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156 wanderlust.co.uk September 2019POCKET GUIDES FIRST 24 HOURS
Beginwithaleisurelystrollalong
the waterfront of the laid-back
beachside community of La Jolla
(pronounced ‘la hoya’), watching
sea lions noisily squabble, pelicans
(pictured) clumsily dive-bomb the
water and cormorants drying their
wings out on the guano-white cli s,before taking to the water in a kayak
(adventure.everydaycalifornia.com;
half day from US$44/£35pp). There
you could be surrounded by pods
of dolphins, breaching whales or
locks of sea birds while learning
about the underwater eco-system
and caves once used by smugglers.Next, make like the birds and soar
your way up the road to indulge in
a tandem paraglide with Torrey
Pines Gliderport (lytorrey.com;
from US$165/£130pp) for the best
view of this stretch of the California
coastline available.
Come back to earth (literally- and hopefully not with a bang)
with a late brunch at Kindred
(barkindred.com) for some inspired
vegan fare alongside heavy metal
music and a dizzying array of
photos on the wall of its goth
owner and his beloved cats.
Finally, head back out on the
water for whale, dolphin or sea lion
spotting with one of the operators
that run wildlife trips o the coast –
Hornblower (hornblower.com; from
US$28/£22pp) and Cruise San
Diego (cruise-sd.com; from US$48/
£38pp) are especially recommended - the latter also does sunset trips.
End with a meal at Puesto
(eatpuesto.com) for artisanal
tacos and Mexican-inspired tapas.
Save room for organically made
dessert at Bobboi Natural Gelato
(bobboi.com) and cocktails
overlooking the bay at George’s at
the Cove (georgesatthecove.com)
for a California-style cheers!
Coast:Whenyouhearthesealion
cries, you know you’re somewhere
special. Situated in beachside La
Jolla, the Pantai Inn (pantai.com)
o ers suites that have balconies
and patios right by the main event- where seals, sea lions and pelicans
congregate. The breakfasts are
amazing, too. One-bedroom
cottages from US$388pn (£305).
City: In the heart of the up-and-
coming Gaslamp Quarter (pictured),
famed for its comedy clubs, nightlife
and Victoriana, lies Andaz Hotel
(hyatt.com). Topped with a rooftop
bar, it oozes cool; rooms are also
spacious, with free snacks included.
Doubles from US$169pn (£141).
On the water: The interior of the Bay
Club Hotel (bayclubhotel.com) may
be nothing to write home about, but
location is everything. Set on the
marina of Shelter Island, you’ll have
to tear yourself away from the views
at breakfast – the nesting ospreys
help. Doubles from US$119pn (£94).Allowyourselfthreetofour days or
you’ll miss out on a lot. If beaches
are your bag, take your pick: Ocean
has a bohemian feel, Mission o ers
an old-style rollercoaster and Paciic
is home to the beautiful people.
Then there’s the neighbourhoods.
Little Italy has top food, North Park
has good restaurants and galleries,
while Barrio Logan and Chicano
Park (chicanoparksandiego.com),
with its huge murals lining the
underpasses, reminds you just how
close to Mexico you really are.Wander museums in Balboa Park
(pictured; balboapark.org) – also a
great place for bird watching – then,
if you’ve time, head out of the city
to see the wonderful wetlands and
coast of Border Field State Park to
the south, where western snowy
plover, light-footed clapper rail and
California least tern nest. At the park’s
edge is the Mexico border, where
Friendship Park (friendshippark.org;
open weekends only) allows family
members either side of the fence to
meet. It’s a truly moving place.Stay or go?
Where to stay?
First day’s tour
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■ Rainfall (average) Temperature (average high)̊C MMPopulation: 1.33 million
Language: English
Time zone: GMT©8
(GMT©7 Mar–Oct)
Int’l dialling code: +1 (619)
Visas: Not required by UK
nationals. You will need to
obtain an ESTA before
arrival; these cost US$14
(£11) and are valid for two
years. Get one at the o ̄icial
site: esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta
Currency: US dollar (US$),
currently around US$1.29 to
the UK £. ATMs are plentiful
and tipping is expected.
Getting there: British
Airways (ba.com) lies
direct to San Diego from
London Heathrow daily,
arriving in late afternoon.
Prices from £366 return.
Best viewpoint: From
Cowles (pronounced
‘coals’) Mountain, north-east
of the city, you’ll get views
of the entire area and – on
a clear day – over to Mexico.
Health issues: None. But
travel insurance is wise.
Tap water is safe to drink.
Recommended
guidebooks: Coastal
California (Lonely Planet,
2018) has speciic info on
San Diego, as does the Los
Angeles, San Diego and
Southern California guide
(Lonely Planet, 2018)
Useful websites:
sandiego.org – the o ̄icial
guide to the city.
Climate: It can get hot and
crowded in summer (Jun–
Aug) as temperatures hit
the high 20s (ºC). Shoulder
seasons can be pleasant
(Sept/Oct and Mar/Apr), but
mid-December to April is
when the grey whales visit
and the crowds are gone.Need to know