Hodads is legit.

Lots of great ideas being posted.



Keep em coming.

I lived in oceanside from 2011 to 2014 and I never had any run ins with gang bullshit nor did anyone I knew.  If you don't hang out in the Mexican neighborhoods you pretty much don't see it.

I'm here TDY about once a month. If you have a cac, park at the Navy Logistics Center across from the Midway, it's secure and free.  

Romantic dinner - La Jolla
Burger - Hodads (in OB) or In n Out/The Habit if you want quick
Pizza - Isola in Little Italy from 3-6 they have $5 wood fired pies. Good gelato right around the corner.

Coronado is ok, I used to live there so I like it but it's small and boring and dead after 9.

KC BBQ is a tourist trap with mediocre bbq.

Seaport Village is next to the Midway and is a touristy maritime themed place.

Gaslamp is fun to walk around and grab some drinks and enjoy the atmosphere.

I'm here now so if you have any questions ask away.

Zoo, Midway, Hodads and Point Loma Seafood market squid tacos are a MUST!!!!

If you are going to more than 2 attractions, save some money and get one of these:

http://www.sandiego.org/members/attractions/go-san-diego-card-by-smart-destinations.aspx

I used to live at the Dublin Square bar. Used to have my name on the Centurion plaque there.

Go to Julian and have breakfast or lunch at Mom's Pies.
https://www.momspiesjulian.com/

Go visit Dick's Last Resort.
http://www.dickslastresort.com/

Go to Sunset Park in Coronado and watch the planes land at NAS North Island on runway 29.

Go visit the Hotel Del Coronado.

Eat at Miguel's Cocina (kitty corner across the street from the Hotel Del Coronado).
http://www.miguels-cocina.com/

Air and Space Museum in Balboa Park
http://sandiegoairandspace.org/visit/

Dick's is stupid.

I see you have no sense of humor.

More like they don't.

 

First time my buddies and I went there, we didn't know it was supposed to be a 'tough" far and the employees are pretending to be all standoffish "dicks".  So, meet fire with fire... the waitress was a dick to my buddy so he returned like for like.  She gave him shit for his gross horseshoe mustache asking "What's that dead rat thing on your face?" he replied "It's my handlebar mustache, so you can grab hold and take my face for a ride".  She got all pissy then he saw her little gag plastic penis whistle pointed to it and told her if she kept it up that's the only dick she was going to get for the night. She goes away..  So then the manager comes over and explains the nature of the bar and how it's supposed to be "dickish" or whatever so we all immediately start flipping him shit for holding double standards and the like, how if the employee's are going to give it, they should be able to take it as well.  So on and so forth.  Fine whatever.  Different server for the rest of the night because apparently that one line earlier was all it took to make the girl cry. I feel bad on one hand, on the other... not really.  


So, knowing this, and knowing the scope of the bars mission we go back later a second time.  We have fun, tone it down a bit seeing as how thier employee's were fragile types.  But then we do the whole "yo ho" song (the drinking song, not the pirate song).  Apparently that was too much and we got the boot. IIRC at least we didn't have to pay for drinks.


To me, Dicks is the safe space of "dive" bars.

It is because up until recently, Oceanside was ghetto by the sea.

A mix of territorial methhead surfers, cholos, bros and bros (dark and flatbill), hookers, strip clubs and homeless people.

I say that as someone who lived in Oceanslime for 5 years.

It is mostly cleaned up these days. Real estate prices are driving the hoodrats out.

Well... shit...

 

It was pretty nice in 2000-2004 so if it's better than that now it much be pretty nice.



My friend Annine still kicks it in O'side a lot. I I kind of feel like taking a trip back down there for old times sake.

Couldn't agree more.



 

What part of town are you staying in?  Will you have a rental car while she is out all day?  What kind of food do you like, and what kind of activities do you like doing?

Southern California sucks. Even more so for a Floridian. Go north. Cruise up to Lake Tahoe or something. You can head up the coast and that's cool. Hit a B&B on the way up. Maybe check out the redwoods up that way. Cruising down the other side gets pretty boring one you're south of Big Pine, but the views for the 3 hours in between are pretty cool. Plan for hitting Yosemite.

Mission beach, Ocean beach, Hodads is good grub, gas light district, Balboa Park.

Fill a bucket with ice and Coronas, then go to the beach and do your best to recreate the commercial

Oh... just had flashbacks to the PB 4th of July where we kicked it with a bigger crew and they brought out a huge kiddie pool and had hotties on the beach baby oil wrestling in it.  


I forgot how awesome Socal is when you're young, single, and don't have to pay for shit because you live in the barracks and couch surf on the weekends.

Way to completely not pay attention to his question.  And southern California doesn't suck to vacation in at all.  Living here and dealing with the ridiculous laws, high taxes, insane traffic, and outlandishly high cost of living, is a different store however.

Good hikes:
-Three Sisters Falls
-Potato Chip Rock
-Cowles Mountain
-Torrey Pines

Other activities:
-SCUBA diving @ wreck alley (HCMS Yukon and the Ruby E)
-SCUBA diving @ the La Jolla Cove or Canyon
-Snorkeling @ La Jolla Cove
-Snorkeling @ La Jolla Shores (right about then there should be Leopard Sharks breeding in the shallows - they are a non aggressive bottom feeding shark).  One of my favorite things to do every summer.
-Rent bikes and ride around the harbor drive/shelter island area or Mission Beach/Mission Bay
-Kayak @ La Jolla
-Drive to Cabrillo monument and check out the tidepools
-Surf @ Blacks Beach, Sunset Cliffs, or Tourmaline Surf Beach
-Just hang out at some of the beaches!  Be careful with alcohol on the beach though, you aren't allowed to drink on public beaches.  
-Check out a Padres game!  They are terrible but its a cool park with cheapish tickets, and some interesting opponents!
-Balboa Park - has tons of outdoor walking stuff to do along with several museums and our world famous zoo.  Make sure to do this one.
-Explore the beach towns in North County - Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Del Mar, and others are fun places to check out. Cool shops, restaurants, and amazing views!
-Breweries!! We have a ton of great local breweries.  My favorites are: Alesmith, Ballast Point, Green Flash, Societe, Coronado, Rough Draft, and Modern Times in no particular order.  There are beer bus tours that will cart you around to a few of them so you don't have to drive.  Great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
-As others said, hit the USS Midway.  Great museum.  Can't go wrong there.
-Hornblower Harbor Cruise - Fun way to see all of San Diego Bay.  Worth the admission price.

Some of my favorite "local" restaurants:
-Half Door Brewing Co (Gaslamp, Downtown): Micro brew restaurant.  Good food and good beer.  Great for after a Padres game.
-Cuatro Milpas (Barrio Logan, south of downtown): Mexican food with the most amazing tortillas of all time.  Killer tamales w/rice and beans.  Only open for lunch.  Don't be put off by a long line or the neighborhood.  It's safe during the day and the lines move quickly.
-Lucha Libre Taco Shop (Mission Hills, other side of I-5 from the airport): Amazing surf+turf burrito.  Side note: Don't leave San Diego without having a California burrito from somewhere.  Amazing stuff :)
-Cucina Urbana (North Park): California-Italian cuisine.  Reasonably priced wine selection, super fresh and tasty food.  My all around favorite restaurant in San Diego.
-Harney Sushi (Old Town): Great sushi in the heart of old town
-The Crack Shack (Little Italy): Fried chicken in an awesome outdoor area.  If you are from somewhere that is known for fried chicken then ignore this - we don't have a lot of it, so this place stands out for us.  Check out Whisknladle in the same area instead.
-Mitch's Seafood (Point Loma): Go on a Tuesday.  2-4 fish tacos.  Fantastic seafood overlooking the fishing boats at the sportfishing landings.  Good food and great location.
-Dirty Bird's (Pacific Beach): Burgers and wings in Pacific Beach.  Good stuff
-Ragland Public House(Ocean Beach):  Good food and good beer.
-Pizza Port (Ocean Beach): Great pizza and awesome brewery as well.  Great spot for lunch if you are in OB.
-Tap Room (Pacific Beach): Best beer selection of any restaurant in San Diego.  Good food and cheap pizza by the slice.
-The Fish Shop (Pacific Beach): Good seafood and BYO Wine.   Try the mahi mahi sandwich!

Dont's:
-Spend all your time downtown and at Coronado.  San Diego has a ton of unique neighborhoods that you would be missing out on otherwise.  For that matter, Gaslamp is all pretty much overpriced food and drinks, and it turns into a madhouse on Th-Sat nights.
-Take any cabs anywhere.  The cabs here suck, and Uber/Lyft is a WAY better option.  They can do pickups and dropoffs from the airport as well.
-Try not to eat at the chain restaurants here.  There are a ton of local spots for you to try.  
-Not eat seafood.  There is a ton of good seafood here!  Not all of it is expensive either.  Mexican seafood spots know whats up with their Ceviche, etc.

Sorry for the wall of text, but I hope you have a great time.  You are coming during the "May Gray" and "June Gloom" so it may not be super sunny all the time like normal.

+1000

There used to be a place I hung out at in SD up the street from the stadium.  It was a private apartment in an old firehouse with an apartment in a loft set in the corner (Which got it nicknamed "the loft".  That people I hung out at used as an after party pad. It was always awesome drinking there in the evenings with the bay door up because people thought it was a legit bar and would try to walk in then realize it's actually someones house. It was even better at 3 in the morning when the bars closed and cops would try to shut the place down thinking it was a real bar.  (It was BYOB only)  After awhile senior officers would let junior ones make the mistake of just charging in and acting tough, while just sitting back against the car and laughing.

The cognitive dissonance was real when the owner would tell them to get out of his house.

He stated he lived there in the past but made no mention of where his wife is from. OP's location is listed as Florida. If his wife is a native there, the northern end of the state has a lot more to offer than just another big city.

Take your snide comments elsewhere because nobody wants to hear that stupid shit.

I've been up and down the entire coast, except San Diego. My wife has never been in Cali and she is there right now for work. We will have Friday night till Sunday evening to really get around. Unfortunately, not a lot of time to spend driving around.

I'm gonna send you a PM in a minute.

Damn, don't be sorry. What you just threw out there is what makes this site what it is.

Thanks for taking the time to lay down a "wall of text!"

I'd almost forgotten how shitty TSA was. ALMOST!!!

Why is there never a rusty cactus around when you need one?

I remember that place! I remember they had a "Liberator" pistol for sale there. Also bought a Gerber boot knife there, because that was the boot thing to do.

1DD

Jack it.

Halfway there.

1.  Enjoy the great weather.
2.  Enjoy the great food.
3.  Legoland--most pleasant theme park I have ever visited.  
4.  Didn't think Seaworld was that great.
5.  The Zoo--excellent.
6.  Air and Space Museum--also excellent.
7.  USS Midway.
8.  Could be worthwhile visiting the San Pasqual battlefield.
9.  If you run out of things to do, Disneyland is about 90 minutes north.

Oh, by the way.....

Do NOT go north to "Olde Town" or whatever they call it.

Old Town San Diego.....whatever it's called, is a shit show tourist trap.

I took the train up there one day and it blew......hard.

Go stand on the yellow footprints at the playground...

Go to McP's... See where Chis Kyle didn't hit Ventua.. Just kidding, he kicked his ass

American Shooting Center.
http://www.gotammo.com/

See if you can get someone (SoCal ARFcom member) to take you out to the South Bay Rod and Gun Club for a little shooting.
http://www.sbrgc.org/

If you want to visit something out of the way - Visit the Poway -Midland Railroad and Old Poway Park.
http://poway.org/452/Old-Poway-Park
http://www.powaymidlandrr.org/

And don't forget to visit the Lawrence Welk Museum just on the other side of Escondido.
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2035

If you wanted to head north, San Juan Capistrano has "The Coach House".
http://thecoachhouse.com/

Or if you want to stay local go to "Humphreys By The Bay.
http://humphreysconcerts.com/

http://skydivesandiego.com/

The Gaslamp for nightlife. Great food, drinks, music. I always liked the Rock Bottom, and Croce's.

Old Town for Mexican food and Margaritas. Balboa park for some culture and excitement. (The Zoo is right in the park.)

Point Loma and Cabrillo. Got to see the Constellation steam out to sea from up on point Loma back in 2002.

Model RR Museum in Balboa Park.  Unbelievable layouts.

Old Globe Theater Complex in Balboa Park.  Especially if you can see a Shakespeare play in the outdoor theater.  Have a little picnic in the park.  They used to always have a bit of a pre-show entertainment.  QE1 arriving that kind of thing.

Somebody said they could get better Mexican food in Wisconsin?  not hardly.  Check out any or the many hole in the wall places.  Ask around

Seafood?  if you like fresh fish, plenty of that.  Shellfish, not much, it's not harvested around there

The Zoo is definitely worth the time.  Lot's of changes from when I was a kid and it was lots of small cages and displays.  Now mostly habitat displays.  Built on top of a mesa and side canyons.  It's about 100 years old, so they are constrained by the location and it's configuration.  My son was there a few weeks ago,  Says it's really great now.

You have to work hard to not have a good time visiting the city.

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.

Well... the weather is usually nice.

Stay classy.

We were there last December for the son's graduation at MCRD. There's lots to see and do. One thing though. If you rent a car, be warned...Parking is a premium there.
We stayed at the Embassy Suites hotel, right across from the Midway. We pulled into the hotel and were met by one of the valet parking attendants. I asked about self parking in the hotel garage. I found out it's valet parking only, AND it's $45.00 a day. WTF???

I expressed my displeasure with this arrangement and was told "Parking on the street is free". So I drove around the block for about 20 minutes until I saw someone pull out of a spot. I parked, and only moved the car again when it was time to go to the airport.  The shuttle train is the way to move around the city. (For us anyway).

Old town is cool to visit. I liked the cigar shop there. Good food too.
Touring the Midway is a must.
The MCRD is awesome. Watching the graduation ceremony makes you proud to be an American.
We got some outstanding pictures of the sunset over SD bay.

I wouldn't want to live there, but it's a nice place to visit.

Have fun!

I happened across this on the way to Cabrillo national monument, it was worth stopping (I have never been to Arlington or anything so I can't say how it compares).  The national monument is neat, with a spectacular view.  For Old Town, I prefer Old Town Cafe for their crispy carnitas.

I really enjoyed the zoo, but I am a sucker for zoos.

They have many species that I have never seen before.  

The reptile house is the place of nightmares.  The King Cobra is a honker.

I arrived at the exhibit early in the morning and I guess cobras are cranky at that time.  I was just standing in front of the glass enclosure of either an Indian or Egyptian cobra and it reared up and opened its hood.

My blood runs cold at the memory.

Bloody Mary at The Hash House.

Go visit Taylor Guitars in El Cajon.

Great thread, as I'm here in SD until the 26th.

Marios:

http://mariosdelamesa.com/

Hodads is out of control.







That's a 24OZ beer for size reference.