New order...
1. Calbrillo: see the whole city of San Diego from a great Vista View. Certainly the place to start
2. Ocean Pier: the whole goal here is to get you "out into the ocean". This pier goes more than an a 1/4 mile out.
3. Balboa Park: I have never been but probably pretty cool.
4a. Oceanside marina is not that impressive but it is right off the expressway if you just want to do a drive thru but this can be skipped.
4b. Instead, just head north to Dana Point this will put you in a prettier marina as well as give you the coastline drive through Camp Pendleton.
4c. If you use up a lot of time in Balboa Park then skipping Oceanside and Dana Point all together is not that big of a deal. You will still have seen the Vista View of all of SD and gotten "into the ocean" off Ocean Pier. Oceanside and Dana Point are just more ocean.
SVreX said:
I know he'll argue with me, but I am quite certain John doesn't actually have a job! 
I was Sales Manager of Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile for Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and some of PA for 7 years. For about 6 years it was the greatest job you could ever imagine. My job was to mostly take people to lunch, read spreadsheets from hotel rooms and turn the data into Powerpoint presentations, etc. Those people I took to lunch and dinner were my employees in the various markets to make them feel not "disconnected" as well as meet (usually over food) with our key Independent retailers in these markets. While not traveling my states, I would have to travel to our HQ in Irvine, CA. We also held 2 national sales meetings every year in tremendous locations. Winter meetings in San Diego, Palm Desert, CA, Miami South Beach. A full week long meeting in New Orleans during the week of Mardi Gras! Winter meetings in Lake Tahoe. My boss was first in NYC then later Chicago and I had to go there relatively often too.
I was in my late 30's early 40's for these years. Married but no kids. With the help of this work travel and adding sailboat racing to my trips I managed to race sailboats on all 4 coast of the US every year from '05-'10.
I've been out of that game for 6 years now. Life is more settled. Also have a kid and that changes everything.
John Welsh said:
New order...
1. Calbrillo: see the whole city of San Diego from a great Vista View. Certainly the place to start
2. Ocean Pier: the whole goal here is to get you "out into the ocean". This pier goes more than an a 1/4 mile out.
3. Balboa Park: I have never been but probably pretty cool.
4a. Oceanside marina is not that impressive but it is right off the expressway if you just want to do a drive thru but this can be skipped.
4b. Instead, just head north to Dana Point this will put you in a prettier marina as well as give you the coastline drive through Camp Pendleton.
4c. If you use up a lot of time in Balboa Park then skipping Oceanside and Dana Point all together is not that big of a deal. You will still have seen the Vista View of all of SD and gotten "into the ocean" off Ocean Pier. Oceanside and Dana Point are just more ocean.
That's awesome, thanks!! I'll grab this plan and follow it until I run out of time. Yeah, I love the idea of walking all the way down Ocean Pier!!
Symbolic Motorcars is in San Diego, and always has tasty (ie priceless) machinery on offer. If you have time to kill---- and an unlimited budget--- I"m sure you could find a sweet new ride!
Symbolic Motors
If you are curious about In & Out burger, stop and get one. Don't expect anything earth shattering----- just a decent fast-food burger. I'd put them one level above Wendy's, but a step below Culvers (if you've ever had them). Folks are obsessed with In & Out for some strange reason----- so when in Rome.......
Yeah, I know it's fast food, and I almost never eat McDs, Wendys, etc...probably less than once per year. But I've heard so much about it, and like you said, when in Rome. Generally speaking if I'm not eating my normal healthy stuff, I'm a pub food type of person anyway...burger, rack of ribs, basic chicken, comfort food, etc... So any restaurant with a menu above the level of TGI Friday is probably lost on me anyway.
In reply to Klayfish :
Just wanted to chime in. (I 've been in south oc for most of the 40 years since emigrating in '77) San Diego is great. Lots to see and eat. If you want quick tour of so cal head up the 5 to Dana Point and PCH. You'll see the beach cities that gave the world surf culture. If you like history/culture the Mission in San Juan is a must and 10 min. from Dana Point. Its where the El Camino Real meets the Ortega highway. The Ortega highway (one of the last fun 2 lane hwys) runs to Lake Elsinore/ Temecula. If In and Out burger is a must two exits north of Ortega there is one.
John,
Thanks again for the suggestions. I'm in CA now. Got my rental car around 10:15am yesterday. Calbrillo was a beautiful view, really cool. Ocean Pier was neat, but it seemed a bit dirty. Lots of homeless around, but that's not uncommon...Atlantic City is the same way. I spent a little bit in Balboa Park, but didn't want to buy any museum tickets, so I wasn't there long. Went to Oceanside, CA and walked the beach and pier there. Probably my favorite place I saw. Beautiful little town, I really enjoyed it.
Got to Temecula around 5pm. Hit traffic going from Oceanside to Temecula. I drove through Old Town Temecula on my way in. I'll probably walk around it tonight, as I simply was too tired and had to work last night. Seems really quaint. I did want to go back last night and get a burger from a local pub that looked really good as I drove by...but they closed at 5pm. WTF?? A pub closing at 5pm? Oh well...so I wound up going to In N Out, simply because there's one a mile from the hotel. Yeah, it was OK, but nothing incredible.
Oh, and anything car related...my rental is an '18 Volvo S60. Great car, very sadly let down by its' poor and confused transmission programming and poorly executed start/stop system (yeah, I know I can turn it off, but wanted to see how it worked).
Sounds like a good day.
I once had a Volvo S80 V8 rental in SD. Back when I traveled a ton and had mucho status with Hertz.
SD has a huge homeless population. Let's face it, at sunny and 75 every day of the year, it's pretty much the mecca or the shangri-la of homelessness.
Yes, Ocean Pier is less touristy and more "local Vibe." The beach there also happens to be a "dog beach" that allows you to bring your dog. Should have been some surfing happening if the conditions were right.
In reply to Datsun310Guy :
Yes by all means see the midway!!!
Then take the train from San Diego to San Yasidro. See the beaches right next to you. Fantastic scenery north of LA there is a really long stretch where there is nobody.no houses no cars nothing! It’s cheap and very comfortable. You don’t want to drive in Southern California unless you love slow traffic and gridlock.
If you go to Dana Point consider taking the Ortega Highway ,74, to Lake Elsinore. It is a very good mountainous drive. Lake Elsinore is just north of Temecula.
Go to Petersen. It'll be worth the drive.
I'm already here in CA. My day to tour was on Tuesday. Unfortunately, time is short now. Class starts at 8am and ends at 5pm. I'm trying to stay somewhat on an east coast schedule. Plus I'm trying to get some work done so I'm not buried when I return.
Well, at least I'm here for car related stuff. Taking a class on event data recorders in vehicles.
John Welsh (Moderate Supporter) said:
Bump
With the COVID lol. Petersen still a must visit for any automotive enthusiast.
Petersen is closed , still a few Cars and Coffee in Orange County.......
In reply to californiamilleghia :
Damn. I wish I could move back.
