San Diego: For your consideration

TFL;DR

 

Whenever I go there I call in the order and then pick it up. Makes it a much easier process.

 

there is a north/south train line called the Coaster which you should research as it drops off close to Pizza Port Solana Beach and Pizza Port Carlsbad. depending on where you base yourself you may very well be able to enjoy a car free trip up and down the coast.

the solana beach location is the original and worth a visit and it's very close to the beach. the PP Carlsbad location is also worth a visit, walking distance to the beach, and if you go later in the day the PP Carlsbad bottle shop is open and they have a good selection and permit on-site consumption of bottles.

and if you have not done so already, check this site:

http://www.sandiegobrewersguild.org/

 

Drive safe when going to North County, the drinks are plenty and that drive is long. Esp coming back. More and more breweries opening up all the time as well.

If you're in PB checking out all the sunbaked girls from AZ (and the CA ones as well), the best beer bar in the area is the PB Tap Room.

 

Whoa brah! Check this out!!!

http://beeradvocate.com/beerfly/city/28

 

perfect timing for this thread... ill be in sd in a month, looking to set up ip trades/sharing of beer, it is only myself for a week while i attend the ESRI UC so i need some bas to hang out with.

 

I'll be at the UC as well, and I work in downtown. If you want to get around sort of easily and do a little walking, paying for a trolly pass will get you to quite a few places, from downtown to Old Town for mexi food, or out further to get over to Monkey Paw, or whatever, a day pass will def make the walking easier, or you just hoof it. Downtown isn't that big.

However the light rail won't get you anywhere coastal.

 

LISTEN TO THIS MAN.

If you're going to Alpine, beware that it's WAY out in the sticks. Julian, a historic town rec'd above, is also way way out there and hitting either of these places takes a big chunk out of a day (worth it though)

Mexican food, particularly the famous "California burrito" is the national food of the great nation of San Diego. Find the best versions at JVs (surf'n'turf burrito), Nicos, Dos Brasas and if you can bear the line, lucha libre's surf'n'turf

PB area has good nightlife but isn't a beer hotspot. It's super fun if you're into that scene, but I know some people who think it's all a bunch of bros and douchebags (it is, but some of us like that...and the beautiful women who come along with it) North park is a great area for a combination of nightlife and AMAZING craft beer bars. Its a must go. Cali baguette, mariscos german and super cocina are tops for food in the area.

Anyway this guy named all the best food spots in SD and clearly knows the area (I'm a native 'diegan too, I can vouch for most of these recs)

 

i ahve been looking online and it seems like there are a decent amount of bus routes. I will prob do the pre-ade beer tour to get out to stone. Not sure what is going to transpire for alpine.

 

Ha, the bus. What a joke. I don't recomend that, and you'll need wheels to get out to Alpine, which is about the same distance as Stone from downtown. There's a lot in the downtown area, and via a short cab ride you can be to OB for another bottleshop/brewery etc...

What days are you actually in town?

 

22-30 spending extra days for the beer side of things

 

Go to Hodad's while in OB, for a burger. Nuff said.

 

I've had to take the bus a few times in the past year due to various car issues, and it'll make you absolutely miserable. From my experience it takes roughly 10 minutes/mile of travel (depends on the route though of course).

 

The only exception is if you stick to Downtown/South Park/North Park/Normal Heights...the route 2 runs frequently enough (at least on weekdays) to be a reasonably easy way of getting from spot to spot without being particularly expensive. Weekends are a little slower, but still not bad if you want to take a bus from Downtown to North Park, walk around, then take a bus back.

 

Is it better than the Hodad's that is in the Gaslamp District?

 

more good beer bars nearby so you can be more drunk to think it taste better.

Honestly OP, Hodad's is okay and is more of a touristy place. It gets packed during normal eating times (weekend lunches and dinners). Do not take this as Hodad's doesn't have its place, which to me is a dive burger place that is great to eat after hitting up bars along Newport.

TLDR: I recommend going to Hodad's in OB late at night after drinking at Newport Pizza, Pizza Port, Harp, etc.

 

I agree with this. If you want a great burger either go to Rocky's Crown Pub up the road near Mission Beach or the Lodge at Torrey Pines, it's the golf course restaurant but they make a great burger. In OB I would be eating at Pizza Port or OB Noodlehouse.

 

re: Burgers

Go to Slaters 50/50. Sick burgers, 100+ taps.

 

Agree. Meant to add it in my post above. There is a blog review of Slaters 50/50 on my site. Great place.