Playing Tourist

I recently had family in town and had the chance to play tourist again. It’s always so fun to have an excuse to do some of your favorite things, especially with people who are new to them. One of our stops was the Botanical Gardens, and I think in almost a decade of living in San Diego, it was only the second time I had been there. It was bigger than I remember, and much of it I hadn’t explored when I’d initially visited. My family is a good one for these types of outings, as there’s a lot of interest in the types of plants and trees, a lot of appreciation for the variety of climates that allow for growth they don’t see where they live.

Another stop was the Leo Carrillo Ranch, a favorite spot of mine. I love the setting, the charming style, the way they have preserved it and made it a part of the community through various events and festivals. (Even as we were visiting, they were setting up for a wedding…it’s a gorgeous venue.) I also love the peacocks, although over time they’ve migrated away from the grounds themselves, which is a HUGE disappointment. BRING BACK THE PEACOCKS!

We did the Maritime Museum downtown, complete with the same bay boat tour I did with other visiting family back in July, and the weather was perfect. Those ships are amazing and represent such a long and storied history, and we finished up that outing with an ocean-view meal in Seaport Village.

A favorite of any family visit is the food, and we made multiple trips to Petite Madeline Bakery in particular, plus had the chance to do two farmers’ markets, one night market, and a street food festival. Those may have been my favorite things, just getting to experience these towns and their vendors. The night market in particular is the largest market in the entire San Diego County, and it was truly astounding to see the quantity and variety of vendors.

I guess this is all to say three things: First, family is awesome, and having visitors is a nice change from the normal routine. Second, I live in a wonderful city that actually allows those who visit to feel like they’ve been on a vacation. And third, it’s a shame we all must spend our days working instead of exploring and experiencing these unique corners of the world in which we live. So, who wants to visit next?