Seaport Village and Beaches

San Diego Metro KOA

Chula Vista, CA

January 12, 2024

Harbor Drive in San Diego

Wednesday's destination was Seaport Village.   It's a fun outing...we can walk, shop, eat and never have to move the jeep and it's less than 10 miles from the KOA.  

The walk along the harbor passes by store fronts, patio cafes, a very green park with trees and picnic tables and benches, and a marina on one side. The beautiful bay with various size boats going out or coming in, Bay Bridge, Coronado Island and the Navy shipyard are on the other side.

Fun stores to browse...

 

A beautiful green park...

Looking toward Bay Bridge which connects San Diego and Coronado Island...

Looking toward San Diego...

 

Navy shipyard across the bay...

Getting closer to the marina...

Passing by the marina, we always take time to read the names of the sea going vessels..."Snaphappy" was our favorite this time...

The history of Seaport Village's reclaimed land can be traced as far back as 1782 when sailors aboard a pair of Spanish expedition ships anchored in the bay.  As the story goes, the sailors began to fall ill from scurvy and were buried there.  Then in the 1930s, train tracks were laid along Harbor Drive when the land was converted into a railroad yard to ship goods and materials to San Diego.  

It wasn't until the late 1970s that someone had a vision for Seaport Village which officially opened in 1978.  Today it is a 14 acre waterfront complex with lots of color, a laid-back vibe, and unique shopping and eating choices.  

And while there, don't forget to look up or you might just forget you are right smack dab in the middle of downtown...beautiful San Diego !

Walking and shopping sure makes me hungry.  Our lunch choice was Edgewater Grill...they serve brunch until 3:00 !  It was little chilly for the outside patio, but we had a very nice window table with a really nice view of the bay.  

Joe patiently waiting while I washed my hands...

The service was stellar and the food was yummy.  Joe chose fish and chips served on a bed of mixed greens with fries and malt vinegar.  I had brunch...not a surprise...and chose crab Benedict with local crab, poached eggs, house hollandaise, english muffin, avocado, and breakfast fries.  I ate every morsel ! 

We did make one small purchase...

Friday's destination was Mission Beach.  We joined Ronnie and Carol for a much needed beach walk...I was in heaven!  Our walk began at a grassy knoll somewhere at Mission Beach and ended past the Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach.  Some of the walk was sandy ocean and some on the boardwalk where beach reparation was in progress.  

One of the last of San Diego's beach communities to be developed, Mission Beach got its start in 1914.  It is built on a sandbar between the Pacific Ocean and Mission Bay. 

 

Mission Beach...glistening rocks

This family friendly beach spans nearly 2 miles of ocean front.  A boardwalk runs along the beaches on both the ocean and bay front areas.  Since our arrival and thru this morning there has been a high surf advisory with winds gusts up to 45 mph and breaking waves between 12-18 + ft. high with water finding its way to nearby boardwalks and roads.  Piers were closed and I even read that the sea wall at the Children's Pool in LaJolla has damages as well which is not good for the seals and sea lions who birth their pups this time of year.  

I have always enjoyed the challenge of capturing waves as they roll over...

I'm guessing this surfer feels the same. 

Crystal Pier, first built in 1927, is an 872 ft long wooden pier.  

It is usually open to the public for fishing, people watching or just relaxing to the sounds of crashing waves, but that portion of the pier was closed due to the high surf.   But, Crystal Pier Hotel and Cottages were open for rentals. Imagine a night of sleeping over the ocean... 

Each cottage features a private deck on the pier...

Also built in 1927, the hotel primarily features original cottages...restored, renovated, and rustic...a reminder of days gone by. 

Past the pier, the glistening rocks disappear and we enjoyed the shore birds and their funny antics scooting in and out, chasing each other and probing for tasty morsels.  Lots of Marbled Godwits... 

and Willets.

Back at Belle,  we had a really nice rainy Wednesday night.  Rain in Belle is awesome especially when it's a good steady rain and no winds are involved. 

The three of us enjoy the flowers and the grass here at the KOA and get plenty of walks around the resort.     

Of course an afternoon nap is nice too !

I'll close with a few photos...

Until next time,

 

HAPPY TRAILS!

So Much Color...San Diego WEEK 4

San Diego Metro KOA
Chula Vista, CA
January 26, 2019

Old Town
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.  




The State Historic Park preserves and recreates Old Town as it existed during the Mexican and early American from its settlement in 1821 through 1871. 

One of the original five adobe buildings in Old Town was constructed in 1827 by the Estudillo family.  

The home represents one of the oldest surviving examples of a large Spanish-Mexican one-story home in California.  The adobe home is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  


Carol, Ronnie, Joe and I enjoyed a nice, but a little chilly, walk around Old Town before meeting Jeff and Fran for lunch.














Jeff's choice was Casa de Maria.  

Thanks for the photos Jeff!

And a great choice it was...locals know all the good places !  The courtyard was bright and sunny, but it was quite breezy so we settled in at one of the inside restaurant tables.

L to R: Carol, Joe, Jeff, Fran, me, and Ronnie

The food was yummy and the small frozen concoction we were all looking forward to was huge and also very yummy !  Great conversation and lots of laughs all made for a very nice lunch.



Coronado Beach Doggie Park
We really wanted to go to the doggie beach on Coronado Island every week, but little Jack over did it on our first trip.  A few days after that first trip, we had to make a trip to South Bay Veterinary Hospital.  (We took Dover there in Jan. 2017 and credit them for saving her life after 4 days in ICU from acute pancreatitis.)  Jack was quickly X-Rayed and thank goodness his spinal cord is all aligned and looks great.  Blood work was also done.  

It was determined that Jack had a severe case of "I over did it" with all the running and jumping he did.  After a few days of "puppy Tylenol" and muscle relaxers he is back to normal.  Our lesson learned is at 11+ years old he is no longer a puppy.  So from now on, we will keep the ball low to the ground and won't throw it so far.  Dr Deo is awesome and made a follow up call the next morning with results from his blood work and to check on Jack.

Seaport Village
Seaport Village is a downtown waterfront shopping and dining experience.  

Such a beautiful, bright and sunny California morning!

Can you believe this gorgeous area was once a railroad yard where goods came through the area?  Today it houses over 70 shops, galleries and eateries.  

For me, care-free and colorful best describe this unique complex.  We didn't walk the 4 miles of paths or go to the park, so I am pretty sure a return visit next trip will be on the list.  We did peruse a few specialty shops though.  My favorite was Swings and Things...

The things in Swings and Things...

Carol tries out one of the swings...

The other shop I especially liked was The Hat Shop.  

There is working carousel with hand carved animals in the village.  It was built in 1895.

A few more photos...

 

...and I will close for now !  So, until next time...

HAPPY TRAILS !