Hotel at a Glance: Hotel Point Loma

Only a block from the harbor, the Hotel Point Loma is perfectly situated near one of San Diego’s greatest draws: the Pacific Ocean. Along the shore, you’ll find plenty of places to get out on the waves, including marinas and fishing charters. Walk a little further south and you’ll find San Diego’s Shelter Island, which is covered mostly with sailing launches and public fishing piers. But even those not looking to discover their sea legs can find something to love about the ocean by indulging in the fresh seafood that restaurants serve up daily.

• Fuel for your day: Complimentary tea and coffee are found in the lobby.
• Don’t forget your beach towel: San Diego’s white-sand shores invite swimmers to dip their toes in the ocean.
• Lions, tigers, bears, oh my!: The San Diego Zoo is one of largest in the country, housing over 3,700 animals.
• Grab a seat in the splash zone at Sea World San Diego, which is about 3 miles away.
• Shop in Victorian-era buildings in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, which is now home to high-end boutiques and gourmet restaurants.
• Museums, gardens, and theaters can all be found in Balboa Park, which spans over 1,200 acres in the heart of downtown.

San Diego, California: Historical Attractions and Electric Nightlife in Southern California

San Diego’s sunny, comfortably warm weather and 70 miles of coastline have long attracted vacationing out-of-towners, but the city’s inland scene is no slouch, either. The Gaslamp Quarter is arguably the trendiest listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The area forms both the historic center of town and a hub of San Diego nightlife, with nearly 100 Victorian-era buildings occupied by high-end boutiques, jewelers, and gourmet restaurants.

A stroll through iconic Balboa Park takes you past 17 separate museums, as well as the world-famous and much beloved San Diego Zoo. There’s also the vibrant Spanish Village Art Center, a living gallery where local artists produce pottery, handblown glass, and oil paintings for sale.

Farther north, in Old Town—site of the first European settlement in California—shops in Mission-style stucco buildings sell colorful wrestling masks, woven baskets, and maracas. Nearby stands the Whaley House Museum, dubbed one of the Most Terrifying Places in America by the Travel Channel. Ghosts of former residents are said to inhabit the rooms, which are filled with Victorian furniture, eerie dolls, and squeegees for ectoplasm cleanup.