Todd and I took the day off today, because we had purchased a Groupon for a 2.5 hour GoCar GPS tour of San Diego, and it expires at the beginning of April, so we had to find some time to use it. We had seen this on a San Diego tourism video and totally thought it would be fun.
Here we were in the parking lot. This thing has a motorcycle engine, so it's not very fast (NOT Speed Racer!) The top speed is around 30 mph, so there's no taking it on the freeway! Oh and helmets were mandatory.
The car is equipped with a GPS hooked into the radio. As soon as you start driving, it talks to you, tells you where to turn, narrates stories of the places you're seeing, and also cracks jokes with you. You don't have to worry about knowing where to go, because the GPS voice totally tells you where to go!
We started out downtown at Kettner and Hawthorne streets. The open air GoCar was perfect for taking great street-level photos! The weather was perfect, sunny and around 70. Here we are on the way into Little Italy.
To Harbor Drive. The ship on the right is the H.M.S. Surprise, which was the ship used in the film "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World". The ship on the left is the Star of India, the world's oldest active sailing ship. They are both docked permanently in the San Diego harbor, but sail several times per year on special occasions.
I was looking into Todd's helmet and found a clever photo to take.
Next we drove up to the pier where the U.S.S. Midway museum resides.
Back onto Harbor Drive, with hotels and palm trees lining the street.
The San Diego Convention Center on the right.
Horton Plaza
U.S. Grant Hotel
Balboa Theatre
Gaslamp Quarter
A couple of different views of Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres baseball team.
Firestation #4, in service since 1938.
The Gaslamp again, with Ghirardelli chocolate and ice cream shop on the right side!
House of Blues (Todd has played there with two different rock bands!)
St. Paul's Cathedral
After over an hour of touring around the city, we took a break inside Balboa Park. Loved all the greenery!
Todd running back from a potty break, with his helmet still on, LOL!
Man and GoCar
Museum of Man
San Diego Museum of Art
At this point, we took a break and parked outside the museum and ate some oranges. Suddenly a ton of kids on a field trip appeared out of nowhere and started ooo'ing and ahh'ing at the GoCar and taking photos of us. They got really excited, LOL.
Spreckels Organ Pavilion
San Diego Air and Space Museum
A view of the city from a secret lookout behind the Air and Space Museum. I guess it's not so secret now, ha ha.
The entrance to the world famous San Diego Zoo.
After that we went up Park Blvd into Hillcrest. Well, what do you know? Our favorite bakery Bread and Cie is right there on the corner of 4th and University. Must park the GoCar and stop in for Todd's favorite brownie in San Diego.
Somebody (who shall remain unnamed) couldn't wait to take a bite before lunch even.
Returning the GoCar, back to Kettner Avenue, with the ocean ahead of us.
Best two-hour tour of San Diego ever!
We love playing tourist in our own town, because it reminds us how fun our city is, and how much there is to do around here.
After the tour we had a late lunch at Point Loma Seafoods, our favorite place for reasonably priced FRESH seafood. Todd always gets the halibut sandwich, because why stray when he loves it so much?
I had the calamari sandwich, which is my favorite. Yum!
Sorry for the massive amount of photos in this post. I went through my 158 photos I took today and there were many scenic ones! Thanks for coming on a virtual tour with us. :)
I loved this! I've always wanted to rent a gocar. Funny, but you basically went my long run route! I usually come from Hillcrest/Golden Hill, through Balboa park, down to Petco park, along Harbor out to Point Loma, and back! Its a great trip through SD. I've only lived here for 2 years but feel like I've won a prize to live in such a great place!
ReplyDeleteHow cool is that to be able to explore your city from a completely new vantage point? And I think its pretty neat that you had to slow down and enjoy the scenery. I have always wanted to visit SD (been to SF, but that's it), so I'm enjoying being a virtual tourist through your lens!
ReplyDeleteAnd that halibut sandwich looks oh-so-tasty. I went down to the beach Monday, but didn't get any seafood. :o(
How fun is that! I will have to add it to my list of things to do whenever I finally go to San Diego which has been near the top of my vacation list for years.
ReplyDeleteHow fun! OK, so I absolutely LOVED all the scenic photos..but it's your humor that makes me spit coffee all over myself. For instance, I love how you slipped in the bathroom with helmet photo..hahahaha.
ReplyDeleteAnd the comment about 'not speed racer' and that helmets were mandatory...the clever helmet photo..man and go car..you are just way too hilarious!
OK, I'm awake now. Off to enjoy my kidless Saturday..oh what to do, what to do??
What a fun way to see the city.
ReplyDeleteYou were so close to my office in Hillcrest! I loved all the photos. We really are very, very lucky to live here.
ReplyDelete