of their natural habitat with plenty of room. Take the tram at night and you will probably see more action, especially from the big cats. Try to make time for some of the shows. There are many miles of walking trails to enjoy in both the zoo and the animal park.
Other places of interest would be La Jolla and Script’s Institute, the local beaches, shopping in downtown San Diego at Horton Plaza or maybe University Town Center. Visit north San Diego county and drive up to Mount Palomar if you have an interest in astronomy. Go deep sea fishing. Order a picnic lunch from a deli and spend a day at Mission Beach. Visit the, reportedly haunted, Star of India. Built in 1863 it is the oldest sea faring ship in the world, and is just one of the vessels found in the San Diego Maritime Museum. Visit Old Town and step back in time to the Victorian era. Rent a boat. Bicycle along the coastline Watch the surfers at Cardiff Beach, relax on the beach, wiggle your toes in the sand or walk along the wet sand near the water as the sun dips into the Pacific and then go out for a world class dinner at one of the many coastline restaurants.
Whatever you enjoy you are just about guaranteed to find it in San Diego-America’s Finest City.
