San Diego: Perfect Anytime of Year

San Diego Attractions

A popular attraction is the USS Midway, a legend in its time. Her career spanned 47 years. She was decommissioned in 1992 and has been open to the public at the Navy Pier, near Sea Port Village, in San Diego since 2004.

This aircraft carrier served her country longer than any other to date. The USS Midway was the first ship built too large for the Panama Canal. Visitors today can not only see all the decks, crew quarters and mess halls, the flight deck has approximately 22 fighter planes and helicopters on display. Some have ladders allowing visitors to sit in the cockpit. Exhibits on the Hangar deck include a children’s section where they may enjoy simulator rides. Allow yourself plenty of time and wear comfortable shoes, Ladies no heels.

From the Flight deck on the Midway you get a view of the 25-foot tall statue Unconditional Surrender sculpted by J. Seward Johnson. The statue is fashioned after the famous photo taken on V-Day in New York of a sailor kissing the first women he saw, which happened to be a nurse. It sits just at the edge of the Bob Hope Memorial Plaza.

Next door to the Midway you can get tickets to the Harbor Tour, either a one or two-hour tour with a knowledgeable narrator. He gives a little history and details about the harbor scene and much information about the many navy ships that are in port that day. Whale watching tours are also available December through April is their annual migration.

Amid all these attractions is Sea Port Village with its shopping and many dining choices and of course the old carousel. My favorite is still Anthony’s Fish Grotto, serving San Diego since 1946 with home-style seafood at reasonable prices. The Restaurant sits on the waterfront next to the Harbor Tours Booth.

Near the historic Star of India sailing vessel is a B-39 , Soviet-era diesel submarine open for tourist to explore.

Getting Around Town

Pedicabs are available all along the water front, should you tire of walking. In addition, tourist can park their cars and get around town on Old Town Trolley that offers on/off locations at most attractions and tourist spots. Their trolley runs frequently, on time with locations are well marked. The new guy in town, VIzit Tours with the double Decker Bus (Big in San Francisco) has not worked out all the bugs in their routes yet and on/off locations are not clearly marked. The top of the bus is fun to be on and hopefully they will soon get it together with a map of locations.

The trendy Gaslamp Quarter is great for restaurants and night life. And everyone wants to make a stop in and see colorful Old Town and eat Mexican food.

Vacation Fun in Paradise Point

Where is Paradise Point? As we drove over the bridge into the beautiful lush green island-- I asked my self why I have not heard of this place before. From the staff at the island resort I learned this used to be known as Vacation Village.

The 60’s innovative vacation phenomenon has re-emerged as a more upscale version of vacation fun. Vacation Village was built on a man-made isle from the dredging of Mission Bay. The idea and money was provided by movie producer Jack Skirball. The original cement block built bungalows have just had 20 million dollars in room renovations. They have been updated with internet, flat screen TV and trendy looks inside while preserving the past, with its unique masonry on the outside and Jack Skirball’s vision of resort style family vacation fun on this 44-acre isle. It proved to be one of the many impressive accommodation choices found in San Diego.

Lodging at the Hyatt

A stay the Hyatt Mission Bay offers a fantastic view of the bay and the ocean from the tower rooms-- one can even see the old wooden roller coaster. The bedding in the rooms was especially nice and their pools are simply beautiful. The Old town Trolley even has a stop there. How convenient is that?

San Diego Model Railroad Museum

If the weather is too cool to swim or ski in beautiful Mission Bay, you can always enjoy the fifteen museums in Balboa Park. This time around we went to the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. What a delightfully fun place. The local model railroad clubs set up the intricate and very detailed displays of our nation’s railroads and their routes.

Your home town may be represented there or maybe the plant or warehouse you worked in at one time, along with landmarks like Mel’s Diner. Their trains are running and unlike mine, they stay on the tracks. It is apparent the set up is truly an arduous labor of love—with visitors being the benefactors.

Those who visit Balboa Park will find parking in the Inspiration Point parking lot and can take the free tram to on/off points though out the park including the zoo. One can spend 3 hours or three days in this park of art and culture.

Sea World

It has been many years since we were last there. I found the shows to be more entertaining than I remembered and more thrill rides have been added. The Polar Bear exhibit was my favorite. Visitors can view them from both the water top side of their habitat and from below the water line. The Bears like to play both in and out of the water providing observers with smiles of entertainment. The food served in the park is much better than it use to be. Although not inexpensive, it is enjoyable.

I talked with Teresa Southfox, who has been groundskeeper there for 17 years. She loves keeping up the beautiful flower displays and says it’s a great job, one that does not go home with you at night. Her pet peeve is people who park their strollers in the flower beds.

Sea Worlds of Discovery, as the park is now known is owned by Blackstone and visitors are still enjoying their Sea World experience.

The city of San Diego has invested heavily in the Big Bay downtown waterfront, making it a pedestrian-friendly area inviting to tourists and business visitors. They have done a good job, certainly worth another visit.