What to do in San Diego?

[Bun-bun]

My wife and I are headed out to San Marcos  for a week, and want to find out what there is (non-touristy) to do with what free time we'll have. Y'know, good restaurants, where to go for a barfight, things like that. Also, what NOT to do would be just as helpful.
Unfortunately, I won't be riding [moto], but will have a rental car.

[Privateer]

i only know the touristy type stuff. 

But there is a restaurant that's really good called The Big Kitchen.  It's in North Park I think.
http://www.bigkitchencafe.com/  total hole in the wall.  my parents took me and then I saw it on rachael ray one day.


Andy

[red baron]

When?

Pretty much anything to eat in Little Italy is good.

Gaslamp District, take her to the Strip Club (it's a steak joint). Any of the restaurants there are a good choice.

La Jolla (little beach city)

Julian is not far from San Marcos and a nice drive into the mountains.

Whale watching in Oceanside.

There's a cool bayou style restaurant called The Gulf Coast Grill on Park Blvd, good beer and great food if you like that kind.

[Bun-bun]

Thanks, folks.
     We're going in August for a long weekend, and then again at the end of December for a full week. I'm jumping the gun a bit for December, but that's when we'll have the most free time. My sister lives in San Marcos, and we're headed there in August for her B-day(surprise!) and then in December we're going to Cabo for a week, and then to visit her for another week as our annual vacation.
     The restaurants all sound good, as well as the trip up to the mountains. I presume Julian is a town up there? Since we live on the ocean here in VA, the beach is a kind of SSDD for us.

     Any good authentic mexican joints(he asked knowingly)?

[Gibbs]

Im here right now and I've been drinking the whole time 

[Smokescreen]

There's a grip of good pubs in SD (Gaslamp?), and one o'dems has Guiness shipped expressly for them and nitrogen poured on tap.  The fare ain't bad neither.

[Bun-bun]

Im here right now and I've been drinking the whole time 

Aaah, I wish you well.
My only alcohol intake is a wee dram of scotch upon a (very rare) occasion, and Margie likes froofy rum drinks.

Oh well. . .

[sqweak]

Since we live on the ocean here in VA, the beach is a kind of SSDD for us.

Actually, IMHO the difference between the atlantic and pacific and their beaches is a DSDD sort of thing

[red baron]

     Any good authentic mexican joints(he asked knowingly)?

Bring a passport.

[Bun-bun]

Bring a passport.

As I said, the second trip we'll be coming from Cabo, so, no problem.

Or is that no problema?

Anyway, Juan, after a while, a beach is a beach, and water is water. It's just more trouble to get to a lot of yours, they're all downhill

[bigiain]

Go to the zoo and see the polar bears.

Polar bears _rock!_

big

[bassplayrr]

If you're in to "craft" beers the Stone Brewing brewhouse/brewery is in Escondido (maybe 10-15 minutes from San Marcos).  The place is beautiful with a neat walkway/garden and fire pit out back.  There is also Lost Abbey Brewery (specializing in Belgian style brews) in San Marcos just off of San Marcos Blvd.  If you're just in the mood for a more basic pub there is Penny Lane and Churchill's, both on San Marcos Blvd.  San Marcos Brewery also has a brewhouse on San Marcos blvd. pretty much right across the street from Penny Lane (along with about eleventybillion other restaurants in "restaurant row.")

If you can only make it to one on my list I would highly recommend Stone.

[Privateer]

     Any good authentic mexican joints(he asked knowingly)?

Old Town Mexican Cafe, in old town san diego.  it's a tourist area but the restaurant is really good and it's been there for a long time.  I remember going there as kid back in the late 70's.  Go off hours to avoid the crowd (friday/saturday night, sunday day, bad choices).  Shouldn't be too bad in the winter tho, especially during the week.


andy