Whether it’s shopping in
downtown’s trendy Gaslamp Quarter, open-air spa treatments in Del Mar or golf in
one of the area’s coastal towns, every attraction is just a short freeway hop
away.
Want to be humbled by the same thick Kikuyu rough and yawning
canyons that give tour pros pause? Check out Torrey Pines. Looking for something
more exclusive? Stay at the romantic Inn at Rancho Santa Fe and you can score a
tee time on some of San Diego’s private clubs, including Rancho Santa Fe Golf
Club’s classic Max Behr design.
Taking advantage of year-round monthly temperatures that average
from 65 to 78 degrees, families can enjoy attractions like Sea World, LEGOLAND
and San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, not to mention the city’s 70-plus miles of
beaches.
If you have a few hours, there’s no better SoCal experience than
getting off the freeway and venturing up the coast, stopping in towns like
Pacific Beach, Del Mar and Solana Beach for a cocktail or a quick bite. But no
matter how long your stay, remember a favorite San Diego saying: “Slow down!
This is not L.A.”
Golf
Overlooking the Pacific, Torrey Pines offers two spectacular
munis. Rees Jones renovated the South in preparation for the 2008 U.S. Open,
moving greens closer to the cliffs and stretching the beast to 7,607 yards.
Guests of the Lodge at Torrey Pines have guaranteed tee times. The rare
five-needle pine tree grows only on La Jolla’s cliffs and Santa Rosa Island.
Continue north to Carlsbad and Four Seasons Resort Aviara Golf
Club, a challenging Arnold Palmer design set on rolling terrain, perched above
Batiquitos Lagoon and lined with native eucalyptus, cypress and gnarled oak
trees. After golf, wind down at the resort’s 15,000-square-foot European-style
spa.
Finally, call ahead and inquire about a round on the composite
routing at La Costa Resort and Spa used for the WGC-Accenture Match Play
Championship—Nos. 1–3 and 13–18 on the North, and the back nine of the South.
You might get lucky and find a day the resort can accommodate your request.
Accommodations
Downtown: Britt Scripps Inn
Carlsbad: Four Seasons Resort Aviara
Coronado: Hotel Del Coronado
Del Mar: L’Auberge Del Mar
La Jolla: The Lodge at Torrey Pines
Dining
Downtown: Salvatore’s Cucina Italiana for the city’s best Tuscan
cuisine
Coronado: Sunday brunch at the Del’s world-famous Crown Room
Del Mar: Contemporary steak and seafood at Jordan
La Jolla: Three distinct ocean-view dining experiences at George’s
at the Cove
Rancho Santa Fe: Classic French fare at Mille Fleurs
Activities
The quaint row of shops and cafes on Coronado Island’s Orange
Avenue; Museum of Contemporary Art, La Jolla; windsurfing lessons in Mission
Bay; betting on the ponies at Del Mar racetrack; wine tasting at Bernardo Winery.
