Shopping in the Gaslamp Quarter
weekends—except when special events
are scheduled—Old Town Harney Street
Market gets underway with works by local
artists that range from turquoise jewelry,
pottery and hand-painted glass to wood art,
paintings and even clothing and accessories.
GASLAMP QUARTER
Bordering the area where Petco Park and
the San Diego Convention Center are
located, the Gaslamp Quarter still reflects
a bygone era when gas lamps cast their
glimmering light over San Diego. The area
offers many shops and, once the sun begins
to slip toward the horizon, rooftop bars and
restaurants provide a whole different per-
spective on this part of the city.
Within this lively 16-block chunk of
city, mixologists craft artisan cocktails and
the club scene heats up nightly with every
type of music and show imaginable, from
jazz and dance mixes spun by celebrity disc
jockeys to staged flamenco and burlesque
shows. Some of the popular wine bars and
clubs include Vin de Syrah, which is below
street level with decor that evokes “Alice in
Wonderland”; Omnia Nightclub San Diego,
a multilevel venue including a balcony and
rooftop terrace for dancing to beats pro-
vided by top DJs; and Noble Experiment, a
speakeasy with a wall of golden skulls that’s
so hip and off the radar, you have to text in
advance for reservations.
“The Gaslamp Quarter’s newest addition
is the Horton Plaza Park with its center-
piece landmark fountain, created in 1910,”
Arends says. Towering light sculptures, an
interactive pop-jet fountain and a Cabrillo
arch-style amphitheater have catapulted this
outdoor venue to huge popularity. The space
plays host to year-round events including
live entertainment and concerts, plus cul-
tural performances and Plaza Play games
such as lawn darts and giant Jenga.
“Close by, in the downtown area, the
city’s famous Embarcadero now boasts a
beautiful new waterside park, ranking as
the largest city park opening here since
Balboa Park,” Arends adds. “Once filled
with parked cars, the revitalized area
is known as Waterfront Park, with an
830-foot-long fountain with water jets, a
landscaped playground and space for festi-
vals and music events.”
The new park is positioned just across
the street from the departure point for
harbor boat excursions, along with the
USS Midway Museum, and the Maritime
Museum of San Diego.
When you’re ready to take a break from
sightseeing, you can always sink into a
comfortable seat and take in a performance
at one of the world-class concert halls and
theaters. Among the options, enjoy plays
and musicals at the more-than-a-centu-
ry-old Spreckels Theatre, which is on the
National Register of Historic Places, or
Balboa Theatre, which began its life in 1924
as a vaudeville and moving pictures palace.
Classical concerts are presented by the San
Diego Symphony at Jacobs Music Hall (or
Embarcadero Marina Park South during
the summer) while Broadway San Diego
offers top musicals at Civic Theatre.
Ultimately, your perfect escape to San
Diego is up to you. Go retro, splash in the
water, satisfy your hunger or just unwind
and drink in the warm sea breezes. In San
Diego, you can have it all. n
INSIDER TIP
When it comes to their historic city
by the sea, locals know the best
spots, from restaurants to the latest
hangouts worth discovering.
San Diego resident
Robert Arends,
public rela-
tions manager
at the San
Diego Tourism
Authority, sug-
gests setting out
Paraná’s empanadas
for the brand-
new Liberty
Public Market in Point Loma, still well
below the radar for most visitors.
“The market is housed in an indoor
space at Liberty Station where the
Naval Training Center used to be,”
Arends explains. The
market is home
to a wide
selection
of dining
and enter-
tainment
venues with
special events,
Le Parfait Paris
plus organic
foods, wine,
chocolate, hand-crafted pastries and
baked goods, and a natural supply
store for dogs and cats.
The market’s rustic seaport ambi-
ence extends to Mess Hall restaurant
and its nod to the building’s military
history. All of the ingredients used in
the menu are sourced from the food
purveyors at the market itself and the
restaurant offers a Sunday brunch
and a three-course Sunday Roast
dinner featuring wood-
fired meats. Shops
are open daily
from 11 a.m. to 7
p.m., with some
vendors open-
ing earlier, and
there’s also a
weekday Market
Mess Hall
Happy Hour.
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