LOCAL WALLY'S
GUIDE TO SAN DIEGO'S TOP
SMALLER ATTRACTIONS

1. Maritime Museum of San Diego / Star of India What's with that pirate ship in the bay? Oh, you're thinking it's a goofy tourist trap, right? A fake boat with "Yo Ho" pirate music straight from Disneyland that runs on tracks in the bay? Well, wipe that cynical smile off your face. This is the Star of India, a REAL sailing vessel that not only is a great stop but is also a fully functioning windjammer! It's the oldest active iron sailing ship in the world - yes, I said "active" because if you're lucky you will actually see it sailing in the bay. Built in 1863, The Star of India has a wonderfully colorful past. As luck would have it, she found her way to San Diego and in 1976 was plopped right there in the bay where she became an instand landmark and icon for our water loving town. Even if you are too cheap to pay to walk on board (hey, I understand), you have to stop and take a few pictures.

No, it's not on tracks like in Disneyland

This Ain't No Ordinary Tourist Trap!

As if the Star of India wasn't enough, The SD Maritime Museum has five other restored ships and one submarine (no kidding). If you like boats, you'll want to visit them all (along with the tourist trap giftshop), but for Wally the real treat is The Californian, an awesome multi-sail "tall ship" (meaning BIG SAILBOAT) that you can actually sail on. Half days, full days - your choice, and the prices are quite reasonable (less than $35 per adult as of 2006 for 3 hours). Look, if you're thinking you might get seasick, take a Dramamine and go for it. San Diego is all about the water, so you just cannot call a visit to our town complete unless you get off the ground and experience the Pacific Ocean.

Maritime Museum
1306 N. Harbor Dr.
619 234-9153

LOCAL WALLY HOT TIP: Don't miss the Fish or Shrimp and Chips at Anthony's Fishette, a busy outdoor ultra casual eatery that is a long time favorite with locals and tourists alike. Expect zero service, long lines, plastic forks, and some seriously good fish and chips.

2. Stephen Birch Aquarium

If you wondered what that fish you ate last night looked like while it was still swimming, you need to stop in at the Stephen Birch Aquarium and check out the sea creatures. Although billed as the "largest oceanographic exhibit in the United States", don't expect another SeaWorld. But the location itself on the top of a hill with a panoramic view of La Jolla is enough to warrant a stop. Should keep you busy for about an hour or two. In fact, doing this and visiting some real live tidepools in La Jolla is sort of a poor man's SeaWorld - and might be just as much fun.

Birch Aquarium
2300 Expedition Way
619 534-3474, $11.00 adults, $7.50 kids
Bring student ID for discounts

3. Drive to Cabrillo Monument

What a view!

Sometimes it's great to just get in a car and drive, especially if you rented a convertable and the drive is to Cabrillo Monument at the very tip of Point Loma. This hour long drive on Catalina Blvd. will wind you through the very history of the discovery of San Diego by Portuguese explorer Rodriguez Cabrillo in 1542. Take your time and stop at the many viewpoints along the way, including the killer view of the San Diego skyline on the left side of the road and the incredible military cemetary on the right. While cemetaries are not usually the stuff vacations are made of, it's worth a stop to pay your respects to those who died for our country and your vacation. And did I mention the view?

At the end of the road you'll find a museum, a lighthouse, and a view to knock your socks off. Bring your camera. A great shot is inside the lighthouse shooting up the spiral staircase from the bottom with your subject looking down. Or try it the other way with the camera facing down and your subjects looking up. Either way, you'll have a shot to remember to impress your friends. But don't spend all your time inside a lighthouse. If you're visiting from December to February, make sure you look for migrating whales. The easiest way to spot a whale (or a dolphin) is to look for water spouting from their blowholes. Even if you don't see one, make sure you say "did you see that? Was that a dolphin or a whale? Way out there!"

What's More Fun than Poking Your Finger into a Sea Anenome?

Now that you're here, don't miss driving down the hill to the tidepools, possibly some of the best in San Diego. If you hit it at low tide (call ahead at 619 557-5450), Wally guarantees hours of fun torturing, umm, I mean viewing the little trapped sea creatures. All kidding aside, these guys are protected so picking up a starfish and flinging it like a frisbee is not recommended unless you want a tap on the shoulder from the nearby Ranger.

LOCAL WALLY HOT TIP: One of the top rated casual seafood restaurants in San Diego is Point Loma Seafoods. It's a picnic bench sort of place, but the food is outstanding. Stop there on the way to get some smoked fish and bread if you want a reasonably priced gourmet picnic lunch.

One of the last, original beachside roller coasters

4. Belmont Park When I first moved to San Diego in the 70's, my Mom remininced about her wild days as a teenager riding a roller coaster on the beach in San Diego. I love coasters and looked forward to riding the old wooden monster, creaking and twisting like a good coaster should. But it was not meant to be. By 1977, the coaster was old, dilapidated, and closed. It took 13 long years for it to reopen in 1990. I waited patiently first in line all those years, and yes, it was worth the wait.

The Giant Dipper first opened in 1925. The nearly 2 minute ride starts with a 73 foot slow climb to the top where you will be distracted by the incredible view of the Pacific. But right when you least expect it (meaning when you are pointing at the ocean and waving to your chicken friend waiting on the boardwalk), the coaster hurls itself down into a bumpy, twisty, heartstopping ride. It may not be the largest coaster in the world, but the view of the ocean must certainly be one of the prettiest.

Best view in town - until you get hurled to the ground at 45 MPH!

The Dipper is located in the recently refurbished Belmont Park and is surrounded by various kiddie rides, T-shirt shops, and food joints, as well as The Plunge, the original indoor swimming pool. This is serious tourist trap territory, but still fun for a couple of hours. The Mission Beach location is often filled with "odd" people, so if you're from Kansas, well, you're not in Kansas anymore! You can park on either side of the roller coaster for free, or across the street.

LOCAL WALLY HOT TIP: Go to the official Giant Dipper website for a bit of history.

LOCAL WALLY HOT TIP 2: Make sure you get an authentic shaved ice from one of the neighboring shops (just across the street from the Dipper). The shaved ice will be the highlight of your day! Wally likes Ice Heaven Hawaii for shaved ice because, 1) it's cheaper than the joint down the street, 2) it's right next to the seawall so you can grab a cone and watch the people, and 3) nice guy from Hawaii owns it. It's located right next to Hamels Surf Shop, the castle looking building to the north of the coaster.

5. Whale Watching

Wally isn't talking about overweight tourists wearing thong bathing suits on the beach! I'm talking the big boys, the real thing, the gigantic Monsters of the Sea! Got your attention?? If you're coming to San Diego between December and April, then make sure you jump on a tour boat to see the California gray whales as they migrate from the Arctic to Baja California. Bring a jacket and some binoculars. Sometimes you can get right up there with them, other times you see nothing, so be forewarned! And don't forget the Bonine for sea sickness. (Bonine won't make you drowsy. Highly recommended. It's no fun leaning over the rail of a boat.)

Here are the top tours from San Diego:

Birch Aquarium at Scripps Educational activities, whale exhibits and cruises in conjunction with San Diego Harbor Excursion. Admission: $8.50 adults, $5 children. Call 858 534-3474. • Official site Fisherman's Landing Call Fisherman's Landing at 619 221-8500 for prices on its nature and ecology trips, including whale watching. • Official site H&M Landing Offers three- and five-hour cruises from Point Loma. Prices begin at $20 for adults, $15 for children. Call 619 222-1144. • Official site

Hornblower Cruises and Events Offers 3 1/2-hour cruises at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. from the B Street Pier downtown. Prices: $23 for adults, $11.50 for children. Call 619 686-8700. • Official site RECOMMENDED BY WALLY as the best harbor cruise and whalewatching tours! Point Loma Sportfishing Offers three-hour cruises departing daily at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Prices: $18 for adults, $13 for juniors (5-15) and seniors (60 and over). Kids under 5 free. Call 619 223-1627. • Official site San Diego Harbor Excursion Offers three-hour narrated cruises at 10 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. through April 1. Prices: $23 for adults, $15 for children. Call 619 234-4111. • Official site

LOCAL WALLY HOT TIP: Want some proof there are actually whales out there before you waste a day? Go to Birch Aquarium Whale Sightings for a list of recent whale activity. OK, sometimes they don't keep this up to date, so don't be afraid to also ask the charter how many whales they have seen that week. Trust me, Wally has been on a boat for 3 hours just to see seals on the bouys. I guess it's still better than being at work.

6. Gaslamp District Once the home to bums and transients (home-ownwership challenged), Gaslamp has been reborn as a hip and trendy area of town. San Diego's original old buildings have been cleaned up and updated into great restaurants, funky stores, and a lively nightclub scene. Some have compared it to New Orleans (though it's been a long time since a hurricane has blown through San Diego). The comparison is pretty accuate. On any night of the week you'll find a happening sort of area, lots of activities, and great food everywhere. It's also one of the more risky places to go at night, so be careful and no picking fights with a drunk guy! Of course, it helps if you are on the younger side of 30 to really get into the scene. For the young and restless, Gaslamp has lots of clubs from hip-hop ("Martha, I think that fellow's bass subwolfer just blew my head off!") to Irish music and everything in between. So when tourists ask Wally "Where's the Nightlife", I say "Go to Gaslamp". Period.

Croces's Restaurant, as in "Bad Bad Leroy Brown"

Let's say you want to go to a totally hip restaurant and listen to jazz afterwards. Then go to Croce's, a very good restaurant owned by Ingrid Croce, the wife of the late great "Don't Mess Around With" Jim Croce. Want an Irish pub? There's at least four of them in Gaslamp (Dublin Square, Hennessey's Tavern, The Blarney Stone, and The Field). You can also rock at the House of Blues, or party with the ultra hip at the rooftop bar at the W Hotel. You'll find music everywhere, so walk around until you find a bar or joint that suits your mood. But remember, like New Orleans, it's busy and crowded and filled with drunk people (laid back, but drunk), so just know whassup before you go.

WARNING, WARNING If you normally drive a Chevy Citation and are more into do-wop than hip-hop, then go for dinner and skip the clubs. But don't let the younger scene stop you from going. From the classic car showroom to the live music in the air, this is a fun place if you have the right attitude.

Like baseball? Petco Park is the home of the San Diego Padres. What makes this ballpark unique is that it was build using some of the original old buildings. You get a bit of nostalgia, but then you also get all the cool things that a new ballpark has to offer, such as upgraded restaurants and food, and even an area where you can surf the net while watching the game. All the seats are decent due to the smaller size of the park, but Wally recommends you spend some time just walking around to view the game and the city from the various standing areas. Come one, don't be a stick in the mud! Grab a beer and go explore!

Parking at the game - or in Gaslamp, for that matter - on a game night is going to be a nightmare. If you are going to the game, give yourself plenty of time to arrive early and have dinner and drinks outside of the park, then laugh at all the people stuck in a traffic jam as they fight for the last parking space in a 5 mile radius! Or - take the trolley into the park. If you just want to see Gaslamp and it happens to be game night, Wally recommends you put on good walking shoes and park in Horton Plaza shopping center (Broadway and Fourth Ave). You can get a discount on your parking if you buy something, but being cheap Wally usually just goes to Nordstrom and has them stamp the ticket for free.

Gaslamp District
Downtown San Diego

Look out, the tourist trap is sucking you in!

7. Seaport Village If you're a local reading this, you'd should stop right now and move to another section. Why? Because, believe it or not, Local Wally is going to actually recommend Seaport Village! Yes, I know that's it's a serious tourist trap and that no self respecting local would be caught dead there. But if you're a tourist, you just might find it to be a very interesting and enjoyable way to spend a few hours, especially if it's a nice warm summer's evening and you're looking for a place to walk off some of that great seafood you just had down the street.

Located on a scenic stretch of the Bay, Seaport Village features gift stores, restaurants and a great old Merry Go Round (real wood, not fiberglass horses). The architecture is New England Disneyland, and you'll get the feeling you're walking down Main Street USA (as in fake, fake, fake). The best feature isn't the shops (come on shop owners, how about changing your displays every ten years or so??), but rather the setting. Right on the bay, the views around Seaport Village are wonderful - I bet you'll snap a few pics of you and your fellow travelers there.

Overpriced ice cream and T-shirt shops? Well, that and more!

LOCAL WALLY HOT TIP: : The gyros sandwiches at Greek Island Cafe (619 239-5216) are as good as the view. Jerry G. Bishop runs the place, and if you're a Beatles fan, know that Jerry once toured with them as a DJ back in the '60s. For better quality "restaurant" food, Wally says avoid the fancier restaurants at Seaport Village and take a short hike to The Fish Market (619 232-3474) and grab a seat outside on the patio. The Fish Market is considered by many locals to be the best seafood in town. You'll find Wally there on a summer afternoon with a nice glass of chardonnay and a plate of crabcakes in front of him.

So go ahead, be a tourist. Wear that really loud Aloha shirt, that old pair of shorts you got on sale, and grab an ice cream and sit back and watch your the other white legged travelers as they do the same. Hey, is that guy pointing at YOUR legs? Oh well, who cares? You're on vacation!

8. Winetasting in Temecula

This might come as a surprise to some of you, but all wine doesn't actually come out of a box! That's right, the good stuff actually comes out of a bottle with an actual cork and San Diego wine country is just the place to visit if you've never had the "Sideways" experience.

Temecula is Southern California wine country. But Wally won't kid you - if you're expecting Napa or Sonoma, you're on the wrong side of the state. You won't find beautiful rolling hills that remind you of Tuscany. Temecula is hot and dusty, sort of like a desert with grapevines. OK, I might be exaggerating a bit, but I do want to set your expectations correctly before you go.

But Wally, I don't know nothing about wine!

Calm down, cowboy. Winetasting in Temecula isn't about feeling intimindated by snobby wine connoisseurs. In fact, for better or worse, winetasting in Temecula is not much different from ordering a drink at your local Applebees. For about $8 to $10 per person, you get to taste 5 or so wines off a menu. If you've never done it before, just start with the whites and start at the top of the list. They usually pour from sweetest to the deepest reds. If they pour one you don't like, pour it out into the jug. At the end of the tastings, you usually get to keep the glass. Nice souvenier of your day of barhopping - I mean, winetasting.

As you arrive in Temecula, exit Rancho California Road and go past the strip malls and fast food. When Wally goes winetasting, I like to bring along a nice baggette of sourdough, some good cheeses, and some sliced salami. Unfortunately, you won't find quaint gourmet shops in Temecula so stop in at the supermarket on the way, or better yet, a Trader Joes. Some waters would be nice as well. Hope you bought a little cooler.

Not all Temecula wines are good, and some are just plain bad, so let me guide you to some of the better ones. The first stop is the first winery on the right, Thorntons Winery. It looks like a real castle and is the fanciest of the wineries, worth a stop. Down the road a bit is Callaway, the winery that more or less started it all in Temecula. It's a good stop, though the winery itself is pretty utilitarian. Wines are OK, with the reds being a bit better than the whites. Keep going and you'll see a sand colored stone building on the left. That's Baily's and that's usually where Wally stops - oh, not for the wine, but for the food. On a nice summers day, their patio dining for lunch is great. My favorite? Reuben sandwich with a side of killer fries. It's possibly the best Reuben I've had in years, so give it a try. Keep going and you'll find my favorite winery on the right. Stuarts Cellars has possibly the best wine in the area, and the small tasting room is great if you can catch it on a not too busy day. If you like Merlots, the 2002 is outstanding. Down the road further are a couple of newer and larger wineries, Ponte and South Coast. Both are worth a stop, but I prefer Ponte if you only pick one. The restaurant at South Coast is so-so.

Drink and Buy tourist stuff at your own risk!

As you winetaste, you probably will hear people talking about the fantastic almond champagne. You'll find that at Wilson Creek. OK, it's not my cup of tea (I find it rather sickenly sweet), but IF you like sweet wines, you should try it if you are in the area. Tourists all seem to LOVE it, so perhaps it's just me. (But remember, Local Wally is usually right...!)

LOCAL WALLY HOT TIP: Get 2 for 1 coupons before you go to save a few bucks. Winetasting can get expensive, so take advantage of the freebies.

Temecula Winetasting
Rancho California Road, Temecula
90 minutes north on Highway 15

9. San Diego Mission

What will your neighbors think when you spent your entire San Diego vacation either drunk or on a beach? You need some culture, and here's the fastest way to get it. Mission San Diego de Acala was the first of the 21 California missions. You might want to read up on the history of the missions ("blah, blah, blah") or just stop in, take a picture of your significant other in front of some colorful bougenvilla vines, then head over to nearby Old Town for a margarita. Worth a quick stop just for the picture.

10818 San Diego Mission Rd
619 281-8449

I told you it was going to be a good view!

10. Hike Torrey Pines Local Wally likes hikes. Well, I like short hikes. I mean, short hikes with really pretty views so there's a big payoff for getting out of the car. If that sounds like you and you're aching to see some natural San Diego, then head north to Torry Pines State Park and go take a hike on any of their short trails. What makes Torrey Pines so unique is that you'll start your hike in what will feel like a forest area, but you turn the corner and BAM, there's the ocean! Hikes are around a mile or so, long enough so you feel like you really did something, but short enough so you don't end up yelling at Local Wally for making you tired. Parking is $6 - drive past the beach parking lot and go up the hill. Cool ranger station with old historic photos of when the road you are on was the only road to San Diego.

11. Ferry to Coronado

Before the Coronado Bridge was built, access to Coronado was either the long way around ("damn!") or by ferry. Thankfully, the ferry is still running and is a great way for tourists to cram "getting on a boat" and "visiting Coronado" into one activity.

You catch the Ferry on the Embarcadero near the Broadway Pier, the same place you will find the Harbor Cruise tours. For a couple of bucks each way, the ferry will not only transport you across the bay, but to another place altogether. Coronado "Island" is an upscale, New England looking community filled with great restaurants and shops. It's also home to the Hotel Del Coronado, a "must-see" stop.

Great Wally. Now I have no car!

Hey, has Wally ever led you astray? Coronado is one of these places where you don't need a car. You can rent bicycles (get a tandem!) and pedal all the way to the "Del", cruising through the quiet neigborhoods and oogling the great homes. Some will be mansions, some cottages, but all are beautiful. The traffic closer to the Del will get pretty rough, but don't let that stop you from touring this great hotel. There's lots of fun history there in the old photographs that line the hallways ("Some Like It Hot", starring Marilyn Monroe, was shot there), and the beach setting is "rich and famous" perfect. I like to park my bicycle and then I head over either to the great ice cream place with homemade waffle cones, or to an outside table in front of the gift shops where I order a killer martini. Either way, it's great fun to sit in the sun and watch the world go by. Before you go, ask the concierge for the address of Frank Baum's house where he wrote the Wizard of Oz books. It's right down the street from the Del.

LOCAL WALLY HOT TIP: At the Ferry Landing is Peohe's, a Hawaiian themed restaurant that's quite good. You can take the ferry there in the evening, have dinner, then grab the ferry back (watch your time - last ferry departs at 9:30 Sun. - Thurs., and 10:30 Fri. and Sat.)

San Diego Ferry and Harbor Excursion
619 235-8294

12. Visit the Taylor Guitar Factory

If you play guitar, then you know about Taylors. These great high end guitars are made right here in the San Diego area and you can take a FREE TOUR and learn how they make these beautiful instruments everyday at 1:00. The hour and 15 minute tour starts in the lobby where you check in - no need to make a reservation. From there you will tour the parking lot where you'll see stacks of rough exotic woods (ever seen slabs of koa wood?). The tour will take you all the way to the end where you'll see rows and rows of finished beautiful guitars. No drooling! Even non-players will appreciate the tour, and if you play, you cannot miss this. Tours run every weekday at 1:00, except holidays.

LOCAL WALLY HOT GUITAR TIP: Now that you've seen how Taylors are made, I bet you will want to play one. One of the best guitar stores in the country is Buffalo Brothers Guitars in Carlsbad. Rows and rows of Taylors - and other high end guitars.

Taylor Guitar Factory
1980 Gillespie Way, El Cajon
619 258-1207

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