Business Travel Guide: San Diego, California
San Diego's renaissance continues with a plethora of new hotels and restaurants to cater to business and tourist visitors. The convention center is ideally situated between the historic Gaslamp District of downtown and the picturesque Pacific Ocean. Accommodations range from large chains and smaller boutique hotels to affordable rooms and swank suites with every conceivable amenity. The culinary scene has come far and now boasts world-class chefs and outposts for names such as Brian Malarkey, Nobu Matsuhisa, and Carl Schroeder. Music and dance venues abound, giving visitors after-hour options of nearly every type.
Although tourism and hospitality still dominate the business sectors, computer technology, biomedicine and a variety of other industries continue to multiply in this seaside city. The sunny weather, excellent accommodations and many sightseeing options make San Diego an ideal convention site that combines business with pleasure. |
Facts
to Know Before You Go |
| Transportation
Most business travelers will arrive at the San
Diego International Airport. One of the country's
most conveniently located airports, San Diego International
is close to the freeway and is just a short taxi ride from
downtown and the convention center. Once you've settled
in, there are several good ways to navigate the city:
Rental
Cars:
Traffic congestion is a Southern California hallmark, and yet most big cities still lack a widely used public transportation system. San Diego is no exception. Freeways
are the most common mode of transportation, so rental
cars are a popular and convenient option.
Public
Transportation:
There are three modes of public transport: the San Diego Trolley, the Amtrak Coaster and the San Diego Bus System. The trolley system continues to expand; routes run from as far east as Santee, west to Old Town and south to San Ysidro, (all the way to the Mexican border). The majority of trolley stops have corresponding bus routes. See map for specific routes around the county.
Trolley and bus fares are based on trip distance; exact change is required. Specific fare information.
Amtrak train stations are conveniently located in the downtown area: there is the historic Santa Fe Depot and a few miles north of that is the Old Town Station. Although trains are not practical for local travel, they can be ideal for trips to Orange County, Los Angeles and other cities farther to the north.
Pedicabs are an easy and affordable way to get around the Gaslamp and Harbor areas. You can easily find one (or more) wandering the streets looking for fares.
Taxis & Shuttles:
Expect to pay between $10 to $20 for the five-to-ten minute (depending on traffic) taxi ride from the San Diego International Airport to the downtown region. Many hotels offer a free shuttle service, so be sure to ask your concierge.
For a list of shuttle services available, click: www.san.org
Information:
For daily news, take in the San Diego Union Tribune. Business sources include The San Diego Daily Transcript and the San Diego Business Journal. For eclectic interest stories, try The Reader and City Beat.
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Solamar joins the ranks of those hotels determined to make the Gaslamp District hip. The 235 guest rooms and suites are both funky and functional with oversized work desks, ergonomic chairs, a pair of two-line phones with data ports, flat screen TVs with DVD/CD players and lots of comps — high-speed Internet and WiFi access, daily newspaper, shoeshine and more. Expected treats of the sort you'd find in other Kimpton properties include pet-friendly amenities and "Om Away From Home," an in-room yoga channel and accessories. While the accommodations are noteworthy, the hands-down highlight here is the in-house restaurant JSix, with its gorgeous Middle Eastern atmosphere and eclectic world fusion cuisine. |
Worldwide, The Hard Rock Hotels have a reputation for providing top-notch, urban accommodations with rock star-like service in high-profile locations. San Diego's twelve-story outpost is no exception with 420 guest rooms (including luxury studios, three-room suites and seventeen loft-like penthouses); a full-service spa with massages, facials and a fitness center; and world-class dining and entertainment options like the famed Nobu sushi restaurant and Float: the pool lounge and bar on the 4th floor rooftop with private cabanas. In addition, companies seeking state-of-the-art technology and non-traditional decor will appreciate the 40,000-square-feet of meeting space with a staff that is "hell bent on spoiling them rotten." The largest indoor space is 9,000-square-feet and can hold over 1,000 people. As expected, the scene is full of young, beautiful people looking for a rocking good time... and The Hard Rock delivers.
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ANdAZ San Diego is an uber-stylish, luxury boutique hotel catering to the young, upwardly mobile hipster set. Set in the former Ivy Hotel in the hub of nightlife activity, ANdAZ boasts sleek and sophisticated design — straight out of Architectural Digest. Glowing agate wall panels line the entrance and there's great art work abound. The hotel delivers uncomplicated yet personalized service with plenty of pampering. Mix that with good food, innovative cocktails and great nightlife, and that spells ANdAZ San Diego. Relax at The Ivy Rooftop, a minimally designed pool and cocktail area or party at the Ivy Nightclub. The 159 guest rooms and suites are sumptuous and anticipate almost every want or need. New complimentary amenities include a shot of espresso or glass of wine upon check-in, a mini-bar stocked with non-alcoholic beverages and snacks, wireless internet, and unlimited local phone calls. Consider splurging on one of the suites such as the two-bedroom sweet suite (with soaking tub and gargantuan shower), the cabana suite that adjoins the pool and sports an in-room spiral staircase or the sexy star suite (with king-size bunk beds, a central, glass shower that turns opaque. Service is top-notch, right down to the convenient Escalade car service that takes guests to and from the nearby Gaslamp restaurants and clubs. Business travelers will also appreciate the business center, 24-hour in-room dining, ANdAZ Fitness Center, and 10,000 square feet of meeting space.
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A San Diego icon since 1910, THE US GRANT — a Luxury Collection Hotel — provides an exceptional experience steeped in legendary style. Built by Ulysses Grant Jr. in honor of his father, the iconic hotel fuses its storied history into a palace of contemporary yet classic luxury. An incomparable escape, each of the 270 guest rooms, including 47 suites, guarantee a memorable and distinguished stay. Understated elegance parades in warm earth tones and authentic artwork including custom drip painting head boards by acclaimed French Artist, Yves Clement. Comfort is enhanced with rich amenities including plush pillow top mattresses wrapped in 300 thread count linens, bathrobes and slippers. The 42" flat screen television provides entertainment while business needs are met with an executive desk and internet capabilities. Meanwhile, culinary wonder awaits with the hotel's signature restaurant: The Grant Grill. Enjoy seasonal California cuisine, craft cocktails and fine wines, or savor freshly prepared fare with the convenience of 24-hour in room dining. Ideally located in vibrant downtown, THE US GRANT is adjacent to the Gaslamp Quarter, featuring over 150 restaurants, shops and nightlife opportunities, and sits amid San Diego's vibrant playground of distinctive entertainment, culture and cuisine.
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Stylish, yet affordable, downtown's Sofia Hotel offers a host of amenities in a prime location. All of the 212 modern guestrooms are equipped with fine linens, white down comforters, plush pillows, pillow-top mattresses, 20" flat-screen televisions, modern bathrooms with contemporary fixtures, Gilchrist & Soames spa products, and convenient work stations with ergonomic chairs and high-speed internet access. Dog and cat owners will love their pet friendly policy (which includes babysitting and dog walking), while fitness-minded guests will appreciate the 24-hour yoga studio and full-service spa. Business amenities include state-of-the-art audio technology, global video conferencing and a 24-hour business center.
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Nobu
Hard Rock Hotel San Diego
207 Fifth Ave.
San Diego, CA 92101
619-814-4124 |
Japanese/Sushi
15/20
$$$$$ |
Dinner at Nobu will engage all your senses. Take your time and savor the aromas of miso and saké; the unusual flavor combinations of jalapeños, yuzu (Japanese citrus) and sea salt; the visual delight of ruby ahi, emerald cilantro and pearly abalone; the silky mouth-feel of raw scallops and the crunch of pickled vegetables; and, of course, listen to the ubiquitous pumping dance music of the Hard Rock Hotel. Nobu Matsuhisa's San Diego outpost does not disappoint. Service is efficient and informative, yet friendly and relaxed. In other words, you're in good hands and never need to feel intimidated or insecure about your knowledge of obscure ingredients or pronunciations.
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The Oceanaire
400 J St. (Fourth Avenue)
San Diego, CA 92101
619-858-2277 |
Seafood
13/20
$$$$$ |
The swanky Oceanaire Seafood Room offers some of the freshest seafood in San Diego. Classics like escargots en croûte or shrimp cocktail made with giant tiger shrimp are on the menu, as are trendier options such as teriyaki prawns and fried red chili calamari with warm Asian vegetables. Fresh fish selections like Scottish Loch Duart salmon and Mano de Leon hand-harvested scallops are flown in from across the globe. Desserts are retro-Americana: selections include Key lime pie, root beer float "à la royale," banana splits and warm cookies with milk.
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Bice Ristorante
425 Island Ave.
San Diego, CA 92101
619-239-2423 |
Italian
15/20
$$$$$ |
BICE stands as one of the best upscale restaurants in the Gaslamp district where diners enjoy excellent Northern Italian cuisine in a modern sophisticated setting. Milano-born chef Mario Cassineri helms the kitchen with creative flair while GM Mark Spears commands the floor deftly. The sprawling cheese and salami bar is worth the trip alone; try the various Italian formaggi served with chestnut, cranberry and mille fleurs honey — a sweet tomato jam and Mediterranean olives. A trio of tartares (ahi, salmon and sea bass) makes for a perfect second course. And then there's the pasta — handmade, al dente — that transfixes: gnocchi speckled with Asiago and pesto, orecchiette holding nuggets of hot Italian sausage and broccoli rabe, plump ravioli hiding a treasure trove of braised beef, veal and spinach in a subtle mushroom and Marsala sauce. Or try the branzino which appears whole on a cedar wood plank — delicate white fish infused with smoky flavor and elevated with a fresh herb truffle emulsion. The knowledgeable waitstaff is intuitive and relaxed, eager to divulge a wealth of culinary information. The immense wine vault, filled with lovely Italian and California wines, is a marvel and an oenophile's dream.
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Searsucker
611 Fifth Ave.
San Diego, CA 92101
619-233-7327 |
New American
14/20
$$$$$ |
If you want to attend the most fetching downtown party, head over to Searsucker, the latest incarnation of chef Brian Malarkey (formerly of Oceanaire). Set in a 7,000-square-foot warehouse in the middle of the Gaslamp district, with a compelling design from Thomas Schoos, diners and imbibers gather for cocktails curated by the Snake Oil Mixology team. The Treaty of Paris is a paean to aged rum, with burnt sugar cherry syrup, pressed lime and tobacco cologne. Whether you hang out in the comfortable lounge, hit the communal table or dine privately, the scene pulses and the "people watching" is excellent. The former Top Chef contestant is all about protein, so carnivores gather round…the pork butt comes with grilled peaches and bacon emulsion, his "eggs + bacon" means a poached egg over pork belly smothered in hollandaise; and a tender filet is dressed up in lobster butter. And then there's the duck fat fries and "cowboy caviar," his version of Rocky Mountain Oysters. This social dining hub is all about fun and the show begins daily at 5pm.
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The premise at the Gaslamp Strip Club is simple. Choose from a variety of raw proteins (steak, chicken and seafood), order a salad and a couple of family-style side dishes and head towards the grill. Yes folks, you have to cook your own food here at this stylish, masculine-themed hot-spot, but that's part of the fun. Groups congregate at one of the several central grills to cook strip steaks, kebabs and garlic bread. Cleverly posted directions (i.e. grill side and eye level) ensure that even novices can come away with a feeling of accomplishment.
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Play the game of a lifetime at the famed cliffside Torrey Pines Golf Course, a short drive north of downtown in beautiful La Jolla. Boasting two 18-hole courses, this golfer's paradise is set atop towering bluffs over the Pacific Ocean and is home to the PGA Tour's The Farmers Insurance Open. Don't miss the chance to play in the footsteps of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els.
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Descend below the crowds of San Diego's Gaslamp into an underground playground where a whimsical spirit and wine lounge awaits. Botanical chandeliers, oversized furniture and bright green foliage with creeping 50-year-old vines on the walls sets the stage, the vision of San Diego's finest designer Michael Soriano. Enjoy artisanal cheese and charcuterie and wine tastings galore. Entertainment features DJs, jazz trios, and rhythm and blues. For a truly unique San Diego experience, Vin de Syrah will not disappoint.
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San Diego's PETCO Park is located smack dab in the middle of the downtown action. From April to October, after the business day is done, sports fans will appreciate the short stroll over to this state-of-the-art new 42,445-seat ballpark for a Padres game. Fans experience breathtaking views of the boat-filled bay, downtown skyline, historic Balboa Park and majestic mountains to the east — not to mention the on-the-diamond skills of Trevor Hoffman and Khalil Greene. Whether you catch a game solo or rent a festive party suite, PETCO Park is an ideal after-hours destination.
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Located in the heart of the Gaslamp District, the House of Blues is San Diego's one-stop shop for musical entertainment. Grab a bite of spicy New Orleans fare in the restaurant; then head into the approximately 900-seat concert hall venue to catch bands as diverse as The Strokes and the Black Eyed Peas. If business calls for it, you can rent out the upstairs VIP seats for a night of corporate bonding or mill around the music-loving crowd on the downstairs stage level. Weekend travelers might enjoy the all-you-can eat Sunday brunch buffet, accompanied by live-on-stage performances by regional gospel groups. Check out other special events, too, including Saturday Blues & Barbecue and weekday Lightning Lunches.
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*Banner images courtesy of San Diego Convention and Visitors
Bureau.
Torrey Pines Golf image courtesy of www.sandiego.gov.
PDE051206 |
(Updated: 01/06/12 HC) |
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