Father Knows Best

The first Father's Day began on the West Coast (in Spokane, Washington) and this weekend our own West Coast city is going to host some fantastic happenings all over the city that the whole family will love.  The weather forecast is going to be perfect, sunny skies and the timing couldn't be more ideal.     




Baseball has been America's sport since the late 1800s and what better way to celebrate Dad than to take in a ballgame at Petco Park?  Over here at Mission Bay we are definitely fans of the San Diego Padres and all things baseball.  Our home team is playing the Washington Nationals today (June 16th) through Sunday (June 19th).  If you go for Saturday's game, be sure and stick around after the game for a spectacular fireworks show.  Sunday's game is full of multiple promotions  and activities such as KidsFest, Military Appreciation and Father's Day.  Click HERE for tickets and more information.  







The San Diego Wooden Boat Festival has been a Father's Day tradition since 1990 and began as a tribute to one father who had a passion for the art of crafting boats made of wood.  Koehler Kraft Boat Yard has been building mahogany sports fishing boats since 1938 and was run by Clarence Koehler Sr., a wooden boat enthusiast.  Koehler passed in 1986 and his family organized the Wooden Boat Festival four years later as a way to share his love with others.  The Festival will run all day Saturday (from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM) and Sunday (from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM).  Come and take in the beautiful, well-maintained wooden crafts up close, some meticulously restored and others are newly built using the hand-crafted skill.  There will be live music, activities just for kids and a raffle with items donated from local businesses.  Tickets are $5 for adults, $2 for kids ages 6 to 12, and children under 6 are free.  Proceeds from the festival will go to benefit local charity, The Harbaugh Charitable Foundation.    







Whether you're in the market to buy a boat or not, you won't want to miss the San Diego International Boat Show.  The show starts today and runs through Father's Day, June 19th, and is going to be a great activity for the whole family.  The Boat Show hours vary depending on the day, click HERE for specifics.  Entry is $15 for adults (kids 12 and under are free), and with entry there are going to be a bevy complimentary activities for visitors of all ages.  The "Try It Cove" will offer guests a chance to test out stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, and sailing lessons.   For those who don't want to get wet, visit the "Sailing Simulator," where you can test out your sea legs on dry land.  A SCUBA diving station will be available for those who want to really take the plunge.  Kids will love the art area and even adults will have DIY clinics on boat maintenance and repair.   Come hungry as there will be gourmet food trucks, a barbecue hosted by the Rotary Club, and craft beers from Anchors & Ales Garden.  





With the sun shining down on us this weekend, San Diego is going to be packed full of entertaining dad-approved activities.  Spend time outdoors enjoying quality family time whether its on the water or dry land.  Set up camp in Mission Bay with Mission Bay Vacation Rentals and then start planning the fun.  

Whale Watching Season in San Diego

Winter is winding down so be sure to add a whale-watching trip to your itinerary before the whale season ends!  Don't miss your chance to get a glimpse of the majestic grey whales as they migrate from Alaska, passing right by San Diego and Mission Bay, en route to Baja California, where they give birth to their calves.   Their journey starts in December and ends in April for around 20,000 of these whales, so now is the time to grab a camera and go exploring on the sea.    

From Land

The grey whales swim so closely to the shore that you can easily spot them from land.  Below are two of our favorite spots to spend an afternoon enjoying nature and watching for the graceful giants. . .

Thanks to the second largest kelp forest in California, the grey whales hug the San Diego coast on their journey.  One of the closest points you can get to this kelp forest is at the Cabrillo National Park.  Cabrillo has some amazing vantage points for spying whales, such as  the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, a historical structure with views of the city and vast ocean.  A short walk from the Lighthouse is the Whale Overlook, with perfect views of, you guessed it, the migrating mammals.  The park’s visitor center has more information on the whales and rangers are also available to answer questions or give pointers on when and where is the best spot to catch a glimpse of them. 
 

Make a day of it with a visit to Torrey Pines State National Reserve, another gorgeous park with perfect vistas of the whales' path.  After watching the whales on their annual winter journey from the bluffs overlooking the ocean, you can explore the 2000 acres of protected wildlife on over 8 miles of trails.  Torrey Pines is unique not just because of the pristine cliffs and land on the coast, but also because it offers a wilderness of both pine forests and sandstone canyons in the middle of the Southern Californian desert. 

From Sea

Being a coastal city, San Diego offers numerous whale-watching tours, which is a great way to not only appreciate the delicate balance of marine life, but also to experience the stunning San Diego skyline.  Here we’ve highlighted some of our favorites. . .

The world-renowned Birch Aquarium has partnered with Flagship Cruises & Events to offer two very unique excursions to explore the ocean while looking for the giants of the deep. Tours are guided by Birch Aquarium Naturalists and include fact sheets about the gray whale and the best part is, if you don’t see a whale you ride again for free!  For those who don’t have three and a half hours for the standard whale tour, they also offer a ride on The Patriot, a high-speed boat; you get as far out at sea as the other tour, but this ride is an hour and a half long.  A ride on the Patriot also has the same ‘see a whale or the next ride is free’ policy.  Talk about a win-win!

Hornblower Cruises & Events is one of the most popular whale watching ships in San Diego.  Their boats are comfortable, spacious, and fast.  It’s easy to see why they are the most sought after tour when it comes to viewing the whale migration.  They always have live educational narration from both the captain and trained Naturalists from the Natural History Museum, which makes for some fascinating time on the sea.  Before you book, you can check out current sightings and other ocean news on their Whale Report blog. 
 

For a truly luxurious whale watching experience, look no further than the San Diego Sailing Tours.  They offer a half-day tour, which includes a gourmet lunch.  Glide in and out of San Diego Bay and up and down the southern Californian coast on a gorgeous ship.  Stewards serve cheese and crackers along with San Diego made craft beer and chilled wine  (for the adults, naturally) and everyone is served a boxed lunch from their gourmet deli.  At $149 for each passenger, this is truly an elite day on the sea, but one you will never forget! 

Mission Bay Vacation Rentals couldn’t be any closer to the action, so book now and spend some time on both dry land and the water.   Once you get a magical glimpse of these peaceful creatures in their natural habitat, you’ll want to come back for more.