San Diego was a great reminder that if you’ve been to a city only for work trips– that you haven’t really been to a city. I’d only ever been to the more touristed areas of San Diego, and I previously hadn’t had a high opinion of it, accordingly.
That changed this winter, when the weather once again pushed me to Southern California, and I got to explore San Diego more from the vantage point of locals, thanks to a few friends who provided tips.
For instance, this fantastic hike recommendation, that ended up being my favorite thing I did while I was in the San Diego area: the Cedar Creek Falls Trail. Access to this trail is restricted, so one must obtain a permit ahead of time (that rangers will absolutely check right at the trailhead).
The hike was one of those inverted paths, in which one hikes steeply downward to begin, then must ascend later in the day– when the sun also beats down on the path. This hike is completely exposed, with nothing but a few manmade shade structures dotting the trail, and even in December, the sun in the afternoon ascent was scorching my skin.
But for now, I’ll focus on the gorgeous (and relatively easy) descent. Mac loved the trail downward, as you can see below (he’s doing a jaunty cross-step in joy).
While San Diego proper (and its famous marine layer) contains lots of moisture that sustain loads of green plants, when driving into the surrounding countryside, the green can disappear in favor of shades of brown. About an hour drive outward from the city center, the earth can look a bit scorched much of the year– but thankfully, it was ‘wintertime’ and also, this path led to a water source– meaning the lush green plants were refreshing to see and smell.
As the trail drops, the valley below opens up– despite being December, the hot desert was in full ‘fall’ mode– with the temperature finally dropping, the foliage was dropping too. The yellow, brown, and orange colors were far more vibrant than my lens could translate above. The tallest and most colorful trees ran right along the water source– it was the river that gave this valley its vibrancy.
I desperately wanted to get down there– not just to see the color, but also, to find shade. The day was heating up, and I knew not to linger too long. As Mac and I finally hit the valley floor, the temperature seemingly dropped about 10-15 degrees, and moisture hung in the air.
We weren’t quite yet to the payoff, which was the falls itself– a magnificent little oasis in the desert. The falls were pretty massive, but serene, a steady flow. Mac jumped up on some rocks, deciding to not just demonstrate scale– but to yawn in a way that made him look like he was giving a PRIMAL SCREAM.
I grabbed a quick video of the falls, and sat and ate a sandwich– but that ascend outward was on my mind, so I didn’t stay too long. Despite it only being mid-morning, it was getting hot.
The way out was pretty punishing– the gain wasn’t much by any stretch, but the exposure resulted in such a stunning amount of heat, that I felt weak from time-to-time (and I was drinking tons of water, with electrolytes). Mac and I plodded up the steep slope pretty slowly, but we were super-happy we completed this hike– it was one of the most scenic I’ve done in California.
Now, it wouldn’t be San Diego without visiting the beach– but where Ocean Beach is the tourist mecca, the locals informed me of a beach called Black’s Beach (which also happens to be a nude beach, FYI). Embracing that Millennial ‘Yolo’ energy, Mac and I packed a small bag and went.
This beach tucks into a cliffside, so to access it requires taking a 300-400 foot drop on a pathway that is well-trafficked. While dogs were not technically allowed, nobody batted much of an eye at Mac. And you guys KNOW about how Mac feels about a beach– he LOVES a beach (more evidence via his Beach Zoomies below).
The beach was a truly stunning one– with hang-gliders occasionally drifting down the cliff face overhead, and the occasional fisherman– this beach seemed to be a local gem, more than a tourist attraction. Arriving in the morning or going on weekdays was a solid way to avoid too many folks (which, I mean, if you’re going to be naked at a nude beach– is a real goal).
One more ‘hot tip’ I got from a resident, was that at certain moon cycles and in certain tide charts, the ocean area around Black’s Beach would recede incredibly far, allowing for a miles-long pathway to open up along the beach cliffs that connects (normally distinct) beaches together. After checking the tide charts, my buddy had us arrive to Torrey Pines State Park Beach around 4:30 PM (remember, it was December) to see the sunset and walk for as many miles as we could right through the darkness.
When I say the tide was reeeaaaalllly far out, you must believe this– the photos below demonstrate just how many yards the tide had receded away from its usual lapping point.
As the sun set, the cliff faces came alive with the orange-red hues of the rays. The other people walking on the beach were dwarfed by the looming ‘walls’ — creating a stunning visual in the shiny, near-reflective low-tide sand.
As the sun set further, a near-eerie dusk descending down– my instinct was to be fearful of losing the light. Leaving hastily, neither one of us had grabbed a headlamp from the car. But my friend assured me that our eyes would adjust to the lack of light, and sure enough, they did. A full-moon night, the sky shone brightly enough to see by, and ultimately, there was no real way to get lost, as the car was back in the same direction from whence we came.
This ended up being an extremely peaceful way to see San Diego’s beaches, as there were only a handful of other folks out doing the same walk on that night.
San Diego’s North Park and South Park neighborhoods have excellent vibes, and great shops to-boot. One of my favorites was a ‘zine’ store called “Burn All Books”– BAB, and was a slightly anarchist-leaning ‘bookstore’ that focused on the revolutionary power of self-publishing. Mac and I checked it out one day, and for just a couple bucks each, left with original zines from artists and makers around San Diego.
Keeping with Southern California’s well-earned reputation for great food, I ate well in San Diego (Mac just had his usual kibbles). I’ll catalogue some of my favorites below, without going into too much excruciating detail– starting with Cafe Madeline, which was an excellent crepe place. They featured perhaps the best lemon-butter-powdered-sugar crepe I’d ever had– light, airy, and barely sweet.
While not photographing well, the food at Khyber Pass Zarparan Restaurant was literally exquisite despite the casual setting. The Afghani food was extremely good, and with plenty of vegetarian options, (like the vegetarian platter below) I was in absolute heaven. But the best dish of all was the Vegetarian Ashak– fresh-made dough stuffed with leeks, onions, and chives (similar to a pierogi). The dough was so fresh, it melted in my mouth– I went back so many times for them, it was ridiculous.
Saving perhaps the best for last, the upscale Chinese restaurant Fortunate Son was just a phenomenal meal, in a setting that was as perfectly-executed as the dishes. With low lighting and red lanterns hanging throughout, you might not be able to see the menu super-well, but no matter– every single item on the menu will be outstanding.
The salt-and-pepper tofu was probably the best-executed tofu this 20-year-vegetarian had ever consumed. The exterior was so crispy, but the interior was so light and fluffy, it was near-magic. The salt was so thick on the outside it nearly burned my tongue, but the ponzu it was served with helped to ease the eye-opening amount of salt and pepper laced on the outside.
I ate and drank my way through San Diego, but I’ll end with the most egregious of all these indulgences– a cocktail bar named Polite Provisions. They took the Christmas theme of the holiday months and turned it up to ’11’– decorating nearly every square inch of the bar with garland, lights, holly, or other accoutrements. One couldn’t help but feel festive, given even the glassware was completely decked-out, and the specialty cocktails were all made of holiday themed ingredients.
I loved getting to know San Diego a little better than before– from excellent hikes to hidden-gem beaches to fantastic meals, it was an easy place to spend time this winter. And how could I forget that it was also home to “Dog Beach,” Mac’s favorite place on earth? But I’ll let Mac tell you about that.
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