Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Eat, drink, explore in San Diego

- JACKIE BURRELL RICK STEVES Rick Steves does not appear today.

San Diego has always boasted a wealth of attraction­s, from the soft sand beaches of the coast to Balboa Park museums, Little Italy’s restaurant­s and more. Here’s just a sampling of things to do in California’s sunniest city.

SEE: CANNIBALS: MYTH AND REALITY

A display devoted to cannibalis­m may seem like a grisly idea, but the exhibit at Balboa Park’s Museum of Man is absolutely fascinatin­g. This thought-provoking, nongory exhibit explores the history of cannibalis­m, touching on not only some of the most famous instances where survival was at stake — shipwrecks, plane crashes, the Donner Party and the Uruguayan rugby players stranded in the Andes — but political practices in which European rulers used the term as a weapon. At “Cannibals: Myth and Reality,” you’ll self-diagnose at an interactiv­e centuries-old apothecary to see whether your ailments should be treated with corpse medicine, the powdered skull bones and such commonly prescribed in Europe at the time. You’ll board a wooden raft on storm-tossed virtual seas to see who draws the short straw. And you’ll ponder where, exactly, the line is drawn. Are you a cannibal? Details: Tickets are $6-$13. Open daily at San Diego Museum of Man, 1350 El Prado; museumofma­n.org.

PLAY: ENIGMA HQ

Escape rooms are popping up across the country, drawing eager adventurer­s into a web of locked rooms filled with puzzles and mysteries, with limited time to solve them. Some of these are scary: A bomb is ticking or a zombie’s on the loose, and the door really is locked. Others are like San Diego’s Enigma HQ: The door’s not locked, there are no monsters and the puzzles put all your Indiana Jones’ skills to the test. Enigma’s hourlong Lazarus Crystal challenge was particular­ly fun, with excellent props, a cool story line, challengin­g puzzles and clever twists. Details: Tickets are $40 per person, reservatio­ns essential. 1446 Front St., Suite 301, San Diego; enigmahq.com

EAT & DRINK: LIBERTY STATION

Over the last couple of years, San Diego’s former naval training base has been transforme­d into Liberty Station, a dining and shopping destinatio­n that’s as enticing to locals as it is to tourists. In addition to Stone Brewing’s World Bistro & Gardens, which opened in 2013, there are 30 other restaurant­s — Breakfast Republic, Soda & Swine, Fireside By the Patio and more — as well as galleries, boutiques and picnic-perfect lawns. Details: Open daily at 2640 Historic Decatur Road, San Diego; libertysta­tion.com.

 ?? The Mercury News/TNS/JACKIE BURRELL ?? San Diego’s Balboa Park, which celebrated its centennial last year, is home to the Museum of Man, where panoramic views and quirky exhibits appeal to tourists.
The Mercury News/TNS/JACKIE BURRELL San Diego’s Balboa Park, which celebrated its centennial last year, is home to the Museum of Man, where panoramic views and quirky exhibits appeal to tourists.
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