Cabrillo National Monument
With hiking trails, tide pools, historical landmarks, whale watching and one of the best views of the city, Cabrillo National Park is one of San Diego's true treasures. Take a step off the green and into the past on the 160-acre park by visiting the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, one of the original eight west coast lighthouses and a former military radio station of Fort Rosecrans, where you can learn about the point's watchmen from both world wars. Migrating Pacific grey whales are also an attraction and can be seen seasonally from the Cabrillo National Monument. The park is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and, as of Nov. 2009, costs $5 per vehicle, or $3 per person for those on foot or bicycle.
Cabrillo National Monument
1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive
San Diego, CA 92106
(619) 557-5450
nps.gov/cabr
Belmont Park
Mission Beach's historic Belmont Park has a little something for everyone, and has since 1925. Alongside its original attractions---the wooden Giant Dipper roller coaster, now on the list of Historic Landmarks, and the Plunge, once the world's largest salt-water pool---Belmont Park offers glow-in-the-dark miniature golf, mirror and laser mazes, an arcade and the Wave House, a beachside pool where you can hang ten. Admission and parking are free at Belmont Park, but activity prices vary. An all-day, unlimited rides pass is $22, an arcade pass is $20, which includes both mazes and mini-golf, and the wave house charges $15 to $40 per hour, as of Nov. 2009. The park is generally open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., but most attractions close by 8 p.m. Check their calendar online for seasonal and special event hours.
Belmont Park
3146 Mission Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92109
(858) 488-1549
belmontpark.com
Horton Plaza
A day at the mall might not sound like a good way to spend a day away from the tee, but then, Horton Plaza isn't your average mall. This six-story, eclectically colorful outdoor shopping center was built in the 1980s and named after one of San Diego's most famous developers, Alonzo Horton. Its central downtown location makes it an easy stop while spending the day in San Diego's Historic Gaslamp District. There are 130 shops open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., but even just wandering the mall for a day can be an activity. Levels are connected disjointedly, and bridges over the open center take you from floor to floor. The movie theater, located on the top floor, is also one of the less crowded in San Diego, and shows are rarely sold out.
Horton Plaza
324 Horton Plaza
San Diego CA 92101
(619) 239-8180
westfield.com/hortonplaza
About The Author
David J. Harvey has worked as a journalist since 2006, while earning a degree in political science and writing at the University of California, San Diego. He has written and edited for the UCSD "Guardian" and the AUC "Caravan" in Cairo, and currently freelances with San Diego's "Uptown News."
