San Diego Visitor’s Guide

[Xul1]

Ok, so looking for recommendations on area's of San Diego that would be nice to stay at. Or areas that you would avoid.

If you're going to have a rental car, you can pretty much stay wherever, although you might still want to stay somewhere that you can finish the night with a walk back or a reasonable taxi ride. Hotel wise, the Lafayette is walking distance to 30th St (Toronado, Tiger Tiger, etc.) and a popular spot for beercation accommodations. If you've got a rental car, you can stay in Mission Valley, there are a ton of hotels down there and it's central to our major freeways. Also a fairly cheap cab ride to downtown or 30th St.

If you want to go the VRBO/AirBnB route, I'd look to stay fairly central, although location again depends on rental car situation. Depending on your lady friend's level of beer affinity, you could even look at the beach area - not the best beer area, but there are some good spots and it has far more non-beer attractions than any of the beer-centric neighborhoods. As far as specific areas to look, I'd say North Park, Normal Heights, University Heights, Kensington (all of those are near the 30th St corridor), Mission Beach, Crown Point, and Pacific Beach (hit and miss in PB - try not to stay within a couple blocks of Garnet).

 

[Sage1]

Yeah Beer Week is November 7–16, so hopefully your sched overlaps with that. Keep tabs on http://sdbw.org/ during the few weeks beforehand, and also I imagine someone will start an SDBW thread here by November. Any normal week is a good beer week here, but SDBW is particularly bonkers.

 

[deuce92591]

Thanks for all the input. November 2-10 are my dates, and I'll have a car the whole time. Conference is Nov. 3-5, so I'm glad I'll be able to catch the beginning of beer week with nothing on my schedule. Trying to narrow down a few places to potentially stay just to the East of 30th St and Balboa Park. I'll probably follow up a little closer, would love to bring some stuff out to share with some TB'ers or meet up at breweries/pubs.

 

[gregkoko]

Pretty much praying for a Phish stop in SD for the fall tour, or enough time between LA and Vegas that I can make a side trek to SD. Though I am already pretty much planning on running the marathon in SD at the end of next May

Can I say how happy I am that this is actually happening? Chula FTMFW

 

[blue_bleeder]

Thanks for all the input. November 2-10 are my dates, and I'll have a car the whole time. Conference is Nov. 3-5, so I'm glad I'll be able to catch the beginning of beer week with nothing on my schedule. Trying to narrow down a few places to potentially stay just to the East of 30th St and Balboa Park. I'll probably follow up a little closer, would love to bring some stuff out to share with some TB'ers or meet up at breweries/pubs.

Tons of great TBer's there. Enjoy yourself!!!

 

[HeavySpeedway]

Tons of great TBer's there. Enjoy yourself!!!

There are a few idiots, too.

 

[deuce92591]

Tons of great TBer's there.

Confirmed. Just wanted to say thanks again to all the great hospitality from the TBer's I met up with. PeelBacks, JonathanAmes & SocalKicks were some great guys to meet up with. nanobrew thanks again for hosting the share. So many good homebrews. Had a blast hanging out with other TBer's.

SD TB is real. Watch out.

 

[axeman91821]

THREAD BUMP

Anybody try the Modem Tones sours they released in December? My RS trustee is offering me either Oracle of the Bottle (red wine barrel flanders w/ cabernet grapes) or Palace of Cracked Heads (red wine barrel oud bruin with nectarines).

 

[Xul1]

THREAD BUMP

Anybody try the Modem Tones sours they released in December? My RS trustee is offering me either Oracle of the Bottle (red wine barrel flanders w/ cabernet grapes) or Palace of Cracked Heads (red wine barrel oud bruin with nectarines).

Palace of Cracked Heads > Oracle of the Bottle

All three fruited sours were great, but I thought the peach and nectarine ones were better than the grape one. The base beers were also solid, but not good enough to justify the pricepoint.

 

[Sage1]

THREAD BUMP

Even though this is my thread , I’ll note that you’ll probably get more responses in the SD chat thread: http://www.talkbeer.com/community/threads/the-san-diego-area-thread.1215/

 

[Tyrsis]

Palace of Cracked Heads > Oracle of the Bottle

All three fruited sours were great, but I thought the peach and nectarine ones were better than the grape one. The base beers were also solid, but not good enough to justify the pricepoint.

...and I found the Nectarine to be better than the peach.
This really destroys my argument that any retard can add peaches to beer and it's a Triple A OMG Wale bruh.

 

[nanobrew1]

...and I found the Nectarine to be better than the peach.
This really destroys my argument that any retard can add peaches to beer and it's a Triple A OMG Wale bruh.

wow, your compliments about my peach beer now have way less meaning

 

[Tyrsis]

wow, your compliments about my peach beer now have way less meaning

I thought this explained your sours perfectly. Except Rapericot of course...

 

[DougOLis]

...and I found the Nectarine to be better than the peach.
This really destroys my argument that any retard can add peaches to beer and it's a Triple A OMG Wale bruh.

I haven't tried nectarine yet, but I actually thought grape was better than peach.

 

[Auror]

Hey guys, how updated is this guide? Heading to San Diego for almost a week next month (June 16-21) with some college friends and have some planning power.

 

[Sage1]

Hey guys, how updated is this guide? Heading to San Diego for almost a week next month (June 16-21) with some college friends and have some planning power.

Everything’s still pretty much up-to-date.

 

[Arbitrator]

I don't see a section for the airport. I know Stone is in there, and some other beer bars too, but I'm light on details. Recommendations for my 3.5 hour layover tomorrow?

 

[Xul1]

I don't see a section for the airport. I know Stone is in there, and some other beer bars too, but I'm light on details. Recommendations for my 3.5 hour layover tomorrow?

If you're in the first few gates of Terminal 1, Craft Brews on 30th St (it's past security and terminal 1 has multiple gate areas that aren't connected and serviced by different security checkpoints). If you're in Terminal 2, Stone. If you're in another part of Terminal 1, there's no specific craft choice.

 

[Tyrsis]

I don't see a section for the airport. I know Stone is in there, and some other beer bars too, but I'm light on details. Recommendations for my 3.5 hour layover tomorrow?

3.5 hours, you may as well leave and go to BP Little Italy.

 

[Arbitrator]

3.5 hours, you may as well leave and go to BP Little Italy.

Don't want to deal with car rental in such a short timeframe.

 

[HeavySpeedway]

Don't want to deal with car rental in such a short timeframe.

Quick taxi or Uber ride, or even San Diego Metro Bus (route 992 http://www.sdmts.com/mtscr/Route.aspx?r=992). You actually could walk there in 30 minutes if you wanted.

And why would you have a layover *in* San Diego? That seems uncommon.

 

[Xul1]

or even San Diego Metro Bus (route 992 http://www.sdmts.com/mtscr/Route.aspx?r=992).

Don't take the bus. Our public transit is lacking to begin with but service is so reduced on holidays that it's not worth thinking about if you have any sort of time limit. Uber to Little Italy if you want to leave the airport and hit Ballast Point and Bottlecraft on the same block. Otherwise, hope you end up in Terminal 2 for Stone. Which airline are you flying?

 

[bluesquids1]

Don't want to deal with car rental in such a short timeframe.

This might be thinking outside of the box, since I haven't heard it recommended before and not something I do living here, but walking across the street to Harbor island drive puts you on one of the nicest strolls in the city overlooking the bay. There's a couple restaurants there, I can't really comment on them since only been a couple times and they are always changing.

Also, there are a couple Marinas along the way, each one has a deli and a supply store connected, should have a decent supply of beer there in those for all the boaters coming and going. My buddy has a spearfishing shop next to the Charcoal house restaurant which is one of the best in the country called James and Joesph, worth a look even if not into the sport as he has on display artifacts from one of the first dive clubs, the Bottom Scratchers from the 1930's.
A sixer of 394 and a park bench watching the boats come and go sounds pretty good as long as it's not too windy.

 

[Xul1]

This might be thinking outside of the box, since I haven't heard it recommended before and not something I do living here, but walking across the street to Harbor island drive puts you on one of the nicest strolls in the city overlooking the bay. There's a couple restaurants there, I can't really comment on them since only been a couple times and they are always changing.

Not a bad recommendation overall, but considering Arbitrator lives in the Bay Area, he's probably not lacking for nice bayfront strolls (or the opportunity to take them, anyway...I can't speak to how he spends his free time, but I like to imagine he sits down on an empty pier late at night to write dark, hateful poetry about Black Xantus). I'd take a walk around the Ferry Building in San Francisco over a walk around Harbor Island any day of the week. If he's looking to kill time, he may as well do it with San Diego beer, preferably something he can't get at home.

 

[DougOLis]

Not a bad recommendation overall, but considering Arbitrator lives in the Bay Area, he's probably not lacking for nice bayfront strolls (or the opportunity to take them, anyway...I can't speak to how he spends his free time, but I like to imagine he sits down on an empty pier late at night to write dark, hateful poetry about Black Xantus). I'd take a walk around the Ferry Building in San Francisco over a walk around Harbor Island any day of the week. If he's looking to kill time, he may as well do it with San Diego beer, preferably something he can't get at home.

It's too bad that Fathom is on Shelter Island and not Harbor

 

[TheMitz]

I'll be headed out to SD this weekend. Hoping to hit Alpine (brewery or pub?), Council, Societe, Modern Times, and Toronado. Might try to fit in one of the Ballast Points and Pizza Ports.

Super excited to try beers from all these guys!

 

[nanobrew1]

I'll be headed out to SD this weekend. Hoping to hit Alpine (brewery or pub?), Council, Societe, Modern Times, and Toronado. Might try to fit in one of the Ballast Points and Pizza Ports.

Super excited to try beers from all these guys!

http://www.pizzaport.com/pizza-port-ocean-beach-5th-anniversary/

 

[HeavySpeedway]

http://www.pizzaport.com/pizza-port-ocean-beach-5th-anniversary/

I could have gone my entire life w/o seeing you in a bathrobe and been none the worse for wear, but I have to admit that is pretty classy.

 

[TheMitz]

http://www.pizzaport.com/pizza-port-ocean-beach-5th-anniversary/

Thanks!!! Sounds like a blast

 

[Arbitrator]

This might be thinking outside of the box, since I haven't heard it recommended before and not something I do living here, but walking across the street to Harbor island drive puts you on one of the nicest strolls in the city overlooking the bay. There's a couple restaurants there, I can't really comment on them since only been a couple times and they are always changing.

Also, there are a couple Marinas along the way, each one has a deli and a supply store connected, should have a decent supply of beer there in those for all the boaters coming and going. My buddy has a spearfishing shop next to the Charcoal house restaurant which is one of the best in the country called James and Joesph, worth a look even if not into the sport as he has on display artifacts from one of the first dive clubs, the Bottom Scratchers from the 1930's.
A sixer of 394 and a park bench watching the boats come and go sounds pretty good as long as it's not too windy.

This is a great suggestion for the spirit of this thread, though it didn't quite apply to me yesterday (flight delays + connection issues). Thanks!