Before arriving at the park, I expected it to be an interesting part of our trip, but I never imagined it to be such an all-encompassing area of cultural enrichment.  I was pleasantly surprised.  The brochures had referenced all the attractions, but I visualized an area where we would stop, park, and visit different venues as we went.  I never pictured parking in a beautiful park like setting and walking to and from one museum or attraction to another, while enjoying the sunny weather outdoors, all in one area.  It was easier to go from one place to another than I expected, and we were entertained by many outdoor venues as we went.

By Jodee Weiland

It was a wonderful way to spend the day, starting with our tour of the harbor aboard the Hornblower Harbor Cruise.  The tour we chose was a leisurely cruise with an informative narration while taking in all the beautiful sights surrounding the San Diego Harbor on a sunny afternoon.  We learned a lot about the harbor and its history, as we cruised past Harbor Island, Shelter Island, sea lions, a submarine base, the North Island Naval Air Station, Seaport Village, the Maritime Museum, USS Midway Museum, and so much more.

On board the cruise, the Captain and trained museum naturalists were the narrators for our brief adventure at sea.  While cruising, passengers could choose indoor viewing that is climate controlled with large windows or outside on the large open-air sun deck.  We chose to sit outside on the sun deck, and the views were magnificent.  It was a beautiful sunny day with pleasant mild temperatures near seventy degrees, a perfect day for a harbor cruise.

Once we returned to the harbor, we walked by the USS Midway Museum.  On the way around the museum, we enjoyed the various war time sculptures along the walkway, especially the twenty-five foot tall painted bronze sculpture of a sailor kissing a nurse called the “Unconditional Surrender.”  This statue is based on the iconic V-J Day kiss photo taken of a sailor and a nurse kissing in Times Square in celebration of the end of the Second World War, a photo easily recognized by most people today.  It was truly impressive, along with several other sculptures as well.  We continued on past the sculptures to Seaport Village where we had a wonderful seafood lunch.  The food was delicious, and the beautiful view of the harbor as we ate made our meal even more enjoyable.

Once we finished eating, we spent more time walking along the harbor water front continuing to enjoy the view.  It was indeed fantastic, not to mention the beautiful weather we were enjoying while visiting San Diego.  To say we found one more reason that day to love San Diego is an understatement.  We returned to the San Diego Harbor a few days later and enjoyed still more places on our list not far from the waterfront.  It was a wonderful trip, and if you decide to visit San Diego, be sure to spend time at the harbor.  Hornblower has a variety of cruises, including whale watching tours.  Whatever you decide, you won’t be disappointed if you visit…so when you do visit…enjoy!

By Jodee Weiland

Summarily, the story told in these brochures is that the area called Old Town was first discovered by an explorer named Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo.  Others followed, including Sebastian Vizcaino who named it San Diego de Alcala while mapping the coastline in 1602.  Then the Russian explorers came in the late 1700’s and eventually, the King of Spain sent Captain Gaspar de Portola and Father Junipero Sera with the purpose of a land expedition.  The King did this in the hopes of claiming this land thought to be filled with gold and thriving landscapes.  The Captain chose Presido Hill for the establishment of a military post, and Father Junipero Sera took on the task of building the first twenty-one missions in the area…the cornerstone of colonization in California.  After years of continuous growth, in 1846 the first American flag was raised in the plaza of Old Town by a U.S. Navy Lieutenant and a Marine.  Today visitors can take a look back into this historic era by walking through the Old Town area and the Plaza de las Armas.

We thoroughly enjoyed walking through the Plaza de las Armas, an area that once served as early California’s community center for fiestas, politics, and day to day life in general.  Moving through Old Town, we caught a glimpse of life in the 1800’s as we had the opportunity to meet and talk to the many different merchants, some who dressed in the attire from that earlier period.  The Old Town San Diego historic area has many things to see, to do, and to hold the interest of tourists when visiting.

During our visit there, we were able to explore the Specialty Shops of the Old Town Market and more.  Although we did not see them all, there are art galleries, churches, historical homes, museums, a variety of shops, and many dining options.  We were able to visit Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, which was established in 1865.  It was the first church in California built outside the mission system.  Every visitor will find something to enjoy.  There are various tours available, including the Old Town Trolley City Tours that travel from Old Town San Diego State Historic Park to the San Diego harbor continuing on with more stops at Seaport Village, Gaslamp Quarter, Balboa Park, and Little Italy to name a few.  There are eleven stops in all, and you can either stay on for the full two hour tour or get on and off all day.  It’s your choice.

We enjoyed visiting Old Town San Diego because it was interesting to visit an area that was so important historically to the development of this beautiful city.  San Diego, with its sunny skies and mild temperatures year round, is a great place to visit no matter what, but going there and not seeing Old Town would be unfortunate.  Experiencing the history of a city through an area such as this is an opportunity to better understand not only the city but the people who live there and their cultural roots.  Old Town San Diego was a great experience for us, and we’re glad we took the time to do a little exploring of our own while there.  If you visit San Diego, add this to your list of places to visit…make a memory and enjoy!