A southerner once visited San Diego and remarked, 'Your weather is perfect, even the outside is air conditioned.' This really is the ideal town for outdoor fun, especially in the summer and the best part is the entertainment doesn't end with the setting sun. Last week we highlighted where to go to catch a movie outside, this week we've decided to give you the scoop on some other nighttime activities you can only do in our town.
Balboa Park is taking advantage of the season's weather and extending their hours every Friday until 8:00 PM with their "Balboa Park After Dark" nights. There are nine museums who are extending their hours (the Museum of Man will stay open until 8:30 PM), and The San Diego Museum of Art is offering a special $5 admission fee for later entries. While the Museum of Photographic Arts (or MOPA) won't be open later on Friday, they are offering extended hours on Thursday for those who can't make it on Friday. The appeal doesn't stop there, the Park will also offer some of the city's finest food trucks and free music to liven the mood. Check out their WEBSITE to find out which trucks and live music will be there each week. These longer hours will run until September 2nd.
In honor of its centennial year, the San Diego Zoo is extending their hours to 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM through September 5th. Their "Nighttime Zoo" is a lively celebration that packs the last few hours of the day with music, dancers, and acrobats. Albert's Restaurant will also be open later so you can grab a bite before you head out on the open-air deck overlooking the waterfall in the Lost Forest. The restaurant will also have specialty cocktails created just for the Zoo's 100th birthday. Music will include everything from traditional mariachis to a brass band to old fashioned rock 'n' roll. Dr. Zoo will also be there presenting his signature informative and zany shows on zoo creatures. Around 8:30 a puppetry parade of enormous proportions will close out the night.
"Flight Night at Draft!" is a creative summertime concept from Draft, Belmont Park's delicious restaurant located on Mission Beach's boardwalk. As we've mentioned BEFORE, Draft is known for serving over 100 different types of craft beer, and with "Flight Night" they've made a drinking menu where you can sample four different beers on tap. Every Tuesday the fun begins with their "In-Flight Entertainment" at 6:00 PM with live-music, then "passengers" can select which flight they want to take. There's "First Class" ($15), "Business" ($12), and "Coach" ($10) where patrons can create their perfect combination of drinks. Draft even offers "In-Flight Snacks" with specialty pretzels and nuts. Even if you don't want to test out the beer samples, a meal at Draft is a great way to wind down the day.
Contact Mission Bay Vacation Rentals to start planning a summer vacation where the fun continues into the night. Take advantage of the season, the climate, and all our city has to offer! After all, we wouldn't want to take for granted the fascination some visitors have with our "air conditioned" outdoors.
San Diego is brimming with world-famous museums and this is
the month to plan as many visits to them as you can. Macy’s Museum Month is going on right now
with more than 40 museums participating until the end of February. Just visit one of Macy’s many locations
(click HERE to find a store near you) for a free pass that will give you 50%
off admission. Each pass will allow you
to bring up to three people so the whole family can enjoy the deep discounts.
The Museum Month pass is not just limited to art
museums! You can use it at favorites
like Birch Aquarium at Scripps, USS Midway Museum, and the Maritime Museum as
well. You can find a list of all
participating spots HERE.
This February you might want to frequent the lesser known historical
treasures in San Diego for a fraction of the cost. We recommend you start at the San Diego History Center nestled in Balboa Park. This small spaces celebrates the unique
history of our great town, and has rotating exhibits that brings to life San
Diego’s past, present and future. The
History Center is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM.
On the northwest corner of Balboa Park is the Marston House Museum & Gardens, a sprawling mansion on five acres of land. The 8,500 square foot house is one of
California’s best examples of the Arts and Crafts movement, and was built in
1905 by George W. Marston and his wife Anna.
The manicured gardens are pristinely preserved and will transport
visitors back 100 years. The house
became a museum in 1987 and is currently operated by Save Our Heritage Organization
(SOHO) a nonprofit group committed to promoting and supporting the preservation
of architectural, cultural and historical landmarks. The House is open Friday to Monday from 10 AM
to 5 PM.
Another small historic gem, also run by SOHO, is the Whaley House Museum in Old Town San Diego. Built
in 1857, this was the first two-story brick building in San Diego, and even
though it might look small by today’s standard, this was an impressive sight in
the 1850s. This modest building is also
one of the most popular historical attractions in our state, with over 125,000
people visiting it annually, thanks to its locations in Old Town and its
haunted history. When you visit you can
learn more about its ghostly folklore attached and its mid-19th century
Greek revival architecture. During the winter the museum is open Sunday to
Tuesday from 10 AM to 4:30 PM and Thursday to Saturday from 10 AM to 9:30
PM.
Smack dab in the heart of San Diego is the Gaslamp Museum at William Heath Davis House, the oldest standing structure Downtown. This charming yellow house was actually
shipped from Portland, Maine and placed downtown in 1850. The house was moved in 1873, by its
then-owner Anna Scheper, and then moved yet again in 1977 to its current
location when it was donated to the city of San Diego. That is a lot of changes for a little house which
is more than 160 years old! The museum
is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM, and on Sunday from 12 PM to 4
PM. Three houses of free parking is
available at Horton Plaza.
Don’t delay! Book a week at Mission Bay Vacation Rentals and
take advantage of San Diego’s rich history in visiting all these landmarks and
museums in February. Thank goodness for
Leap Year, you’ll need that extra day this month to explore and check out all
these interesting sights.
