Did you know that kayaking in La Jolla is the 5^th largest tourist attraction in San Diego? One major cause of the activity’s heightened popularity is La Jolla’s immense reserve of sea life, which includes leopard sharks, sea lions, dolphins, sea turtles and much more. All of these beautiful creatures can be seen on the La Jolla Seven Sea Cave Tour, provided by OEX Dive and Kayak. La Jolla is a neighboring community of Pacific Beach, so guests of Ocean Park Inn are just a few convenient miles from OEX Dive and Kayak.

The Seven Sea Cave Tour starts with tour guides pushing each kayak through the surf, followed by an exploration of an area that guides refer to as “Dr. Seuss” or “Cat in the Hat’s House”. At this site you can get up close and personal with the beautiful—and most importantly, harmless—Leopard Sharks. The tour then allows you to go in and out of several different caves, continuing to view even more incredible sea life. The trip ends with an exciting opportunity to ride into shore on a wave!

Swimming is not a requirement for this tour, so it is a fun and friendly attraction for all ages. These tours are available year-round. Fall and winter are exceptionally great seasons to explore the caves.  Booking in advance is suggested because pricing online is discounted from walk-in rates. To view or inquire about booking dates and pricing visit www.diveandkayaklajolla.com or call 858-454-6195.

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A trip to the San Diego area in July or August would not be complete without a visit to the Del Mar Fairgrounds.  The Fairgrounds, otherwise known as “Where the Surf Meets the Turf”, are home to the Del Mar horse races each summer.  Not only can a vacationer enjoy some of the finest equine racing on the planet at this great venue, but the Fairgrounds also plays host to some of the best summer concerts on the West Coast.

The Del Mar Horse Races Summer Concert Series includes “4 O’Clock Fridays”, which is a free concert following each Friday’s last race. No one hesitates to buy tickets for these killer concerts, with crowds reaching 20,000 people in size. Artists in last year’s concert series were Weezer, The Bravery, Jimmy Eat World, Ben Harper, Ziggy Marley and more. This year’s series will take place on the new Seaside Stage, which offers a great view of the band, and the Pacific Ocean. Concert-goers will also find that services and amenities are easily accessed from the new venue.

The concerts are free with track admission. If you arrive after the races and have not paid track admission, tickets to the concerts are $20.  Seating is general admission and standing room only.  Concerts start shortly after the last race, so arrive early enough to catch a horse race or two if you can!

When: July 20 – Sept. 5

Where: The Seaside Stage at the Del Mar Fairgrounds

For more information, click here.

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San Diego is the place to be this summer, whether you’re visiting for the seemingly endless miles of sparkling beaches, popular annual events, entertaining street festivals or lively community celebrations. One of the longest-running and most popular summer events a vacationer can take advantage of during their visit is the Summer Pops.  This 10-week musical experience will have any San Diego traveler toe-tapping in the sand and humming tunes for days.

The Ashford University Summer Pops is put on by the San Diego Symphony. It is a yearly outdoor concert series hosted near the San Diego bay, and takes place on a stage built near the scenic Embarcadero. The Summer Pops runs from Independence Day through Labor Day for a total of 10 weeks of concerts. Recent Summer Pops performers include Michael Feinstein, LeAnn Rimes, Ozomatli, Chris Botti, Dionne Warwick, Frankie Valli, Aaron Neville, Wynonna, Kool & The Gang and Burt Bacharach. The Principal Summer Pops conductor is Matthew Garbutt. Every weekend, Pops concerts conclude with fireworks.

The Summer Pops event venue is just a short drive from Ocean Park Inn, a beautiful and family-friendly hotel just steps from the sand in Pacific Beach. Stay on the sand and tap your toes near the shore for the perfect beach getaway this summer!

When: July – September 2012 (TBA)
7:30pm or 8pm (check times)

Where: Embarcadero Marina Park South
near downtown San Diego

For more information, click here.

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There is one convention unlike any other in America, and it takes place each summer in San Diego.  This convention, larger and more exciting than any traditional work-related convention across the country, is widely popular and tickets are highly-coveted. What convention are we referring to? It can be none other than Comic-Con.  The attendees of Comic-Con are fans of sci-fi, film, technology, comic books, and more.  If you are in the comic book or entertainment industry, or simply count yourself amongst the tens of thousands of dedicated fans lucky enough to get tickets to this year’s event, look no further than Pacific Beach’s Ocean Park Inn for local accommodations, and the perfect beach-front escape from the fantastic world of Comic-Con. The hotel is located just a short drive from the convention center, and will be the ideal place to rest after a long day roaming exhibits and attending panels with fellow fans at the convention.

Comic-Con has a larger number of attendees—well over 100,000 and growing–than any other convention in the country. With an Exhibit Hall that spans over 460,000 square feet, Comic-Con has become the premier convention to attend for fans, industry reps, and Hollywood A-Listers alike. Comic-Con 2012 will be no ordinary event, as they plan to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the creation of major Marvel superheroes Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, Ant-Man and Iron Man.

Along with panels, seminars, and workshops with comic book professionals, the convention offers the chance to see previews of upcoming feature films, and even attend review sessions with top comic book and video game companies. Evenings at the convention will include awards ceremonies, the famous Masquerade, a costume contest, and the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival, which showcases shorts and feature length movies that do not yet have distribution deals.

Don’t miss out on the fantasy world of Comic-Con this year! Attend this exciting summer convention in idyllic downtown San Diego.

When: July 12-15

Where: San Diego Convention Center

For more information, click here.

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Hot Chili and Warm Ocean Breezes

Pacific Beach, located in sunny San Diego, is one of the most popular summer destinations for travelers from all over the US, Canada, Europe, Australia and more.  Part of what makes Pacific Beach so attractive to visitors is the array of unique and distinctly San Diegan activities within walking, driving or cabbing distance of this lively beach town.  One such flip-flop friendly activity is the annual Ocean Beach Street Fair, located just a few minutes south of your ideal accommodations at the Ocean Park Inn.

This free festival looks to entertain more than 70,000 visitors in 2012. There will be a tantalizing variety of terrific food vendors available to please any appetite, along with great live music and entertainment, relaxing beer gardens, and a children’s area for the kids. The Chili Cook-off portion of the event will take place from 10am to 3pm as amateur cooks with original recipes compete for prizes, and the title of 2012’s best chili! Attendees who arrive early in the day will be able to taste every chili recipe, so you won’t want to be fashionably late to this particular event.

The Ocean Beach Street fair is free, fun for the entire family, and boasts an appetizing Chili Cook-Off, so be sure to visit the festival when traveling in San Diego this summer!

When: June 23, 10:00am -8:00pm

Where: Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach

For more information, please click here.

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