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San Diego offers breathtaking views and beautiful
beaches This California coastal city has it all! Photos and story by: Phyllis Steinberg
Tony Bennett left his heart in
San Francisco. I left mine in San Diego. This coastal city has
something for everyone. For me, it offers world class resorts,
gourmet restaurants and breathtaking views of dramatic cliffs
winding around the sea. For my husband, it is a place to enjoy
the horse races at Del Mar Race Track, a San Diego Padres
baseball game at the new Petco Park or a polo match at the
Rancho Santa Fe Polo Club. Not to mention the San Diego Chargers
football team. And my children love all of the exciting
activities from the San Diego Zoo to SeaWorld and playing in the
sand and swimming in the beautiful beaches.
San Diego Zoo Entrance
There are many choices when it comes to accommodations
in San Diego from bed and breakfasts, to lavish oceanfront resorts and
luxurious inland properties with beautiful grounds and luxurious
casitas. On my recent in San Diego, I had the opportunity to stay at two
different types of resorts, Rancho Valencia, an inland property renown
for its gorgeous grounds and spacious casitas in Rancho Santa Fe, about
25 miles north of San Diego and the La Jolla Hilton Hotel, nestled in a
mountain overlooking the sea, a 20-minute drive north from San Diego’s
downtown area.
Rancho Valencia Casita.
The area on which the Rancho Valencia Resort is located was
originally discovered in the early 1900s and owned by the Santa
Fe Railway Company. Their original intention was to plant and
harvest eucalyptus trees to be used for railway ties, but it was
determined that the wood was too soft to hold railway spikes so
an architectural firm was hired to develop a community of
country estates. Among those who built there were screen idols
Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, who purchased 800 acres in
the area and planted 300 acres of Valencia oranges.
Rancho Valencia Resort opened in 1989 and has been the
recipient of numerous national awards ever since including the Number
Two Top American Resorts by Conde Nast Traveler in 2003.
A group of elegant casitas with spacious
living rooms with fireplaces and kitchens with wet bars and
roomy dressing rooms and bathrooms surround the resort. The
resort has 18 hard tennis courts laid out among magnificent
foliage.It also has the Rancho Valencia Restaurant, which is
wonderfully romantic and comfortable. The restaurant, a favorite
of the locals, has an extensive menu and impressive wine list.
It has white-washed beamed ceilings and an
abundance of live palms scattered throughout with fresh flowers
gracing every table. A fireplace warms guests on the
occasionally chilly Southern California evenings. The
continental cuisine is enjoyable with an emphasis on locally
grown fruits and vegetables and seafood freshly caught from
local waters.
Rancho Valencia Restaurant
The La Jolla Torrey Pines Hilton offers vacationers
another stunning view of coastal California. Located next to the Torrey
Pines Golf Course, the resort hotel overlooks the Pacific Ocean and the
golf course. The views of the setting sun are spectacular and the
dramatic sea cliffs and nearby beautiful mountains and coves are
reminiscent of the French Rivera. The hotel is located near Birch
Aquarium at Scripps, a wonderful exploration of aquatic creatures of
every size and type. Be sure to bring your camera to photograph this
beautiful setting.
Duck from the Torreyana Grill.
The Torreyana Grille Restaurant
in the La Jolla Torrey Pines Hotel is not to be missed! This
gastronomical gem is located on the lower level of the hotel and
features an elegant setting with fountains of water spraying
down the center of the grill. Dark woods and an open kitchen
bringing tasty delicacies, one after another, to tempt the most
serious of foodies. Executive Chef Larry Banares or “Chef Larry”
as he is known on his daily cooking show on ABC was voted “Chef
of the Year” by the American Culinary Federation Orange Empire
Chef Association.
Chef Larry continues to shine on the food horizon with
his constantly evolving menu of eclectic dishes.
One of the best ways to see the
popular sights in San Diego is to purchase a ticket from the Old
Town Trolley in San Diego. The trolley tour makes eight stops
and you can get on and off and see all the sights and get back
on when you are finished exploring each area. The narrated tour
is two hours long and takes passengers to the San Diego Zoo, Sea
Port Village, area museums and to Coronado with an opportunity
to visit the famous Del Coronado Hotel where the movie Some Like
It Hot was filmed.
Midway Aircraft Carrier.
A new stop on the trolley tour is the Midway Aircraft
Carrier Museum. Here, you can go aboard the former aircraft carrier that
was used in many military expeditions and wars.
Restaurant Nine-Ten in La Jolla, located in the The
Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla, has evolving California cuisine that
embraces the bounty of seasonal products from local farmers and
ranchers. I enjoyed a wonderful meal at this outstanding La Jolla
eatery. When you are finished dining, take time to explore the area
which is located on Prospect Street. Here, you will enjoy upscale shops
featuring haute couture boutiques, Persian rugs and world-class
jewelers. The ever-popular Crab Catcher La Jolla Restaurant is also
located in the area and features delicious locally caught seafood.
If you are into bargain hunting, try the Carlsbad
Premium Outlet where more than 95 name-brand discount outlets are
located from Tommy Hilfger and The Gap to Banana Republic and Polo.
There is a Waterford discount shop as well in the mall. The mall offers
up to 70 percent discounts off of retail prices.
Information and photos submitted
by: Phyllis Steinberg
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