My wife and I will be in San Diego CA next week for a convention. Staying right around the USS Midway area. Anyone from this area that would know about any cruise-ins or car shows going on next week that we could go to? Thanks guys.
Hey Zip, It is getting into the rainy season, but there are several car events in the greater San Diego area. Courtesy of the So Cal Car Culture site: http://www.socalcarculture.com/events.html Most of the big name shows are done for the year in So Cal, but the area always has car events all year around. The farther North on the I-5 freeway you go, there will be more events, but it is a drive up that high speed freeway. Watch out for the CHP Ford Explorer SUVs. They are hard to see mixed up with the millions of other SUVs. Near by the USS Midway is a cool little restaurant called the Queensland Public House. (On the corner of Cedar and Columbia St.) The place is an old San Diego wooden house converted to a great restaurant. We have eaten there several times. (inside or outside...) Jnaki Here are the closest car events in the area from Nov 5 to Nov 12th 1. The closest one is in El Cajon, about a 30 minute drive East (inland), Nov 12th. El Cajon - Saluting Our Soldiers & Veterans - 1588 E. Main - 9:30AM - Flyer 2. The next is Carlsbad, about 40 minutes up the I-5 freeway. It is a great beach side community, a Saturday event Nov. 11th. Cbad Cars at Poinsettia Village 7130 Avenida Encinas, Carlsbad CA 92011 Carlsbad* - Cbad Cars - 7130 Avenida Encinas - 7AM - 9AM - Info 3. If you want to make an hour drive up and an hour back at 75-80mph, go north on the I-5 to San Clemente, CA. The new Outlets at San Clemente has the Saturday, Cars and Coffee event in the huge parking lot. Right next to Ruby’s and the Nike store.(Orange County) San Clemente - South OC Cars & Coffee - Outlets at San Clemente SW Corner - New Time - 9AM - 11AM - Info Nov 11th 4. Another San Diego County event would be in the Valley Center. About an hour north and east. Nov 11th Valley Center - 15th Annual Holiday Car Show & Toy Drive - 15954 Woods Valley Rd. - 9AM - 2PM - Flyer Hope this helps and going up the I-5 freeway north, just be calm as there is a place called the "Encinitas Slow Down..." Traffic is always slower here due to the constant braking on the deep hills and slopes of the freeway. The construction near La Jolla makes matters a little hectic, too. Any other info, PM me if you need assistance... We have been going to San Diego since the 60's and currently, visit regularly.
Hey Zip, SE’s list is quite extensive and works well for car events. But, as long as you are in San Diego for a week or so, a must do are the Harbor Island restaurants, the Island Prime and the Coasterra. The Island Prime has been around for a while and offers great food, plus it has one of the best city harbor views in the bay. Just next door is the Coasterra Restaurant. It is new, flashy, has great food and the views from inside or outside are outstanding. If a sunset, harbor dinner view is what you are looking for, the older Island Prime Restaurant gives the best ones. As far as the city/water views…that will be your choice. They are located at the eastern end of the Harbor Island. If you go to the opposite end of Harbor Island (western end), you will come to Tom Hamm’s, Lighthouse Restaurant. The harbor/city views are almost the same, but a little farther away. The food is great and if it is still there, a huge, gigantic, powerboat is anchored at that end of the bay. It has been there for at least a month. The hot rod, waterfront cruising is supreme from one end of the Harbor Island to the other. As a matter of fact, just about any place along the waterfront is nice for cruising, even over the Coronado Bridge to the Silver Strand Beach. Finally, at the other “island” Shelter Island, there is the famous Bali Hai restaurant right on the water. If you have access to a boat, there is a dock right in front for the ultimate cruising dining experience. Check out the sundiegolive.com website. When working, it shows the whole bay from Bali Hai and the Lighthouse. Jnaki We have been to all four restaurants several times and they have great service and food. The Coasterra and Island Prime parking is valet only at night…but just outside of the circle, there are public spaces. https://www.cohnrestaurants.com/islandprime In the daytime, the Island Prime has another restaurant open at 11:30 am for lunch called the “C Level” …again, great food, service and views. Coasterra is open for lunch and dinner: https://www.cohnrestaurants.com/coasterra The Bali hai: http://www.balihairestaurant.com/ The Lighthouse: http://www.tomhamslighthouse.com/ Have a great So Cal stay.
Just a quick heads up most of the cars and coffee events are more suited to modern cars. IE the La Jolla and Carlsbad ones tend to be European and Italian with some domestic and Japanese stuff. Balboa park is fantastic and is close by and the Zoo is one of the top three in the entire nation if not the world. Midway is downtown as well and is a fantastic way to spend a few hours if you have never been on a carrier.
Hey Zip, How did the San Diego trip go for your recent visit? It did rain a couple of days, a rarity in So Cal, but things did get clogged up. We drove down to San Diego to see some friends, but got a call to come back to the OC, (family emergency…) nothing big time, though. We noticed that the huge powerboat was gone from the harbor’s west end. They were there for at least a month… So, it was a turn around drive down, get gas at our favorite, teeny gas station and drive back. Luckily, the Encinitas slow down back was non-existent and the drive back was nice and fast. Jnaki Hope you got to go to some events and take photos. And…that we So Cal locals could be of some help letting you have some fun out here.
Since this was a convention for my wife's work (I went with her to all the presentations) I didn't realize we would be so confined to the hotel as much. We did get to eat a late supper Wednesday night on the flight deck of the USS Midway which was awesome. It was really overcast Thursday and looked like it could rain at any time so we stayed close to the hotel. Friday we went as a group and took an Uber over to Coronado island and had lunch at the old hotel and the food there was great. Even though we didn't see any cool rides down the strip or get to attend any Hot Rod events San Diego was still great. Looking forward to going back some day.
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