Planning a trip to San Diego

Why anyone would choose LA (Los Angeles) over San Diego (or San Fran or Palm Springs or any other place in CA), I'll never never know. Somehow, I just have never found the charm of LA - maybe because it doesn't exist.   Well.. enough said about that.  Let's talk about San Diego as a great gay travel destination.

San Diego can be a wonderful tourist destination for anyone but, of course, it also is a very nice gay travel site.

Old Town is worth at least a short visit, Sea World and Safari Park (if you have time) but the Zoo and all the attractions in Balboa Park should be taken in. Have dinner (or lunch) in Hillcrest, which is where most of the gay community and businesses are located. Be sure to take the advice (given elsewhere) of having of lunch or at least coffee at Hotel del Coronado - the drive out there is worth it and come back by the Silver Strand - wide flats beach road.

If you have time, it's worth visiting Mexico - Tiajuana is NOT the best face of Mexico but going further south in Baja de California would be worth it. Don't miss going to Black's Beach - the easiest way to get there is to take the Genessee Road exit on I-5 (headed north) or you can also take it from from I-805 (just takes longer). Continue north up Torrey Pines Rd until the road descends to the seashore just after the entrance to Torrey Pines State Reserve (a CA state park). You can park along the road at the beach or if it's too crowded, go inside the park ($10 entrance fee per car). Walk south about 1 mile to Flat Rock (a landmark outcropping along the beach, and then continue about 0.8 mi to the nude beach - here's where the 'gay' section).
 I was just there on March 1 and met up a great guy whom I had known online from another site. We are just fooling around for a candid photo.. there is NOT public sex on the beach - although the hillside dune area used to be very cruisy. The hang gliders overhead make for a great site and scenery (not just nude people ) is highly photographic.

If you have more time to spend, then consider a trip to the high country at Julien (it had snowed the day before I passed thru there on my way to San Diego from Palm Springs. A very beautiful drive is to follow I-8 to Junction of Hwy 79 follow it to Julien - you'll go through Cuymaca State Park where you'll see some great highland countryside and terrific monoliths along the alpine slopes. Julien makes a nice little stop for lunch or antique shoppping, then back track and go through the Anza-Borrega State (Desert) Park toward the Salton Sea. The road from Borrega Springs that I enjoy is S-22 which winds through desert hillside and makes a great place to hike (nude when possible). You'll come out near the middle point of the Salton Sea at Salton City so you can head north up Hwy 86 (4 -lane) to get to I-10 and then left (west) to Palm Springs (and eventually LA).

I hope you have a great trip getting to see San Deigo, Palm Springs, and LA (just a little bit) with a stop at San Onofre Beach nude / gay beach on I-5 at Basilone Rd exit just north of Camp Pendelton.