THE DETAILS
Getting there
From Singapore and Hong Kong, United Airlines
( united.com) operates daily flights to San Diego via San Francisco.
Where to Stay
Located in the historic Gaslamp Quarter, Pendry San Diego ( 1-619/7387000; pendry.com; doubles from US$315) is one of the town’s most stylish hotels. For old-time flavor, The Cosmopolitan
( 1-619/297-1874; oldtown cosmopolitan.com; doubles from US$110) in Old Town features Victorian-flavored guest rooms, an outdoor bar, and a Mexican restaurant.
Where to Eat and Drink
Unpretentious French nouvelle cuisine is the draw at Carlsbad’s Jeune et Jolie ( 1-760/637-5266; jeune-jolie.com), while
Il Dandy ( 1-619/310-5669; ildandyrestaurant.com)
in Bankers Hill puts the focus on contemporary Calabrian-influenced Italian. But you’ll want to seek out the city’s Mexican food too. Try any of the Lucha Libre
( luchalibretacoshop.com)
outlets for top-notch tacos, or go old-school in Barrio Logan at Las Cuatro Milpas ( las-cuatromilpas.com) before hitting nearby Border X Brewing ( 1-619/501-0503; borderxbrewing.com) for some Mexican craft beer. In Old Town, there’s also an excellent Oaxacanleaning menu at Tahona
( 1-619/255-2090; tahonabar.com), though the main draw here is over 120 kinds of mezcals.
What to Do
From visits to the
Maritime Museum of San Diego ( sdmaritime .org) to walking tours with the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation & Museum
( gaslampfoundation .org), there’s plenty to keep one busy around town. A must-see on the cultural front is Chicano Park ( chicano-park.com),
a mural-filled monument to the city’s MexicanAmerican heritage. For natural beauty, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve ( torreypine.org)
affords hikes along rugged sandstone bluffs and beautiful views of the Pacific.