Walking down the Pacific Beach boardwalk today, it’s amazing to think that less than 100 years ago this beach town had only dirt roads and less than 1/80^th of its current population. Today, this bustling ocean area contains some of the most sought-after soil in Southern California.

Branching out in the 1880s

The days of the California gold rush brought thousands of people to the sunny San Diego coast. In 1880, the San Diego railway was extended to Pacific Beach and a racetrack opened that brought in big names like Wyatt Earp. A College of Letters was also erected to attract families of settlers to the area.

By 1886, land speculators started moving into the Pacific Beach area, hungry for a fortune. Real estate lots went on sale the next year as railroads and chambers of commerce pushed hard with public relations and advertising for the budding area. Advertisers sold this land for its beaches and easy access to fishing, hunting, and yachting.The temptation of beach life brought thousands upon thousands of people surging into the area. In 1888, the Post Office at Pacific Beach was established (and was eventually discontinued in 1941 when it became an incorporated station of San Diego).

The 1890s saw the end of the Pacific Beach land boom as the depression took hold and the influx of settlers rapidly declined. The collapse of the boom in the 1880s led to Pacific Beach becoming a partially deserted town (almost unfathomable today) in which residents turned to farming lemon orchards to help make ends meet. But by the end of 1889 the San Diego & Pacific Beach Railroad was completed to the end of Grand Avenue. With this new opportunity for transportation, Pacific Beach began finding its feet. Now a Pacific Beach landmark, the Zlac Rowing Club was established in 1892. In 1894 the railroad was extended to La Jolla and facilitated passenger transportation as well as lemons, lumber, coal, and merchandise.

1900s

World War II gave way to the rebirth of greater San Diego, and this post-war growth saw servicemen taking ground and buying up the empty lots in Pacific Beach. Naval housing, schools, theaters, and new businesses brought about residential sustainability and the beach town thrived as nightlife, outdoor activities, fishing, and other pastimes caught hold. By the early 1920s, Pacific Beach boasted a population of 500. The Pacific Beach School cropped up on Emerald Street, which helped further build out the community.

One of the biggest contributors to the growth of Pacific Beach was Earl Taylor, who invested a large sum of wealth into the town. Taylor and his family relocated to Pacific Beach from the Midwest in the early 1920s, and Taylor took up a good deal of the land west of Cass Street. With his wealth, he paved the streets and built in sidewalks, even adding a streetcar service to La Jolla to bulk up the area’s transportation. Taylor also added a pier to the city in 1927 to bring even more pizzazz to the sleepy beach town.

Roads to accommodate the increase in automobiles helped the popularity of the area, and in 1930 the Rose Canyon Highway was opened. Shortly after, the causeway between Crown Point and Midway Drive was opened. Streetcars were replaced in 1939 by buses that ran up to La Jolla.

By 1950 the Pacific Beach residents reached the thirty-thousands and homes were selling for five figures.The 1960s brought about more development as vacant lots were eagerly snatched up and larger venues such as Sea World and the Hilton Hotels rolled into nearby areas. These tourist attractions brought new visitors and increased the attractiveness of the ocean town’s charm.

Present Day Pacific Beach

Today, the bustling town of Pacific Beach is known for its younger crowd of college-age folk. Sought out for its nightlife, restaurants, and busy beach boardwalk, it’s a hub for nighttime fun and daytime adventure. Surfing is an important pastime of Pacific Beach patrons, and many surf shops can be found sprinkled among the coffee shops and apparel stores. Throughout the year active youngsters and adults alike can be found playing flag football, jogging, surfing, bicycling, sunbathing, and skating all along the shore of this popular beach destination.

San Diego has unlimited annual events and activities to fit the needs of every visitor, but December happens to be a highlight for locals and guests alike. The unique blend of hot cocoa in-hand and sand between your toes is something few cities in the US can compete with. San Diego knows how to throw the best holiday parties, parades, plays, and over-the-top light shows. December is a wonderful time of the year to enjoy the great outdoors and perfect Southern California weather. People looking for a few fun activities to occupy their weekends will have no shortage of options this year.

• 48^th Annual North Park Toyland Parade (Dec. 3) – One of the longest running parades in San Diego and a local favorite is the North Park Toyland Parade. Complete with all the classic parade highlights like marching bands, vintage cars, beauty queens, dance groups, city officials, and Santa himself, this parade will certainly help you get in the spirit.
• Neighborhood Christmas Lights – San Diego County is full of smaller communities that have a classic neighborhood lit up with grandiose Christmas lights and decorations. Ask around and someone will have a recommendation for where you should stop for the best light show. A few well known areas include Christmas Circle in El Cajon, Jingle Bell Hill in El Cajon, Reche Road in Fallbrook, Bob’s Christmas Wonderland in La Mesa, Hickory Court and Stoutwood Street in Poway, and Oviedo Street in Rancho Penasquitos.
• Del Mar Holiday of Lights (Nov. 24-Jan. 1) – “The largest animated drive-through light show on the West Coast” is right here in San Diego. You can’t miss it when you drive past on the 5 freeway and you won’t forget it when you drive through the spectacle of lights. If this show doesn’t make your jaw drop, not much will.
• Outdoor Ice Skating – Not many people think about ice skating outdoors when they visit San Diego, but it has been a local tradition for years and is a unique experience for both kids and adults. By far the most awe-inspiring scene is “Skating by the Sea” at the Hotel Del Coronado which borders the white sandy beaches of Coronado. Another fun spot to test your skills on the ice is right in the center of Downtown San Diego at the Fantasy on Ice at Horton Square. The Viejas outlets feature a large outdoor ice rink, complete with an oversized and beautifully decorated Christmas tree. This is the perfect setting for holiday cheer!
• Charity Runs – Rain, snow, ice, and storms make it hard to run outdoors in winter for other parts of the country, but here in San Diego there are charity runs every weekend—not to mention the multitude of locals running on their own enjoying the sunshine. You can burn off those extra holiday calories at the annual Jingle Bell 5k, Red Nose Run, or the Bumble Bee Food 5k, to name a few.
• Big Bay Balloon Parade (Dec. 28) – After you finish up the Bumble Bee Food 5k, hang around for “America’s largest balloon parade.” The parade takes place just after the run and before the Holiday Bowl football game. Over 100,000 spectators show up to gaze at the enormous balloon characters that are fun for kids and adults alike.
• San Diego Bay Parade of Lights (Dec. 11, 18) – One of the city’s finest events during the holiday season is the 40^th annual San Diego Bay Parade of Lights. The parade is actually a nautical parade where boats completely decked out with Christmas lights and decorations parade in front of an audience lined up on shore. More than 100 boats will be showing off for the judges while they slowly cruise around the entire San Diego Bay starting at Shelter Island.
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Nov. 19-Dec. 31) – Christmas isn’t the same without at least one viewing of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Instead of watching it on the TV this year, visit the Old Globe Theatre for one of the most magical stage performances in San Diego. Dr. Seuss was a San Diegan himself, and the play has become a treasured tradition for locals.

Whether you’re a San Diegan yourself or plan on visiting America’s finest city during this magical time of year, you should take advantage of all the holiday fun San Diego has to offer. The festivities only come once a year and provide memories that will definitely last a lifetime.

What a lot of people are just realizing is that San Diego has rapidly become a leading beer city in the US, and is even top rated in the world. Thousands of beers from San Diego have won awards at the most prestigious beer festivals, and now people are traveling long distances to find out what it is all about. Not only are the brewers, breweries, and beers worth a visit but you get a chance to soak up some last minute sunshine in San Diego and thaw out before covering up for the winter back home. If you haven’t been keeping up with the San Diego beer scene, there are tons of new breweries and beers available ranging from sour ales to the traditional super hopped up IPAs. Plan your trip now so you don’t miss the hottest beer week in the United States.

Main Events of SDBW

• San Diego Brewers Guild Festival (Nov. 5, Ingram Park at Liberty Station): Every one of the 32 San Diego microbreweries that are members of the brewers guild will be pouring beer at the kickoff party where you can eat, drink, and jam to live music all day long. The main stage will feature Matthew Sweet, Telekinesis, and the Stone Foxes playing throughout the event.
• Craft Beer Crawl (Nov. 6): Locals know that sometimes it is hard to get to your favorite beer bars because driving home is dangerous (and illegal) after a few strong pints. SD Brewers Guild thought ahead this year by planning two opportunities for people in San Diego to get a ride (with beer) to three of the most popular brew pubs in either San Diego or North County depending on which crawl you choose. $39 will cover your transportation and beer during the ride.
• Silva Stout Release and Rare Beer Tasting (Nov. 8, Green Flash Brewery): Brewmaster Chuck Silva is famous around San Diego for his creativity and creation of several top rated beers in the nation. One in particular, the Silva Stout, will have a limited release during SDBW that is open to anyone for $45 which will include a 4 pack of Silva Stout and special tastes of the entire lineup on tap.
• Chef’s Celebration of San Diego Brewers (Nov. 13, La Jolla): The grand finale of SDBW is a high-end beer-pairing meal where the best brewers partner up with the top local chefs to create a completely one-of-a-kind San Diego experience. $65 includes unlimited tasters of top beers and food.

Hot Spots for Beer Geeks

• O’Briens Pub, 4646 Convoy Street, San Diego, CA – (858) 715-1745
• SD TapRoom, 1269 Garnet Avenue, Pacific Beach, CA – (858) 274-1010
• Churchill’s Pub, 887 West San Marcos Boulevard, San Marcos, CA – (760) 471-8773
• Stone Brewing Co., 1999 Citracado Parkway, Escondido, CA – (760) 471-4999
• The Linkery, 3794 30th Street, San Diego, CA – (619) 255-8778
• Sessions Public, 4204 Voltaire Street, San Diego, CA – (619) 756-7715

Popular San Diego Breweries

• AleSmith Brewing Company
• Alpine Beer Company
• Automatic Brewing Company
• Aztec Brewing Company
• Back Street Brewery
• Ballast Point Brewing
• Breakwater Brewing Company
• Coronado Brewing Company
• Gordon Biersch
• Green Flash Brewing
• Hess Brewing
• Iron Fist Brewing Co.
• Karl Strauss Brewing Company
• Lightning Brewery
• Lost Abbey/Port Brewing
• Manzanita Brewing Company
• Mission Brewery
• Mother Earth Brew Co.
• New English Brewing Company
• Oggi’s
• On-The-Tracks Brewery
• Pacific Beach Ale House
• Pizza Port
• Rock Bottom
• San Diego Brewing Company
• San Marcos Brewery & Grill
• Stone Brewing Co.
• The Brew House at Eastlake/Bay Bridge Brewing

Getting Around: Drinking and driving is never an option here in San Diego and there are plenty of great ways to get around America’s Finest City. The best way to get around is by using mass transportation like the Coaster Train, San Diego Trolley, North County Sprinter Train, or local buses. Those don’t always run late enough for visitors so the backup option is to keep the local taxi cab information. Yellow Radio Cab is the official transportation sponsor and you can simply text your location to their number (619-444-4444) and they will come get you. There are private companies who do beer tours in the area like “Brewery Tours of San Diego” or “Brew Hop” which are also great options if you want to plan an entire day around brew hopping.

Taking a vacation isn’t the same as it used to be. Hotels have either become extremely expensive, nickel and diming every cent out of your wallet, or they are cheap and the quality is atrocious. Most families can’t afford a luxury hotel, so they often end up squeezing into cramped and subpar hotel rooms. That isn’t the best way to be spending your one week away every year. Now, vacationers have the option to stay in a vacation home. Vacation rentals have all the benefits of home, are cheaper than a hotel, and are usually in a great location. Once you stay in a vacation home, you might never go back to the old ways of vacationing. Here are 10 good reasons why you should always choose to stay in a vacation home.

1. Cost Savings: Hotels seem like they would be the cheaper option, but when you break down all the costs and book two small rooms for the week, the price tag adds up. A vacation home comes with everything you need, doesn’t require booking extra rooms for a large family, and will usually cost on average $19 less than a hotel per night.
2. Quiet: Hotels may seem like a fun place to stay sometimes, but that often means all of your neighbors are having fun too and making noise 24/7. A good night’s sleep is practically impossible at a hotel, but at a vacation home you have the same thick walls, thick windows, and space between houses that you would expect at home. Sleeping while on holiday will never feel better.
3. Space: 300 or 2,000 square feet; which would you rather spend a week of your most valuable time in? You won’t have to put the rollaway bed in front of your TV and in the walkway to the bathroom in a vacation home. Instead, you will have a spacious living and dining area with private bedrooms out of the way just to top it off.
4. Amenities: Hotels have a small microwave and you are lucky if there is a mini fridge or ironing board available. Vacation homes have a full kitchen with all the tools and supplies you will need for some home cooking. You can count on having a living room with a big screen TV and all the channels for free, possibly a private Jacuzzi outside where none of the hotel’s 300 kids are playing around, and beds that are worth sleeping on. Basically, whatever you have available to you at home will be there while on vacation. Most importantly, you will have your own washer and dryer to do the kids’ laundry instead of paying $10 per t-shirt at the hotel.
5. Convenience: You can cook your own meals, come and go at whatever hours you please, not have to deal with hotel staff, and even do your own laundry. Staying in a vacation home makes everything easier and less stressful, allowing you to enjoy the vacation and not spend all your energy worrying about accommodations.
6. Relaxing: Small hotel rooms, crowded pools, parking permits, noisy neighbors, and waiting for elevators are just a few reasons why hotels are not relaxing at all. In a vacation home, you can sprawl out in the spacious home, park a car in your own drive way, call whoever you want whenever, and relax in a Jacuzzi without strangers. A lot of vacation time is spent in your accommodations; why not choose the more relaxing option?
7. No Extra Fees: Hotels will nickel and dime you for every little thing. Extra costs include parking, movie rentals, gratuity, resort fee, phone calls, and laundry service. All of those will make staying in a hotel much more expensive than a vacation home where there are no hidden fees and you get all the amenities right up front.
8. Location: Large hotels have to squeeze in wherever they can and that usually isn’t the best location for where you are vacationing. Vacation homes, on the other hand, are often in the top neighborhoods closest to all of the fun attractions that you came to see. If the home comes with some bikes in the garage, you could ride a bike down to the beach or around the neighborhood to explore shops and restaurants. Not too many hotels can offer that amenity.
9. Quality: A vacation home is or was at one point someone’s home which means they put time and effort into making it a quality place to live. Hotels on the other hand are trying to build as many rooms as they can for as cheap as they can. Sometimes important aspects of a room like quality beds and linens take the back seat in order for the hotel to save some money.
10. Live Like a Local: Last but not least, you will be living and experiencing the destination like a local, not like a tourist. Seeing the area from the eyes of a local will make your trip more enjoyable and unique.

Now that the kids have had their summer vacation full of oversleeping, hitting the beaches, and running around, it’s time for the parents to get a little bit of their own rest and relaxation. If you’re looking to wind down from a summer full of non-stop action, consider some of these fun late-summer vacation ideas to cap off your summer with some personal TLC.

Five Beaches in Five Days

If you’ve hit the end of the summer and still haven’t gotten the chance between park rides and water slides to do some sunbathing, taking a sandy tour of San Diego’s beaches may be just what you need to recapture a healthy glow.

Coronado Beach

Every beach in the San Diego area brings something different to the experience. Coronado beach offers sands that glisten with gold flecks and a breeze that flows off the ocean to slowly reawaken your inner calm. Sunbathe outside of the Coronado Hotel Del and stop in for a light lunch at one of their award-winning restaurants. Parents can bring back a little bit of romance here at the Travel Channel’s number-one wedding destination in America.

Mission Beach

Stroll the boardwalk and pinpoint a lifeguard tower to laze by on the sandy shores of Mission Beach. You can grab a seat at a local taco shop or rent a couple beach cruisers to leisurely bike along Mission Beach Boulevard.

La Jolla Beaches

La Jolla beaches run the gamut of experiences, so choose one that suits your fancy. Here you can admire local wildlife by watching the seals play, explore the mysterious cave, sprawl on the sand or walk around the bustling parks, restaurants, and shops.

Ocean Beach

Watch the dogs gallivant at Dog Beach and lay out on the other side of the walkway to see surfers in action as you soak up the sun. Grab some light fare on Newport Avenue and take the speed of life down to a slow swagger with the rest of Ocean Beach’s laid-back patrons.

Wind down in Wine Country

If you’re looking for a little bit of spirit, take a few days and head up to the irresistible charm of Temecula’s wine country. Just an hour north of San Diego, you can celebrate California Wine Month in September in Temecula Valley’s 35,000 acres of hills and vineyards. Grab a taste of some of the area’s best wines with one of the area’s popular wine tours. With more than 30 wineries to visit, this area offers days of fun and relaxation to pamper parents after a long summer of bustling activity.

To enhance your experience, San Diego offers many limousine-driven day tours from San Diego, with additional offerings such as a romantic hot air balloon ride or horseback riding adventures through the vineyards to top off your experience.

Take a Cultural Tour

San Diego is a veritable hotspot for culture, allowing you to relax your body and feast your brain in some of the area’s intriguing museums and historical regions.

Balboa Park Museums

Spend some time walking though the fascinating exhibitions at beautiful Balboa Park. The Natural History Museum celebrates biodiversity and hosts several traveling exhibitions each year. The Centro Cultural de la Raza is a multidisciplinary cultural arts center focused on creating, promoting, preserving, and educating about Chicano, Mexican, Indigenous, and Latino culture. You can also take a stroll around the Mingei International Museum to see featured folk art from around the world.

Old Town

Spend a day on an excursion into Old Town, the birthplace of San Diego. See how the Mexican history and American settlement merged and experience the unique convergence of this area. Restored historic buildings host quaint shops and gathering places. Pick up a few Mexican tiles or sit under lush trellises and ponder the yesteryear.

If you care to get spooked you can hop over to the Whaley House. This is a historic house museum that is fabled to be haunted, and is of Southern California’s most popular visitor destinations.

Whether you have just a couple days to get away or an entire week to dedicate to your rest and relaxation in Sunny San Diego, picking up some sun, some rich ocean air, and some history may be just what you need to wrap your summer and start the school year refreshed and renewed.

San Diego is a city full of some of the healthiest people in California. With the mild temperatures and beaches full of volleyball nets, skim boards and surfboards, it’s no wonder San Diego has a great culinary niche tailored towards vegans and vegetarians.

Farmer’s markets in San Diego are on every corner, making fresh produce as common as pizza in Chicago or coffee in Seattle. Many restaurateurs have ridden their specialized vegan and vegetarian menus to success, and their establishments come equipped with rave reviews and devoted patrons.

If you’re in San Diego seeking to cater to a vegetarian or vegan diet, try one of these popular city venues:

Stephanie’s Bakery

Stephanie’s Bakery is a small vegan bakery offering organic coffee, vegan baked goods and light lunch food. Find cakes, pizza and burritos at this little gem near Sea World. Stephanie’s also creates custom wedding cakes and gluten-free brownies.

Evolution Fast Food

Situated near Balboa Park, this restaurant gives a whole new meaning to fast food. With both dine-in and drive-thru service, Evolution Fast Food offers a healthy alternative to those on the run. Evolution serves vegan burgers, French fries, shakes, smoothies, pizza, and more. Evolution even offers raw specialties such as burgers, tacos and stuffed veggies.

Jyoti-Bihanga

This vegetarian café is located in Normal Heights and has been operated by students of Sri Chinmoy since 1986. Sri Chinmoy was a spiritual leader who devoted his life to the pursuit of harmony and oneness between people and different cultures. This restaurant features salads, sandwiches, and their best seller: a twist on conventional meatloaf that they cleverly dub “neatloaf”.

Loving Hut

This El Cajon Boulevard restaurant is part of an international chain of vegan restaurants opened by followers of Supreme Master Ching Hai, an advocate for vegetarian living. The Loving Hut features an Asian-inspired menu and is currently the fastest growing international vegan fast food chain in the world.

Peace Pies

Located in Ocean Beach, Peace Pies provides raw, vegan, and gluten-free items using ingredients from local farmers. With smoothies, salads, pizza, wraps and an impressive dessert menu, you can nestle up and bite into a piece of coconut banana berry pie.

Sipz

Sipz offers casual dining with ample room for larger groups. Sipz cuisine includes Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, and Italian dishes, most of them vegan (including all of their desserts). All of their meals are served in a bowl for easy pricing, and come with a side of steamed rice. Sipz also adds vegetarian sushi to the menu after 5 p.m.

Veg ‘N Out

This is another very popular restaurant for vegetarians in San Diego. Veg ‘N Out is a vegetarian/vegan café in North Park with a menu specializing in veggie burgers and dogs, sandwiches, smoothies, and desserts, among other fare. Locally owned and operated, Veg ‘N Out uses unrefined sugar, olive oil, sea salt, and other natural ingredients in their creations.

Ocean Beach People’s Organic Foods Co-op

More than an organic grocery store, the People’s Co-op is a member-owned vegetarian consumer co-op offering a wide variety of vegan and vegetarian foods. The second level of this store features a full-service sit-down deli and bakery with home-style and gourmet dishes made fresh daily. Stop by on the way to work for a bakery bite or take in a hearty vegetarian dinner such as stroganoff or enchiladas.

Spread

If you’re searching for a more upscale dining experience, try out spread’s eclectic menu created with locally grown, organic ingredients. Spread scours the local farmers’ markets for the best ingredients San Diego has to offer. With menu items such as hibiscus blossom mole, spread specializes in incorporating the rarest fruits, vegetables, and edible flowers into their dishes.

With the plethora of fresh exotic fruits, crisp produce, and health-conscious communities in San Diego, vegetarian and vegan restaurants are popular venues in the city, pulling in residents and out-of-towners alike. With high demand, just about every neighborhood has a restaurant dedicated to vegetarian or vegan cuisine. Take your appetite through a drive-thru at Evolution Fast Food, shop for organics at the People’s Co-op, or add flower power to your plate at Spread. You’ll find that each restaurant provides its own little twist for San Diego’s vegetarians and vegans.

There’s something to be said for the electricity of the fans in the stadium. All the gizmos and gadgets of the new age still can’t recreate the echoing cheers of your team scoring and a high-five from the guy in a neighboring seat. Unfortunately, ticket prices these days can climb higher than the nosebleed section, regardless of your love for the game. Luckily, San Diego has a sky-high level of team spirit that is shared throughout the area.

Although a ticket in the stands may be out of the question, a good time with fellow fans is fairly easy to come by in the city of sun. If you’re looking for some of the best bars in which to grab a seat and watch the game in good company, check out one of these fan favorites:

• Near the stadium, Seaus of San Diego is one of the best sports bar to grab some grub and watch football on the big screen. Sporting 60 TVs and an enormous projection screen, this sports bar makes it known they’re here to play.

• Located on Mission Gorge Road in Mission Valley, JT’s Pub & Grill is well-known for its pro-Charger patrons. Sporting a relatively dive-y atmosphere, there’s no question you’ve come to the right place to revel in a good Chargers game. With a big game crowd, JT’s is the place to grab a cheap brew and some good food for viewing a Sunday game.

• If you’re in the Point Loma neighborhood, swing over to Oggi’s Pizza and brewing for a good game, exceptionally crafted brews, and a big slice of pizza pie. Oggi’s is a sports themed pizzeria with many televisions and crafted brews to choose from.

• The High Dive touts one of the best burgers in San Diego and is recommended by many locals as “the place” to watch the game. With fare like the gorgonzola bacon burger, it’s a great place to cheer up the Chargers and chow down on great grub.

• Hooters is also a sports fan favorite. With their hot wings and big screens, you can count on the consistent service and atmosphere that Hooters provides. Hooter has locations all over San Diego, including: Mission Valley, the Gaslamp District, and Rancho Bernado.

• If you’re looking for some sand to back up your game, duck into the Sand Bar sports grill in Mission Beach for a double-decker bar featuring a young and passionate group of fans. The Sand Bar is just a step from the Mission Beach boardwalk and offers drink specials during every game.

• If you want to celebrate with the post-game crowd, McGregor’s Grill & Ale House makes its mark as an after-game hotspot, pulling in a line of Chargers fans that routinely trail out the door.
• Players sports bar in Kearny Mesa is wholeheartedly dedicated to the sports fan. With 600 square feet of screens and 50 satellites, you can find the game on in any direction you face.

• Check out the Press Box sports lounge in El Cajon if you’re on the Eastern outskirts of the city hub to get classic bar fare and get to know the neighborhood’s patrons.

• If you’re downtown, check out the Gaslamp Tavern and revel in game glory with 12 flat screens, all the sports packages, open-air patios, and a full service bar.

• Another stadium neighbor is the Randy Jones All American Sports Bar. This bar features 22 big screen televisions, a full bar, an all-American menu, pool tables and a 14-foot high-definition projection screen.

Although this list pinpoints some of the more well- known bars for watching the Chargers play, San Diego is overflowing with the football spirit, and just about any television you encounter will be showing the game. With ticket prices ever-climbing and personal finances still harassed by a harsh economy, sometimes rallying for the real deal just isn’t in the cards. But many San Diego establishments pride themselves on their fanfare, and this enthusiasm can be felt in the myriad of San Diego restaurants ready to help you to cheer and chug just like you would in the stands.

The San Diego County Fair is almost here! Every San Diegan looks forward to it each summer and travelers from all over the U.S. come to visit to soak up the sun and have some fun at the fair. You can’t pinpoint just one reason why the fair is so great because there are so many different aspects that are fun for different types of people. You can come for the adventure, art, cuisine, shows, or just to browse and people watch while enjoying the perfect San Diego weather and smell of the Pacific Ocean right next door.

There is no limit on fun activities at the SD County Fair. The daily concerts from both famous and local artists are a huge hit and bring out the crowds, but that’s not the only thing that does. Thousands visit for the farm animal showcase and auction, the arts and crafts, the shopping, the carnival thrill rides, and even the crazy food (most of which is fried and delicious). There are all types of special events from car shows to an International Beer Festival where brewers from all over the world showcase their finest wares. The photography, flower & garden show, and design in wood show are a few of the must see contests scheduled this year.

The theme of this year’s SD County Fair is “Race to the Fair” and promises to have some amazing events for the car fanatic. The car culture in Southern California will be highlighted at the fair with multiple exhibits, demonstrations, and contests. The best of the best woodies, muscle cars, and hot rods will be on display. If you want a little more action, the Chevrolet Del Mar Arena has monster trucks, beach buggies, dirt bikes, demolition derby, and even antique car races lined up for this year’s fair.

All of the excitement aside, there is one attraction that every single visitor loves to either try or imagine trying, the wild and crazy fair food. Kids will cringe when they hear about fried frog legs, but they might love to try the famous fried Oreos or Twinkies. There are items available you didn’t even know were possible to deep fry (Kool-Aid?) and then some things you never imagined being served because it seems that it could instantly induce a heart attack! There are also some healthy options, great desserts (some of which are fried), and plenty to drink at the fair. The trick to trying as much as the crazy fair food as you can is by visiting on a $2 Tuesday where each booth will be offering a sample of their food for $2. Even then, you won’t be able to make it through the entire list of delicious, or in some people’s minds outrageous, SD Fair cuisine. Here is an almost complete list of what you can expect at the fair this year which starts Friday, June 10^th:

Chicken Charlie’s

• Fried BBQ Ribs
• Deep Fried Brownie
• Deep Fried Girl Scout Cookies
• Deep Fried Kool-Aid
• Deep Fried Twinkie
• Deep Fried Frog Legs
• Deep Fried Oreos
• Krispy Kreme Chicken Sandwich
• Zucchini Weenie
• Pickle Corn Dog
• Deep Fried PB&J

Del Mar Diner

• Cornucopia (deep fried corn on the cob)
• Hash Dog (hash brown corn dog)
• Sweet Dog (sweet potato corn dog)
• Deep Fried Bread Pudding
• Deep Fried Green Beans

Deep Fried Butter Stand (Previously known as Heart Attack Café)

• Deep Fried Pigs in a Blanket
• Chocolate Covered Corn Dog
• Chocolate Covered Bacon (also deep fried)
• Chocolate Dipped Bacon Wrapped Oreo

Mexican Funnel Cake Stand

• Deep Fried Baby Ruth filled with  Jalapeños
• Giant Funnel Cake (free if you finish it)

Juicy’s

• Deep Fried Jerky
• BBQ Spaghetti

Funnel Cake Express

• Deep Fried Candy Kabob

Healthier Fair

• Calamari Stand: Blue Mussels
• Pat’s Pizza on the Concourse: Oven Baked Sandwiches

Pink’s

• Rosie O’Donnell Dog
• Martha Stewart Dog

Everything Cheese (Kid friendly)

• Kid size pizza
• Mac and cheese cups
• Deep fried cheese curds
• Mozzarella sticks
• Grilled cheese sandwiches

Other Fair Favorites

• Australian Battered Fried Potatoes
• Tasty Chips
• Funnel Cake (all types available)
• Totally Fried Avocados
• Deep Fried Klondike Bar
• Deep Fried S’Mores
• Deep Fried Pop Tart with Strawberries
• Deep Fried Mexican Ice Cream
• Chocolate Dipped Pickles
• Four Pound Belly Buster Burger
• Giant Pretzels
• Cheese on a Stick