If you could fly somewhere just for the day, where would it be? Our choice was San Diego! No bags, no car, no cares.
Capitalizing on the Southwest $39 special fares as well as a free companion pass for myself when I fly with my husband, our family of four left very early in the morning to catch the first 1 1/2 hour flight to the coastal town of San Diego and didn't return until late that night.
We might not have had an exact plan, but we did know we wanted to see some Top Gun filming locations, if possible. And...it was possible!!
Breakfast at Vessel
Stepping off the plane, carrying only a purse, we called for an Uber to take us in the direction of Point Loma. There, we found the unique marina side restaurant Vessel. Seated outside with a birdseye view of the marina, the chill in the air was warmed by the cozy heaters by each table. A creative twist on common breakfast items, there was something for each of us. We were pleasantly surprised when the waitress offered each of us to take our hot drinks "to-go". This was especially pleasing because the hot chocolate was velvet heaven.
To get to the valet area, we had to walk through the Kona Kai Resort and Spa, which was such a quaint and classy seaside hotel. I would definitely return for an overnight stay.
Cabrillo National Monument
Hailing an Uber, we made our way deeper into Point Loma by entering the Cabrillo National Monument which is part of the National Parks system. $20 vehicle entrance fee and we were dropped off at the Visitor's Center.
Being drawn to the area by the beautiful and highly visible lighthouse, we were pleasantly surprised by the gorgeous views, Cabrillo Monument, tide pools, and walking trails.
š¦ TIP: Check the Tidepool Schedule at the Visitor's Center before heading down. It was high tide and not accessible when we were there.
Once leaving the visitor's center, we were intrigued by active military work on the water.
A few steps down is the Cabrillo National Monument.
Portuguese or Spanish? Cabrillo's heritage has been debated for years.
Joao Rodrigues Cabrilho (Portuguese) and Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo (Spanish) are both inscribed on the monument's plaque. So...which is it?
š§ 1542 European Expedition from Mexico led Cabrillo to San Diego Bay in 103 days
š§ 1913 Woodrow Wilson established Cabrillo National Monument
š§ 1939 Portugal donated the statue to San Francisco's Golden Gate International Exposition. It was then moved to San Diego.
š§ 1988 Because of erosion, a new statue was funded by Sand Diego resident, Marian Reupsch, and made by Portuguese sculptor, Joas Charles Ameida.
š§ 2015 Researcher, Wendy Kramer, found records in the General Archive of the Indies showing Cabrillo as Spanish (San Diego Union Tribune)
š§ Current Day - there is evidence on both sides, but the local Portuguese community celebrates Cabrillo annually with the Cabrillo Festival.
According to Cabrillo Festival Inc., the purpose of the festival is to "...bring to life the traditions of the Native American, Mexican, Portuguese and Spanish cultures that are part of the Age of Exploration." Well said!
Old Point Loma Lighthouse "Cabrillo National Monument"
Ooops! Wrong lighthouse! While in Point Loma, we couldn't help but be drawn to this beauty adorning the high hillside. While it was not the lighthouse in Top Gun, it was still worthwhile. And the lighthouse that was in Top Gun can be seen from here.
You can actually walk up the stairs to the lighthouse keeper's quarters, but not to the actual tippy top (darn!). Close enough though. There is also a separate museum building and garden. The views are magnificent!
Because the lighthouse is so high on hill, it really wasn't the best beacon of light being covered in mist and fog most of the time, defeating its purpose. Thus, the "New" Point Loma Lighthouse was illuminated in 1891.
Little did we know that the "New" Point Loma Lighthouse was one of the Top Gun locations. This is Viper's house when Maverick visits him. Today, it is fenced off and you can see it, but the active lighthouse is not accessible to visitors because it is operated by the Coast Guard. The buildings around it are where they and their families live. It can be viewed from the tidepool parking lot at Cabrillo National Monument.
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
A little bit of a walk down the hill led us to the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. It was such an interesting walk because not only are the views gorgeous, but being on a working military base, we got to see a lot of activity (coming and going) and of course many gated off and no access areas.
Look familiar? This is the filming location for the funeral scene in Top Gun Maverick.
It's pretty awe inspiring to be there reflecting on the symbolism of each white stone representing an entire life. A life that had family and friends and was devoted to our country.
Point Loma Nazarene University
Before leaving the Point Loma area, we had to take a driving tour of Point Loma Nazarene University. A family friend attends school here and it was a cool little drive through to see what her world is like. Even our Uber driver was joining in on our tour as he had never been through the campus either.
š¦ TIP: Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, located within the school campus, is public and a cool place to watch the sun set. Overlooking to coast with cliffs and sea caves, it's a great spot to explore or even see migrating California gray whales.
Kansas City Barbecue
"Goodness, Gracious, Great Balls of Fire!" Boy was I excited to see this iconic restaurant in real life. Kansas City Barbeque is the most "real deal" experience to feel close to the movie Top Gun. From the iconic red awning and blue umbrellas, to "THE" piano where Goose sang his infamous song to the bar and jukebox that rang out "You've Lost That Loving Feeling".
Memorabilia from the movie, autographed pictures, as well as hats, dollar bills and more decorate the walls, ceiling and pretty much any surface imaginable. A lot of the "stuff" is from real life military legends who have visited this hot spot. Oh, and bras. Yes, what's a bar without a hundred bras hanging from the ceiling? Ahm-bee-ance!
Coronado Island
A hop, skip and a jump across the street, we zipped in our rideshare car and headed across the bridge to Coronado Island. First stop...Hotel Del.
Hotel del Coronado
Hotel del Coronado is a step back in time. So timeless and classic. Movie stars, presidents, authors, celebrities, you name it, have stayed here since it opened in 1888. Upon entering the lobby, it is evident how well the historical decor and overall feel have been preserved. Even the elevator is original in mint condition! Want to stay and take in this piece of history? Room rates run from about $800 - $1200+ depending on the location of your room and the season. It would be quite an experience.
The most requested rooms on the property are famously haunted and located on the third and fifth floors.
In 1992, the hotel hired a paranormal investigator, Christopher Chacon, to make an assessment. After almost 10,000 hours of using equipment, conducting interviews and other means of investigating, there is in fact unexplained phenomenon.
Not a fan of scary things, I would be more interested in staying in a room frequented by the Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum. He lived at the hotel for months at a time and even wrote three of his Oz books over the course of six years from 1904 - 1910. With a seeming affinity to this hotel, the crown chandeliers in the "Crown Room" were designed by him.
"And every day her loveliness, shines pure, without a flaw; new charms entrance our every glance, and fill our souls with awe!" - L. Frank Baum
Taking a stroll throughout the entire publicly accessible parts of the hotel: lobby, crown room, restaurants, shops, etc., all of it is a treat. Heading outside to the grounds is another tour de explore waiting to happen. Keeping your eyes open to the little details makes it all like a little treasure hunt....from the grounds to the white sandy beach!!
You can't help to be drawn to water as the beach invites you to take a seat, lay down, bring your beach gear, surf and hang out. Because we were so free from packing on this trip, we just rolled up our pants to walk in the water, searched for seashells, sat on our sweatshirts to enjoy the sunshine. We might have taken a nap because, did I mention we got up early to start this adventure? It would be heaven to rent a chair, get full drink service and spend the day at this oasis.
š¦ Sand Chair Rental: $25/day
š¦ Umbrella Rental: $30/day
Although I could have stayed here until the sun went down, the day of play had to continue.
Biking Around the Island
Points of interest right across from the Hotel del Coronado are Adella Plaza Fountain, the "Sit a Spell" blue piano (one of three on Coronado) and the El Cordova Hotel.
This is also where we rented bikes at Little Sam's Island and Beach Fun.
From here, we rode through the bustling downtown shops area until we reached the neighborhood. The traffic was sparse, the trees shady and the houses incredible. Each one so custom, well loved and special. With an active military base, it was evident that many of these structures are home to those who have served in the military.
Ferry Center
Not far away is Ferry Center where we parked our bikes shopped a little and got a bite to eat. Walking paths and the public beach make this a popular little spot. If not limited on time, the ferry is an eventful way to access Coronado Island.
Rejuvenated, we rode back and said good-bye to beautiful Coronado Island and hello to a little Italian flair in San Diego.
Little Italy
This was a poppin' neighborhood of trendy cafes, restaurants, boutiques and music. Pasta! Pasta! Pasta! We were able to enjoy authentic Italian food sitting at an outside patio with the sun starting to set, near perfect weather, and people watching galore. This was the cherry on top of our "San Diego Day of Play".
References
Administration, N. C. (n.d.). VA.gov. National Cemetery Administration. Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/ftrosecrans.asp
Ballast Point Lighthouse. (n.d.). LighthouseFriends. Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=1585
Explore san diegoās little italy. (n.d.). Official Ca. Travel Guide. Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://www.sandiego.org/explore/downtown-urban/little-italy.aspx
Historic hotels in san diego. (2020, October 22). Hotel Del Coronado. https://hoteldel.com/history/
Hub, L. (2012, April 3). Top Gun Revisited: 5 San Diego locations every tourist must know ā locationshub. LocationsHub. https://www.locationshub.com/blog/2013/10/27/top-gun-revisited-5-san-diego-locations-every-tourist-must-know
New Point Loma Lighthouse. (n.d.). Marinas.Com. Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://marinas.com/view/lighthouse/q6ad7_New_Point_Loma_Lighthouse_CA_United_States
Ortiz, M. (2022, May 23). 4 Top Gun filming locations you can visit without a military ID (and one you can see). We Are The Mighty. https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-movies/4-top-gun-filming-locations-you-can-visit-without-a-military-id-and-one-you-can-see/
Rowe, P. (2015, September 14). Was Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo from Spain? - The San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego Union-Tribune. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/lifestyle/people/sdut-cabrillo-spain-settle-debate-2015sep14-story.html
The Lighthouses of Point Loma. (n.d.). Cabrillo National Monument (U.S. National Park Service). Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://www.nps.gov/cabr/learn/historyculture/the-lighthouses-of-point-loma.htm
Welcome. (2015, January 25). Cabrillo National Monument Foundation. https://cnmf.org/
Willis, B. (2021, April 20). Sit a Spell and Play a Tune Pianos are Back (video) - Coronado Times. Coronado Times Newspaper. https://coronadotimes.com/news/2021/04/20/sit-a-spell-and-play-a-tune-pianos-are-back-video/
What a fun family day! Loved āfollowingā you around San Diego.