As you sip on one of the cities many local craft beers, whilst taking in the Day of the Dead parade in Old Town, you’ll wonder why you hadn’t visited the city sooner. With a population of just under 1.5 million, San Diego bills itself as ‘America’s Finest City’, and it’s one of the rare statements that actually lives up to its tourism marketing mantra.
Whether you are looking for sun-soaked beach vibes or the lively food, craft beer and art scenes, the easygoing charm and natural beauty of the City has it covered.
Known for its sun, sea and water sports, there’s much more to it than beautiful weather and laid back surfer dudes; San Diego is a haven for art, top restaurants, fresh designers and trendsetting shops. As well as the place to go for all things Halloween and Día de Los Muertos.
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead (2nd November) is a celebration of life and death in Mexico. The Day of the Dead festivities unfold over two days and the city becomes an explosion of colour.
OLD TOWN
Día de los Muertos – Día de los Muertos is a very special time in San Diego, when once a year, the spirits of loved ones who have died, return to earth to carouse with family and friends. Also known as Day of the Dead, the Mexican celebration is a homage to loved ones who have passed, with a focus on creating ofrendas (home altars) full of photos, marigolds, food and gifts. Far from being gloomy and somber, the occasion is a lively, colourful event full of music, performances, calavera catrina (skull) face painting, drinking and partying a-plenty.
An ideal place to soak up the character and atmosphere of this fantastic occasion is in the city’s Old Town.
The free Procesión to the Cemetery event begins with a customary candlelight procession to the Campo Santo Cemetery. Along the way the streets are filled with decorations, live Mariachi performances and amazingly made-up performers parading the streets in elaborate costumes. This really is the perfect time of year to go to San Diego.
EAT
Tahona – Located next to the Campo Santo Cemetery in Old Town, this traditional Mexican restaurant (complete with hand painted tiles and handmade rope seats) offers great Oaxacan inspired cuisine, craft cocktails and a great selection of mezcal.
CHICANO PARK
The creative set will find a paradise in Chicano Park, full of eye-catching murals celebrating San Diego’s hispanic culture. It’s a cultural street-art must-see if you’re in the area. Started in the early Seventies, Chicano Park was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2017. Located under the San Diego-Coronado Bridge overpass, the urban park is home to more than 80 murals painted in vibrant colours on the bridge’s pillars.
EAT
Barrio Dogg – Chicano comfort food meets street art and lowrider culture. Barrio Dogg is a one-of-a-kind dining experience. Just a few blocks past the colorful murals of Chicano Park locals gush over the funky eatery and for good reason. They serve up gourmet style hotdogs with an eye watering array of toppings, craft beers and kickass art.
BALBOA PARK
Balboa Park is where the arts, culture and history of the city come together to create a cultural oasis that includes 17 museums, beautiful gardens and world class galleries including San Diego Art Institute, San Diego Museum of Art, Museum of Photographic Arts and the Timken Museum of Art, as well as a variety of performing arts and theatre venues. At 1,200 acres, Balboa Park is one of North America’s most iconic urban parks and a must see on any visit to San Diego.
EAT
Panama 66 – For lunch, head to Panama 66 in the San Diego Museum of Art sculpture garden. Grab a sandwich and dine picnic-style in the park, or grab a table and peruse the 12 local craft beer taps and dine with the iconic California Tower as your view.
NORTH PARK
Just bordering Balboa Park this eclectic neighbourhood, offers a dynamic mix of coffee houses, cafes, retail shops, art galleries and the city’s most up-and-coming restaurant row, complemented by a dynamic local craft beer scene. Catering more to a local crowd, the streets here are lined with coffee shops, cool boutiques, independent galleries, diverse and great craft beer bars. With 200+ breweries calling San Diego home, you’re never far away from a pale ale or IPA. Pubs such as the fantastic Mike Hess Brewing (try their superb Grapefruit Solis beer).
SHOP
Artelexia – It’s an Instagrammers heaven at this colourful store in North Park, where kitsch and cool collide. Curated Mexican handicrafts reign supreme and crockery, textiles, cookbooks, toys and ornaments jostle for space in this wonderful boutique and event space. The shop both celebrates Mexico’s vibrant artisanal culture and supports its makers—a percentage of each sale is donated to an organization that provides no-interest loans to female entrepreneurs in Oaxaca. They also do a fine line in Frida Karla car air fresheners.
EAT
One Door North – One Door North is a bar and eatery with decor and cuisine that pays homage to the great American outdoors and the spirit of adventure. Dine under indoor canvas tent canopies and enjoy a craft cocktail whilst ending your evening by roasting your own marshmallow.
LIBERTY STATION
Liberty Station – The former Naval Training Center at Liberty Station has been transformed into a vibrant hub for independent culture. This diverse district includes over 90 galleries, dance companies, artists-in-residence, makers spaces as well as boutique interior and design retail space and offers a great introduction to avant-garde arts and craft scene in San Diego.
EAT
Liberty Public Market – Liberty Public Market is a food hall packed with some of the city’s hippest restaurants and food trucks. It offers a perfect introduction to the regional food scene as you eat yourself around the World.
LITTLE ITALY
Spend the morning walking off your breakfast by walking around Little Italy’s Mercato Farmer’s Market, with more than 150 vendors offering a wide selection of farm fresh foods, it a great spot to grab locally grown and made produce. There’s also a British pub in the vicinity (Princess Pub & Grille) if you have the desire to grab a pint of Boddington’s bitter and watch the football. But hey you’re in San Diego baby, so why the hell would you want to go and do that?
EAT
Morning Glory – It’s strictly ‘experimental breakfast’ and brunch only at this Little Italy spot (with super strength cocktails thrown in). This uber-stylish restaurant (with its lively 1980s interior vibe Designed by BASILE Studio) has a retro-diner chic vibe, mixed with futuristic neon accents and the occasional rock n roll skull. The queues are big and the portions are bigger and the cocktails strong. I expected my ‘breakfast’ Old Fashioned to be a milder version of the classic cocktail. It wasn’t (which is no bad thing).
WHERE TO STAY
The Guild Hotel – Located in central San Diego, the property was once the Army-Navy YMCA, which originally opened in 1924 to provide shelter for members of the armed forces on leave. Now renovated with a more contemporary flair, just a short walk will take you to the heart of the Gaslamp quarter, where vibrant nightlife meets lovingly restored architecture.
The property carries across some of the architectural features from its past; with the ceiling, archways and Spanish tiles remaining. The hip outdoor Luca restaurant serves classy breakfast options, while, just beyond, there is a Mediterranean garden which offers a great place to start the day in the California sunshine.
The Rooms are modern and chic with the original industrial timbered-beam ceilings. They also hold an incredibly hip Halloween party!
King Rooms at The Guild Hotel from $249 per night. theguildhotel.com
Return flights from London to San Diego from £733 with British Airways. www.ba.com/sandiego
WHAT’S NEW FOR 2022
HOT HOTELS
Formerly the La Jolla Inn, the Cormorant Boutique Hotel is undergoing an extensive, three-year renovation that brings a mid-century modern aesthetic to the heart of La Jolla. Named after the seaside town’s famed Cormorant birds, the hotel includes 26 nautical inspired guest rooms – each with a balcony and expansive views of the Pacific Ocean – a new rooftop terrace bar, Birdseye, and Prospect Market, an upscale grab-and-go marketplace. The new hotel is expected to open in early 2022.
Iconic Hotel del Coronado is anticipated to complete its $400m, three-year refurbishment this summer. So far, changes have included an updated roof terrace, new seafood restaurant, renovated poolside guest rooms, new state-of-the-art fitness centre, and refurbished Ice House Museum which educates guests on the hotel’s history and heritage.
ART + CULTURE
The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) in La Jolla will reopen in April after completing a major expansion project. Since 1941, MCASD has evolved into an iconic San Diego cultural institution and internationally renowned visual arts organisation. The expansion will double the building’s size, allowing for more exhibition space, and include new floor-to-ceiling windows which flood the galleries with natural lights and offer spectacular coastal views.
Following a first phase opening in November 2021, the much-anticipated Comic-Con Museum will fully open its doors in Balboa Park in July, offering visitors the opportunity to connect with the magic of Comic-Con year-round. Museum-goers can expect rotating exhibits, an education centre, 4K video theatre, and gift shop filled with comics, graphic novels, branded souvenirs and more.
WINE + DINE
Skateboarding legend and San Diego native, Tony Hawk, will open Chick N’ Hawk in spring with celebrated local chef Andrew Bachelier. Located in Encinitas, the restaurant will serve gourmet chicken sandwiches alongside craft beer and cocktails.
Already famed for its incredible cuisine influenced by neighbouring Baja California, San Diego will welcome two new Mexican restaurants this year. Go Go Amigo is set to open early 2022 in Liberty Station, offering classic Mexican fare and tequila-based cocktails, whilst Crack Taco Shop will open in the Marina District in the summer with a menu of tacos, burritos, micheladas and margaritas.
Hot-headed chef, Gordon Ramsay, will open a fourth Hell’s Kitchen this summer in Harrah’s Resort Southern California. The restaurant will feature a large dining area and two chef’s tables, as seen on the TV show, as well as two private dining areas. On the menu, diners can expect signature Ramsay dishes plus new options developed specifically for the hotel by the Hell’s Kitchen team.
For more information about San Diego, visit www.sandiego.org.
