by Celeste Lipford and Terry Lipford - last updated on 5/27/2025
This was a combined "business & pleasure" trip, as Celeste needed to be there for a technical conference at the San Diego Convention Center and I came along because I spent my first year in the Navy there (boot camp & Radioman "A" School) so naturally I was interested in visiting those places once more.
We flew into San Diego and took a taxi to our hotel. We did not plan to obtain a rental car until the following weekend, as we planned to restrict ourselves to those places we could get to by walking. From our San Diego planning we had selected the Homewood Suites by Hilton due to it's location near the harbor, close proximity to Balboa Park (and the zoo), adjacent to the Little Italy area, and reasonably near to the old Naval Training Center site. An added plus was that the San Diego Metro System was only a block away, so Celeste would be able to ride the Metro or take a taxi to the Convention Center each day.
For a fascinating look at the earliest days of San Diego & California, you should consider reading the history of Saint JunĂpero Serra y Ferrer. He founded 21 Catholic Missions from San Diego to San Francisco, starting this process in 1768 at the age of 55. On July 16, 1769, Junipero Serra founded Mission San Diego, the first within the present state of California.
NOTE: Click here to view the Wikipedia Article about San Diego.
San Diego is a beautiful city with a lot to offer visitors. There are many reasons why people choose to visit San Diego, including the following:
As of 4/11/2025 Google says there are 682 hotels in the San Diego area, this includes all types, price levels, amenities, etc. If you prefer to do your own research click here to view a Google Search Results list of all San Diego hotels. You should note that once you are on the Google Page, you can change the sort order for anything that you may require.
As of 4/11/2025 and based on Google review ratings and overall guest satisfaction, here are five of the most popular hotels in San Diego:
Google Reviews Rating 4.7 based upon 963 reviews.
Google Reviews Rating 4.5 based upon 7,600+ reviews.
Google Reviews Rating 4.6 based upon 2,700+ reviews.
Google Reviews Rating 4.5 based upon 19,800+ reviews.
Google Reviews Rating 4.7 based upon 1,800+ reviews.
There is almost always a rise in hotel prices in most U.S. Cities when a major convention is taking place, and San Diego was no exception. We wanted to be near the harbor, and secondarily I wanted to be within hiking distance of the old Naval Training Center.
While planning & researching this trip, we had decided upon the Homewood Suites by Hilton San Diego/Bayside. This was an easy decision, first because we have a lot of good experiences with Homewood Suites and secondly because it fit our requirements perfectly, ie; one block from the nearest Starbucks, two blocks from Little Italy (where numerous good restaurants can be found), one block from the Harbor and a 3.2 mile hike to the old Naval Training Center grounds. I went through Navy Boot Camp there, and then attended & graduated from the Navy Radioman "A" school there - so I have a lot of fond memories of that place. The fact that the hotel was relatively new was icing on the cake, as the rooms & facilities were good sized & very clean.
This particular hotel is a new concept that Hilton is trying - part of the hotel is a Homewood Suites with true suite setup and the other part of the hotel is a Hilton Garden Inn with standard hotel rooms. The hotel offers a small pool & fitness area, a complimentary breakfast and a small pub/restaurant.
While plotting our San Diego adventures, we discovered that Balboa Park & the San Diego Zoo were but a 2.1 mile hike from our Hotel - and since both of those sites were on our "to do list" that became our first outing.
NOTE: Both of these images are the property of Hilton Hotels
San Diego is a food lover's paradise, offering a diverse range of cuisines, from innovative seafood dishes to elevated Mexican fare. If you would prefer to perform your own research, here is a link to a Google Search Results list for "San Diego Restaurants". This list is not sorted, it is just the raw list of restaurants and you could do your own sort order by selecting one of the Google Search Filters. Here are five of the most popular and highly regarded restaurants in the city:
San Diego County is home to 4 restaurants that have been labeled by Michelin as "truly great fine dining experiences". Not only that but there are 9 more restaurants under the Bib Gourmand distinction, also given out by the MICHELIN inspectors. San Diego Michelin stars article.
San Diego is a unique coastal city known for its beautiful beaches, rich history, and diverse attractions. Here are the top ten things to do and see:
With our hotel located on Hawthorne Street, our hike to Balboa Park started with a stroll to 1st Avenue where we turned north to Laurel Street, then turned east (right) again and walked into Balboa Park over the Cabrillo Bridge.
We hiked along El Prado and entered Balboa Park via Laurel Street (1.1 miles from our hotel) which brought us into the park on it's western side. The Cabrillo Bridge vista is very pretty, and there are large public park areas on both sides of the road - including a large dog park (Nate's Point Dog Park) on the southern side of the road.
Balboa Park, located in the heart of San Diego, is a vibrant and captivating destination that showcases the city's cultural and natural beauty. Spanning 1,200 acres, this urban oasis is home to a remarkable array of attractions, making it a must-visit for locals and tourists alike. The park's crown jewel is the stunning Spanish Colonial-style architecture, which serves as the backdrop for numerous museums, including the renowned San Diego Museum of Art, the Natural History Museum, and the Fleet Science Center.
Balboa Park has 17 museums, including the San Diego Model Railroad Museum, which is the largest in North America, and the Spanish Village Arts Center, which features local artisans. See our section below about Balboa Park attractions.
Placed in reserve in 1835, the park's site is one of the oldest in the United States dedicated to public recreational use. Balboa Park is managed and maintained by the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of San Diego.
Laurel Street turns into El Prado once you walk into the Park entrance on Sixth Avenue. This is an interesting way to get to the Zoo, because you will walk through the Museums area, several restaurants and various other places of interest.
San Diego Museum of Man
Balboa Park Visitors Center
Botanical BuildingAll of the above images are the property of Just Traveling Thru, LLC.
Balboa Park is a sprawling 1,200-acre urban oasis that blends lush gardens, historic architecture, and a treasure trove of cultural institutions. Established in 1868, this park is one of the oldest public spaces in the U.S., and it offers a diverse array of attractions for visitors of all interests. Below is a summary guide to the major highlights of Balboa Park.
The park is home to 17 museums, each offering a unique cultural or scientific experience. Here’s a brief overview of each:
The park is a cultural and architectural gem, renowned for its historic landmarks and Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, largely stemming from the 1915 Panama-California Exposition.
The park is renowned for its beautiful outdoor spaces and gardens, each offering a unique environment for visitors to enjoy nature, relax, and explore. Here’s a summary of the park's key outdoor spaces and gardens:
The San Diego Zoo is a world-renowned wildlife sanctuary and conservation center. Home to thousands of rare and exotic animals, it offers visitors an immersive experience exploring diverse ecosystems. From towering giraffes to playful pandas, the zoo provides opportunities to observe animals in natural habitats. Beyond showcasing wildlife, the zoo is dedicated to conservation efforts, participating in breeding programs and education initiatives. With its commitment to animal welfare and environmental sustainability, the San Diego Zoo remains a leading institution in the field of zoological science.
The San Diego Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the United States, you can easily find just about any animal that you may want to see here! Here are just a few of the amazing zoo statistics;
This is a zoo that is fascinating in many respects, you should plan to spend at least a full day exploring! Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes, as the zoo has some steep trails - or plan to ride one of the many zoo tour rides.
The Zoo was a pioneer in the concept of open-air, cageless exhibits that re-create natural animal habitats. It is one of the few zoos in the world that houses, and successfully bred the giant panda, although the pandas have recently been repatriated to China. In 2013, the zoo added a new Australian Outback exhibit, providing an updated Australian animal experience. Another new exhibit, called Africa Rocks, opened in 2017.
Unconditional Surrender Statue
HMS Surprise
USS Midway Museum
Maritime Museum of San DiegoAll of the above images were taken as we explored the Harbor Boulevard area from the hotel south to the Tuna Harbor Park - directly opposite the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum. The Fish Market Restaurant is located at the western edge (bay side) of the peninsula. We wound up having dinner there, and were glad we did - food was very good and the service was friendly & efficient.
For those of you who have visited Sarasota, FL - yes the Unconditional Surrender Statue in Sarasota is part of the Seward Johnson series. You too can own one, prices start at $542,500 for styrofoam, $980,000 for aluminum, and $1,140,000 for bronze. And just for the record, the Sarasota Statue was installed in 2005 and the San Diego Statue was installed in 2007.
I described earlier on this page how one of the "hotel selection criteria" was to be within walking distance of the Training Center site. It turns out that I picked perhaps "not the best day" of the week to hike over there from the hotel, as the high that day reached 90 degrees! What made the hike much easier, is that there are two parks along the way; "Cancer Survivors Park" and "Spanish Landing Park East" and both parks have frequent water fountains and rest rooms. I otherwise might have abandoned the hike and called an Uber to get back to the hotel, as the 90 degree day made it a sweaty walk!
One of the very few "Navy things" that remain on the old Naval Training Center Site is the USS Recruit, a cement & steel replica of a (a 2/3 scale model of a Dealey-class destroyer escort) WW2 era ship. New Recruits were brought here to learn various skills and to become familiar with what "port & starboard" meant. The rest of the site (over 361 acres) was acquired by the city of San Diego (through a master lease agreement) and is now a multi-purpose area. The site is now called "Liberty Station".
For anyone interested in the history of the Naval Training Center San Diego, a good decade by decade timeline can found here. The short version is that the base was authorized in 1921, took two years to construct and the opening ceremony took place on June 1, 1923. The base was included in the "Base Realignment and Closure Act" base closings announced on July 5, 1991. The city of San Diego began public discussions in 1996 to determine what the future of the base should be - and the result was "Liberty Station" as described above.
Part of the reason for visiting this area, was that we were on the way back from visiting some very good friends of mine in Manhattan Beach, CA. I had made arrangements to visit them once the technical conference concluded in San Diego, so on Friday morning we checked out of the hotel and drove north to the Los Angeles area. Although it was great to see old friends once again, I have to admit that the Los Angeles traffic is just as bad as it was when I lived there!
We had reservations at the Aliso Viejo Homewood Suites (another very comfortable hotel Mr. Hilton !) because it was adjacent to an area full of restaurants and 6.6 miles from Laguna Beach where we planned on doing some hiking and some nostalgia exploring.
So even though this hotel was very comfortable, it really just became a place for us to spend the night, as we had a lot of things we wanted to see and do while we were in this area.
Crystal Cove State Park is a breathtaking coastal treasure located 2.8 miles north of Laguna Beach along the Pacific Coast Highway (CA-1). The park is uniquely divided into two distinct areas: the hiking trails on the inland side and the pristine beach on the ocean side. The entrance to the beach is about half a mile north of the hiking area, with a spacious public parking lot, while parking for the hiking trails is more limited, requiring an early arrival to secure a spot.
Spanning 2,400 acres of wilderness, Crystal Cove’s backcountry offers a network of 17 scenic trails that weave through rugged canyons, rolling hills, and coastal sage scrub. These trails are well-maintained and accessible for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding, offering adventurers a variety of terrain and difficulty levels. The Perimeter of the Park Trail, one of the most challenging routes, climbs to over 1,000 feet above sea level, providing stunning panoramic views of the coastline and the Pacific Ocean, a stark contrast from its starting elevation of just 35 feet.
Beyond the trails, Crystal Cove State Park is known for its 3.2 miles of unspoiled beach, tide pools, and the historic Crystal Cove Beach Cottages, which date back to the 1920s and offer a glimpse into California’s coastal past. Whether you're looking for an exhilarating hike, a relaxing day by the water, or a chance to explore nature, Crystal Cove provides an unforgettable outdoor experience along the scenic Orange County coastline.
Crystal Cove Hiking Area
Crystal Cove Hiking Area
Crystal Cove Hiking Area
Crystal Cove Hiking AreaOur plan was to trek the "moderate loop trail" because at 2.85 miles and a rise from 35 feet above sea level to 550 feet above sea level we could enjoy the hike and not expend an entire day's worth of energy there! The rise in elevation was indeed moderate but continous, and we enjoyed the scenic views of the surrounding area as well as the Pacific Ocean.
Crystal Cove Beach Area
Crystal Cove Beach Area
Crystal Cove Beach Area
Crystal Cove Beach AreaWe initially thought that we could just walk down from the hiking parking area and cross the highway to reach the beach. Nope, no way to cross over. So we went back and got the car and drove 1/2 mile to the beach area parking lot. As you can see in the above images, the walk down to the beach is very steep but California thoughtfully provides a stout hand-rail all the way down.
The path down to the beach was, as I previously mentioned, steep. While the walk itself was relatively short — perhaps around 100 yards — it felt much longer due to the continuous descent. The handrails along the pathway were not just helpful; they were essential, especially for anyone concerned about balance or footing. It’s the kind of slope that makes you realize you’ll be getting quite the workout on the way back up!
I couldn’t find an exact measurement of the elevation from the parking lot to the beach, but I’d estimate it was somewhere around 200 feet above sea level. From the top, you could take in breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, with rugged cliffs framing the shoreline. It’s the quintessential California beach scene — jagged rock formations along the water’s edge, dramatic coastal bluffs, and the soothing sound of waves crashing against the shore.
This beach, like many along the California coast, offers a timeless charm. It feels untouched in many ways, giving visitors a chance to experience natural beauty that has drawn people to this coastline for generations. The walk down may be steep, but the payoff is more than worth it. The ocean view, coupled with the rugged landscape, is the kind of scene that sticks with you long after you’ve left — a postcard-worthy memory of California’s wild, untamed beauty.
Main Beach in Laguna
Laguna Main Beach ParkAfter our hike and beach exploration, we felt that we had earned a snack or maybe even an early lunch. Since our game plan was to next explore Laguna Beach, we decided to lookup where we might get a coffee and a light lunch and we found the Blk Dot Coffee Shop. This was a great choice, the owner himself brought our food to our table and everything we had was excellent. When I decided to file a Trip Advisor review of this nice shop, I discovered that they did not yet have an entry, so I created one for them and sent them a message to let them know of what I did.
Laguna Beach is a small city, the population in 2023 was 22,322. As the city is located right on the shores of the Pacific Ocean with the coastal hills rising away from the shoreline, most homes are built either on the sides of the hills or on top of them. There are a number of artist businesses along Laguna Canyon Road, where the famous "Sawdust Art Festival" is held.
Our return route to Aliso Viejo required us to transit Laguna Canyon Road to El Toro Road, where we could return to the hotel. Our return flight to Florida was early Sunday morning, requiring us to depart Aliso Viejo very early so we could return the rental car and get checked in with United Airlines.
All of the images in this section of the page, are the property of Just Traveling Thru, LLC.
Casa Loma Beach Hotel
Leaving Broadway StreetThe following lists are comprised of restaurants and/or other information we found while planning this trip. Please note that each list is not limited to that exact city, but will include establishments within that general area.
California has a wide range of geographic diversity; deserts, mountains, miles of beaches, coastal hills, several very large cities and lets not forget that the agriculture industry is very large, ie; California grows over 200 different crops, some grown nowhere else in the nation. Crops include grapes, almonds, strawberries, oranges and walnuts.
The State changes culturally as you move north from the Mexico Border to northern California. It would be impossible to suggest that any single book could help you understand what California is all about, however some of these books will help you understand what California is comprised of, and how it came to be like it is today.
Note that each book image is linked to it's Amazon page to give you quick reference to the price and other information. Obviously you can purchase any of these books anywhere, and we are not Amazon affiliates.
Or you could click here to view an Amazon Search Results list for "California".
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