attending a conference with my partner in san diego oct 19-22 and staying till the 26th. have heard the city is incredible. we intend to visit several of the museums at balboa park and tour old town. i'm thinking a zoo is a zoo is a zoo (and zoos smell pretty raunchy), and that we'll pass on that...

any specific points of interest you might recommend? restaurants? bars/clubs?

(sorry for hijacking your topic title, noumenon.)

Chargers are on the road......isn't that the only thing in San Diego for a gay man....or is that just me!? wink

In San Diego, the zoo is not just another zoo; it's one of the most hightly acclaimed and popular zoos in the world. I highly recommend it. It's right there in Balbao Park.

I've only been there once, but we're going again this year to spend New Year's Eve, and go to the Chiefs vs. Chargers game on Jan. 2.

Last time we stayed in Hillcrest, which is the gay area (which isn't far from Balboa Park). There are lots of unique and yummy little cafes and nice restaurants in Hillcrest, and some fun shops, and of course the gay bars. It's a great gay neighborhood.

We did a boat tour of the bay and walked all along the waterfront area, which was beautiful. We took a ferry over to Coronado Island and went to the amazing Hotel Del Coronado. I definitely recommend going there, especially if you're into historic architecture. Horton Plaza is a funky & beautiful outdoor mall in downtown, but the stores there are mostly the same stores as any other mall. The Gaslamp Quarter is the historic district next to the new ballpark. We were there in the daytime, and I think it would have been more fun to visit at night, with all the nightclubs and restaurants.

I'm looking forward to going there again. Since you're there for a week, you should have plenty of time to see the sights.

Try to hear the Symphony, which under Jaja Ling is starting to make a name for itself. Do the zoo and Spanish Village, also in Balboa Park, for some good local crafts, especially glass. Stop by Inn at the Park on Friday afternoon for its excellent rooftop Happy Hour around 6. Swim at the beach and get yourself an excellent Mexican breakfast at either of Rancho Cocina's two locations. Try to see the SDSU Aztecs play if they're in town. Have a good time!

San Diego is really a great city! The gaslamp is really nice with many great bars, restaurants and shopping. Other touristy stuff includes Seaport Village, Old Town, Tijuana, Sea World, Wild Animal Park, Balboa Park, Coronado island and the San Diego Zoo. You can hit almost everything using the trolley. Hillcrest is really small, but nice. Rich's bar is fun as is a great adjacent restaurant Kemo Sabe. Old Town has Agave (one of my favorite restaurants) and Del Mar has Jake's by the Shore. There's indian gaming around San Diego too--I prefer Pala near Temecula. It's about a 1/2 hour drive north, but there's also Viejas, Pechanga and Barona around the county. The beaches are all pretty nice, but some areas are rocky. First time there, I recommend you take one of the tour trolley buses (costs around $20pp) and do a 1/2 day excursion and see the main points of interest (which you can revisit later). You can pick up the trolley in old town, seaport village, and many other stops around town. Hope this helps.

I'm gonna be different and urge you to be different also.

Don't do all the touristy crap. after all a zoo (no matter how fabulous) is just a zoo.

I was in San Diego this wknd and just got back to NYC yesterday morning.

This is whatI recommend. Instead of tourist attractions..... go enjoy what san diego has to offer the best.... The weather, the beach and the beautiful air. I spent most of sunday at Blacks beach and also at Ocean Beach. just enjoying the sun and the sand.

I also spent time at Hill Crest and at the Loews resort on Coronado.
Hillcrest has a very interesting Afghani restaurant called "Khyber Pass" nice food and great outdoor seating. just down the street from Hamburger Marys and the Vespa store.

The bestthing you can do in san Diego in my opinion..... enjoy the fragrant fresh air and the nice friendly people.

Well, it's copyrighted, so if you don't mind paying royalties... wink

Enjoy your trip with your partner in San Diego!

I'm still kind of new, but here goes...

If you really want to see an amazing zoo, ours is one of the best, BUT it's pretty crazy on the weekends, honestly. I'd be more likely to go during the week.

I'm gonna agree with Ung and recommend the beaches. Blacks is the nude/gay beach. Pacific and Ocean beaches are plenty busy with lots of fun locals to watch.

Absolutely take a walk through Balboa park. It's beautiful. The gay boys play volleyball in the park along 6th on Sunday afternoons.

You mention tennis in your profile. There is open social tennis doubles with the gay tennis group at Morley Field on Friday night. Come with or without a partner, but get there around 6:15 to get on the list. All levels play. You can get directions to the courts (which are BEAUTIFUL, by the way) and info right here .

The gay basketball league plays Wednesday night if you are interested in watching the games. Click the Open Gym link from this site for directions.

You did ask about night life, right? Not sure what your scene is, but there's almost always a decent crowd hanging out at Hamburger Mary's or Bourbon Street. To dance: Friday night at Rich's, Saturday either Numbers or Montage, and they Two Step at Kickers/Hamburger Mary's on Thursday and Friday. Sunday beer bust at the Hole is about my favorite place to hang out. Very friendly crowd that leans more toward the bear/leather bunch.

The Hillcrest Landmark Movie Theather always has some great independent films showing.

Drop me a private messge or email if you have any more specific questions about San Diego. Holler if you need someone to grab a beer with.

[ October 13, 2004, 04:39 PM: Message edited by: curtj ]

thanks for all the great suggestions, guys.

Well, since my plans for a Vegas trip didn't work out (return flights are full and I'm flying non-rev) I have chosen San Diego as the spot for a on-day weekend getaway. I've been to San Diego many times, but ususally only for a day trip. Any recommendations on a reasonable hotel? I would like to stay near the Hillcrest/Balboa Park area but other areas would also be cool. I knkow the big one is the Park Avenue Suites, but they are full. I won't have a car so somewhere central would be perfect. Is Little Italy close? I saw a couple of hotels in the area, but not sure of the quality. I'm looking on the travel sites, but first hand knowledege is usually better than reading about it on the web.

mdb,

we stayed at the hillcrest inn. while incredibly convenient, friendly, and affordable, we thought it was terribly seedy. a buddy of mine reported the park manor worked for him, although it's a decent hike to hillcrest proper...

little italy is a colorful and artsy section of town. personally it was more to my liking than hillcrest overall -- for shopping, views, architecture, cuisine. it's more convenient to downtown sd and the bay, too, if these interest you. unfortunately, if memory serves li'l italy isn't within walking distance of hillcrest.

while it may not be a novelty to you, this east coast boy absolutely LOVED extraordinary desserts. there are two locations - one in hillcrest (sort of...) and one in little italy. omg, the cakes with fresh flower garnishes and teas are incredible indulgences...family-owned and operated, i believe.

[ May 16, 2005, 12:57 PM: Message edited by: EricNC ]

In the last couple of years, whenever I head to San Diego, I stay in the Little Italy area. My aim in SD is just to wander around and relax, so it's central enough for me (I like the gaslamp area more than hillcrest) and close enough to the bay to just amble down to it. As a plus, it's far enough from the Zoo/Mission Valley that you don't get trapped with the family crowd.

~Adam