Explore San Diego: 7 Bridges Urban Hike

Only recently have a I heard, much less used, the phrase urban hike.  What makes it a hike rather than just a walk? Because we know I'm not doing any urban running.   

For me it's the element of discovery and exploration with a longer distance than your standard neighborhood walk.    We're looking at an urban setting in a fresh new way.

Last weekend I explored San Diego through the 5.5ish mile 7 Bridges hike through Balboa Park, Bankers Hill, and Hillcrest.     The bridges in Balboa Park were familiar.   I'd also gone on the hunt for the Spruce Street Suspension Bridge last year.    My new favorite after this adventure is now the Vermont Street Bridge.   

Let's go!

This hike starts at Balboa Park on Park Avenue by the Rose Garden and the Cactus Garden.    I love the rose garden because I can enjoy all the flowers without having to do any actual gardening.   

Bridge #1 
Cross Park Avenue and go from the Rose Garden into Balboa Park. 

Bridge #2

After walking through Balboa Park on the Prado, you'll pass the Museum of Man, and then you'll cross the bridge that goes over Highway 163.    It's very dramatic when you're driving under it, but it's hard to capture that when you're walking over it.  

Bridge #3

The First Avenue Bridge 

Fun Fact:  It's the only steel arch bridge in the city 

Views of the harbor to the left and one of the many San Diego city canyons on the right

Bridge #4
Quince Street Bridge

Bridge #5

Spruce Street Suspension Bridge 

This is a fun one!  

Bridge #6

You get some of your fitness between bridges 5 and 6.   Good news, you're strolling along University Ave in Hillcrest and there are no shortages of restaurants and coffee shops if you need to stop.   This is a urban hike - coffee is what we do.   

I had no idea the Vermont Street Bridge existed and now I love it.   It's full inspirational quotes and connects Hillcrest with University Heights.  

Snack Stop

On Sunday the Hillcrest Farmers Market runs from 9a-2pm.     Feeling adventurous, I tried these hot Cheeto spam balls.    This farmers market is great -  good produce, beautiful flowers, and tasty food vendors.  

Bridge #7
The Georgia Street Bridge is currently under construction, so at this point, you have to walk around and imagine that you urban hiked over this last bridge.   

For more fun facts about this hike as well as map, check out this article from the San Diego Reader. 

Looking for other ways to explore San Diego?

How about some Sign Spotting?  

Maybe a visit to Cabrillo National Monument? 

 

 Delicious Places to Eat? 

(Traveler in the Kitchen is the hungry portion of this blog)

Do you love San Diego?    Where do you go?  

Sign Spotting: San Diego

The signs of San Diego have been catching my attention since I moved here.

Sometimes it's a neighborhood sign.   

Sometimes it's a restaurant sign.   

Sometimes it's sweet. 

Sometimes it's snarky.    

And sometimes it's a warning that I should stay far away from snakes.

Neighborhood Signs

Inspirational and Entertaining Signs

Spotted:  Little Italy

Spotted:  Little Italy Farmers Market

Spotted:  South Park 

Spotted:  Liberty Station, Point Loma

Rattlesnake Signs

Definitely NOT a sign I came across in Hawaii

Aircraft Carrier Signs

USS Midway 

Only in San Diego Signs

Need your picture with this sign?   It's in North Park. 

Amusements by the beach - that's SanD style right there

I've lived in San Diego just under 14 months.    There is so much exploring to do!   If you have recommendations of what to see, do or restaurants to enjoy, put 'em out there for me.  

If you have a favorite San Diego sign,  share on Facebook or tag @travelerforgood on Instagram. Speaking of Instagram, if you follow there, you'll see more SanD signs.  

Explore San Diego: The Flower Fields

Imagine a place where everyone is photogenic.
Every nature shot is instantly shareable.  
Every family photo is Christmas card worthy.
Every selfie is magic.

Where is this place?  
The Flower Fields

This being my first spring in Southern California, I had no idea these fields exited until friends started talking about it and posting all the pictures.    Not wanting to miss out, I knew I needed to make the trip to Carlsbad before the season ends.

What flowers make up the fields?   It's 50 acres of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers and they are all different colors, planted in rainbow rows.  

You can walk through the fields or take a wagon ride.  Maybe even get a strawberry sundae made with local Carlsbad-grown berries.    The fields are a beautiful way to spend an hour or two in the spring.

So many colors 

And, of course, make sure to take a lot of photos.

Flowers in your future?  
Visit their site to see the hours and the length of the season.   For 2017, the season ends on May 14th.

Looking for other San Diego adventures? 

 Explore San Diego:  Art Walk

National Parking:  Cabrillo National Monument 

Explore San Diego: Art Walk

Happy Spring!

I'm creeping up on my one year anniversary of moving to San Diego.   It's insane to think that a year has gone by that fast.  In typical Jenni style, I explore where I live.    I often take tourist in your own town to the extent that friends who are born and raised in a location will say that I've gone places they've never been.

My goal for this summer is to take time to share some of the SanD experiences that I've enjoyed in my first year.    The Art Walk San Diego in Little Italy was my first activity on my first day in San Diego last May.    When it came around this year, I decided it was a milestone of sorts, even though  I haven't hit the official anniversary of my move from Hawaii to California.

The art walk is both on Saturday and Sunday.   The bonus of going on Saturday is that you can enjoy the Little Italy Mercato (farmers market) too.  You can feel truly San Diegan by carrying some fresh flowers or produce while strolling through Little Italy.  Obviously the Art Walk is a one weekend event, so if you aren't here right now, you've missed it. Rest assured that there are plenty of festivals and events every weekend.

The weather this April has been amazing.    I've got my fingers crossed that the May Gray that I learned about last year doesn't come and visit this year.    Give me the blue skies any time.

So here I present my one photo from the Art Walk.
Soak it in.     

This artist had a sign at their booth encouraging photos to share
his work so it's the only photo I took of the actual art....

 As you may know, San Diego is defined by its neighborhoods.
And most of the neighborhoods have their own sign.

I saw the sign

The city also has a lot of public art:  mosaics, sculptures, murals, and more.

Little Italy and SanD Events

Little Italy

Little Italy Mercato

San Diego Events Calendar

Enjoyable Eats in the Area 

Civico 1845

Karl Strauss 

Pappaleccco 

What do you love about San Diego?

Travel Plans for 2016: What Actually Happened

I was looking back at a post from the beginning of this year, where I plotted out my travel for the year. Some of the trips were on the books already, and others came about because I moved mid-year.

There were also some destinations that I thought about that didn't make the calendar for 2016....fortunately there's a whole new year ahead!

Where did I actually go in 2016?

Oahu 

Started the new year off right visiting a friend 

Big Island 

After 2+ years in Hawaii, I finally went to see the volcano.   And the southernmost bakery in the United States (important!).    

San Diego

When the year started, I didn't know where I would be moving, but it seemed likely that my next career move would happen in 2016.     I moved from Maui to San Diego in May.   Of course, this opened up a whole new city to explore, so I did a lot of local things over the second half of this year.

Some of my San Diego / SoCal experiences this year:  Balboa Park, USS Midway, Bike the Bay, Bike MS Bay to Bay, People-watching during Comic Con, Knott's Berry Farm,  Harbor Cruises, Going to a Padres game, Hiking Torrey Pines State Park, Moonlight hike of Cowles Mountain, Taste of Adams Ave, Taste of South Park, and the San Diego Santa Run.  

A Hui Hou Maui!

Hello San Diego!

Door County, Wisconsin 

I usually go every summer to fill up on cheese curds and kringle while visiting family.     This year, I'm also going for Christmas.   The real feel today was supposed to be -9 degrees.    My Hawaii / SoCal blood is NOT ready for that.    

Green Bay in summertime 

Colorado 

This is another annual trip, for the Jazz Aspen Music festival over Labor Day.    Also my best opportunity to visit with my family and friends in Denver.     I took a second spontaneous weekend trip in November, just because I'm back on the mainland and I can.

Always so beautiful, Colorado

Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania

I visited a friend who is a missionary in eastern Hungary and then went on a river cruise from Budapest to Bucharest with my mom.  

Cabbage Festival Time

Mexico 

When the year started, I thought I might be going to Playa del Carmen in the spring, but in reality, I took a day trip to cross the border here in California to go wine tasting in the Valle de Guadalupe.

Baja Coast

What adventures near and far did you have in 2016?   

Where are you going in 2017?