Julian Apple Festival

If you’re visiting us in San Diego this autumn be sure to make the drive out to Julian for the Fall Apple Harvest. The Fall Apple Harvest is a two-month event hosted in Julian, California, which is approximately an hour outside of San Diego. The event takes place through September and October and draws crowds from all over the United States. The Apple Harvest has something for everyone, from roadside fruit stands to wine tastings and even hikes on nearby Volcon mountain. This event—and the great taste of a Julian apple—have truly made this small town a household name.

The bakeries in Julian have become well-known throughout California for featuring some of the most appetizing baked goods around. Julian’s specialty, however, is the warm, flaky taste of an apple pie baked with the most fresh ingredient available. To get a taste of this celebrated dessert you’ll want to pay a visit to The Julian Pie Company, Apple Alley Bakery or Mom’s Pie House, all of which are guaranteed to satisfy even the most relentless sweet tooth.

Every Sunday during the harvest the Certified Julian Farmers Market opens up to the public. The market allows local farmers to showcase their fresh organic produce, nuts, eggs and specialty foods ranging from mouth-watering salsa and tamales, to sambusa, kettle corn and fresh baked breads. This event draws a weekend crowd from 11 am to 4 pm at the Wynola Farms Marketplace.

September boasts even more exciting culinary events for visitors to the Julian area, including the Santa Ysabel

Casino Best Back Country Chili Cook Off on September 18^th. This exciting competition will give you the chance to taste the best and most varied selection of chili that Southern California has to offer. If you would like to participate, the entry fee is $35-$40 and cash prizes are awarded for first, second and third place. Decorate your booth with some personal flair and enter to win $100 worth of free play at the Santa Ysabel Casino.

On October 2^nd and 3^rd come out for the Julian Apple Days Festival, which is a special part of the harvest celebration. The festival is held at the Menghini Winery and features apple displays, music and dancing, an antique tractor display, children’s games and activities, gold panning demonstrations, a beer and wine garden, food and merchandise vendors, contests and, of course, plenty of delicious apple pie. The festival offers an activity to entertain just about anyone, and tickets are only $5 for adults and free for children under 12, so feel free to bring the whole family!

So when you’re visiting us at the Ocean Park Inn for some beautiful beachside weather this September or October we’d recommend you also make the short trip out to Julian for these exciting events—and a slice of world-famous apple pie.

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San Diego Fall Colors

As summer comes to a close many parts of the country begin to cool off, leaves begin to change colors and people begin to prepare for the harsh winter ahead. However, at the Ocean Park Inn our guests will find that San Diego’s climate sustains an ideal 70 degree temperature throughout the later months of the year, cooled only slightly by a brisk fall breeze that blows across the county.

Thanks to the comfortable weather San Diego is a fantastic fall vacation destination, and there are a number of local attractions and events to partake in while you visit. One such event is the annual Harvest Festival, which takes place in late October at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. This is an arts and crafts festival that boasts a wide variety of artsy keepsakes from handmade clothing items, to ornate blown glass vases. Our guests are also encouraged to make the trip up to the Annual Julian Apple Harvest where you will be able to shop, hike, go for a horseback ride or try a world famous Julian Apple Pie from Mom’s Pie House in the beautiful fall weather. Football fans will want to come out and see all of the Chargers action at Qualcomm Stadium. The Chargers have a challenging fall swing facing the Cardinals, Patriots and Titans at home in the month of October, so you’re sure to find a thrilling game. To please the palette you may want to attend the largest wine and culinary event in the San Diego region at the annual San Diego Bay Wine and Food festival. This tasty event offers the opportunity to dine on gourmet food, meet celebrity chefs, and taste some of the famous fine wines of Californian origin. To round out an eclectic visit to San Diego this Fall we’d like to recommend a stop at the San Diego Thanksgiving Dixieland Jazz Festival, where you will find a wide variety of live musical performances ranging from traditional jazz, to Dixieland, and even swing.

There’s certainly something for everyone underneath the still-shining San Diego sun this autumn, and even in October, you won’t want to miss a comfortable stroll along some of the most beautiful beaches on the West Coast. So when you’re planning your fall vacation, be sure to top your destination list with San Diego and the Ocean Park Inn.

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Hidden Gems!

While visiting San Diego, we at the Ocean Park Inn have a few “secret” places we’d like to recommend.  While these spots may not seem top secret to locals or frequent visitors, we do consider them our own hidden gems that the tourism community at large tends to look over.  While SeaWorld and the San Diego Zoo will always be major attractions for vacation fun, we think there are a few of more intimate venues that might add to your San Diego adventure.  From food to drink to film, here’s a list of 10 – in no particular order.

1.)    Hungry for a hamburger?  Local favorite Rocky’s in Pacific Beach, near Ocean Park Inn, will not let you down. At Rocky’s, they figure keeping it simple is the best way to produce delicious food, and great atmosphere. “Do what you do best, and do it the best you can,” is a motto they’ve really taken to heart.

2.)    Looking for a cup of java in a serene atmosphere?  Crown Point Coffee’s got you covered!  A true neighborhood joint, Crown Point offers gourmet coffees, teas and smoothies. This can be a great spot for a light breakfast, or a mid-afternoon pick-me-up to keep you going during those fun-filled vacation days.

3.)    The museums, architecture, and atmosphere of Balboa Park is hardly a secret to most who visit San Diego, but it does boast an unofficial, and little-known attraction that we think you should check out.  The Hummingbird Sanctuary is off the beaten path, and hidden from the general view of visitors.  The local lore is that a security guard from the San Diego Museum of Art named “Wally” created this little pocket by purchasing and hanging dozens of hummingbird feeders, filled with nectar in varying in colors. This is a great place to check out some natural wonder while you’re in San Diego.

4.)    If you’re a foodie, stop by Isabel’s Cantina in Pacific Beach to enjoy upscale cuisine in a casual atmosphere.  The website for this hidden gem boasts that: “At Isabel’s Cantina, Chef Isabel Cruz fuses Latin and Asian cuisine into sensual and creative concoctions that are both remarkably addictive and surprisingly healthy.”  Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

5.)    How about a picnic?  As you might know by now, if you enjoy a nice bottle of wine with your picnic fare, you’re out of luck on the San Diego beaches and most public parks.  However, one of the best parks in the area for picnicking is still within bounds on that front.  Grab some sandwiches, snacks and some vino and mosey on over to Kate Sessions Memorial Park for great views and a small piece of picnicking heaven.

6.)    San Diego is rich in history.   One of the best historical attractions is located right in the center of Old Town.  The Whaley House once housed the only commercial theater, the county courthouse and a general store all in the same location. The Whaley House is preserved as a museum, and opens to the public for a variety of informational tours which meld interesting facts with the structure’s surprising paranormal history.

7.)    Spanish Tapas.  Enough said, right?  Okay, maybe not. Tapas refers to a traditional Spanish style of eating in which all the dishes are appetizer size, and everyone shares a little bit of everything.  Just down the road from Ocean Park Inn is a locally known Tapas bar called Costa Brava. With amazing food, wine and atmosphere, Costa Brava is the perfect place to sit down for a family meal.

8.)    Have you ever seen a garden at a private residence that looked so cool that you wanted to snoop around in it? San Diegans Edna and Alex Harper boast a home garden so gorgeous you’ll be itching to take a closer look.  The good news is that they welcome visitors to wander around at will.  Harper’s Topiary Garden is a site to see and enjoy.

9.)    Speaking of wine, need a fun and relaxing “Grown-ups” evening?  Tucked into a little known social district at the base of Mission Hills, Wine Vault & Bistro’s unassuming location provides intimate prix fixe meals that will definitely fit the bill.  Typically these are 3-5 course meals and often include wine tasting, and range from only $20-30 per person – which is a great value!

10.)  Drive-in theaters are all but extinct, but that doesn’t mean you can’t see a movie under the stars!  Cinema Under the Stars is a unique little spot that features classic movies in a fun, relaxing space underneath the clear San Diegan sky.  If you want dinner and a movie, there are a couple of great neighboring restaurants, including Olivetto Café & Wine Bar which offers special discounts to movie-goers.

With this many hidden gems surrounding the Ocean Park Inn, we’re sure that your next San Diego vacation will be brimming with exciting new places to see, eat, and enjoy one of the greatest cities on earth.

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Going Green

Most travelers are undoubtedly beginning notice an overwhelming shift towards “Green” initiatives at their hotels.  And it doesn’t take a Ph.D. in Astrophysics to recognize that a hotel saves money on laundry, human resources and energy by taking part in the worldwide “Green” movement. That said, it’s next to impossible for a hotel to show genuine interest in conservation without being labeled as opportunistic to the cause.  It’s even harder for guests to find fault when, in such a competitive industry, these monetary savings are passed onto them in offering the best rates possible.

Sookhan Ho offers an interesting view of this situation in her article for Green Lodging News. She comments on a recent online study conducted by graduate students at Virginia Tech, which shows an unexpected gap between how people who are environmentally conscious at home, aren’t as sensitive on the road.  The study–an online survey of 881 people by Melissa Baker and Eric Davis–showed that nearly 60 percent of respondents recycle paper products at home, but only 30 percent recycle while at a hotel.  Similarly, 60 percent said they conserve water at home, but only 40 percent make such efforts while on vacation.  80 percent of the respondents profess to conserving energy at home, with only 40 percent doing so on the road.  Baker and Davis attribute such behavioral gaps to the idea that “individuals might feel more obligated to behave in an environmentally friendly manner in their local community as opposed to the tourist destination”.  While this survey does not paint travelers very green at all, another statistic found in this study is much more optimistic, as 60 percent of respondents stated that they were either “Likely” or “Extremely Likely” to stay at a hotel that changed sheets only when requested during their stay–effectively conserving water, and energy.

Bringing the “Green” movement to our home, we find ourselves focusing on the continuously dwindling water supply in San Diego.  While we take an environmentally conservative attitude at Ocean Park Inn, we simultaneously aim to allow our guests to feel comfortable, and at home.  We offer daily Sheet and Linen Changing Service as part of our routine benefits, but strongly encourage our guests to opt for Changing Service “only when requested”.  Please let us know at check in if you’d like to take part in conserving San Diego’s water supply.   You might even find that your water conservation translates to a better rate upon your next visit!

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Relaxing on the Beach

“If life is the pursuit of happiness….the Beach should be the Destination” – Anonymous

According to ancient mythologies from various corners of the globe, everything in nature is comprised of the four basic elements: water, fire, wind and earth. Water is often the most awe-inspiring, and thought provoking. While at times water–be it in the form of Earth’s oceans, lakes, or rivers–can be gentle, it is nonetheless the most powerful of all the elements. Fire, Wind and Earth are not any less important, but this blog is about the beach after all!

People have always been mentally effected by all water forms including rivers, clouds, mist, beaches, waterfalls and rain. The color blue is used to emphasize cooling and relaxing qualities. An expansive blue sky and glistening blue tinted ocean remind us of peace and calm, which readily promotes meditation and thoughtful insight into life’s problems. Blue is uplifting and often associated with the ideas of intuition, inspiration, sincerity and spirituality.

Around the world the color blue symbolizes and represents water, the source of life. The fact that water carries the energy and strength to sustain us speaks for itself. One only needs to take a walk on the beach and listen to the crashing waves to understand what we mean. We don’t know if there is any scientific evidence that says the beach and ocean waves help mental health, but you’d probably be hard-pressed to find someone on the beach who will dispute that claim. So if your intention is to “take a load off” and truly relax, why not stay on the beach? Better yet, why not stay on the right on the boardwalk in Pacific Beach, Southern California? Pacific Beach is the perfect place to roll out of your comfortable bed at Ocean Park Inn, and right onto the sand for some peace of mind. Can you already feel the sand beneath your toes?

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