San Diego hidden treasures

[SanDiegoDave]

Try to spend one weekend in SD without hitting any chain stores/restaurants or strip malls. It is very easy to do when compared to other cities out there.

I have to agree with that statement. If you haven’t found enough to do outside of major tourist attractions in San Diego, you’re not looking hard enough.

And I moved here from New York!

Each weekend my significant other and I try out a new restaurant. It’s fun. Up and down 4th and 5th downtown it will take you a year to visit all the non-chain restaurants if you try a different one every week. Throw La Jolla and Del Mar into the mix and you’re choices are that much greater.
(we’re big into trying new places to eat, that’s why I emphasize on the restaurants).

Besides the food, there is the spectacular scenery and terrain for bike riding. Pick an area on the weekend, and hit the road. Torrey Pines, the beaches, inland over by Poway, etc. Lots of places to see. And keep yourself in shape at the same time 😉

Coming from NYC, I figured the theater scene here would not live up. But much to our surprise, it has. All the good national touring shows come through S.D. And the locally originated stuff is top notch.

For us, a Friday evening dinner downtown followed by a Padres game or theater show is a lot of fun.

Despite being “touristy”, the Wild Animal Park and zoo really do have a lot to offer. The WAP especially, with their new tram and ever-changing animal exhibits, continues to impress. And just as with the cycling, you can get a great healthy hike in that place if you venture out to the more distant habitats.

The Del Mar Fair blows. But the horse racing is a lot of fun if you get a group of people together for it.

Check the schedules for street fairs and farmers markets in places like Hillcrest & La Jolla. You’ll love ’em.

Plenty to do around here. You just have to search for it.

[an]

Some of the hidden “gems” I find in SD that hasn’t already been said is “Carne Asada Fries” at the local Roberto’s. It’s not gourmet food by any stretch of imagination, but it’s sure tasty. I find that only So.Cal. Mexican taco shop has this too.

Then there’s the Asian food. Dim Sum is decent price and quite tasty compare to the best of them. There’s an abundant of Vietnamese food from all regions of Vietnam. I find Sushi on the Rocks make the best rolls around. Chinese restaurants with excellent lobster/crab at a very reasonable price; I’d recommend Lee’s Garden and Ly’s Garden. Both are in El Cajon.

We also have Donovan’s who were ranked #1 stake house in the US a few years back.

[tugg49]

Hodads for burgers in Ocean Beach

Iowa porker in Santee for a Fried Tenderloin.

Konos for Breakfast in PB.

The Brigantine for a decent Shelter Island Dinner.

Keiths in Nat. City for a diner type meal.

A weekend anchored off Glorietta Bay cause if you don’t own a boat in San Diego you might as well live in Yuma.

Mitsuwa market for a takeout bento just like the Hoka Hoka Bento shop.

A bicycle ride from Balboa Park to Shelter Island and back.

Lindbergh Field after a two week trip to Seattle in January. It NEVER feels bad to be back in San Diego.

Apple season in the mountains.

When the heat season breaks and the weather cools in September. The dog gets the beach back.

And I just remembered….A long lunch at Point Loma Seafood.

[lindismith]

Here are some of my favorite:

Point Loma Seafood’s calamari sandwich
How the Grinch Stole Xmas in Balboa Park each year
Barbarella’s fungi pizza after surfing at the Shores
Drinks at Mister A’s – great views!
Hiking Cowels mountain in La Mesa on a Sunday a.m.
Naked cafe in Solana Beach for breakfast
UCSD’s lecture series called Revelle Forum
Biking around Mission Hills checking out old properties
Taking a kayak or boat out to listen to a concert at Humphreys
Bonfires on Moolight Beach in Encinitas
OB Farmers Market on Wednesdays – what a zoo!

[(former)FormerSanDiegan]

The Living Room on Point Loma for coffee.

Nati’s In Ocean Beach for Mexican food

Dr. Hefe’s in Ocean Beach for a tatoo

[Anonymous]

Every city has hidden treasures. San Diego has hidden treasures PLUS nice weather. That’s enough for me.

[bsrsharma]

Hmm, no one mentioned it. So easy to “Go Abroad”; The Joys of TJ/Baja/Mexico!

[Critter]

Get ahold of the Jerry Schad hiking book – Afoot and Afield in San Diego County. 250 hikes from Tecolote Canyon to the Laguna Mountains. Mission Trails Park in La Mesa / Santee is huge and good for both hiking and mountain biking.

There are a lot of “neighborhood canyon” coalitions that clean the inner-city canyons and host hikes – the San Diego Sierra Club website lists those. Friends of Tierrasanta Canyons is quite active and just carved out a new nature trail overlooking Admiral Baker Golf Course. Getting involved takes some effort but it is worth it.

Summer concerts in Balboa Park every Tues, Wed and Thurs, and concerts at the Organ Pavilion on Sundays…. rotating free museums on Tuesdays…

[Alex_angel]

Thanks to those that listed some joints. Some places I never heard of that I will have to try.

[schizo2buyORnot]

Fish sandwiches at Point Loma seafood . . . .

In search of a crystal ball . . . .

[little lady]

Desert to the west, Mexico to the south, wineries north west.
Proximity to OC and LA….disneyland, etc….no brainer……

[LostCat]

Les Girls, the body shop, Cheetahs, Little Darlings, dream girls, Déjà vu., $99.00 RT to Vegas, Mexico next door, Surf, Scuba, Sail, Hot girls.

If you don’t like it leave.

[(former)FormerSanDiegan]

Desert to the west, Mexico to the south, wineries north west.
Proximity to OC and LA….disneyland, etc….no brainer……

Geography : Desert is to the east

[LostCat]

“Geography : Desert is to the east”

lol

[stockstradr]

Pizza. There is one exception to San Diego’s mundane pizza places.

A good friend whispered the name of this place in my ear after I lived in San Diego a year:

Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria
http://www.leftyspizza.com/index.html

I lived in Chicago for 8 years, so trust me that this pizza is FANTASTIC authentic deep-dish Chicago Pizza, and they have other Chicago specialty sandwiches.

I now live in Bay Area and that is one restaurant in San Diego I miss dearly. Ooooh, it is damn good.

The pies are about $25 a pop. You don’t get quality cheap.

And one more thing. Anyone who complains San Diego is worthless is clueless.

In my career with several multinational corp’s I relocated through my share of “glam” cities. San Diego is simply the finest city in America. I really really miss San Diego.

Oh, I forget an important qualifier.

San Diego is a city where you need at least low six-figures income to enjoy many of the blessings the city offers, and even more $$$ if a wife and kids are in the picture. I never would have accepted that first job in San Diego had it been sub six figure salary.

[Author]

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