Day trip to San Diego, what to do?
 

Going to pick up an old amplifier just rebuilt in Mira Mesa. It's a couple hours but it beats packing the thing and paying for shipping. The shipping costs will buy the gas.

Might as well at least have a nice lunch down there. Taking the wife.

Suggestions? Keep it simple. :)

Not sure how the wife would like it, but I did the Midway tour and had a blast. USS Midway Aircraft Carrier | San Diego Museum | San Diego Tours

Sounds like you won't/don't have time for Balboa park & zoo...

I hear the gaslamp district is nice.

Lunch at the Del Coronado is always a safe bet.

Or if you want to keep it really simple skip stopping in S.D. and stop/shop/eat in Encinitas... cool surf town with a lot of nice shops and restaurants and WAY less crowded that SD.

YMMV

Drive down to La Jolla and have lunch in one of the many good cafes, walk the boardwalk near children's pool. A very scenic spot and a nice place to spend a few hrs. Don't let your wife set foot in any of the very high end retail shops. :)

I was wondering about the botanic gardens.

From my wife, who grep up there:


They are just going for the day? If they do the San Diego Trolley, they could see downtown, old town and Coronado and can get off at any stop they want.

San Diego Tours | San Diego Trolley | Old Town Trolley Tours

Seaport Village which is just shops but pretty by the bay
the aircraft carrier that we did
Balboa Park is nice-has museums and the zoo
Coronado Island- The hotel del is nice and there are a lot of shops and restaurants
Gaslamp quarter if they want to shop and eat and see Petco Park (baseball)

Las Cuatro Milpas is the best dive Mexican place I've ever been to. Felt like eating in the owner's dingy garage and it was heavenly.

Quail botanic gardens is spectacular. Be warned though, Del Mar Horse Racing is in full swing and the traffic on the I5, both directions, will be sucktastic around Via de la Valle.

If you like horse racing, I have another suggestion...

Tip Top Meats just off Palomar airport road in Carlsbad ( just off the freeway) is a great place to eat German food.
Tip Top Meats
If you are venturing farther south than Mira Mesa with the wife then try Liberty Station. It is where the Navy training center used to be. There are lots of little shops and food places there. Liberty Station : San Diego | Its all happening here!

Well if you want "white peoples" food then I would suggest San Diego Home Cooking at any of their locations. They have meat loaf and mashed potatoes, home made bread, etc. Also biscuits and sausage gravy all day long. For Mexican, as noted, Las Cuatro Milpas is the best going since Chuey's has closed down. Probably the best and most unhealthy food going.

I haven't been to SD in a long time. a few weeks ago we took the kids there for a few days doing all the Zoo and museum stuff. The Gas Lamp District isn't anything to write home about. Bars and restaurants, that's pretty much it. Belmont Shore is similar but much, much nicer. Conrado I really like because it nice and quiet. LaJolla is another place I really enjoy but with nothing to do by eat and take a walk.

I always enjoy going to aqariums and zoos wherever I travel to. From what I recall on my first, last, and only visit to the Whale's Vagina they had a very nice one

I have read the above post about 4 times and still absolutely cannot wrap my head around it...

Whale's vagina?

angela

From Anchorman

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^^^ This. I shot a couple of weddings at the botanical gardens back in the day; just beautiful.

Depending on where in Mira Mesa you need to go, most of the other suggestions here (downtown, Gaslamp, B Park) are a good 30-45 minutes further.

Thoroughbreds run Wed.-Sun. at Del Mar; first post time is 2p except Fridays (4p). Nightmare traffic on I-5 up to ~90 minutes after post. If you do go that route, try the Brigantine (Via De La Valle & PCH in Del Mar) or the Chart House in Solana Beach (on PCH also).

Mira Mesa's closer to I-15 than I-5; might want to consider that route instead. If so, I'd recommend the Rancho Bernardo Inn (nice) or Hernandez's Hideaway (Lake Hodges) for Mexican food and good margaritas.

Good luck

If you feel like walking or getting outside, the Cabrillo National Monument is a treat as is the light house.

The views are great.

The Navy has some of the most incredible office complexes on Point Loma.

Go to the zoo.

Someone told me
It's all happening at the zoo.
I do believe it,
I do believe it's true.

I have visited SD a few times so my geography is not so great with the area.

Mind you SD is a great getaway and I have bookmarked all these sites listed in this thread for future weekend road trips.

Having said that and having professed my love of SD... if it were me I would stay north of town (lots to see and do) and avoid the downtown traffic.

YMMV

Balboa park is quite nice. There is also an Air and Space museum. For Balboa, you will want to do lunch in the Hillcrest area.