Single Ladies Memorial Day Weekend. (San Diego, Corona: 2013, rent, hotels)

[westcoastbabe]

First let me say, loving the west-coast vibe. Just moved to Phoenix from Charlotte in Dec'2013 and lets just say I wish I would have moved sooner....Anyway, I will be visiting San Diego for the first time with a girlfriend Memorial Day weekend.....We are looking for hotspots to hang out in SD. Typical girlfriend stuff, we like to shop, hangout, eat out, and meet other like-minded individuals. We are in our early 40's, so definitely don't want to be near the 20'somethings...but not necessarily be with an older crowd.... I mean we still want to have a little fun....Any advice would be appreciated and thanks in advance for the responses.

[elchevere]

Given your disdain for 20 somethings, that rules out pool parties at the hotels downtown and Pacific Beach.

You might consider Del Mar or Encinitas....Del Mar has a couple of nice restos with bars on the ocean--Jakes and Poseidon--as well as Del Mar Plaza which has more eateries and boutiques. It's not super happening or full of energy but it has a crowd closer to your age and is a nice San Diego beach town. ..will you have a car?...there is also Del Mar Highlands, about 1-2 miles inland from the beach with more restaurants. Off of Via de la Valle is Flower Hill Mall which has a nice, lively restaurant called Cucina Enoteca....About a 12 minute drive from downtown Del Mar (or 5 minutes from Flower Hill Mall) in the posh section known as Rancho Santa Fe, I happen to be a huge fan of The Pony Room inside the Rancho Valencia Resort--especially on weekend nights. Not jumping, but a nice crowd in plush surroundings with great food and cocktails with live music and a nice crowd--though can be hit or miss......

Encinitas is a nice beach town with a stretch of restaurants and bars. Again--nothing that will be happening much beyond midnight as you would find in downtown or PB, but that's not what you are looking for. I have left out La Jolla--would be great for shopping and good restaurants, but that town shuts down fairly early (before midnight) as well--not saying there are not any places open beyond midnight but La Jolla is not known for its nightlife....in fact, all 3 of the beach cities will not remind you of South Beach--more places where you can spend a nice day at the beach, grab cocktails in the afternoon or evening, do your shopping, and have a good meal....is that what you were looking for??....if you decide to play cougar--if only for an afternoon, a place where you can go in Pacific Beach where you will mingle with people of all ages in a nice atmosphere would be the JRDN restaurant at Tower 23 Hotel....in the Bird Rock section of La Jolla, Beaumont's is not a bad locals place that also attracts a mixed age group and has live bands on the weekend.

[westcoastbabe]

Good stuff....- thanks for the suggestions!

[rgb123]

Oh come on, even the bars in Carlsbad close at 2am lol. Don't be ridiculous!

Well, obviously you have to check out downtown and gaslamp. Before I lived here I spent plenty of time there during conferences at the convention center. To suggest its all 20 something's is not quite right, especially if there is a convention of some sort in town. I might start with cocktails at the pool at the Marriott by the convention center and have dinner some place on the marina there, then cab it or walk over to gaslamp, you will figure out quick if its a bar you want to hang out at...

Check out hotel del on Coronado for some daytime drinks on the patio (or stay there or the Marriott I mentioned!)

I'd have to google it, but supposedly there is a bar on Coronado where the navy seals hang out.... I'd go there

Then, id visit lajolla village and/ or del mar lmrsd probably knows the best restaurants.

Encinitas, Solana beach and Carlsbad are worth the stop but I would visit one for a beach day, then pick one for dinner and bar hopping. Like I said even Carlsbad has walkable bar hopping until 2am lol.

I have always wanted to check out La Costa hotel and spa... I'd look there too.

Ps. Can you take me with you? Lol

I dont know everywhere to go, but I have to counter the midnight and no downtown stuff. You will miss way too much with that attitude!

[elchevere]

I did not mention Carlsbad in my post. I also did state, however, in Del Mar, Encinitas, and La Jolla that not all places close at midnight. Yes/no/maybe?

I would pass on staying downtown, where I live and have lived for the past 11 years (vs. your San Diego residency of 4 months???) and go out frequently, which includes eating out every single night--though not necessarily or always downtown. The weekend streets in The Gaslamp are crowded predominantly with 20 somethings that the poster is trying to avoid, unless one's idea of hanging out in a hotel bar is exciting. Megaclubs such as Fluxx, Bassmnt, Bang Bang, Ivy at Andaz, Sidebar, and Stingaree are out based on the OP's criteria (no?), which leaves Irish bars, sports bars and Jimmy Loves--in addition to the already stated hotel bars (though I do like rooftop bar at Gaslamp Marriott and the speakeasy bar called Prohibition)....wait--there's Dick's Last Resort (sarcasm). Furthermore, downtown will be swamped even more on Memorial Weekend as "Intervention" (huge pool party with even more drunk 20 somethings in downtown than usual) will kickoff at The Hard Rock Hotel that weekend; Ivy at Andaz often kicks off their summer pool parties that weekend as well. If one is trying to avoid 20 somethings, that would be a good place to avoid especially at that time. Maybe the OP would want to catch a baseball game that weekend, but she did not state that. Little Italy--OK for a meal but not necessarily lively nightlife (Craft & Commerce for a cocktail).

Most 40 something ladies I know (and mid-late 30 somethings) avoid downtown and spend more time in No County in the bars and restos I already recommended. Coronado would be worth checking out for an afternoon (at the Hotel del Coronado) with a car, but as far as nightlife is concerned that town is about as exciting as watching paint drying on a wall. And the bar you could not name with Navy Seals is called McP's (though that might or might not appeal to all women--some women I date prefer attorney's, doctors, bankers, business owners, CPA's, etc). Between La Jolla and Coronado, I would definitely choose La Jolla (restos, shopping, etc.) which would also put the guests in closer proximity to the No. County cities of Del Mar, Encinitas, and even Carlsbad that are definitely better suited for the OP's stated age group.

[rgb123]

While, I would rather live in North County, which is why I chose it (I'm a 37 year old female). I just can't imagine someone coming in from out of town and not checking out the downtown areas.

I mean, I understand they don't want to spend the entire weekend with 20 year olds, it doesn't sound like they are here looking for husbands either, I mean they only have 3 days.

Downtown areas can be really fun and you have to see it, at least spend some time there. It is not all 20 year olds. Go to nicer places, the types that cater to the conventioneers and travelling business people.

[rcjhku]

Go to Hillcrest... that's where all the lesbians are at.

[westcoastbabe]

Originally Posted by rcjhku

Go to Hillcrest... that's where all the lesbians are at.

There is nothing wrong with lesbians...but we don't get down like that.

[elchevere]

Westcoastbabe:

Couple of suggestions:

1. You might want to decide where you wish to be based--city/downtown OR beach, especially for only a 3 night stay. I know when I think of San Diego, I think beach and that is where I would stay--but that's me. Downtown San Diego is not a true metro city like some other larger cities if that's what you had in mind. No matter what you decide, check out some travel sites for hotel deals such as Travelzoo and Jetsetter.

2. Decide if you would rather hang out with other tourists or get more of a local scene.

3. Decide if you will rent a car or not. If not, then you could stay downtown--but keep in mind the crowd I described and it will have a lot of people that weekend, some of whom will be the types you are trying to avoid but for only 3 days it would not kill you...if you will rent a car, then I think a beach stay would make sense. My personal recommendation would be to find a nice hotel in La Jolla (nice scenery, better restos than downtown or Coronado, good beach--La Jolla Cove, La Jolla Shores, and the 'locals' Windansea, and better shopping--boutiques, not a mall with the same stores you can find in 200+ other US cities) and then you could check out Del Mar (recommendations already provided), Encinitas, and/or downtown. Eddie V's, Georges, Herringbone (more for a drink), Nine-Ten, and Whiskenlade are a couple of my fave restos in La Jolla (as well as Beaumont's in the Bird Rock section) and there is great boutique shopping throughout the village.....if downtown, I suppose you might enjoy Searsucker (I'm not a fan from the food or crowd standpoint, but some/many tourists like it) or you can check out the new Juniper and Ivy in Little Italy ( a resto that also has a bar/lounge).

Good luck no matter what you decide and enjoy.

[rgb123]

you don't have to stay at the same place the whole time.....at least that is how I roll...