Top 10 Reasons to Rock it in San Diego

Whether you’re gearing up to run the 2009 Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, or in San Diego on “stay-cation” or vacation, there are some things you just can’t pass up while you’re here. So when you’ve gotten your fill of long days at the beach, check out what else San Diego has to offer…

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Featured Attractions:

Be sure to check out these featured attractions while you're in San Diego.

Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Night at PETCO Park!

Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon weekend continues into Monday, June 1st at PETCO Park!  The 7:05pm game has been designated Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon night at PETCO Park.  The San Diego Padres will be hosting the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies and all marathon participants are invited to take advantage of this special ticket offer. 

To purchase tickets: www.padres.com
Be sure to enter code: ROCK to get your discount!

Rock with Fleetwood Mac Sunday night!

The party doesn’t stop after the race and headliner concert ends on MCRD. Legendary rockers Fleetwood Mac are bringing their Greatest Hits “Unleashed” tour to the San Diego Sports Arena on May 31st. Yes, that’s race day, and Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon participants can get tickets for $15 off the ticket price! Simply visit livenation.com, search for Fleetwood Mac and enter the password MARATHON.  Subject to applicable service fees and seating sections, while supplies last!  Be sure to enjoy this great concert after the race!

Purchase tickets

Body Worlds

Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS exhibitions are the original, precedent-setting public anatomical exhibitions of real human bodies, by physician, anatomist, and inventor of Plastination, Dr. Gunther von Hagens. The exhibition offers visitors an in-depth view of the intricately designed human body, comparative anatomy showing wellness and disease, and the mysterious world of the brain.

San Diego is a perfect place to bring the family. With some of the country's most popular attractions, you’ll have to stay an extra week just to fit it all in! 

Dining / Nightlife

With some of the most eclectic dining options, San Diego offers something for every palate. Find out what pre-race carbo-loading is really all about! Check out our recommendations:

 

The FleetWood

The FleetWood brings Downtown San Diego something it's never seen. It's a place where options are endless. A bar, restaurant and lounge. A place where you can meet people from all walks of life or bring your own party. A place where you can be comfortable, laid back or dressed up. Simply put, The FleetWood is San Diego's newest way to eat, drink and mix.

www.thefleetwood.com

P.F. Chang's

Your friends at P.F. Chang’s want you to start strong and finish strong. As a way to fuel those long training runs, you will receive an exclusive card that saves 15% on your favorite dishes and drinks at any P.F. Chang's location. Make your reservation today: 1-866-PFCHANG (1-866-732-4264).

www.pfchangs.com

The Old Spaghetti Factory

Serving delicious, complete meals in a unique setting with affordable prices for over 40 years! Perfect for families and groups.

www.osf.com/

Rubio’s

Founded 25 years ago in San Diego, Rubio’s offer high-quality, fresh and distinctive Mexican cuisine, including the world famous fish tacos, at attractive prices, inspired by the Baja California region of Mexico. Rubio’s has been a San Diego local favorite since 1983. Please visit any one of the 45 locations throughout America’s Finest City. For more information please visit www.rubios.com.

Beach City Market – Horton Plaza

Founded in September 2004, Beach City Market is a gourmet market specializing in healthy and quality food service for dining in, take-out, delivery and catering.  We offer a New York Style deli, a sushi bar, a juice and coffee bar, a salad bar, a lunchtime barbecue, hot, healthy breakfast and lunch meals, and freshly prepared to go items. Our executive chef, Simon Peter, provides our customers with an abundance of daily fresh and ethnically diverse options. In addition, our shelves are filled with drinks, wine and beer, chips, and candy and energy bars.  www.beachcitymarket.com

Family Fun

The San Diego Zoo

San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo is a world-famous 100-acre tropical garden that houses 4,000 animals of 800 rare and exotic species. www.sandiegozoo.org

LEGOLAND
Located 30 minutes north of downtown, LEGOLAND delivers fun, imagination and entertainment geared for kids aged 2-12. The 128-acre theme park features more than 40 interactive attractions and rides that are "kid powered" where kids push, pull, steer, pedal, squirt, climb or build their way through a wonderland of activities. www.legoland.com

The Shamu Show at SeaWorld

SeaWorld
Located on Mission Bay, this 189-acre park features six major shows, fascinating attractions and dozens of exhibits containing marine life from around the globe. www.seaworld.com

USS Midway/San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum
Highlighting San Diego’s rich military history while paying tribute to the hundreds of thousands of men and women who served their country aboard the ship. The USS Midway, part of the Navy fleet for 47 years, was home to more than 200,000 sailors during the Vietnam and Persian Gulf Wars, as well as other conflicts and crises around the world is now a museum and is located at Navy Pier on San Diego Bay in downtown San Diego. www.midway.org

Reuben H. Fleet Science Center

Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
Get your hands on science at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, located in beautiful Balboa Park! While most of the Fleet's 100+ interactive exhibits are suitable for ages seven to 107, younger children will particularly enjoy Kid City, designed for children ages six and younger. The Fleet also features the world's first IMAX® Dome Theater, presenting educational giant-screen films and planetarium shows. www.rhfleet.org

Old Town Trolley
Two great ways to see San Diego! Climb aboard the Old Town Trolley and enjoy a two-hour, fully narrated, fun-filled tour of San Diego and Coronado! Sights include: Old Town, Seaport Village, Gaslamp Quarter, Coronado, Balboa Park, and the San Diego Zoo. Named by SignOnSanDiego as the "Best Way to See the City". Or, Make a splash aboard San Diego's most unique tour, the amphibious SEAL Tour of San Diego! View "America's Finest City" from a totally different perspective...on a "Boat with Wheels!" Experience San Diego the way it was intended - from Land and Sea aboard our Coast Guard approved state-of-the-art amphibious vehicles for the adventure of a lifetime! www.historictours.com

Beaches/Bays

There’s a stretch of sand for everyone along San Diego’s 70 miles of coastline. Kick off your running shoes and dip your toes into the Pacific. If you enjoy water sports, discover what an aquatic playground the bays can provide.

Mission Bay Park
Covering 4,600-acres, Mission Bay Park is the largest facility of its kind in the world featuring separate, designated areas for sailing, power boating, fishing, swimming and water skiing. A favorite spot for families is Tecolote Shores, an open grassy park popular for flying colorful kites, playing Frisbee and having leisurely picnics. www.sannet.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/missbay.shtml

San Diego Bay
Bustling with activity day and night, the Big Bay serves as the homeport for Navy ships, a large sportfishing fleet, thousands of pleasure craft and an increasing number of commercial and cruise ships. Take in the sights of U.S. Navy ships, San Diego's distinct skyline and the magnificent San Diego-Coronado Bridge. www.thebigbay.com

Coronado Beach
An aquatic wonderland recognized annually (by the Travel Channel) as the best family beach in North America. A vast expanse of white sand stretches in front of Coronado’s opulent oceanfront mansions, and greets families toting umbrellas, sand toys, beach towels and picnic coolers for an all-day stay.

Ocean Beach
Home to the Ocean Beach Pier, is a large sandy beach offering surfing, swimming and other recreational activities. Ocean Beach is most popular for Dog Beach, where even the tail waggin’ members of the family can enjoy San Diego’s surf and sand.

Pacific Beach/Mission Beach
Connected by a three-mile boardwalk that is crowded with inline skaters, skateboarders, runners and bicyclists. Both beaches feature designated areas for surfing and swimming. Sunsets are observed with awe, toasted with libations and followed by barbecues, picnics and lively gatherings.

La Jolla Shores
A quiet and intimate enclave of lovely homes, spectacular scenery and a spacious beach that slopes gently into the turquoise waves, La Jolla Shores is recognized as one of the most family-friendly beaches in San Diego County. The mile-long sandy shore is paralleled by a wide cement boardwalk that separates the beach from a large grassy park that is ideal for picnicking and volleyball games.

Running Trails

Loosen up for the Marathon on some of San Diego’s finest running trails and paths. With options in urban, rural or coastal settings, you will find one that fits your fancy!

Mission Trails Park
Encompassing nearly 5,800 acres of natural and developed recreational land in San Diego’s East County, Mission Trails Regional Park includes more than 40 miles of hiking/running and biking trails that meander along the San Diego River. Be warned, these are NOT flat trails! www.mtrp.org

Mission Bay

Mission Bay Park
Meandering around the beautiful bay's shorelines are 20 miles of paths for runners, bikers and in-line skaters. True fitness enthusiasts can test their athletic abilities at exercise stations located throughout the course. www.sannet.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/missbay.shtml

Balboa Park
Within its 1,200 lush acres lies miles of trails for running and walking alike. With many sights along the way, Balboa Park is a perfect place to combine a pre-race workout with some sightseeing!

Embarcadero

Embarcadero/Harbor Island
A pancake-flat path that starts behind the Convention Center and follows a concrete path through Seaport Village, Cruise Ship Terminal, Coast Guard Station, Star of India and loops around Harbor Island. A great choice for a flat, easy run.

Shopping

If you are still looking for some shopping after patronizing the vendors at the Health & Fitness, experience some authentic San Diego retail therapy at the following locations:

The Gaslamp Quarter

The Gaslamp Quarter
Encompassing 16 1/2 historical blocks in the heart of downtown San Diego, the Gaslamp Quarter features quirky boutiques offering ethnic, cutting-edge and vintage fashions, rubbing elbows with established retailers such as Urban Outfitters and Lucky Brand Dungarees. www.gaslamp.org

Hillcrest
Home to San Diego's gay and lesbian community, Hillcrest offers an exciting shopping experience. Strolling along its main thoroughfares, University Avenue and the tree-lined Fifth Avenue, shoppers can soak up quaint neighborhood charm while browsing through urban-style boutiques and vintage shops stocked with books, clothes and records.

Cedros
Solana Beach’s Cedros Design District runs the length of the hamlet’s Cedros Avenue and is home to a bevy of luxury home décor and design boutiques as well as trendy boutiques offering unique women’s apparel, accessories for the pampered pet and decadent gifts for family and friends. www.cedrosdesigndistrict.com

Little Italy
Located along India Street, the main thoroughfare in quaint Little Italy, are patio cafes, restaurants, pubs, art galleries and shops that are sure to please people watchers as well as serious "shopaholics". www.littleitalysd.com

Prospect Street
Sometimes called the “Rodeo Drive” of San Diego, La Jolla’s Prospect Street overlooks the Pacific Ocean and is lined with small specialty shops, boutiques, antique emporiums and art galleries. Offering elegant, designer fashions in sophisticated apparel shops, La Jolla is also known for its exquisite and original fine jewelry of magnificent and brilliant gems. www.lajollabythesea.com

Del Mar Plaza
Located in North San Diego County, the European-style retail village Del Mar Plaza is nestled gently into a hillside along the coast with walkways of Old World stone winding amid boutiques, galleries and restaurants with ocean view piazzas. www.delmarplaza.com

Seaport Village

Seaport Village
A 14-acre waterfront shopping, dining and entertainment complex along San Diego Bay recreates a California harbor setting of a century ago. With four miles of meandering cobblestone pathways, ponds, fountains and lush landscaping, Seaport Village offers more than 55 theme shops, four award-winning restaurants and 13 sidewalk cafes. www.spvillage.com

Carlsbad

Congratulate that special runner or walker in your life with a beautiful lei or custom arrangement. Pre order now and pick up on race day at the finish line at the Sun fresh Flowers booth. It is that easy.

Don’t have time to preorder do not worry, there will be leis and arrangements available at the finish line to surprise your friend or family member as he or she crosses the finish line. Order purple roses for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon and we will donate $1.00 per stem to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

History/Culture

More than just a sleepy beach town, San Diego has a rich history that can be explored at the following locations:

Balboa Park
Virtually every community in the United States boasts a city park, but not many compare to San Diego’s Balboa Park. The largest cultural complex west of the Mississippi and the largest urban cultural park in the United States, Balboa Park is often referred to as the “Smithsonian of the West” for its vast concentration of major cultural institutions within its boundaries. Within its 1,200 lush acres are 85 cultural attractions including 15 museums, art galleries, sidewalk performers, theatres, sports facilities and an abundance of lush gardens and trees. For a listing of Balboa Park’s family-oriented cultural institutions visit www.balboapark.org

San Diego Museum of Man, "People, Prints, & Politics: China 1920-1980, Woodblock Prints of Xian Rang Yong." Exhibit
The exhibition features the ancient art of woodblock printing as practiced by Professor Yong, an esteemed educator, scholar, and artist from China. His work includes lovely landscapes, lively cultural scenes, personal portraits, and powerful political images. The exhibition runs through October 20, 2008.

Two other exhibitions are scheduled to open this summer:
Gods and Gold: Ancient Treasures from Mexico to Peru opens May 24. The exhibition will feature the Museum’s stunning collections of Mexican, Central American, and South American archaeological objects, including rare gold and jewelry, exotic figurines, intricate stone work, and exquisite pottery from the ancient world. Visitors will explore distinctions in artistic styles, techniques, and materials used to create the numerous intriguing pieces created by such cultures as the Maya, Aztec, Inca, and many others.

Beyond Reasonable Drought: Water and Culture in a Changing Climate will open July 4, 2008. This exhibition demonstrates the connection between people and water, highlighting the ways people of past cultures managed water resources in arid climates. Understanding their innovation and adaptation can help modern cultures manage today’s water resources.

For more information, visit the Museum’s Web site at www.museumofman.org or call 619-239-2001.

Cabrillo Monument

Cabrillo National Monument
Commemorating the arrival of Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo (sailing for Spain) on the coast of California in 1542, Cabrillo National Monument and the Old Point Loma Lighthouse provide a spectacular panoramic view of San Diego's harbor and coastline as well as an excellent vantage point for observing the California gray whale during migration season. www.nps.gov

San Diego Missions
San Diego's Spanish heritage is preserved in its beautiful missions. Padre Junipero Serra's first mission in California, Mission San Diego de Alcala, still holds services daily in the original mission chapel. Mission San Luis Rey de Francia in Oceanside, the largest and richest of all 21 California missions, is often called the "King of the Missions." View them all at www.missionsandiego.com

Gaslamp Quarter
Founded in 1867 and home to many beautiful Victorian buildings that have since earned historic status, the Gaslamp Quarter is the heart of downtown. However, back in the late 1800’s San Diego was the Wild West and the legendary Wyatt Earp ran three gambling halls in this notorious “red light” district. Today, excitement has returned to this lively dining and entertainment district with more than 100 restaurants, 35 nightclubs and bars, and 100 retail shops. www.gaslamp.org

Spas

You’re running a marathon, you deserve a little pampering! Treat yourself to spa treatments before or after the race at one of the following locations:

Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon participants receive 20% discount off all services for week of the race (May 27 – June 5). Rock Spa was a recipient of a 2008 Silver Sage Award for “Best New Spa” by Spa Magazine.  Check them out at: rockspasandiego.com

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