San Diego for Two Please
- Fernanda Fisher
- Mar 17
- 5 min read
Everyone needs a mid-winter vacation. This past weekend we enjoyed a lovely and lazy getaway for two in San Diego. Without small children to care for anymore, we arrived with very little planned but a willingness to see whatever we could see.
This time we booked a room at the US Grant Hotel, a Marriott Luxury Collection hotel in the Gas Lamp district of San Diego. The US Grant is also on the National Historic Register so it was full of history to explore in case the city was not enough.
On Friday, during our drive from Palm Desert we drove over the mountains and through rain and a 30 degree drop in temperature before we made it to the hotel. The rain followed us, but we were on vacation and we were determined to head to the Little Italy area of the city for dinner. Spontaneity was the theme for the weekend so we asked Brooks, the Concierge at the US Grant, where we should try to get a table. He circled a couple options and sent us on our way.
Arriving at Herb and Wood we felt the vibe was right and sought out a table. Getting to a restaurant at 5:30 on a Friday night with no reservation is a good thing. They seated us right away and we settled down to an outstanding meal.
We both had the herbed chicken with green tahini sauce and shared the baby carrots. I was mid-story when my husband just pointed to my chicken and said, "Just try it."
I didn't say another word for some time. The chicken was moist, flavorful, and mouthwateringly delicious. I might even say that a choir of angels burst forth in harmony as I moved on to taste the carrots. Coupled with a delicious glass of Malbec I was a happy camper.
The room we reserved at the hotel was on the eighth floor and was both spacious and luxurious. The linens were beautiful and the selection of pillows allowed me to find one that let me sleep without having neck pain. Turndown service is standard at the hotel so we received chocolates one night and slippers and bottles of water and ice the next.
As a romantic splurge we ordered room service for breakfast. The young Serbian man who brought our breakfast wished us a good morning and asked what we had planned for the day. He was cheerful, enthusiastic and clearly loved his job. The fruit plate and yogurt parfait filled me up so that I didn't need to stop until much later in the afternoon.
With the sun shining we headed to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. If you visit, make sure to book the extra excursion that takes you into the park like a real safari. We got up close to the white rhinos, and several other species that roam the vast savannah area.
You cannot do justice to this place unless you spend a full day at the Safari Park. There is a tram that drives around the perimeter of the savannah which is equally as enjoyable as the private one we started with. We saw a baby Bengal tiger, one of only two platypus outside of Australia, a beautiful cheetah who seemed to be voguing for the camera and so much more.
After a full day of walking and viewing animals, we headed back to San Diego and to the Old Town area for dinner and some window shopping.
There are all kinds of authentic arts and crafts to browse through along with live music and many choices of Mexican food.
Old Town is where the first Europeans settled in California. The architecture and culture of the area is on display where ever you walk and is worth a visit. We settled on eating at the bar of a place called El Sueno on Juan Street.
Again, I stopped talking when my lobster tacos arrived at the table and I took a bite. Sweet chunks of lobster, mixed with avocado, grilled peppers, queso Oaxaca, chipotle aoli, crema and cilantro on fresh corn tortillas. Wow was it divine, and I told the couple sitting at the bar next to us, who were deliberating on what to order, that they HAD to order the lobster tacos!
On Sunday we had breakfast downstairs and experienced waitstaff that again were friendly and eager to serve. We checked out of the US Grant and drove to Balboa Park for several hours of walking and enjoying the sights and sounds.
We didn't realize our visit coincided with the city's Cherry Blossom Festival, so the park was packed with tourists, families, and groups of friends. Parking was difficult but once we found a spot we grabbed my camera and headed to the Visitor Center to get a plan for the day.
Bobbi, the volunteer at the Visitor Center was excellent. She circled the must see and do items during the several hours we had to visit. We visited the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages where we were able to learn about cultures as varied as Ukraine, Israel, Scotland, Germany and Denmark. Since St. Patrick's Day is on Monday, the Irish dancers performed and the Irish Wolfhound came out to represent a taste of Irish culture.
We also went to the Timken Museum which is a small museum with a lovely collection of paintings by the Masters including a Rembrandt. The museum has a piano in the center hall and there was a 15 year old boy who played tunes as people strolled through the galleries.
Sadly, we did not get to see everything at Balboa Park. We missed several gardens, hiking trails and several other museums. We just did not have the time to do it all. But, that is fine, because we only live a couple hours from San Diego and I know we will be back.
To Stay
US Grant Hotel
To Eat
Herb and Wood
El Sueno
To Visit
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Balboa Park
Timken Museum
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