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From a colorful waterfront to the vibrant Gaslamp District,
a visit to the San Diego waterfront will not lack for things to do.

If you don’t have much time to spend, but want to pack your
getaway with memorable experiences, the San Diego
waterfront should be right at the top of your list.

Of course most people will spend more than a night once
they’ve driven down to California’s southern-most city and
the San Diego area will offer up more than enough
fascinating experiences to last for an extended vacation.
The consistently sunny weather and beaches alone are enough
to convince most vacationers this is a good place to be.

But a “quickie” to San Diego also has its rewards and may
be more in line with the dwindling vacation allowances we
see today as companies push harder for productivity. A lot
of people don’t have a lot of time, so zero in on the San
Diego waterfront and Gaslamp District – it’s all close by
and there are plenty of fun attractions that are cheap and easy.

We headquartered at the new Omni Hotel which was built in
conjunction with the city’s new Petco Park and opened in
April 2004. It goes without saying that the Omni would be
the perfect location to stay while you’re in town for a
Padres game – the ballpark is right next door and even
connected by a skybridge – but it’s also an excellent
choice to take full advantage of San Diego’s historic
Gaslamp District, the 14-square-block area that has been
dressed up to become the heart of San Diego’s nightlife.

The gleaming new Omni represents the best in downtown
hotels – our spacious suite was like a home away from home
with the most stylish of modern décor and furnishings,
warm tones, a big comfortable king bed, a handy desk and
seating area, and an oversize bath area, which seems to be
a trend in modern hotel layouts. Out the picture windows we
had a 13th story view of the Coronado Bridge and San
Diego’s South Bay. This could have been one of those
accommodations we would be content to just lounge around
all weekend in a bathrobe but, with San Diego right
outside, we were anxious to begin exploring.

The Omni is at the southern tip of the Gaslamp District so
with just a little walking we quickly came upon dozens of
dining opportunities – literally all types of cuisine, each
restaurant offering a twist to bring people in the door.
Options here run the gamut from the messy ribs at Dick’s
Last Resort to the impeccable presentations offered at
George’s on Fifth, from exquisite Persian cuisine at Bandar
to the bar food at Moose McGillycuddy’s. Sidewalk cafes are
big in the Gaslamp – even on this Thursday night the
streets were alive with groups of party people, X and Y
generation couples and even many families. The best place
to observe all of this was from our table right out on the
sidewalk, where we enjoyed scrumptious Mexican food prepared by La Fiesta.

Fashion boutiques, trendy stores and, yes, a few tacky
tourist shops are interspersed between the restaurants and
nightclubs. Many of the ornate historical buildings have
been refurbished and, just to keep things interesting, the
merchants in the Gaslamp bring out re-enactors dressed in
period garb to help explain the history of the Gaslamp
Quarter. As we strolled through the Gaslamp, groups of
costumed re-enactors were positioned on several of the
street corners where each of the actors assumed the role of
a historic San Diego citizen. Staying in character, the
re-enactors then dispensed a good measure of San Diego
history while staging a kind of mini-play for fascinated visitors.

The energy of the Gaslamp Quarter is undeniable and staying
in a downtown hotel allows the visitor to take full
advantage of the nightlife – no worries about driving home,
no concern about even driving from club to club. The
Gaslamp Quarter is all right there within easy walking
distance and, even late at night, seems remarkably safe for visitors.

Following our restful night’s sleep, the next morning’s
activities began with a visit to the San Diego Maritime
Museum down on the waterfront. The Omni is several blocks
from this part of the waterfront so we drove – but parking
on the waterfront is plentiful and reasonably priced. For
those interested in things nautical, this part of the San
Diego waterfront will make you feel like a kid in a candy
store. Among other historic vessels on display, the
Maritime Museum includes a 1962 Soviet submarine, the
1863-vintage Star of India — one of the world’s oldest
working ships – the 1898 steam ferry Berkeley, and the
H.M.S. Surprise, a replica of an 18th Century Royal Navy
frigate that was used in the filming of the movie Master
and Commander – the Far Side of the World.

Visitors can stroll through each of these ships and view
historic displays, photos and information panels that help
give one a sense of how everyday life really was on board
one of these historic vessels. The submarine is cramped
beyond imagination and actually requires some physical
dexterity just to walk through it. The H.M.S. Surprise is
fun to explore and entertaining for those who remember the
movie Master and Commander. With the largest interior
space, the Berkeley offers even more variety of exhibits
based on the history of maritime activity and how these
vessels do what they do. The Star of India can be toured at
the dock and, periodically, the ship will take visitors sailing.

Maritime history of another sort is featured in the new USS
Midway museum, also located along this general part of the
San Diego waterfront. Just visiting an aircraft carrier,
for one thing, is a treat unto itself. But in the Midway’s
case, there is a 47-year history that is good to keep in
the back of your mind as you get a real sense of what it’s
like to live and work on an aircraft carrier.

This emphasis on the military didn’t end with our tour of
the USS Midway. Next it was time to take a harbor cruise on
the 150-foot Adventure Hornblower, where we were treated to
some great views of sea lions and other sea life and where
we again got a close-up look at U.S. Navy firepower. The
captain on our cruise boat told us that our one-hour cruise
was the best he’d had all week – it included a great view
of the USS Shilo (“the most powerful warship on the
planet”) as well as a nuclear submarine returning to base.
Sprinkle in a military jet or helicopter buzzing by every
now and then and you could not forget the importance of the
U.S. military in San Diego.

AT A GLANCE

WHERE: San Diego is about 125 miles south of Los Angeles
and easily reached by freeway. In addition, there are excellent air and rail connections.

WHAT: San Diego’s downtown/waterfront area is an amazing
collection of activities and attractions all relatively
close to one another and blessed with the nation’s best weather.

WHEN: Any time of year. San Diego’s climate is sunny and
comfortable year-round with the possible exception of May
and June, which sometimes are more overcast – but still quite comfortable.

WHY: A great getaway for a night, or for an extended vacation.

Want even more to do in San Diego, check out our Guide to San Diego

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Cary Ordway publishes websites focused on regional getaway travel. Among the sites currently offered are
http://www.californiaweekend.com , covering California travel destinations