12 hours in San Diego. What to see? (Corona, Coronado: lofts, hotel)

[AlaskaDan907]

I am going to be in San Diego for 1 day. been there before and walked around downtown. I will be in town April 16th and wondering where I should explore sort of outside the downtown area? I am going to use the public transportation. My flight gets in at 7:20 and my flight leaves at 7:30 that night. I like to explore and take photos. Thanks all!

[cruitr]

You don't have a whole lot of time on the ground. Here's a good way to see the city:
1. Get a cab to Old Town: Old Town San Diego Guide
There's lots to see while you walk the area. Print a map of Old Town from the website.

2. Get on the city trolley tour at Old Town: San Diego Tours | San Diego Attractions | San Diego Trolley
This tour covers a lot of San Diego's main tourist sites. You can get off and on again at any stop.

3. Back at Old Town (if you still have time), you can eat at one of the many Mexican restaurants. I usually take my out-of-town guests to Cafe Coyote. Sometimes Rockin' Baja.

4. Cab it back to the airport.

[Fran66]

I agree with Cruitr. Just want to add: You don't say where you're coming from, so if you are not familiar with the Pacific Ocean, my 2 cents is that you spend time at the beach. There are excellent and fairly good restaurants almost anywhere along any beach in SD.

[sdurbanite]

With only 12 hours, I will third Cruitr's suggestion about taking the Trolley Tour. You'll be able to see Coronado, Old Town, Balboa Park and Downtown, all at once. The good thing is that the airport is right in the middle of the city. You'll have good photo opps at many of the trolley stops, particularly, Balboa Park and Coronado. Have fun!

[AlaskaDan907]

I have decided to stay overnight.I'll be downtown. That allows for a bit more time. Get in the 14th of May at 12:45p and leae the 15th at 6:15p

[rcjhku]

Skip downtown and spent your night in Hillcrest. It will be an experience you will not soon forget!

[AlaskaDan907]

Originally Posted by rcjhku

Skip downtown and spent your night in Hillcrest. It will be an experience you will not soon forget!

When I visited in 2010 I spent the whole day I had downtown and went over to the Hotel Del. I was considering Hillcrest. Any other cool areas to check out? I'm a big architecture and scenery photography buff

[Fran66]

Originally Posted by daninAZ

When I visited in 2010 I spent the whole day I had downtown and went over to the Hotel Del. I was considering Hillcrest. Any other cool areas to check out? I'm a big architecture and scenery photography buff

Just about any place you look in San Diego.

On a more serious note, you have only a relatively few hours in SD. Just enjoy being there. Take the Trolley Tour. (SEE THE OCEAN! LOL) Relax. And come back sometime for a longer stay.

I spent 2 weeks in Boston -- and it wasn't nearly long enough. I can't imagine what it would have been like if I had had only 24 hours.

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by daninAZ

When I visited in 2010 I spent the whole day I had downtown and went over to the Hotel Del. I was considering Hillcrest. Any other cool areas to check out? I'm a big architecture and scenery photography buff

I'm not sure if you'd be able to find it, but there'a a book
"San Diego Architecture" by Dirk Sutro. It's a collection of walking tours of various neighborhoods. The Hillcrest list includes:

Georgia Street Bridge - Georgia St. & University Ave.
Park THreatre - 3823 Park Blvd
house - 1000 block of University Ave
Cable Lofts - 3940 Seventh Ave
Village Hillcrest - Fifth & Washington
Mercy Hospital and Convent building - 4077 Fifth Ave
First Church of the United Brethren - 321 Robinson Ave
Sunnyslope Lodge - 3733 Robinson News
Half-Sherman House - 3717-25 First Ave
Hardesty House - 3695 Third Ave
Design Center - 3611 Fifth
Louis Gill Residence - 244 W. Brookes Ave

[Think4Yourself]

Don't forget to visit Balboa Park as it is the cultural heart of the city and houses all the major museums along with arts events, the Imax (the traditional one with the globe shaped screen not what movie theaters are calling Imax these days), and the Zoo which is world famous and has the largest collection of rare and endangered species in the world. The zoo might sound boring but it's actually pretty darn cool and they make a great effort to keep things fresh, educational, and entertaining.

It's a shame you'll be here on a weekday instead of a weekend because on the weekends all the street performers are out in Balboa Park and some of them put on a pretty amazing show. Lots of people juggling, doing magic shows, playing music, doing chalk drawings, and there is one guy who likes to play the bagpipes. Just avoid the Scientologist stand where they try to get people to join their cult.