Summer in San Diego: SeaWorld

My friend won tickets to SeaWorld, so we headed there after rollerblading in Mission Bay (right next to SeaWorld). We were only there for a few hours so we didn't see a lot of animals, but it was still fun. 

Growing up I wanted to be a killer whale trainer and have always loved SeaWorld. Yay Shamu! 

Summer in San Diego Series: The Fair!!

For the 3rd installment of Summer in San Diego, I take you to the San Diego County Fair! If you are ever in San Diego in June, you must must must visit the fair. You can feel the vibe of summer in the air as you walk along the streets, eating food, going on rides, listening to live music, and seeing the animals!

They had fried everything there. I tried to the fried pickles which were actually pretty good. What I didn't try was fried butter, fried oreos, fried brownies, fried twinkies, and chocolate covered bacon. 

The animals are a huge part of the fair. People enter their livestock for competition. You can even ride an elephant or watch the turkey race!

 And when you get tired of eating and walking around, take a break and play a game or jump on a ride.

There's so much there to see. Concerts in the evening, art exhibits, tons of shops, and more!

If you missed the first two Summer in San Diego post you can find them here.

Summer in San Diego Series: Old Town

(you can click on images to see larger version)

Welcome back to Summer in San Diego!! For those of you just joining in, I'm taking all of you on a tour of my hometown where I was born and raised. Today I take you to Old Town, located a few minutes north of downtown San Diego. Not only is this a historic place with awesome buildings, but I have many memories coming here for field trips when I was younger.

A Little History

 Old Town San Diego is considered the "birthplace" of California. San Diego is the site of the first permanent Spanish settlement in California. It was here in 1769, that Father Junipero Serra came to establish the very first mission in a chain of 21 missions that were to be the cornerstone of California’s colonization. Father Serra’s mission and Presidio were built on a hillside overlooking what is currently known as Old Town San Diego. At the base of the hill in 1820’s, a small Mexican community of adobe buildings was formed and by 1835 had attained the status of El Pueblo de San Diego. (source)

Cool huh? I haven't been there in a few years, so I forgot about the relaxing, cultural atmosphere in Old Town. You are surrounded by 150 shops, 17 museums and tons of Mexican restaurants (aka Margaritas!!) Some of my favorite shops are Cousin's Candy Shop and The House of Jerky & Root Beer Store, the latter is where I stopped for a treat. 

(Note: A one handed self-portrait with a DSLR is not any easy feat!)

I also stopped into Hacienda de las Rosas Winery. Right when I walked in, I was offered a free sample of Sangria. Umm, yes please and thank you!! The decor and seating in that room was a vintage dream. I think I'll have to go back there for their wine tasting specials. 

This is the first school house in San Diego. I remember coming here in 2nd grade and being in awe at the type of desks the used. We got to sit in them and pretend we were in school.

Some sources call the Whaley House the most haunted house in America.....I've been in it and would have to disagree. But many pay admission to experience it for themselves. There's also an old cemetery near by so you can get the whole ghostly experience. This place is especially popular on Halloween. 

What it use to look like

(source)

The Seeley Stable holds all the old stage coaches and wagons used back then. It's a huge barn with antique galore!! 

There are many places to sit with a cool drink and enjoy the mexican music playing in the background. The variety of seating and all the desert plant life gives the place an inviting feeling.  

Hope you enjoyed the tour of Old Town! Missed the first Summer in San Diego? Don't fret! Here is Balboa Park Part 1 and  Balboa Park Park Part 2.

Summer in San Diego: Balboa Park Part 2

Here is Balboa Park part 2. A great place to see art, architecture, and nature. This is a must see place if you are visiting San Diego. Check out part one here.

The tree picture below is humungous! The tall tower is a bell tower and is right next to the Old Globe Theater, where you can see different types of plays. I've been here to see a few Shakespeare plays in the past.

Pictured below is the garden area with walkways and fountains. Very romantic!

This is the Botanical Building. It's one of the largest lath (thin pieces of wood that are interlaced) structures in the world and has more than 2,100 permanent plants. In front of the Botanical Building is a huge lily pond that is the home to colorful koi fish. 

The large fountain pictured in the middle is a popular place to eat lunch and enjoy the mist on a hot day. 

If you're interested in visiting San Diego in the future and have a specific place you'd like to know more about, you can leave a comment and give me suggestions for my Summer in San Diego series. I'll try my best to go to those locations :)

Summer in San Diego: Balboa Park Part 1

Here is the first installment of my new series: Summer in San Diego. This series will take you all throughout San Diego (my hometown) and also gives me a chance to really appreciate my city as I share it with you all. 

First I take you to Balboa Park. This place will make any photographer drool. I went a little photo crazy because there is so much to see! For this reason, I'm breaking it into two parts.

Balboa Park is located next to the San Diego Zoo near downtown San Diego. It was built for the 1915  Panama-California Exposition, which celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal. San Diego wanted to promote itself as the first American port the ships would come too after passing through the canal. The park was named after  Spanish-born Vasco Nunez de Balboa, who was the first European to spot the Pacific Ocean while on exploration in Panama. The architectual style is Spanish-Renaissance. 

The Spreckels Organ is still used today and is one of the largest outdoor pipe organs in the world. 

The Spanish Village Art Center is a very colorful area with art shops and sometimes other vendors set up tables outside with their artwork and jewelry. The whole courtyard is painted in beautiful bright colors (see top left picture). I think they also have art classes. The blue circle with a 10 on it was a stool at an art table. 

Here are some of the many arches and hallways throughout the park. I'm a sucker for arches! Makes you feel like your in a movie or something.

In addition to the beautiful architecture, there are many museums to visit. The Museum of Photographic Arts is the one I visited yesterday. There is also the Museum of Man, the Natural History Museum, Museum of Art, Museum of Automobiles, Air & Space Museum, the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, and many more! If you ever visit San diego, Balboa Park should be on your list! It's one of my favorites!

Check back soon for Balboa Park, part 2. 

(Sources here & here).