California Official Visitor's Guide 2022 - 19

PREVIOUS SPREAD: MARTIN SASSE/LAIF/REDUX. THIS SPREAD, FROM LEFT: LUIS GARCIA; COURTESY BUTTERFLY
FARMS; JOSH CHO/COURTESY THE PEARL; COURTESY THE HAMBURGER HUT
01
01
‹‹ 7 BRIDGES
HIKE
‹‹ 7 BR
This 5.5-mile " city hike "
off ers natural beauty
and architectural
marvels in and around
downtown. Among the
crossings, you'll fi nd a
1905 wooden trestle
bridge and the Cabrillo
Bridge, built for the
1915 Panama-California
Exposition. One of the
most scenic stops: the
Spruce Street Bridge,
an elegant span over
Kate Sessions Canyon.
The Pearl Hotel
04 THE PEARL HOTEL
02
02
BUTTERFLY
FARMS
This Encinitas
institution is the largest
free-butterfl y space in
Southern California.
Mellow out to the
reggae soundtrack and
enjoy the company
of painted ladies,
anise swallowtails,
monarchs, and more.
Open April through
mid-November.
This 23-room hotel in Point Loma
embraces its 1960s beginnings,
but it's more than just a throwback.
Mid-century modern furnishings
and an art moderne oyster-shaped
pool combine with contemporary
comforts such as kimono bathrobes
and rain showers. Its seasonally
driven restaurant, Charles + Dinorah,
salutes the hotel's two original
owners and off ers a poolside perch
for enjoying fi sh tacos with a tropical
cocktail. Bonus: You're just a short
hop from downtown San Diego and
the epic views from Sunset Cliff s
Natural Park.
05 PETCO PARK
PRE-GAME TOURS
Downtown's Petco Park is
a visual stunner thanks to
elements such as its palm
court, water walls, and the 1909
03
03
STEHLY
FARMS
MARKET
Want to enjoy a picnic
in Balboa Park? Stop
in this Kensington
market to choose
from produce grown
at the Stehly family
farm outside the city.
Add pretzel-bread
baguettes, cheeses, or
breakfast turnovers,
or order a local beer-
available on tap right at
the register.
Western Metal Supply Building,
which became part of the 2004
ballpark instead of being torn down.
Take a behind-the-scenes tour of
the park and you can get up close to
features such as the Padres Hall of
Fame, the press box, and a private
luxury suite, as well as the Cutwater
Coronado Club, with its views of the
Coronado Bridge. But the Pre-Game
Tours off er something extra-special:
a VIP spot to watch batting practice
from the Templeton Rye Barrel Deck.
06 SEREA
Perusing the menu at this sea-totable
restaurant at the Hotel del
Coronado involves strolling past the
raw bar of fresh catches, mounted
on ice in the dining room. Part of the
iconic resort's recent renovations,
Serea is helmed by chef JoJo Ruiz,
twice recognized as a James Beard
Smart Catch Leader . That means
the seafood-urchin, rock crab, or
Baja striped sea bass-is sustainably
fi shed in local waters. Your
chosen catch is typically fl ash-fried
or cooked over a woodfi re grill-to
delicious eff ect. Also spectacular:
the ocean views you can drink in
while dining.
07 WRECK ALLEY
The Canadian destroyer HMCS
Yukon rests sideways on the ocean
fl oor, roughly two miles off the shore
from Mission Beach. It's the biggest
of eight vessels, most of which were
intentionally sunk here over the
years to create a 600-acre artifi cial
reef. Explore the interiors and exteriors
of the wrecks-now inhabited
by anemones, eels, and all manner of
fi sh-on a dive with operators such
as Marissa Charters.
08 CLAIREMONT
MID-CENTURY MODERN
DRIVING TOUR
In the past decade, the Clairemont
neighborhood has become famous
as a hotbed of Asian cuisine. On your
way to dinner, glimpse an earlier era:
Take the San Diego Cultural Heritage
Association's self-driving tour of this
" village within the city, " which was
one of San Diego's fi rst true suburbs
in the 1950s and '60s. The striking
array of mid-century architecture
is found in everyday spots such as
schools and gas stations. A library
and a church on the tour are excellent
examples of the " Googie " style
with their Jetsons-like angles.
09 MINGEI
INTERNATIONAL
MUSEUM
Balboa Park's acclaimed folk-art
museum reopened in 2021 after
a three-year renovation, and now
boasts a new theater, café, and
shop. Your fi rst impression will be
the dramatically reimagined spaces,
including a Dale Chihuly glass chandelier
hanging over the bell tower's
staircase. Explore the museum's
Commons level to see displays that
exemplify the museum's " art of the
people " theme, such as Japanese
ceramics (where the name mingei
comes from), folk toys, and a colossal
collection of beads from around
the world.
10 HAMBURGER HUT
Nothing exudes the mellow surfer
vibe of Encinitas quite like this new
burger joint that seems to lounge
along the side of Highway 101.
Created by the folks behind nearby
Moto Deli and Valentina Restaurant,
the menu is pretty simple: smashstyle
burgers of Wagyu beef (which
you can order as a double or triple),
fries, and a spinach salad topped
with beets, dates, and puff ed quinoa.
Pair it with one of the 12 local beers
on tap or a glass of wine and pick
your spot at the outdoor picnic
tables surrounded by palm trees.
The Hut shares space with two other
solid staples of an Encinitas lifestyle:
Velotown Bike Shop and Queenstage
Coff ee House.
Hamburger Hut
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California Official Visitor's Guide 2022

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