[tschmidlin]

Ok, I know I put this in the beer travel section but I'm looking for specifically non-beer stuff in the San DIego area.  We'll be down for the conference Friday or Saturday beforehand, probably spend a day at a beach somewhere and then try to see some cool things.  Not especially into shopping and stuff like that, more like natural beauty, maybe historical places, or just something awesome for whatever reason.  If the cool stuff is near a brewery that's a bonus because we'll hit a few for sure, but its not the focus.  Once SWMBO leaves (Monday or Tuesday), THEN the breweries will be front and center

Any recommendations on nice but affordable places to stay would be great too.

[hopfenundmalz]

History - The Spanish Missions.  
I have been to several, including San Louis Rey de Fancia (named after Louis the IX).  That one is near Oceanside.
http://www.ca.gov/About/Maps/Missions.html

Geeky - Mt Palomar
http://www.astro.caltech.edu/palomar/driving.html

We will spend some time in Temecula, as a niece is living there now.  That is the wine region in that part of California.

May not be what you are looking for.

Edit - I hear they have a Zoo there.  Don't know if the wife will want to go or not, but she could talk me into it.

If we go to the zoo, I might then talk her into the Midway Carrier museum.

[timberati]

Balboa Park

[tschmidlin]

This is great stuff, thanks!  Any other ideas . . . ?

[EHall]

wildlife animal park is in Escondido, same place as Stone. Theres the Scipps Institute in La Jolla, they have a nifty little aquarium to look at and there's a pretty cool beach nearby. Legoland is nearby if you feel like dropping ~$200 to get in...

[ketch32]

So the request is for non-brewery or beer sites in SD - this is gonna be hard because there are so many good breweries and they are spread out like most of SD.   If you are going to go to inland North County (where I live and by Stone) it was mentioned Wild Animal Park or Palomar (I'm not into gambling but the Indian casinos are out East), as well as, some North County / Temecula wineries, but I would include my neighborhood of Old Escondido where there are over 200 historical houses.  If you were to venture to coastal North County (Green Flash, Mother Earth, Iron Fist, Pizza Port/Port Brewing, Breakwater, etc...) I would really just enjoy the coastal weather and skip the Legoland, but not a lot to see, except maybe the flower fields behind Karl Struass .  Inland central SD (AleSmith, Ballast Point, etc.) just Miramar if you like to watch the military jets fly in.  Coastal central SD (Pizza Port) is great for coastal activities and environment.  Inland South County (Alpine, Blind Lady, etc.) avoid the sites and sounds and stick to breweries/brewhouses, except North Park is an emerging Gastropub area with Toronado, Hamilton's or the Ritual as my recomendations.  Coastal South County - this is likely where you will stay by and has the most to check out besides the breweries (Ballast Point, Karl Strauss, etc.), I think there is such a difference in areas, that is is almost nice to see each and what they have to offer.  Balboa Park was mentioned and is the best bang for the buck - can be free - but there is the upscale downtown SD area with shows and bars, there is the college bar area of Pacific Beach with the Tap Room (many local SD beers on tap), LaJolla's ritzy shops and congested beaches (although if you are down at Scripps and are hungry you gotta check out the Cheese Shop for awesome sandwiches, they also have a downtown SD location).  And if not going to a brewery and are hungry, these are some of my favorite pubs in all of SD: Churchills - north county (50 taps) and O'Brien's - central SD (get the hoppiest beers in SD).  There are several other places and I'm sure I missed one or two that others can chime in on...

[jamminbrew]

La Jolla just north of SD has some good beaches, and when I was there in april, lotsof seals to watch

[gordonstrong]

Seems to me last time I was in SD with the family we went on a harbor cruise.  It went past aircraft carriers and harbor seals.  On a nice day, I remember that as being a nice thing to do.  That was 5 or 6 years ago; anyone local have a line on this?

And try some fish tacos.

[bluesman]

Seems to me last time I was in SD with the family we went on a harbor cruise.  It went past aircraft carriers and harbor seals.  On a nice day, I remember that as being a nice thing to do.  That was 5 or 6 years ago; anyone local have a line on this?

And try some fish tacos.

My wife and I went on the harbor cruise for some whale watching which was alot of fun. Also went to the zoo but I really didn't care for it. There's some really fine Mexican restaurants in and around San Diego.

oh yes...plenty of fish tacos but stay away from Tijuana. It's okay to visit once but I never want to go back.

[rabid_dingo]

I gotta say you HAVE TO have a cheeseburger at Rockeys Crown Point pub.
Decent beer on tap and the menu is a chalkboard that says:

Hamburger $X.xx
Add Cheese $.xx
Fries $.xx

I am sure the price has changed since I last went but that burger is damn fine.

Now I am hungry.