Looking for a relaxing Holiday vacation? Head to San Diego…Pacific Beach to be exact.
Mingle with pandas and pachyderms at the famous San Diego Zoo if you are looking for critters. Wander the grounds of historic Hotel Del Coronado where everything is lit to perfection. For a meal to remember don't miss their Christmas brunch. Be prepared to spend several hours being treated like royalty. If big ships are more your style, head to the USS Midway for a tour or hands on demonstrations.
But if relaxing is your goal and watching surfers skim the waves is as much activity as you want, spend some time in Pacific Beach.
Laid back surf towns line up like stepping stones along southern California's coast line. Only minutes away from the hustle and bustle of downtown San Diego lies Pacific Beach. Close your eyes and you will think you have landed in a hippie surf town of the 60's. Some areas of PB, as the locals call it, seem to be stuck in a time warp. Only some of these hippies are real…and not so young. They might even remember the 60's.
Year round surfers, big dogs taking their owners for a ride, small dogs prancing in time to their own beat, and an unusual Grinch make the Holidays in Pacific Beach special. Chat with recent retires as you stand in line at Kono's Surf Café for a mouth watering, filling and reasonable breakfast. The daily special complete with coffee is usually under $6.00.
Walk two or three blocks to the end of Crystal Pier where surfers will not disappoint you. Year round these men and women wait for that perfect wave. In the meantime, they ride the ones the ocean gives them. On windy days, kite surfers ride a different type of wave as their parachute-type sails hurdle them along the tops of spraying sea foam.
Fishing is an everyday pastime along the Pier, as humans, dolphins and pelicans all vie for dinner. Discover what sleeping over the ocean feels like when you stay in one of the cabins of the Crystal Pier Hotel. These individual units, complete with their own decks, perch on the edge of the Pier.
Take some time to see what the Saturday Farmer's Market has to offer. Fresh cut flowers mix with mouth watering strawberries and over a dozen kinds of tomatoes. Sample a new variety of orange or tangelo and mingle with the locals bargaining for farm fresh eggs or home grown potatoes. Amidst all the fresh picked produce and small town atmosphere it's hard to believe there is a city just over your shoulder.
People watch as you stroll along the 5 mile boardwalk. Dogs are almost as abundant as people…and equally as festive. Joggers with their pooches decked out in Christmas wreath collars or jingle bells weave in and out of amblers with their tiny canines in festive sweaters. Yippy Chihuahuas try to take on well mannered Golden Retrievers as envious Labs watch.
Christmas even comes to the beach. A lone Christmas tree fits the simple surf and sand scene. Squawking seagulls ignore it and little children decorate it with seaweed from the beach.
If you can, it's best to ignore the Grinch, a green painted man on roller blades. His red fake fur cape, fuzzy green slippers, and red and white thong didn't leave much to the imagination. Ahh…you never know what The Holidays in PB will bring.
As your relaxing day comes to a close, grab your camera or your favorite holiday beverage to celebrate the end of another glorious day in Pacific Beach. A palette of pastel pinks to vibrant oranges gleam along the horizon as the sun hurriedly drops into the ocean.
This holiday season take a relaxing side trip to Pacific Beach. The city will wait for you.
