Tired of giving out ties?

Flip the switch with one of our Top 10 Father’s Day bright ideas!

Counting down from the simple to some forward planning…

10.  Belmont Park – Ride the legendary Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster, let Dad win a prize at the Arcade or… surf the endless wave at WaveHouse, where Sundays feature a special flat-rate for an afternoon on the Bruticus Maximus.  $ – $$

9.  Pier Fishing – Municipal piers are a great place to cast a line, no license required!  Oceanside, Ocean Beach & Imperial Beach piers are located close to amenities & a perfect place to spend a sunny afternoon.  Gear rentals and bait are available on the piers in Oceanside & OB.  $

8.  Bond with Dad – See the James Bond film ‘Thunderball’ in the open-air theater at Cinema Under the Stars, with zero-gravity lounge chairs at this hidden gem in Mission Hills.  Showtime at 8:30.  $

7.  Brewery Tour – If you’ve celebrated 21 Father’s Days with Dad, maybe this is the year to enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at one of San Diego’s craft breweries!  Sample the tastes at your table ( Karl Strauss), enjoy a free tour, the true ‘beer garden’, & special BBQ at the largest craft brewery in southern California (Stone Brewery) or go behind the scenes & check out a no-frills tasting room that serves up award-winning beers (Green Flash Brewery & Ballast Point).  $ – $$

6.  Kayak Tour of La Jolla Caves – Paddle dad around the amazing caves in & around La Jolla Cove.  Dads are free of charge for the holiday, while spots last!  $$

5.  Sail America – Join the Maritime Museum of San Diego for a day on the deck of the America on Saturday (Sunday trips have sold out, tickets are going fast) as she sails San Diego Bay.  Your commemorative photo will be ready when you return to the dock!  $$

4.  Sportfishing Charter – Let the pros take you offshore overnight & wake up to a day of blue skies & blue fin.  The newly renovated Fisherman’s Landing is sending out  1 1/2 day trips, and the fish counts are coming up as saltwater fishing season picks up its pace.  $$$

3.  Padres vs. Orioles – Enjoy a home game at Petco Stadium.  Special Padres baseball mitts will be available to the first 10,000 kids (14 and under) to enter the stadium.  Stick around after the game, when kids are invited to the field to play catch!  $$

2.  Legoland Water Park – Check out the brand new waterpark, with various slides that accommodate rafts holding 1 – 6 people, or ride a raft of your own design around the lazy river.  Admission includes entrance to the Legoland California theme park.  $$$

1.  Go Wild! – Special sleepovers are planned for kids & Dads at the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park.  Tour behind the scenes & see the animals after dark!  For a memorable daytime experience, check out the Flightline and ride 160 feet above the exotic animals of the Wild Animal Park.  $$$

Happy Father’s Day Dad!

“Smuggler’s lair?”

A mystery dwells beneath the La Jolla Coast Walk.  The Cave Store, is more than its banal name would imply. Take a walk with us back in time to 1902… A steep descent down 145 uneven steps contained within, takes one below street level to a secret cave where crashing waves rush in…

“Hmm, a hidden sea cave accessible by land within a sheltered cove…”.

A descent into Sunny Jim’s Cave provides shelter from the relentless sunshine and distracts from the happy throngs of people walking the busy streets of La Jolla Village.

“The curious need be forewarned…”

The steps are steep, wet, and the space cramped. Not for the claustrophobic. Think spelunking, with worn wooden steps & an ocean view at the end. The  rough rock opening frames the beauty of the La Jolla Cove, the sandy bluffs and rocks. The crystal blue waters shimmer, interrupted with flashes of bright orange Garibaldi fish.

If you can tear your eyes from the scenery before you, the shape of the opening resembles a man’s profile.  Named by Frank Baum (of Wizard of Oz fame) for its resemblance to a  cartoon mascot of a British breakfast cereal,  Sunny Jim’s Cave has been welcoming visitors since the 1920’s.  A recently storm created a ’stronger’ chin, less true to the historical figure, but cutting a dashing profile none the less.

Another dapper and ever so pleasant man now watches over ‘The Cave’ and its secrets, meet Jim Allen. Jim is happy to regale all with local history and lore. There is a small fee to descend the steps to the viewing platform at the bottom of the cave. At street level, the small shop offers an eclectic offering of  treasures, much as it has since the early 1900’s. So, back to the secrets of the cave, well…

“No one is talking”

Does it hold the secrets of smugglers gold? Perhaps a hiding place for shadows passing through the night.  A romantic escape from spying eyes. A  solitary spot  to propose to the woman of your dreams, as etched in the railing found along the platform. A secret destination for over a century. But  for what purpose we will never know. The weeping walls  of Sunny Jim’s Cave tell no tales…

“Something to roar about…”

Summer is our favorite time of the year here in San Diego. Balmy breezes at night, the growl of a tiger, the screech of a condor amid the chitters of the chimpanzees…welcome to Night Zoo at both the San Diego Zoo & the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park. If you’ve never been to a zoo after dark, you’re missing something truly unique. If you think nighttime brings out the human animals, wait til’ you see these animals!

“Here kitty kitty…”

“One night last year, I’m rounding the bend over at  the Zoo’s Cat Canyon & it’s dark, real dark… Three feet separated me from the fence of the next enclosure. As I passed close by, the hair went up on the back of my neck. There to my left sat Orson, a Black Brazilian Jaguar watching me with prey driven intensity. I inched closer and stared back… After what seemed like eons, I blinked first. I never  really had a chance…”

At night the crowds thin out & magic permeates the cool air.

Over at the Wild Animal Park, Night Zoo offers camping with a feline twist. The popular Roar & Snore Sleepover puts you next to the Lion enclosure for an unforgettable roaring good time, all from the relative safety of your tent. If you arrive early enough, check out the new Flightline Ride and you can roar and soar!

San Diego Zoo

Summer Hours (June 27–September 7) 9 a.m.– 9 p.m.

San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park

Summer Hours (June 20–September 7) 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.