Music To Our Ears

San Diego has its fair share of outdoor concerts thanks to our ideal weather, beautiful scenery, and diverse cultural make-up.  What better way to enjoy the summer, than packing up snacks, a cozy blanket, and sitting under the sky, enjoying some great music from all over the world?   Here we’ve highlighted our three top picks for a melodic outing.

A San Diego tradition since 1984, La Jolla Concerts By the Sea, is a free event, every Sunday in the Summer until September 6th.  The lush, Ellen Browning Scripps Park at La Jolla Cove, is a beautiful patch of grass overlooking the sea.  From 2 to 4p.m., you can enjoy a wide variety of free concerts, from Rock and Roll to Latin Jazz to Cajun Rock.  You can also help support this event and keep it free by purchasing food onsite.  Bullseye Kettle Corn and Hot Dogs, will be selling their tasty fare (with a portion of proceeds going to the Concerts By the Sea), and the non-profit running the concert series will also be selling Haagen Dazs ice cream bars, chips, and candy.   You can also support these concerts by purchasing a raffle ticket for great donated prizes like gift certificates to local restaurants.  This Sunday, Bill Magee Blues Band, will be getting everyone moving with their classic Rhythm and Blues sound.

Celebrating their 13th season, Pacific Beach Concerts on the Green, boasts the prettiest views in San Diego as well as lively music.  From swing to the blues, this concert series is seriously toe-tapping paired with stunning, panoramic vistas of the city.  Located in Kate Sessions Park, above Pacific Beach, you can see Fiesta Island, Mission Bay, and the Pacific Ocean.   The concerts run for the next 3 Sundays in a row.  Supported by the Pacific Beach Community, this organization’s goal was to bring music to the community, and inspire a love and appreciation of music in younger generations.  Please note, this park does not allow alcohol or glass containers.  Other than that, feel free to pack a smorgasbord of delicious treats and something to sit or lounge on, as you listen to the tunes from 4 to 6:30p.m.  

We briefly highlighted the San Diego Symphony in our Comic Con post, but any chance you have to attend one of the The Ashford University Summer Pops concerts (running until Labor Day), you should go!  This week, especially, will be very exciting.  This Friday and Saturday, The Divas of Disco Starring Radiance will be singing dance-worthy songs by Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, The Pointer Sisters and more.   On Sunday, Warner Bros. Presents Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II, which will be a big hit for the kids and the kids-at-heart.   The classic cartoon will be projected on a giant screen, while the orchestra performs the original Carl Stalling scores which highlight bits of Wagner, Rossini, and Strauss, to name a few.  Classical music has never been more fun!  

The outdoor concert series, offers different seating arrangements, from cabaret tables, fold down chairs and lawn seating.  We like bringing a few picnic quilts, and laying under the stars while taking in the talents of this world-famous orchestra.  Gates open at 6p.m. and the concerts begin at 7:30p.m.

We love that there are so many great options for outdoor fun in and around Mission Bay.  Plan your next few Sundays around packing a picnic, gathering up friends and family, and heading to one of these al fresco venues.  It’s no wonder we count down the days until summer starts!

Ready for a Little Adventure?

This week’s post is dedicated to exploration and we’re not talking about just exploring the streets of San Diego.  From space to land to the sea, we’ve got adventure on the mind.  Thankfully, our lovely city has everything you need for a daring and unforgettable good time.

Let’s start with underwater exploration.  The ocean waters are warming up, and now is perfect time to snorkel or scuba dive at La Jolla Cove.  This is, with a doubt, the most popular and beautiful place to explore life under the sea, and we suggest you get a dive in before the busier summer months.  The north-facing beach means its waters are calm and crystal clear and the sea life (sea lions, seals and fish) has grown accustomed to its many human visitors.  Just remember, this is a protected area so there’s no touching the marine life. 

From underwater exploration to exploring the open seas; what conjures up sailing around the ocean more than historical pirates?  We’ve highlighted the Maritime Museum a couple of times (like Here and Here), and there’s a good reason: they have great activities for the whole family.  This Saturday and Sunday are their Pirate Days, a boisterous event everyone will love, complete with a pirate costume contest for the tots.  The kids will love the carnival games, the treasure hunt, and the crafts.  The parents will enjoy the knot tying, rope making, and sword fight demonstrations.

San Diego has many parks that you can get lost exploring in, but one of our favorites to explore comes with a stunning view.  Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial in Soledad Park gives you a 360-degree view of the city and is a beautiful tribute to those veterans who have served this country.  The memorial sits 822 feet above San Diego and honors more than 2,700 veterans with plaques for each one.  There are open grass areas, perfect for picnics, and descending nature walks to get close and personal to the wildlife.  At the top, gazing north, look for the cliffs of Torrey Pines and to the south, Coronado and Mexico. 

On Saturday, May 16^th, the San Diego Air &Space Museum will have its 12^th annual Space Day Celebration.  Not all of us can explore space in real life, but this will be your chance to touch a meteorite, talk to space experts, and design your own space patch.  As part of the special day, the museum’s space galleries are open for viewing, including a flown Apollo spacecraft, moon rocks, and space suits.  Kids can build and fly a paper rocket and grab a free poster on their way out.  This will truly be a fascinating event.  The fun starts at 10 am and goes until 2 pm.  Kids 17 and under are free with a paid adult. 

 Whether you want to explore subterraneous worlds or outer space (vicariously, of course), San Diego, is the place to be.  Mission Bay can be your base camp to ultimate adventure.  Just be sure you’ve packed your snorkel mask, sea legs, hiking boots, and space helmet.