San Diego

When most people come to San Diego, they probably think of one of maybe three areas to stay - Downtown / Gaslamp Quarter, La Jolla, or Coronado. However, there's an alternative that is perfect for your next guys trip that offers fewer crowds, lower prices, and easy access to the water. Point Loma is located right on San Diego Bay just west of the Airport and across the channel from North Island Naval Air Station so it is also extremely easy to get to.

There is a wide diversity of options when it comes to date night ideas but on New Year's Eve it gets a bit more complicated since way too many businesses look at this as an option to jack the prices up while cutting corners. This has made it quite challenging some years for Heather and I's anniversary but this year she suggested we try a magic show dinner theater that had opened up down the block from our loft in the San Diego Gaslamp. What we experienced last night was an awesomely fun evening of magic, food, and drinks.

You may have heard of Prince St Pizza as an iconic New York City pizza shop that has rapidly joined the ranks of regional favorites that are now available nationwide through Gold Belly. However, they have also been aggressively expanding with retail locations too. Most recently, that list of places that you can get authentic New York pizza now includes San Diego! I don't say this lightly but I was actually pretty impressed with these guys and as any fan of pizza in the Big Apple knows... it's all about the water.

The 14th-Annual San Diego Beer Week, presented by the San Diego Brewers Guild, begins on Friday, November 4th and we're excited to support the annual celebration saluting the Capital of Craft!

Every great ballpark deserves an equally great place to go before, after and well... this is the San Diego Padres here, so during a game where it's better to drown your sorrows in cold pints of craft beer and smoking hot grilled wings. That's what Bub's delivers. It's probably the best sports bar in San Diego and a place we like to frequent even when the Padres aren't playing.

I love New Orleans, in fact I'm absolutely enamored by the food, music, and culture of Southern Louisiana and it's a surprisingly diverse combination of influences. It's a chaotic gumbo of sometimes conflicting perspectives but very few people are able to communicate why this area is so intoxicating... Chef Quinton Austin though clearly gets it.

Taco Fest is over for 2022 and it was fantastic to be back and hanging out with crowds again. Great tacos, fantastic margaritas and tons of excellent music and other entertainment too. If there's one thing that San Diego is known for, it's TACOS so you know a San Diego Taco Fest is going to be dropping some great food. What goes best with tacos (besides beer)? Tequila and Margaritas! So we're excited to see this festival crank up the heat and kick off summer right with tacos from 25 of our favorite local joints as well as margaritas featuring Corralejo Tequila.

San Diego is the epitome of California’s laid-back charm and sun-drenched ambiance. Boasting an incredible climate with sun all year round, and miles of extraordinary beaches for swimming and surfing alike, it's a wonderful destination for a couple looking for sun, sea, and relaxation. The city itself is buzzing and vibrant, with Little Italy and the Gaslamp Quarter offering a haven for foodies, and the rest of town packed with excellent attractions and cultural highlights.

Compared to other parts of the country, Southern California doesn't really have a lot of great places to escape to on weekends. Truthfully there's amazing terrain all around us but really very few destinations that I can see wanting to escape to vs just doing day trips. While I've been to Palm Springs several times now, there's another answer that's even closer - Lake Arrowhead. It's quite literally a world apart and while it shares a similar elevation and crisp clean mountain air as Big Bear... it's a completely different experience.

I love a classic steakhouse. You know, the ones with dark leather booths, heavy shadows, and classic bourbon cocktails. STK San Diego is is not that kind of place! From the moment you walk in, it is very clear that this is not your dad's steakhouse. Instead, it's hip, light, and lively. There is even a DJ on some nights furthering the lounge atmosphere and the cocktails match this chic and trendy environment. Don't be fooled though - while it feels like a cocktail bar, the menu still offers huge steaks and classic sides. There's a sense of youth and urban energy here compared to the uber masculinity of a traditional steakhouse but it hasn't lost touch with why you ultimately chose to spend hundreds of dollars on an amazing meal. This vibe perfectly matches Andaz San Diego hotel where it is located and it is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. 

I've finally found it! I knew that San Diego had to have a restaurant that was equally good at ambiance as it is in service, preparation, and presentation. Earlier this month Heather and I were invited to have dinner and check out Greystone Steakhouse - one of the older restaurants here in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter.

Greystone Steakhouse just recently celebrated 15 years of operation here and after the amazing dinner we enjoyed, I can see why it's been able to survive so long and I am sure they will continue to have great success for many more years to come!

Our culture has graduated from man caves to mancations, and many guys are tying in their bro travel to sports. But it's gone far beyond a doubleheader or a weekend snagging two NASCAR series at the same track. Now it's multiple events at multiple venues, and baseball has proven to be a perfect sport for it.

Everyone should have a neighborhood bar. It's one of those places that can be a home away from home where the bartenders welcome you warmly when you enter the door and you feel comfortable before you even have a chance to order a drink. That's what San Diego's The Whiskey House is to me, so when I got the opportunity to join them for a Glenfiddich tasting a few weeks ago I jumped at the opportunity. Then I discovered that they were opening a $4,000 bottle of Glenfiddich 40 year and I cleared my schedule for the rest of the evening!

Heather and I LOVE Mardi Gras - well, actually we just love New Orleans and the spirit of Mardi Gras goes along with that. There is something liberating and fun about a time of year when you can just let loose and celebrate all the good things in life including friends, family, food, and of course drink! 

Unfortunately, not everyone can make a trip to New Orleans in person, so the next best thing is to find a great Cajun or New Orleans restaurant near you and celebrate that way. In our case, this meant seeking out Bud's Louisiana Cafe in San Diego. I was a little concerned when I discovered it was located in an industrial park in a suite that would normally have held a logistics office or moving company, but as I've learned about great food down south - never judge something by the exterior appearance.

That was true here as well and I am thrilled that we spent our evening here enjoying authentic New Orleans food and of course Abita beer!

Most people outside of San Diego know Cutwater Spirits as simply canned cocktails but unlike many other canned cocktail companies, their passion for premium spirits and creativity is manifested also by the awesome craft cocktails that they offer at their Tasting Room & Kitchen here in San Diego. We are happy to support any new concoction that they come up with but this one is special since it will also be supporting The Center SD, one of the nation's top LGBT community centers.

By now, most of us have been hiding inside and stress is building up. While some of us are simply "done with" COVID, others are still being cautious. Heather and I fall into that later group but I've found a secret place about 90 minutes outside of downtown San Diego that is exactly what we needed for our mental health. We discovered Volcan Mountain last fall, before all this happened - but now, the winery has an even more special place in our hearts.

The first time I considered the idea of flying a Mexican airline, all sorts of thoughts went through my head. Would it be safe? Would I be able to communicate with the crew? And yeah... negative stereotypes popped in my head too. Last week though, Volaris invited me to join them to celebrate their new service to Loreto, Mexico from San Diego / Tijuana and it was a great experience. Sure, nothing is perfect - this is a budget airline but the price is right, the flight felt safe, the plane was very clean, and each of the staff that I met was friendly. Beyond that, there's not much more to ask for an airline... and frankly, I often find less from American airlines.

Sometimes, as good as a restaurant might be - you need to visit for just one reason. At Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill, a regional restaurant chain with locations throughout Southern California, that reason is appropriately called "The Ultimate". Read on to find out why it is the ultimate BBQ sandwich!

Most of the resorts in North County San Diego sit atop bluffs with the beach hard to access and often with obstructed views to boot. While Alila Marea also sits atop a bluff, it has the unique benefit of facing the miles-long South Carlsbad State Beach as well as sitting directly above the Grandview Surf Beach. This makes it one of the best located - truly beach-front resorts in San Diego and offers guests unobstructed views and relaxing sounds of waves crashing on the shore at night.

San Diego has more diversity in hotels than nearly any other city of its size. There are ultra-luxury hotels as well as small boutique hotels and then there's The Pearl Hotel. I've driven by this location dozens of times and didn't realize it was even there since it's one of those places that is literally hidden in plain site. However, after staying there a few weeks ago as part of our Beercation with Travelocity I can't believe I've missed this hidden gem.