ema_articles

If you are looking for a fun time that will allow you to spend the day enjoying the great weather that San Diego has to offer, then look no further than the annual Spring Escondido Street Faire. The fair will be held on Sunday, May 18th from 9:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the historic Escondido area. If you’re looking for some family fun or just some time to hang out with friends, the Escondido Street Faire is a great option for everyone! If you already plan to stay in hotels near Escondido Ca, don’t miss out on this extremely popular event fit for individuals of all ages!

The fair is expected to have over 60,000 people attend with 700 unique vendors, making it the second largest single day fair in California. This is no surprise when you take into consideration all the great things this fair has to offer. The Escondido Street fair has been held every year since 1988 and it has never failed to disappoint.

The downtown festival will feature such things such as arts and crafts for kids and parents alike, fun and unique clothing, home improvement vendors, children’s rides, a beer garden, an old-fashioned pancake breakfast, and a farmers market for all your fresh produce needs. Don’t miss out on all the live music that will happen throughout the day, the opportunity to eat food from around the world, and animal demonstrations by the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

The Escondido Street Faire takes place in downtown’s historic Grand Avenue. Grand Avenue is famous for its architecture that is reminiscent of the 1950s and for its variety of locally owned shops, art galleries, and restaurants. While walking around, take note of the candy-striped barber polls and old-timey street lamps that line the street. The downtown area is also home to a number of different festivals throughout the year such as Cruisin Grand Escondido, a classic car show that is held every summer.

[schema type=”event” evtype=”Festival” url=”http://amigospotsandiego.com/kingsinn-sandiego/ema_articles/experience-great-family-fun-escondido-downtown-street-faire/#ls-articles” name=”Escondido Downtown Street Faire” description=”During your stay in May and/or October at Escondido, be sure to be a part of the family fun offered at the Escondido Downtown Street Faire.” sdate=”2014-05-18″ stime=”09:30 am” edate=”2014-10-19″ street=”Grand Ave.” city=”Escondido” state=”CA” postalcode=”92027″ country=”US” ]

The biggest one day only street fair that takes place in the nation, the Carlsbad Village Faire is a treat for the whole family and not to be missed! Sunday May 4th will see this year’s event brought back to the community, taking place between 8am and 5pm. Each year, the local Chamber of Commerce organizes these Faires – once in Spring and again in Winter. For the last forty years, this bi-annual event has been a staple of the local calendar, having grown from a small neighborhood occasion to drawing crowds to the hotels near Carlsbad CA.

More than one hundred thousand people attend, taking in the sites and experiences of the city while being able to explore the numerous unique stalls and booths. The seaside backdrop to the event creates picture perfect surroundings for retailers of all kinds, for everything from clothing and accessories to home wares, art and antiques, plants, jewelry and children’s items. More than nine hundred vendors attend with their range of products, many uniquely available at this event and not on offer elsewhere.

The International Food Court area contains over fifty booths and will be offering food from around the world. Entertainment includes a designated children’s area with face painting, bouncy castle, climbing areas, arts and crafts and much more. For the adults, entertainment includes the Rotary Club of Carlsbad hosting their traditional beer and wine garden, and a range of live music and performers scheduled throughout the day.

The Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, located within the San Diego city limits, is an incredible area of wild land close to the Southern Californian coast that truly does not feel like it’s such a short distance to the center of city living. An area of 2,000 acres that has been preserved and protected since the earliest days of San Diego’s development, it is now an oasis of calm and natural beauty, perfect for time spent relaxing and exploring the outdoors. It is home to the rare Torrey species of pine, from which the reserve takes its name, plus the community of chaparral plants, beaches that stretch for miles and the lagoon which is a habitat for a number of migratory seabirds. A visit to Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is almost a step back in time, a glimpse at what the California region might have looked like when the first settlers arrived and before modern life built towns and changed the landscape. Historically, the Torrey pine could be found across a much larger area, but today the reserve is one of just two remaining sites where it can thrive. If you will be at one of the hotels near Torrey Pines San Diego, take a day out of your schedule to enjoy mother nature!

Within the reserve, trails cover eight miles and are clearly marked. It makes an ideal starting point for joining the many trails or co-ordinating to meet up with friends. Picnics are able to be enjoyed on the beach, but no food can be taken into the reserve so as to protect the delicate ecology. Guests are recommended to bring their own bottles of water.

A favorite event among the local community and visitors from far and wide, the Rolando Street Fair is a popular annual affair for the whole family. Volunteer organized and co-ordinated by non-profit groups, in previous years the Street Fair has drawn several thousand people as crowds and filled the town with festivity and spirit. With musical performances and more than one hundred different booths of craft stalls, food vendors and service opportunities, it a wonderful day out with friends both new and old. There’s even a ‘kids’ corner’ area specifically designed for the youngest visitors, filled with fun activities and crafts as well as rides and amusements. Those who will be staying in San Diego should definitely check out the fair!

This year’s Street Fair is being held on Sunday March 30th between 10am and 6pm. Between the Silk Oak trees planted over half a century ago, the Fair fills the whole of Rolando Boulevard – the perfect picturesque backdrop. This is the ideal day out, with live music being played by The Ballad Mongers, Katie Leigh and the Infantry, Len Rainey and the Midnight Players, Steph Johnson as special guest of the Afrojazziacs and a special South California Reggae Xplosion provided by JAM KwesT. These local bands are very popular in the area and bring their own live music and active performances to the Street Fair in inimitable style.

Rolando Street Fair is supported by the College Area Business Improvement District, in association with the College Neighbourhoods Foundation, and with much needed financial backing from City Arts and Culture Commission. Between Marti Emerald, the Office of Council member, and the team of volunteers, this event truly represents the community which it brings together. Back for its 18th year, the support of the local people is essential for making the event a success. Families join from all across the county to celebrate the start of spring and to share in making happy memories.

Whether you are of Irish heritage or not, St. Patrick’s Day is always a day of celebration. It’s a day to eat, drink and enjoy all the luck of the Irish. So why not make this year’s St. Patty’s something extra special with a Winery Train Tour? Running every weekday throughout March, the Go Green – St. Patrick’s Winery Train tour will help you celebrate Ireland while enjoying all the stunning views that the San Diego coast has to offer, and at the same time delighting your taste buds with delicious wines and fine foods.

You will mount and dismount the train at several intervals during the tour to take in some of San Diego’s rich history. Guests will enjoy an Italian lunch while visiting different wineries and have the chance to try around 18 of the best the city has to offer. You can also get an insight into to how they are made with a fantastic behind the scenes look, which also offers you tips on how to get the best from tasting wines. Guests will also play games and win prizes throughout the tour.

If wine isn’t to your taste, then fear not! There will be several craft beers available which are brewed locally and available for you at no extra cost. You can drink to your heart’s content, but just make sure you have a designated driver to get you home.

Tickets for the tour are $88 each, not including the $12 for your train ticket and gratuity for your tour guide. It is also important to note that there is around 2 miles of walking involved on this tour, so if you have mobility problems you might be more suited to a different tour. Spaces are limited and tickets are expected to sell out quickly. This is just one of the many St. Patrick’s day events in San Diego, but surely not one that you’d want to miss!

[schema type=”event” evtype=”FoodEvent” url=”http://amigospotsandiego.com/kingsinn-sandiego/ema_articles/ride-along-go-green-st-patricks-winery-train-tour/#ls-articles” name=”Go Green, The St. Patrick’s Day Winery Train Tour” description=”Take a tour along the streets of San Diego in the Go Green St. Patrick’s Winery Train Tour throughout the month of March” sdate=”2014-03-01″ stime=”01:30 pm” edate=”2014-03-31″ street=”330 A Street, Suite 143″ city=”San Diego” state=”CA” postalcode=”92101″ country=”US” ]

This February 22nd, the San Diego Hall of Champions in Balboa Park is hosting the Winter Brew Fest, an event to celebrate craft brews from around the state of California and from around the  world. The festival will feature live music from local bands and singers, as well as over 40 different vendors offering you different foods and beverages.

The event brings together patrons and supporters of two of San Diego’s local charities: Outdoor Outreach and the San Diego Mountain Bike Association. Outdoor Outreach is a charity which uses outdoor programming to empower at-risk youths and help them to make lasting, positive changes to their lives. The San Diego Mountain Bike Association works with land managers, policy makers, and other trail users to unite mountain bikers with manufacturers and retailers.

The Winter Brew Fest is a gathering for San Diego residents and visitors to eat, drink, and be merry, while creating awareness and funds for these amazing causes.  The event starts at 7pm for general ticket holders, however, there are a limited number of VIP tickets available which will permit you entry at 6pm, giving you the chance to sample the best of the brews and snacks there are to offer. There is even a combined beer and cheese extra. Tickets for the VIP session are $50 if you purchase them in advance or $60 on event day, while general tickets are $40 in advance and $50 the day of. Conveniently, every ticket holder will get a free souvenir glass to take home with them.

So if you find yourself in one of the hotels near Balboa Park on a cold February evening and want something to warm you up from the inside out, then buy your tickets for the San Diego Winter Brew Fest today and give yourself something to look forward to. You are going to have a great time! [schema type=”event” evtype=”Event” url=”http://amigospotsandiego.com/kingsinn-sandiego/ema_articles/check-san-diego-winter-brew-fest/#ls-articles” name=”San Diego Winter Brew Fest” description=”Enjoy craft beers from all around the world at this exciting event!” sdate=”2014-02-22″ stime=”06:00 pm” street=”2131 Pan American Plaza” city=”San Diego” state=”CA” postalcode=”92101″ country=”US” ]

Visitors of San Diego will understandably want to see as much of the city as possible, but with a city as large as this it could take months to view it all. One of the best ways to see what San Diego has to offer is to take a Harbor Cruise —this involves taking a boat tour of the bay and 13 miles of surrounding waters, which enable you to get the best views of over 50 of the city’s best and most loved landmarks as well as the beautiful marine wildlife, sea birds, and parts of San Diego’s military-rich history. If you are lucky, you may even spot dolphins or sea lions, offering you up some of the most unbeatable photo and video opportunities that won’t be found anywhere else in the city.

The boat rides will be manned and narrated live by captains who are experts in their field. They can show you the sights as well as make you aware of the efforts being made to preserve the local environment. The boat itself features inside seating which is climate controlled —making this cruise suitable all year round— and a snack bar which serves hot and cold food. Don’t worry, adults who want to relax can also take advantage of their fully stocked bar, and  there are also opportunities on board to purchase souvenirs from your trip.

These cruises are extremely popular but you do not need to book in advance. You can just turn up and buy your tickets on the day of, if you choose to. These cruises are a huge hit with families and children of all ages, so once you have made arrangements on where to stay in San Diego, make further arrangements to book a trip on the Harbor Cruises.

[schema type=”event” evtype=”SportsEvent” url=”http://amigospotsandiego.com/kingsinn-sandiego/ema_articles/experience-many-sights-san-diego-one-trip/#ls-articles” name=”View various San Diego sights with Harbor Cruise” description=”Harbor Cruise takes guests around the bay of San Diego and showcases many of the city’s sights. Cruises board every hour & 15 minutes from 10am-5:30pm daily.” sdate=”2014-02-05″ stime=”10:00 am” duration=”07:30″ street=”970 N Harbor Dr” city=”San Diego” state=”CA” postalcode=”92101″ country=”US” ]

No matter what time of year, a trip to the San Diego Zoo is a treat for the whole family. Open in the winter, the Zoo is a little north of Downtown San Diego and easily accessible by road from the north, south and east or by public transportation, and has Discounted Parking too. If you will be staying at one of the hotels near the San Diego Zoo, don’t miss your chance to see the wide variety of animals that can be found there!

Everyone’s favorite animals are in their naturalistic enclosures in the zoo. There are more than three thousand seven hundred animals of six hundred and fifty species in a park of more than one hundred acres. Most people find the animals more active in the mornings, and the environments have been created to replicate their natural homes as accurately as possible. Visitors can plan their own routes around the park, choosing to see whichever animals are the family favorites or walking the long lap of the whole area. Alternatively, the specially guided bus tour covers an area of around three quarters of the park, or there is the SkyFari gondola lift for an aerial view.

Each area of the park has its own inhabitants. Monkey Trails and Forest Tales houses the monkeys and other animals who in the wild would live in the African and Asian rainforests. Guenons, mandrills and mangabeys live alongside yellow-backed duikers, slender-snouted crocodiles, pygmy hippos, turtles and fish who can be seen through underwater viewing areas. A large number of reptiles also live in this area. Elsewhere, two stunning aviaries house more than 45 species of birds, with lories, Bali mynah, woodpeckers, kingfishers and jacanas in the Owens Aviary and tinkerbirds, sociable weavers and the amethyst starling in the Scripps Aviary.

Perhaps one of the most famous areas of San Diego Zoo, the Panda Trek is home to one of only four displays of giant pandas in the world. The breeding program at the zoo is also the most successful anywhere, with six cubs being born to date. The most recent birth, in July 2012, brought ‘Xiao Liwu’ into the world and he forms part of the global program of education in which the San Diego Zoo plays a key role. A red panda, Sichuan takins and Mangshan pitvipers also live in the Panda Trek area.

The new Koalifornia area, imitating the Australian Outback, has been open for less than twelve months but has already proven to be incredibly popular. Home to the largest population of koala outside Australia, it also houses wombats, wallabies and kookaburra, as well as the only exhibit of Tasmanian devil to live in the United States.