San Francisco Car Hire and the San Diego Neighbourhoods
The city of San Diego is divided into six main areas: Coronado, Downtown, Hillcrest and Uptown, Mission Bay, Old Town and Mission Valley, and La Jolla. This is where visiting San Francisco car hire travelers spend most of their time. Read on to learn a little bit about each.
Coronado: Many San Francisco car hire travelers tend to thing Coronado is an island, but it's actually a peninsula connected to the mainland by the Silver Strand (a wee strip of sand spit). Home to wealth California royalty, Coronado is the perfect place for a lazy, but luxurious getaway. The southern section of the peninsula is a playground for snowbirds, thanks to lovely beaches and plenty of restaurants.
Downtown: Decades of intense redevelopment has helped downtown San Diego emerge as a must-visit vacation destination. A magnet for travelers, the city hosts dozens of annual tradeshows, festivals and conventions. San Francisco car hire travelers will find unbeatable entertainment in the areas of Horton Plaza, the Gaslamp Quarter, the Convention Center and Little Italy. The Embarcadero (waterfront) is also a huge tourist spot during the busy summer months.
Hillcrest & Uptown: The heart of San Diego's gay and lesbian community, Hillcrest is the place to be if you're looking for an eclectic experience. Close to both Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo, Hillcrest is a convenient place to base any San Francisco car hire road trip. A handful of other great uptown neighbourhoods are within easy walking distance, including University Heights, North Park, Missions Hills and Kensington.
Mission Bay and the Beaches: Cool and causal, the Mission Bay neighbourhood of San Diego is the all about relaxation. San Francisco car hire travelers come here to burrow their feet in the sand and forget their troubles. Mission Bay practically invented the SoCal beach lifestyle, so go ahead and soak it in. The boardwalk that runs from South Mission Beach to Pacific Beach is a great place to sit and observe the locals.
Old Town and Mission Valley: This area of San Diego invites you to step back in time without losing any of the modern amenities. Known as the place where California "began," Old Town San Diego features a number of impressive cultural and historical landmarks. Not far from this popular tourist attraction is Mission Valley, a suburban sprawl of houses and commercial businesses. Its main street, which is aptly named Hotel Circle, boasts affordable accommodations.
La Jolla: This seaside community is California's version of the French Riviera. Classy and cool, this community is surrounded by some of the best beaches in the nation. San Francisco car hire travelers will also find a wealth of restaurants and galleries in the area, not to mention some of the world's best medical facilities. Most of the action centers on Pearl Street, and what locals refer to as The Village. Head there first to get a feel for the local culture.
Head off the beaten path
If you want to make the most of your San Francisco car hire vacation to San Diego, Super Cheap recommends heading outside the central neighbourhoods of the city and into North Park. North Park is one of San Diego's original suburbs, as well as one of the best developed. Here, San Francisco car hire travelers will find plenty of entertainment at the restored North Park Theatre. Good eats are waiting at The Mission, Spread and Ranchos Cocina. Another off the beaten path adventure is to South Park (which is actually located east of Balboa Park). This area features architectural gems like meticulously preserved Victorian mansions and Craftsman bungalows. And finally, head east of South Park and you'll find the charming Burlingame Historical District, famous for its pink sidewalks.
