So You Think You Know San Diego?

May 20, 2022

Beaches, fish tacos, and beer. San Diego could have nothing but those three things and still be a crowd-pleaser any day of the week. But this laid-back Southern California city has plenty of other layers—including world-class art, architecture, hiking trails, and even an under-the-radar wine scene.

Explore these gems, hidden in plain sight around San Diego County, starting in downtown and heading both north and east. And worry not: You might also sample a few new tacos and beers along the way.

Animae, Downtown

Top Chef alum Brian Malarkey has turned up the volume in multiple ways for his latest restaurant: Animae’s menu highlights Southeast Asian cuisine (including a raw bar cuisine, seafood platters, and Wagyu beef) and the setting is luxe even by Malarkey’s standards, with plush banquettes, blingy decor, and the novelty of carpet, to encourage intimate conversations. Don’t overlook the bar menu, with its solid selection of Japanese whisky and sake.

Border X Brewing, Barrio Logan

San Diego’s beer scene has a new nerve center in Border X Brewing, located just outside downtown in the heart of the city’s Mexican-American community. The Latin-owned brewery—a first for the city—recently earned a James Beard Award nomination. Choose from a selection that includes Horchata Golden Stout, the Gran Jefe wheat beer, and a Blood Saison that gets its red hue from hibiscus.

The Pearl Hotel, Point Loma

This 23-room hotel embraces its 1960s beginnings with mid-century modern furnishings—a mix of new and vintage—and an oyster-shaped pool alongside contemporary comforts such as custom bathrobes and walk-in rain-showers. Its locally sourced restaurant, Charles + Dinorah, tips its hat to the hotel’s original owners, when it was called The Sportsman’s Lodge. Bonus: Guests here are just a short hop from Liberty Station and Sunset Cliffs.

7 Bridges Hike, Downtown

Take this 5.5-mile “city hike” that combines a medley of natural settings with architectural marvels around downtown, Balboa Park, and Hillcrest. It starts at the Park Boulevard Bridge, near the rose garden in Balboa Park, and includes a suspension bridge across Kate Sessions Canyon, a wooden trestle bridge from 1905, and the city’s only steel arch bridge.

Flemish Masterpieces at the Timken Museum, Balboa Park

The compact Timken Museum may not possess the majestic scale of some of its neighboring museums, but it’s absolutely worth a visit if you appreciate the Old Masters. Peruse its small but potent collection of Dutch and Flemish masterpieces, world-class even compared to much bigger museums. Striking pieces include Rembrandt’s Saint Bartholomew, Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s The Parable of the Sower, and Death of the Virgin by Petrus Christus.

Cape Fynbos Habitat, San Diego Zoo

The penguins in this under-the-radar habitat like to live on the edge—as in, they’re from the rocky coastline of southern Africa. These beach-loving, flightless birds also love swimming in their lagoon, which they share amicably with leopard sharks, colorful protea blossoms, and ancient boulders indicative of their African origins.

Pigment, North Park

What started as a boutique to support local artists expanded to include design pieces and jewelry—plus two more locations, in Liberty Station and Del Mar. But Pigment ups the ante from the typical funky boutique with its array of irresistible little plants and pots, including compact succulents that look like works of arts themselves. Don’t miss the Plant Bar, where you can create your own terrarium with colored sand, rocks, and more succulents or cacti.

Wayfarer Bread & Pastry, La Jolla

The low-key Wayfarer Bread & Pastry in Bird Rock has serious bakery street cred: It’s helmed by a veteran of Tartine in San Francisco. Indulge in savory goodies such as sourdough loaves, English muffins, or jalapeño cheese croissants, or sweets such as cinnamon buns, fruit scones, and caramel macadamia nut cookies. Add a coffee, made with beans from Encinitas’ Ironsmith Coffee Roasters.

Mid-Century Modern Driving Tour, Clairemont

San Diego’s Clairemont area sits right next to the Asian cuisine hotbed of Convoy Street. On your way to dinner, take a driving tour of the “village within the city,” which features a striking array of mid-century architecture by way of a library, school, a bank building, gas stations, and more.

Waterfall Hike, Los Penasquitos Canyon County Preserve

Plenty of shady trails and creeks crisscross this hiker-friendly preserve in Rancho Penasquitos area. On your way to the waterfall—the water typically only flows during the spring—keep an eye out for nesting hawks, great blue herons, and tree frogs.

Alta Vista Botanical Gardens, Vista

Explore 16 ecologically distinctive gardens spread across 13 acres at the Alta Vista Botanical Gardens, with highlights such as the Pan Asian Garden, Rare Fruits, and a Prehistoric Cycad Garden. At the latter, you can see Four Dinosaurs by Ricardo Breceda, the sculptor known for his fanciful public art in Borrego Springs.

Warner Carillo Ranch House, Warner Springs

East of the Cleveland National Forest and Palomar Mountain, San Diego County still embraces its Old West ambience at the Warner Carillo Ranch House. This unassuming adobe house, built in 1857, was once a Butterfield Stage Stop. It was also witness to a number of historic moments, including the Gold Rush and the ranching era. Note some of its original features, such as the fireplace mantle and ceiling beams. (Word has it that it could be haunted, too.) Afterward, stop at Dudley’s Bakery in Santa Ysabel.

Dulzura Vineyard & Winery, Dulzura

Set on an old ranch, the Dulzura Vineyard & Winery was established in 1885 to grow figs and olives. Today it's an excellent excuse to check out the emerging wine scene along Highway 94 between Jamul and Campo, near the Tecate border crossing. The family-owned winery makes Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier, and Chardonnay from its own grapes, and sources more grapes from neighboring vineyards. You can even stay the night: its Guest House is part of the former ranch’s “Pickle House,” which was built in 1906 to make a confection called “Clark’s Pickleized Figs.”

Before you explore, be sure to visit our Responsible Travel Hub, which includes helpful Travel Updates.

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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.