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Bakersfield Breakaway: San Diego
Bakersfield Breakaway: San Diego
By: Laurie Kessler, Travel Columnist
Description: The zoo was a disappointment, but the Bloody Marys and SeaWorld delivered.
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Posted by lakessler1 Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
Viewed 1234 times
0 responses 0 comments I’m almost ashamed to confess this, but here it is: My husband and I were typical tourists in San Diego.
It’s true. We did nothing grand or novel. Instead, we shot pictures of beautiful sunsets, paid a visit to the zoo, and took over 200 photos of Shamu at SeaWorld. At night, we strolled along Pacific Beach’s trendy (and sometimes bizarre) boardwalk, savoring seafood dishes at several five-star restaurants. Finally, we bought lots of clothes that had “San Diego” or “Pacific Beach” written across them –– a sure sign of a tourist if there ever was one.
I did, however, discover one new thing: the joy of a Bloody Mary. This became the “signature drink” of our seven-day stay.
The San Diego Zoo was a disappointment. It was crowded, there was a 90-minute wait to get on the double-decker tour buses, and most of the animals were either sleeping, bored with the gawking humans, or nowhere to be seen.
There were some notable exceptions. The primates were playfully active and my husband, Doug, was able to get some great pictures of them. Also, there was a weird “bearded pig” straight out of someone’s nightmare in the Amazon rain forest. Doug snapped a fantastic close-up of this unusual creature.
However, we left after an hour, going straight to our beloved Boardwalk to commiserate over Bloody Marys.
SeaWorld, by contrast, was fantastic. I was overjoyed to see Shamu, the world-famous killer whale (actually, there are seven orcas, but they are all called by the generic “Shamu” during performances). As said, in our excitement, my husband and I shot over 200 pictures –– we saw the entire 20-minute show through the small lens of our digital cameras.
SeaWorld has a variety of enticing adventures. For $150, you can hop into a dolphin tank and “interact” with them. For $15, you can have breakfast with Shamu; $32 gets you dinner. Want an exclusive tour? They have several tours ranging from $11 to $60 (this in addition to admission prices). Go to seaworld.com for more information.
The best part of our vacation was the Pacific Beach Boardwalk. Except for trips to the zoo and SeaWorld, we never had to drive. We journeyed to all meals and shopping excursions via the Boardwalk. We took late-night jaunts to savor Bloody Marys this way and watched the sun set behind the waves in breathtaking colors. Be forewarned –– Pacific Beach is hip, laid back, and sprinkled with roller skaters, joggers and a dozen or so homeless people. This is not an upscale part of San Diego. However, it is a great place to blend in and relax for a week, even if you are a typical tourist.
For more of Doug’s photos, go to http://www.pbase.com/dougke...
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If You Go: The Green Flash Restaurant, 701 Thomas Ave., San Diego, CA 92109 Superb seafood dishes and Bloody Marys with oceanfront patio dining. Main courses $4-$9 breakfast, $8-$13 lunch, $8-$35 dinner SeaWorld Adventure Park, 500 SeaWorld Drive, San Diego, CA 92109 (800) 25-SHAMU ext.1. Has a variety of admission passes, tours and activities. Go to seaworld.com for more info. Reserve in advance for special tours and activities. Want to see live orcas? Go to the Shamu Cam at http://www.shamu.com/ca/sha... |
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