Hotel at a Glance: Humphreys Half Moon Inn & Suites
Humphreys Half Moon Inn & Suites is located on Shelter Island, a ritzy resort oasis on the San Diego Bay. The property operates its own private marina, where sailboats and yacht charters come and go year-round. This waterfront setting provides the property with dazzling views and inspired its tropical vibe. Palm trees and tiki torches decorate the grounds, and guest rooms feature wooden bedframes and plantation shutters.
- Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, and B.B. King: Have all performed at the resort’s summer outdoor concert venue. The 2013 schedule includes concerts from Melissa Etheridge (Sept. 8) and Lynyrd Skynyrd (Sept. 19).
- Encore: Head to Humphrey's Backstage Live for soulful jazz performance and martini specials
- Room with a view: Tropical guest rooms overlook the pool and the gardens; others have views of the bay and city skyline
- Interesting dishes at Humphreys Restaurant: Seared George’s Bank scallops with goat cheese and fried sage, and Mary’s organic chicken confit slow-cooked in duck fat
- Explore the Island: Ride a bike along the 3-mile waterfront path, or go fishing off the Shelter Island pier
- Join the locals for hand-rolled sushi and views of the sailboats during Humphrey’s Sunday Champagne brunch
- See the bay: You'll be right on San Diego Bay, so you can enjoy stunning views of the bay and nearby marina.
San Diego: 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 one of the National Register of Historic Places' trendiest listings. The area forms both the town's historic center and a hub of San Diego nightlife, with nearly 100 Victorian-era buildings now occupied by high-end boutiques, jewelers, and gourmet restaurants.
During the day, a stroll through iconic Balboa Park takes you past 17 separate museums, as well as the world-famous and much beloved San Diego Zoo, home to giant pandas, giraffes, meerkats, and many other unusual animals. There's also the vibrant Spanish Village Art Center, a living gallery where local artists continuously 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. The nearby Whaley House Museum has been 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.