A celebration of Scottish culture at the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages; photo by Brett Shoaf/Artistic Visuals
San Diego is an easy city to like: The weather borders on idyllic, the landscape is near-tropical in its lushness and the hills and canyons beckon to be explored. I never tire of visiting this delightful town, especially now that I’ve discovered some of these lesser known gems in and around the city.
Global Sundays
Half-hidden by trees, the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages are overlooked by most visitors to Balboa Park. Yet every Sunday they come alive with a free cultural fest that celebrates the traditions of 32 countries. Each house displays art and artifacts from a different country; most offer visitors samples of traditional foods. At 2 p.m. a lawn program highlights the music and dance of one nationality.
Star Parties
The San Diego Astronomy Association wins kudos for being one of the best hosts in town. On the first Wednesday of every month, members set up giant telescopes outside the Reuben H. Fleet Center Space Theater in Balboa Park. Visitors can get a close up view of the moon and some of the brighter stars.
Better yet, visitors to the group’s Tierra del Sol Observatory, 65 miles to the east, can use the facility’s giant telescopes –– including the 22-inch diameter Lipp Telescope –– to view “deep-sky” objects such as nebulae, star clusters and galaxies. The observatory is open to the public during its free “Star Parties,” which take place monthly during the “dark of the moon.”
The Lux Art Institute in Encinitas
Studio Setting
Intimate and inviting, Lux Art Institute in Encinitas is a cross between a museum and a studio. Artists from around the world create new works on-site, while surrounded by an exhibit of their past works. Visitors are invited to engage in conversation with the artist, so much so that one ticket is good for two visits. Stop by once to see the work at the beginning; come back a week later to see how it has progressed.
Magical Art
A hidden spot in Kit Carson Park in Escondido, Queen Califia’s Magical Circle Garden contains works by internationally renowned French sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle. It’s a magical place indeed, a mosaic of color made up of thousands of pieces of glass. It sparkles, it reflects, it enchants, and it speaks to the child in all of us.
The Hills Are Alive
Situated about 20 miles northeast of downtown San Diego, Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve showcases the region’s diverse geography, ecology and archeological history. A fairly easy hike gets you to a lovely waterfall with mountain-cold water. The choice of several bridges crossing the creek allows you can walk to the falls one way and return by another route.
A gardening lesson at Loews Coronado Bay Resort
Savory Treat
Spend Friday afternoons learning all about herbs –– how to recognize them, how to cultivate them, how to use them. The master French chef at Loews Coronado Bay Resort first leads folks through a 3,800 square-foot organic garden that includes more than 65 seasonal herbs and vegetables. Then he demonstrates how to use them to get your weekend off to a good start. Mint pesto and basil caipirinhas anyone? Reservations are required.
Inside a World Famous Lab
When Dr. Jonas Salk, developer of the polio vaccine, set out to build a scientific research facility in La Jolla, he enlisted the help of renowned architect Louis Kahn. “Create a facility worthy of Pablo Picasso,” he said, and Kahn did as instructed. Now the American Institute of Architecture lists the Salk Institute as one of the “31 buildings that changed modern life.” Free tours are given at noon Monday through Friday; reservations are recommended.
The ARCO Training Center for Olympic hopefuls
Olympic Heights
For those suffering from Olympic withdrawal, a free tour of the $65 million ARCO Training Center in Chula Vista is just the thing. Tours include a short video, a walk or golf cart ride down Olympic Path to catch an elevated view of the 150-acre campus, and a tour of the venues and support facilities for nine Olympic sports: archery, canoe/kayak, cycling, field hockey, rowing, soccer, softball, tennis, and track and field. If you’re lucky, you’ll see some of the nation’s top athletes working out.
Fields of Flowers
For approximately six to eight weeks during March and April, Carlsbad Ranch turns into a dazzling sea of color, backed, of course, by the dazzling sea of blue that is the Pacific Ocean. Covering 50 acres and consisting of more than 1,500 plants –– most notably, ranunculus flowers, a member of the buttercup family –– the Flower Fields are a perfect place to experience a San Diego spring.
All Natural Experience
From endangered Green Sea Turtles to more than 224 species of birds, the Chula Vista Nature Center encourages visitors to immerse themselves in the ecology and environment of the wetlands. There’s a walk-through aviary, a shallow-water touch tank where visitors can feel a shark, and gardens showcasing native plants.
A good read: Walking San Diego: Getting Away from It All
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