Downtown Gaslamp Information
Downtown is a beautiful part of San Diego. You'll find lots of shopping and charming restaurants to visit. There is more than 400,000 square feet of new retail space opened in recent years.
Free Downtown bus tours are conducted the first and third Saturdays of the month, which offer close-up views. All tours begin at the Downtown Information Center, 222 Broadway. For reservations call 619-235-2222.
The Gaslamp Quarter...Be a Part of the Fun!
The Gaslamp Quarter is the premier dining, shopping, and entertainment district in Southern California. This 16 1/2 block district is listed on the National Register of Historic places. You will find a truly electric blend of food, fun, and culture. Make sure to stroll by the Gaslamp's Victorian style commercial buildings constructed between 1873 and 1930. Stop by and brows the areas boutiques, fine art galleries, unique shops and specialty stores. The old-fashioned gas lamps glow along the wide brick sidewalks, illuminating many great tasting cafes.
Entertainment is a major attraction at the Gaslamp Quarter. Live performances are taking place for you or you can be a part of the performance at a club, dancing the night away. There are over 70 restaurants and clubs waiting to refuel and refresh.
Horton Plaza, the place to go for great shopping!
Shopping is a great way to spend a relaxing day. One of the many shopping centers is Horton Plaza. The world re-owned Horton Plaza retail and entertainment complex houses 140 stores and restaurants in an area covering 6 city blocks. 16 years-in the making, this 5 level open air mall is an electric landmark blending elements of a European market place and an amusement park with touches of historical San Diego. You will find 130+ specialty shops and restaurants, movie theaters, and a live theater right in the mall.
Experience Balboa Park
Adjacent to downtown, Balboa Park is one of America's premier cultural complexes. The park is 1400 acres and is home to more than 85 cultural institutions, 15 museums and art galleries, 4 theaters, and the famous San Diego Zoo. Downtown itself includes 24 theaters and museums, art galleries, and 37 outdoor sculptures.
Sports
Downtown's Petco Park is America's newest urban Major League baseball stadium. Home to the San Diego Padres, there is seating for 42,000 in the ballpark, modern amenities, and panoramic views of the beautiful Bay. Qualcomm Stadium is home to the San Diego Chargers, San Diego State University Aztecs, and HolidayBowl. The Super Bowl was also hosted here.
Perfect Weather!
With near perfect weather and diverse landscape encompassing beaches, mountains, and desserts San Diego is a paradise for anybody. The Weather Bureau calls San Diego's climate "As Good As It Gets" due to beautiful weather 12 months a year.
Average temperatures
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. High | 66°F | 66°F | 66°F | 69°F | 69°F | 72°F | 76°F | 78°F | 77°F | 74°F | 70°F | 66°F |
| Avg. Low | 50°F | 52°F | 54°F | 56°F | 60°F | 63°F | 66°F | 67°F | 66°F | 61°F | 54°F | 49°F |
About the Gaslamp Quarter
Downtown San Diego is the heart of one of the most desirable cities in the nation. In the center of the first great city of the 21st Century, Downtown San Diego offers a breathtaking waterfront location, warm year-round temperatures and an exciting 24-hour live - work - play environment.
South of Broadway, a few blocks and yet a world away from Horton Plaza, the sixteen-block Gaslamp District, heart of frontier San Diego, is now filled with smart streets lined with classy cafes, antique stores, art galleries, and, of course, gas lamps - now powered by electricity. A tad artificial it may be, but the Gaslamp Quarter's buildings are intriguing to explore. Worth a peek is the Horton Grand, 311 Island Ave, a reconstruction of two nineteenth-century hotels originally located a few blocks away from the Gaslamp Quarter, with Old World decor and hotel staff in Victorian costumes.
San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter is rich in history
San Diego's Historic Gaslamp District has become one of San Diego's most popular neighborhoods, featuring a charming blend of old and new building teeming with activity. In the 1870s Alonzo Horton built a wharf at the foot of Fifth Avenue and a development boom ensued.
Horton Plaza Shopping Mall is San Diego's major up market shopping venue, with a somewhat dated postmodern style that borrows heavily from Art Deco designs and motifs. Head for the open-air eating places on its top level, its fun to sit over a coffee and watch the parade of tourists go by. Take time on your way out to visit the 21ft-tall Jessop Clock on level one, made for the California State Fair of 1907.
The San Diego Convention Center is located on sparkling San Diego Bay in the heart of a vibrant downtown and was named one of the top three convention centers in the world. Abundant, flexible space and five-star service make the San Diego Convention Center the meeting planners first choice for hosting major conventions, trade shows, meetings and special events. With beautiful panoramic views of both the city and the bay, it is ideally situated 10 minutes from the airport. Within walking distance are a variety of unique shopping and dining experiences including Horton Plaza, Seaport Village and the Gaslamp Quarter. Downtown transportation is both convenient and stylish with horse-drawn carriages, the San Diego Trolley and the Coronado Ferry.
West of downtown, the Embarcadero pathway follows the curve of the bay, and leads to the Maritime Museum, 1306 N Harbor Drive, where the most interesting of three vintage sailing craft is the Star of India, built in 1863 and now the world's oldest still-afloat merchant ship.
Little Italy's throughout the United States have symbolized the tremendous contributions Italians have made to this country. Unfortunately, many of these historically established business districts are disappearing before our eyes. Little Italy in San Diego is different. A stable ethnic business and residential community since the 1920's, Little Italy today represents Downtown San Diego's oldest continuous neighborhood business district. At one time, more than 6,000 Italian families lived in Little Italy and toiled to build San Diego into the center of the world tuna industry.
Every city has a few famous restaurants where the tables are always booked and the chefs are superstars. The restaurants Downtown are hot for one reason; they ensure your dining experience will be unforgettable. If you're looking for great service and creative, delicious food, you're sure to find it in one of these San Diego jewels. We'll lead you to some of the best restaurants in San Diego, whether you feel like dining along some of the most beautiful beaches in the country or in the bustling heart of the city.
