Five days in San Diego

/ Article and photos by Yun Suh-young

• Published Dec 17, 2014 9:28 AM KST
• Updated Dec 17, 2014 9:28 AM KST

By Yun Suh-young

It feels a bit out of place to be writing about the sunniness of San Diego when I’m sitting at a coffee shop in downtown Seoul, looking out the window at the startling scene of people slouching and covering their faces as they fight the wind and snow fiercely charging against them.

Sitting here, halfway across the globe, sipping coffee and listening to Christmas carols playing on the stereo, I recall my five days in San Diego and smile to myself.

My first visit to San Diego, let alone the state of California, was truly an unforgettable experience, and I’m not saying that for the sake of the article. The city was special in that it was the first one to make me seriously consider living there.

They say San Diego is among the most favored destinations for retired people, especially those who have spent their earlier years working hard in San Francisco. I can see why.

San Diego has great weather — warmer than that of San Francisco, which is a 10-hour drive up north — and beaches. The houses in Coronado and La Jolla are enviable — you’ll start asking about real estate prices once you see them.

It also offers great food, breweries and, to say the least, great people. San Diegans, who have lived in other parts of California before settling in the city, proudly claim that people here are the nicest. Much of these may be attributable to the year-round wonderful weather and relaxing atmosphere, unlike the hustle and bustle of the neighboring cities.

The hospitality of the people was immediately noticeable. Waiters and waitresses were extremely kind, whichever restaurant we visited. They would converse casually with the customers while attending to their needs, which seems only natural but is missing in restaurant staff in most other cities.

But enough with the compliments: If you can’t live in San Diego, at least you can visit it. If you’re planning a winter vacation, start booking your flights. There are plenty of ways to enjoy your stay in San Diego, especially for families. Five days was too short for me to soak in everything the city had to offer.

Starting with the basics

To get an overview of the city, take the Old Town Trolley Tours ($39 per adult) on the first day. The tour, which takes two hours if you don’t get off at the stops, goes around Old Town, Balboa Park, Little Italy, the Gaslamp Quarter, Seaport Village and Coronado, which are the major sightseeing destinations. If you wish to take a look around these destinations, you’re free to hop off the trolley anytime. Just show your trolley tour sticker to the guide to get back on the trolley.

For the first two days, I stayed at a hotel near the Gaslamp Quarter, which is the downtown area, so I started with the nearby attractions.

At Balboa Park, which is a 10-minute drive from the Gaslamp Quarter, are the San Diego Zoo and 15 great museums including the San Diego Museum of Art.

The zoo houses over 3,700 animals from 650 species and is one of the largest zoos in the world. It offers special tours, such as the Inside Looks tour ($79 per adult), which offers a behind-the-scenes experience; or the VIP tour ($90 per adult, plus admission fee) which provides access to off-limits areas and a guided tour on a cart. To get an aerial view of the zoo and Balboa Park, take the Skyfari Aerial Tram.

Lego Land and Sea World, which are probably the most famous tourist destinations in San Diego, are located further up north and may each require about half a day to look around.

Lego Land ($85 for a one-day adult pass) features miniature replications of major towns and cities in the United States, all made with Lego blocks. The place was amusing, even for someone like me who had no interest in Lego blocks.

Sea World ($86 for a one-day adult pass) was less of a jaw-dropper compared to Lego Land. If you’re planning to visit Sea World, make sure you to catch the Shamu show, which is offered twice a day (2:45 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.) and is the biggest entertainment at the park.

Kicking it up a notch

What I enjoyed most during my trip to San Diego were the activities that were unique to the city. One of them is the Brew Hop, which is a brewery tour around some of the famous breweries in San Diego.

San Diego is noted as America’s craft beer capital, home to 97 licensed craft breweries and pubs, some of which are top-rated in the world, such as Karl Strauss Brewing Company and Stone Brewing Co. The city holds major beer-related activities such as San Diego Beer Week and the San Diego International Beer Festival, drawing tourists with its beer culture.

The Brew Hop visits several breweries over a two- to five-hour period depending on the program. When I went, our tour group visited three breweries — Coronado Brewing Co., Modern Times Beer and the famous Stone Brewing Co. We tasted sample beers at the first two and stayed for dinner at the last one.

During the tour, I, a non-drinker and dummy about alcohol, was fascinated to learn about how beer was created.

Cilo, an employee at Coronado Brewing Co., took us around the brewery, explaining in easy terms how beer was processed. He said the uniqueness of the beer depended on the hops, which was added to give flavor to the beer. We were able to sample some of the brewery’s exclusive beers, which were offered only in small batches at the store, such as the pumpkin beer made with pumpkin slices and kept in brandy barrels for the aroma.

At Modern Times Beer, we tasted some unique beers, such as ones made with coffee and wine.

Another memorable experience was paragliding at Torrey Pines Gliderport, not far from the University of California, San Diego. A five-minute drive from the glider port will take you to cliffs overlooking Black’s Beach, which is the largest nude beach in the country.

Up in the sky in a parachute, in tandem with my instructor, Bob, I was able to enjoy an aerial view of the cliffs and beach, which was beyond beautiful. I was also able to see tiny figures of nudist beachgoers in the distance.

The tandem paragliding tour takes about 20 minutes and costs $175 per person. But before putting on a parachute, you will have to fill out seven pages of paperwork that basically tell you to give up many of your rights. No worries, though. It’s only frightening before putting on the parachute; the actual ride is like sitting on a moving chair.

Chilling and dining

San Diego would not be the great holiday destination that it is without its great beaches.

From Point Loma, where the Cabrillo National Monument (the monument honoring Juan Cabrillo, the Portuguese man who discovered San Diego) is located, all the way to La Jolla, a wealthy residential district of San Diego, the coastline is blessed with beaches — Ocean, Mission and Pacific — and Sunset Cliffs, which offer a great view of the ocean.

And there are plenty of great places to enjoy the beaches. If you’re seeking a relaxing getaway and just want to enjoy the view and savor good food, visit Hotel del Coronado on a Sunday for brunch.

The luxury beachfront hotel built in 1888 is a beautiful Victorian-style wooden structure designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977. The San Diego Sunday Brunch costs $87 per person. You’ll dine in the Crown Room, where many dignitaries from all over the world have once dined. After enjoying a leisurely brunch, stroll along Coronado Beach.

Another thing you shouldn’t miss while in San Diego, which is a 20-minute drive from the border of Mexico, is the spicy Mexican food.

Old Town, which was where Europeans first settled in the West Coast, was the downtown area of San Diego until the area was moved to the Gaslamp Quarter. Old Town retains the historic buildings of the 1800s and Spanish and Mexican cultural legacies. Try Café Coyote, which is the best-known among the several Mexican restaurants lined up in this area.

However, my favorite among all the restaurants I’ve dined in San Diego was Urban Solace near Balboa Park. Its Bacon & Leek Stuffed Rainbow Trout was superb, and its pumpkin cheesecake was beyond description.

If you’re not travelling with children, go for drinks and a slice of the San Diego nightlife at the Altitude Sky Lounge on the 22nd floor of the Marriott San Diego in the Gaslamp Quarter. From the rooftop bar, you can get views of Petco Park, home to Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres, and the San Diego Bay. Groove till you drop, or you’ll regret it.

Recommended hotels

- Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Address: 1 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101

Website: https://www.hiltonsandiegobayfront.com

- Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa

Address: 3999 Mission Blvd., San Diego, CA 92109

Website: www.catamaranresort.com

- The Grande Colonial Hotel

Address: 910 Prospect St., La Jolla, CA 92037

Website: www.thegrandecolonial.com

Recommended airline

Japan Airlines is the only airline to offer direct flights from Asia at Narita International Airport in Tokyo to San Diego International Airport. The flight departs daily at 5:05 p.m. From Seoul, take the 1:45 p.m. flight from Incheon International Airport and transfer at Narita. The transfer is surprisingly efficient.