Things to see and do in LA and San Diego

[SquiderM3]

Hey guys,

I'll be heading down to Southern California at the end of September for two weeks and was hoping to get some advice on things to do/see and what tourist traps to avoid from local residents and/or people who have vacationed there. So far on the schedule is Disneyland, Dodgers vs Giants, Chargers vs Dolphins, San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park and Seaworld.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Bodie The Cursed]

Visit the Santa Monica Promenade and Venice boardwalk.. Also come down to Manhattan beach over the weekend to see some ass..

 

[Darth Cruel]

Hey guys,

I'll be heading down to Southern California at the end of September for two weeks and was hoping to get some advice on things to do/see and what tourist traps to avoid from local residents and/or people who have vacationed there. So far on the schedule is Disneyland, Dodgers vs Giants, Chargers vs Dolphins, San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park and Seaworld.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I would not plan to see both the San Diego Zoo AND the Wild Animal Park. They are effectively the same thing. It really seems to me that the Zoo is a place where they keep the animal dregs and sick animals from the Wild Animal Park. And that is not official...just my opinion. They do have the new Elephant exhibit, though, and I do hear that is cool.

Any place you want to go will be a tourist trap...this IS California. Just limit you food that you buy at these places and souvenirs and that should help you out a lot.

There is a small maritime museum just a few blocks west of the San Diego Convention Center where Comic-Con is held. They have the "Surprise" from Master and Commander there as well as an aircraft carrier that you can eat at as there is a cafe inside of it. And if you are in to rollercoasters, you are not allowed to pass up Magic Mountain.

 

[SquiderM3]

Visit the Santa Monica Promenade and Venice boardwalk.. Also come down to Manhattan beach over the weekend to see some ass..

Definitely on the agenda, staying just a couple of blocks away from Santa Monica Pier...ass will be seen.

 

[Darth Snoopy]

If you head to LA you gotta stop at Pink's!

Pink's History​

When I lived in SoCal I always loved going to Pink's, I HIGHLY recommend it!

Be warned...there's always a line...but it's worth it!

 

[SquiderM3]

I would not plan to see both the San Diego Zoo AND the Wild Animal Park. They are effectively the same thing. It really seems to me that the Zoo is a place where they keep the animal dregs and sick animals from the Wild Animal Park. And that is not official...just my opinion. They do have the new Elephant exhibit, though, and I do hear that is cool.

Any place you want to go will be a tourist trap...this IS California. Just limit you food that you buy at these places and souvenirs and that should help you out a lot.

There is a small maritime museum just a few blocks west of the San Diego Convention Center where Comic-Con is held. They have the "Surprise" from Master and Commander there as well as an aircraft carrier that you can eat at as there is a cafe inside of it. And if you are in to rollercoasters, you are not allowed to pass up Magic Mountain.

That's what I was thinking about the zoo but wasn't sure which would be better...thanks.

 

[Kuzeh]

Depending on how long you're in San Diego,
Even though Waild Animal Park is better than the Zoo IMO, it's in the middle of nowhere...
while the Zoo is in Balboa Park, where there's also Museums and close to downtown...
it's huge though, so it'll take you all day to check it out!
Also, go to La Jolla, it's awesome for lucnh/dinner and a nice walkabout...
The Gaslamp area downtown is great too, filled with clubs, bars and restaurants, you can't go wrong there!

 

[SquiderM3]

If you head to LA you gotta stop at Pink's!

Pink's History​

When I lived in SoCal I always loved going to Pink's, I HIGHLY recommend it!

Be warned...there's always a line...but it's worth it!

Love hot dogs, I'll be sure to check this out.

Love this type of info, keep it coming please.

 

[SquiderM3]

Depending on how long you're in San Diego,
Even though Waild Animal Park is better than the Zoo IMO, it's in the middle of nowhere...
while the Zoo is in Balboa Park, where there's also Museums and close to downtown...
it's huge though, so it'll take you all day to check it out!
Also, go to La Jolla, it's awesome for lucnh/dinner and a nice walkabout...
The Gaslamp area downtown is great too, filled with clubs, bars and restaurants, you can't go wrong there!

That's 2 points for the Gaslamp area, will definitely have to make a night of it. Thanks.

 

[TOE]

Mission beach .... guaranteed hard-on They also have roller coaster there that is made 50 years ago, so you may or may not die when you ride it. it's cool.

 

[TOE]

If you stop by Balboa Park, pay a visit to see the Bodies Museum.

Also, at Mission Bay, you can go boating and stuff.

 

[SquiderM3]

Mission beach .... guaranteed hard-on They also have roller coaster there that is made 50 years ago, so you may or may not die when you ride it. it's cool.

That's good to hear, the resort we're staying at is there.

 

[minivader]

for eats, zankou chicken is a good place for lunch/dinner. They have several locations in LA. Also, in n out hamburger is a must. Try the double double. If you want some breakfast, try the pantry in downtown LA. They opened in 1924 and never closed.

if you are into comics, check out meltdown comics in hollywood. I would avoid golden apple, they are mostly snobs.

and as other freaks recommended, santa monica 3rd street is a good place to visit, day or night.

 

[Bodie The Cursed]

Where are you staying in Mission Beach?..

 

[The ill Jedi]

If you head to LA you gotta stop at Pink's!

Pink's History​

When I lived in SoCal I always loved going to Pink's, I HIGHLY recommend it!

Be warned...there's always a line...but it's worth it!

Pink's is a MUST!!! Do not leave L.A. before you have eaten there!

Golden Apple is right across the street and Meltdown comics is about a mile away.

...in n out hamburger is a must. Try the double double. If you want some breakfast, try the pantry in downtown LA. They opened in 1924 and never closed.

if you are into comics, check out meltdown comics in hollywood. I would avoid golden apple, they are mostly snobs.

and as other freaks recommended, santa monica 3rd street is a good place to visit, day or night.

I agree with everything above except about the people at Golden Apple being snobs.

 

[SquiderM3]

Where are you staying in Mission Beach?..

The Catamaran Resort, looked good on the 'net.

Anything I should know about regarding them?

 

[SquiderM3]

for eats, zankou chicken is a good place for lunch/dinner. They have several locations in LA. Also, in n out hamburger is a must. Try the double double. If you want some breakfast, try the pantry in downtown LA. They opened in 1924 and never closed.

if you are into comics, check out meltdown comics in hollywood. I would avoid golden apple, they are mostly snobs.

and as other freaks recommended, santa monica 3rd street is a good place to visit, day or night.

I love burgers and dogs...this trip is going to be bad for the waist line. Might have to avoid Venice Beach.

 

[Bodie The Cursed]

The Catamaran Resort, looked good on the 'net.

Anything I should know about regarding them?

Havn't heard of it.. I recently stayed at the Bahia resort in Mission bay.. Going to The Sherraton attached to Legoland nearby this weekend..

 

[Darth Cruel]

Oh, man.

SquiderM3 - Where are you coming from? Where is home?

If you are from the midwest, stay the hell away from In-n-Out Burger. I am humiliated every time a fellow mid-westerner is tortured at that place. If you are from the midwest, you have experienced hamburgers made with GOOD beef. You will be hard pressed to find that in California, even at McD's or BK. And In-n-Out Burger knows this and tries to hide the nasty flavor of the hamburger by charring them to a crisp and smothering them with thousand island dressing.

I have been in CA for 22 years and I lost the stomach to figure out why that place is so popular with native Californians after about the first year.

On the other hand...I hear that there are In-N-Outs spreading East of Cali. If you find one on the road in a state known for good beef, try it there. THAT might be OK if you tell them to hold the Thousand Island dressing.

 

[The ill Jedi]

Cruel, you are dead to me.