So where are you off to this summer?

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

Jacki,

We took one of our days in San Diego and did a "coastal crawl". We stopped in La Jolla for lunch, then continued the drive north. We also stopped and toured the San Diego Botanical Garden in Encinitas. We went as far north as Oceanside. That coastal drive will take you through Solana Beach. The one thing you want to keep in mind is that traffic, both on the freeway and on the coastal road, can get VERY heavy end of day.

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

Jacki,

We took one of our days in San Diego and did a "coastal crawl". We stopped in La Jolla for lunch, then continued the drive north. We also stopped and toured the San Diego Botanical Garden in Encinitas. We went as far north as Oceanside. That coastal drive will take you through Solana Beach. The one thing you want to keep in mind is that traffic, both on the freeway and on the coastal road, can get VERY heavy end of day.

That sounds great. Thank you.
I'm wondering if the traffic can get worse than the Long Island Expressway during rush hour. Maybe so because I think they have more lanes. We will have to leave and return later in the day.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

That sounds great. Thank you.
I'm wondering if the traffic can get worse than the Long Island Expressway during rush hour. Maybe so because I think they have more lanes. We will have to leave and return later in the day.

Since I've never been on the Long Island Expressway I can't compare.

I have a good friend who lives in Pacific Beach (one of the San Diego beach areas). She said they have to be careful when they go out and know which times of the day to avoid.

We took the beach road both north and south. In most areas it's 4 lanes, but there are sections were it's only two. But the freeway, during rush hour, is awful. We accidentally crossed it at one point and the cars were backed up just getting on. We ended up stopping in La Jolla for dinner (we'd planned on getting back into at least northern San Diego) and letting the traffic clear out. Be sure to get a good map and don't just rely on GPS. There are back roads into La Jolla, and north, where you can avoid the freeway completely.

[LisaH Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close LisaH]

Totally agree with all of these suggestions, with the exception of eating in the Gaslamp District. Now, to be fair, we didn't eat there this trip except for one lunch at an Irish pub that was okay. But I haven't been impressed with the restaurants there, maybe just never knew which ones to pick.

I have been to quite a few restaurants in Gaslamp district. My favorite is Blue Point (Seafood, known for its oysters) and Cafe Sevilla (Tapas). I guess it's also kind of fun just to walk around in the evening. Quite a happening place

We plan to rent a car for at least one day to drive up to Solana Beach to see the timeshare we've owned for several years and have never seen.

Great! Going to La Jolla on Hwy 5 from South in the morning should be OK. Exit at La Jolla Village Drive. Traffic sometime gets backed up at Genesee in the morning because there are many big pharma companies there (Pfizer, JNJ, Novartis...). Nearby there is Torrey Pines Gliderport, fun to watch hand gliding. UCSD is also nearby...

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

I have been to quite a few restaurants in Gaslamp district. My favorite is Blue Point (Seafood, known for its oysters) and Cafe Sevilla (Tapas). I guess it's also kind of fun just to walk around in the evening. Quite a happening place


Great! Going to La Jolla on Hwy 5 from South in the morning should be OK. Exit at La Jolla Village Drive. Traffic sometime gets backed up at Genesee in the morning because there are many big pharma companies there (Pfizer, JNJ, Novartis...). Nearby there is Torrey Pines Gliderport, fun to watch hand gliding. UCSD is also nearby...

Lisa, I would advise her to go up the back way and avoid the freeway completely. It's a prettier drive as well. We got there by going by the airport, Harbor to Nimitz, over Mission Bay, then up Mission Blvd, which becomes La Jolla Blvd. That goes all the way up into La Jolla. It probably takes longer, but I think it's more interesting.

We didn't walk around the Gaslamp at night, just during the day. The first day we arrived we were looking for a place to get coffee (preferable NOT Starbucks). The route the concierge (or really the salesperson) at the Worldmark gave us took us by quite a few vacant buildings. We walked from 11th to 5th along Broadway I think. Then down 5th through the Gaslamp. During the day I wasn't impressed. Lots of bars and restaurants, no coffee places. We finally did find a Starbucks near the end of 5th. We discovered later there was a coffee place about two blocks from where we were staying.

[LisaH Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close LisaH]

How do you go backway to La Jolla and north? As often as I go to San Diego, most times it's for business and I usually arrive the evening before and stay in a hotel in La Jolla.

And you are right some areas in Gaslamp is a bit rundown (although it's a lot better compared to 15 years ago). The area close to Harbor Dr on 5th is safe and nice. Nobu is located on the corner

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

How do you go backway to La Jolla and north? As often as I go to San Diego, most times it's for business and I usually arrive the evening before and stay in a hotel in La Jolla.

And you are right some areas in Gaslamp is a bit rundown (although it's a lot better compared to 15 years ago). The area close to Harbor Dr on 5th is safe and nice. Nobu is located on the corner

Lisa, we were probably posting at the same time. I gave the route we used in my post just before yours.

We got there by going by the airport, Harbor to Nimitz, over Mission Bay, then up Mission Blvd, which becomes La Jolla Blvd. That goes all the way up into La Jolla.

[LisaH Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close LisaH]

My bad. I didn't read carefully...Thanks!

[StressCadet Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close StressCadet]

Are we fans of Old Town? It's good for a little walking around and Margaritas I second Balboa Park and Seaport Village. I know both Happymum and I have done the Segway tours of Balboa Park and you get a little overall of the Gaslamp too. It might sound hokey-but our family had a blast on the Segways.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

Are we fans of Old Town? It's good for a little walking around and Margaritas I second Balboa Park and Seaport Village. I know both Happymum and I have done the Segway tours of Balboa Park and you get a little overall of the Gaslamp too. It might sound hokey-but our family had a blast on the Segways.

We went to Old Town. After living in Santa Fe I found it kind of cheesy and sad. If you want a good margarita I suggest Miguel's Cocina on Coronado. It's kind of across the street from the Hotel del Coronado and right around the corner from the Coronado Beach Resort.

We only had Mexican food once on this trip, at a place called the Carnitas Snack Shack. It's on the list I sent to Jacki. Wonderful, hole in the wall type place recommended by our friends.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

Well, it looks like I have another summer trip. Older dd just called. They are signing papers to lease a house in Sunnyvale. I had kind of mentioned that I'd come out to help them move, and I guess she's taking me up on in. Dates not set yet, but it will be sometime in June.

[LisaH Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close LisaH]

Hey Luanne, depending on when in June, we should try to get together...

[Hoc Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Hoc]

Where in Springfield did you have nice food? And does nice food equate to "good" food?

I had some really good barbecue at City Butcher, and decent Italian at Galardi's. There was also a Chinese restaurant that made a "Cashew Chicken," which was really chicken fried chicken with cashews, but it was good. I think there were some other places, but this was 30 years ago, so I don't remember much.

[happymum Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close happymum]

Are we fans of Old Town? It's good for a little walking around and Margaritas I second Balboa Park and Seaport Village. I know both Happymum and I have done the Segway tours of Balboa Park and you get a little overall of the Gaslamp too. It might sound hokey-but our family had a blast on the Segways.

Have really enjoyed all the Segway tours we have done. The best was "hills and Thrills" in San Francisco. You actually Segway down Lombard Street. a really fun and memorable time.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

Until I have my hip replacement surgery, we will only visit Laughlin, Nevada and maybe Las Vegas. I have to have both hips replaced. It has been a wait because I had another problem that required surgery and a 10 month healing process last year. Right now I am getting a hip injection and then physical therapy to prepare me for the hip replacement surgery.

We go to the Aquarius Casino resort in Laughlin for a week every month or 2. It is actually easier for me there than it is at home. We got a great offer for Caesar's Palace In Las Vegas with everything comped plus cash. We haven't decided on that one yet because we really don't like to visit Las Vegas anymore.

I now have several weeks banked at SFX which hopefully we can start using next year to resume our annual visits to Hawaii and NYC. I am also looking forward to being able to visit our son and grandkids in Monterey again.