For only $20, attendees will sample some of the best grub Pacific Beach has to offer. With 26 participating restaurants, hometown and visiting foodie’s alike will be given the chance to devour a plethora of PB’s coastal cuisine—from fish tacos, to pulled pork sliders, and delicoius surf and turf burritos. Your taste buds will feel like they’re on a joy ride!

Pacificbeach.org claims, “What could be better than a leisurely self-guided restaurant stroll set by the Pacific Ocean?” Our answer: nothing! Add in the gorgeous sunset you’ll enjoy after a delicious day of food and ocean breeze, and this event truly offers you the ideal day in Pacific Beach.

Participating restaurants include Bareback Grill, Big Kahunas, California Kebab, Firehouse Eatery and Lounge, Duck Dive, Fat Sals, PB Alehouse, Ciro’s Pizzeria and Beerhouse, Miller’s Field, Chupacabra, Ra-ka-de-ka, Shore Club, Bub’s, Cabo Cantina, Gelato Bus Stop, Liberty Pizza, Cass St. Bar and Grill, Morays and more.

Event proceeds will go back to the PB community in order to keep the neighborhood and surrounding area clean. And while you’re here for the food, stay for the atmosphere at Pacific Beach’s premier boutique hotel, the Ocean Park Inn. Located right on the boardwalk with gorgeous views of the glittering Pacific Ocean, the Ocean Park Inn is the best place to rest after a long day of sampling delicious local cuisine. Please visit the Ocean Park Inn website to view rates for Tuesday, May 21^st.

Purchase tickets online for $20 at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/346235, or get them at the door for $25.

Graduation day is a cherished memory for any parent, and the celebration usually lasts long past the ceremony itself!  With a plethora of restaurants and event spaces to choose from, it can be difficult to narrow down the best place to celebrate your child, family member, or friend’s exciting achievement. Luckily, you have us! We’ve compiled a list of graduation-friendly restaurants that will fill the needs of your pickiest eaters and your most fanatic foodies, allowing you to worry less about the party and more about cherishing the moment. Here are some of our favorite places to celebrate post-graduation festivities:

• The Prado in Balboa Park, 1549 El Prado San Diego, CA 92101

This beautiful restaurant serves up New American cuisine, and rests in the heart of San Diego’s famous Balboa Park.  The Prado is an impressive place to celebrate your loved one’s graduation, boasting elegant spanish decor and a “four star” rating on Yelp.The average price of each dish ranges from $15 to $20 dollars, and the location sits equidistant from all three major universities, making this a great restaurant for a classy evening with family and friends!

• Bluefin Fusion Japanese Restaurant, 4305 La Jolla Village Dr. Suite L-2 San Diego, CA 92122

Located in the beautiful La Jolla village, Bluefin is a wonderful choice for UCSD graduates with a penchant for sushi.  Bluefin is a perfect place for vegetarians, non-fish eaters, and meat eaters alike as they can tailor their menu to fit your party’s needs. Rated three and a half stars on Yelp and with a menu full of under $20 choices, Bluefin Fusion is an affordable place to enjoy a celebratory graduation lunch or dinner.

• Kous Kous, 3940 4th Avenue Suite 110 San Diego, CA 92103

Contrary to popular belief, San Diego isn’t just known for its amazing Mexican food! In fact, there are a large number of excellent Moroccan restaurants available in this Southern Californian paradise, including Kous Kous. Kous Kous is one of the most popular places to go for lamb tagines and pita bread.  Located in diverse and fun Hillcrest, an equal distance from both USD and SDSU, it’s a perfect place for an elegant dinner. Rated four and a half stars on Yelp with all dishes under $20, it is a great pick for a party that wants to explore great new flavors.

• Enoteca Adriano, 4864 Cass Street, San Diego, CA 92109

Located in sunny Pacific Beach, just blocks from the Ocean Park Inn, Enoteca offers authentic Italian food in an intimate setting. Rated with four and a half stars on Yelp and with dishes ranging from an average of $13-$25, it is an ideal place for a party of Italian food lovers and SDSU graduates.

Your graduation party is sure to be a success when it includes a meal from one these four restaurants. But where to rest after a long day of celebration? Pacific Beach’s own Ocean Park Inn is the ideal place to stay for your child’s graduation! Just a short drive to any of San Diego’s famous universities, Ocean Park Inn ensures excellent memories from a wonderful graduation weekend. For booking information visit http://bit.ly/QN1Jod.

The paved streets of this district are transported into the past with an array of artisan shops offering items such as custom made leather gifts, jewelry, and retro candy. There are also a variety of amazing restaurants to try. The best time of year to visit Old Town in May, when they celebrate Cinco De Mayo like no other city in the United States! On May 4th and 5th Old Town San Diego will be celebrating Cinco De Mayo like only they have since 1983!

This FREE celebration of Cinco De Mayo is a fiesta for the five senses! Live entertainment, beautiful music, and delicious food are all things to look forward to during this huge festival. Cinco De Mayo in Old Town is a great event for singles, couples, and families alike. Specialized kid areas are equipped with interactive activities that will keep kids occupied and having fun.  Singles and couples can dance to the inviting sounds of flamenco music or the rocking of Mariachi beats. Freshly made tortillas are available to tempt you along the restaurant strip, and visitors will be delighted to taste the softest and tastiest tortillas of their lives. The best margaritas and tequilas in town will be offered for sipping during the festivities, and an ever-inviting beer garden will surely entice the taste buds.

The festival will take place on May 4th (11am – 10pm) to May 5th (11am – 5pm) and is free to the public. Get there early and celebrate all day long!

Just a short 10-minute drive from Old Town, Ocean Park Inn is the ideal place to stay during this fun weekend.  Never too far from the beach or the events happening within the city, Ocean Park Inn serves as the perfect home base after all your San Diego fun.  For room rates, please call 858-483-5858 or visit http://www.oceanparkinn.com.

VinDiego is a truly unique event which celebrates California’s finest wines and wineries at the beautiful Broadway Pier on the San Diego Bay. There will be hundreds of wines from the best and brightest vintners for attendees to taste and enjoy.  While sipping wine, you can graze on offerings from local culinary masters and artisans, as well as food from most renowned bakers and restaurants in California.

Wine enthusiasts can also enjoy specialized seminars conducted by certified wine experts of Cabernet, Rhone, and Pinot Noir.  These specialized seminars let you sip and swirl the finest offerings in each category as well as learn more about each wine’s popularity and differences in taste and texture.

The VinDiego festival is on Saturday, April 6^th from 3pm to 8pm. Hopeful attendees can buy tickets to to the event at http://www.vindiego.com/tickets/. Tickets are on sale now through April 5^th.  There are different ticket types available, ranging from VIP to Designated Driver. Or get together a group of 10 or more and receive discounted tickets! Located just 14 minutes away from Broadway Pier, Ocean Park Inn is the ideal place to stay to enjoy not only VinDiego, but also all that San Diego has to offer! From the soft ocean breeze of Pacific Beach to the glamorous nightlife of the Gaslamp, Ocean Park Inn is the perfect place to stay during your San Diegan adventure. For booking information visit http://bit.ly/QN1Jod.

The Craft Beer and Food Festival’s Facebook page proclaims:“Come for the beer, stay for the food. Come for the food, stay for the beer. Either way you need to be here!” Sounds good to us–this is definitely a festival you won’t want to miss!  With 30 local breweries, 20 of San Diego’s best chefs, and a variety of live bands, guests will have plenty to indulge in.

“Most beer festivals are all about standing in line to get your taster and then go and stand in another line for another taster. Food is almost always an afterthought. However, that’s not how we do things at the MVCBF Festival” (MVCBF Facebook). This beer festival stands strongly behind the idea that beer and food belong together. And the fun doesn’t stop there! All guests are invited to join the after party at Reef Lounge, where attendees can further indulge in drink specialties and more live entertainment.

Did we mention that this is for a good cause? Each year, the festival partners with Wounded Warrior Homes, a non-profit that houses discharged military members suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. With that, you’re given a fun-filled day of delectable food, craft brews, and live music all for a great cause that we can all stand behind!

The festival will take place from 2-5pm on March 24th. General admission tickets are $35. VIP ticket holders ($50) are granted early entry for tasting at 1pm and will receive a festival T-shirt. All ticket holders will receive a commemorative tasting glass.

To purchase tickets, please visit: http://www.ticketderby.com/event/?id=9428

Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/413611305373861/

The festival will feature the latest films in Latino cinema, from the historical drama Cinco de Mayo: La Batalla to the widely acclaimed documentary Hecho en Mexico featuring Diego Luna! The SDLFF is promising a “unique and exciting film experience to audiences and participants” for this year’s event.

Looking to immerse completely in Latino culture? The SDLFF will span across the border into Tijuana, where the Centro Cultural de Tijuana will present films for the audiences of Tijuana as well.

Keep in mind–the party goes on long past the screenings! Every after party will include free transportation to and from the festival. Join the fun on Opening Night at Café Sevilla. Entrance includes 1 hour of hosted sangria, appetizers, and live music by Todo Mundo. On March 13th the party will move to FLUXX nightclub. Entrance includes a free drink ticket and live entertainment by Styletones. To close the festival, attendees will have the change to attend the “Closing Weekend After Party” hosted at the San Diego Air and Space Museum. Entrance will include a free drink ticket, live music and Dj’s to help you dance the night away in celebration!

After-partying not your thing? Allow us to suggest an alternative: enjoy some of  San Diego’s best Mexican food in Old Town! Hop on the trolley from Hazard Center over to some of our favorite Old Town restaurants like Café Coyote, Casa Guadalajara, or Old Town Mexican Café. Sit back and relax as you indulge in a margarita… or two!

General Admission tickets are $10.50 per film. Students, seniors, Military and MACSD Members may receive a discount. For more information on the event and ticket pricing please visit www.sdlatinofilm.com.

Opening Day is March 7th, 2013. The festival runs from March 7-17 at the Digiplex Mission Valley Cinemas at Hazard Center, a short drive from your favorite San Diegan accommodations at Ocean Park Inn!

For information on room rates, please give us a call at 858-483-5858 or visit http://www.oceanparkinn.com.

With 170+wineries pouring, guests will have a plethora of different of Cabs, Pinots and Zins to taste. The event showcases small, family-owned wineries from some of California’s up-and-coming and widely acclaimed regions. From small label productions, to the rare collectibles, attendees will have the chance to discover some of California’s hidden treasures in the wine industry.

All of the wineries in attendance are small, family-owned establishments, that pour at only a select few events each year. Tasting 2013 gives you the opportunity to meet the vintners and wineries behind the labels, and see first-hand their passion for the craft of exceptional wine making. With over 700 wines to taste at the event, attendees will gain a complete understanding and taste of California wine.

The event is open to trade and consumers. Consumer hours are 3-6pm on March 9th, with tickets available online for $60. Consumers also have the option to participate in a “Reserve” tasting for $85. Purchase online with the promo code “VinVillage15” and receive 20% off your purchase! For more information on tickets, please call 415-705-0646 or email tasting@familywinemakers.org.

Just a short drive from the Tasting 2013 event at the Del Mar Fairgrounds is the Ocean Park Inn, which is the perfect venue to serve as your home base after a long day of indulgence of California’s finest wineries. Ocean Park Inn sits just a few steps from the beach. We can’t think of a better way to enjoy that new bottle of wine then while watching the sunset from one of our ocean front balcony rooms. Sip, sit back, relax, enjoy! For room rates, please call 858-483-5858 or visit http://www.oceanparkinn.com.

On the local front, the bottom fishing should remain steady through the spring until the kelp beds kick into gear and the barracuda begin to show—hopefully this year with bonito as well! Until that time, the usual assortment of tasty bottom critters should keep any angler busy enough and provide plenty of fine table fare. Red rock cod, or red snapper as they are called locally, are the featured target, but you’ll run across plenty of brown rock cod, starry rock cod and a host of other species like cabezon, greenlings, white fish and lingcod. There have been a few regulation changes regarding the number of some of these species you can keep, so make sure you’re up to date on the latest information by visiting the DFW Web site at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/sportfishing_regs2013.asp.

Keep in mind that in this colder water there are a few opportunities for the stout of heart that can produce a true So Cal Trophy. During the colder months, we regularly see schools of homeguard yellowtail–the largest of the species we encounter here in San Diego. Often these fish can run as high as 45 pounds. While the percentages are a long shot, the payoff is huge for those patient enough to try. There are days when the fish show readily, but most days you won’t even know they’re there. On those occasions when they go off, usually with a squid run, the bite should last a few days. Bear in mind there is no way to plan to target these fish with any reliability. If a squid run happens, that’s your best bet, but they are hard to predict. In these situations, white seabass also take advantage of the smorgasbord and fish upwards of 60 pounds are not unheard of.

The other species that is normally targeted this time of year is halibut. Again, it’s a low percentage game, but worth it if you put in the time. Sand bass should begin showing sometime in March as they start their spawn on the local sand flats. New regulations exist for these guys as well, finally protecting a valuable local game fish. Calico and sand bass must now be a minimum of 14 inches to keep with a bag limit of no more than five. Smart and conscientious anglers will keep fewer and release all fish over 16 inches as well. While the fish are okay table fare, they are worth far more as game fish than food.

Offshore the only real option this time of year is blue sharks, which show in excellent numbers even though the water seems a bit chilly. Occasionally you might encounter a mako as well, but they usually don’t show until much later in the spring when the water warms to around 63 degrees consistently. Keep in mind that whales are a common site while shark fishing almost year round, and dolphin and porpoise also make frequent showings as well.

Runs into Mexico to fish around the Coronado Islands will produce the same types of fish, only limits are different. Frankly, the longer run doesn’t necessarily equal more production either, so make your decision wisely. March is generally too early for yellowtail to show in earnest at the islands or the Rockpile and your odds of finding them are better locally unless a bite breaks wide open. Just make sure to ask your captain and crew what your options are before you book and again before you leave the dock in case something changes!

Our season is just beginning, and it will only get better from here!

Contact our Guest Blogger Paradigm Shift Charters by visiting their website, or giving them a call at 619.400.9521!

One of our favorite and more traditional ways to whale watch is from a boat out at sea. We love the Naturalist-Guided Whale Watching Boat Rides, as they feature an expert from the Birch Aquarium at Scripps onboard. With guaranteed whale sightings, guests must reserve a spot ahead of time! To reserve a spot, call (619) 234-4111. Another company we love is Hornblower Cruise and Whale Watching Adventures. With Hornblower, guests are able to combine their admission to the Maritime Museum, the USS Midway, or the San Diego Natural History Museum with a whale watching tour. There’s no better way to enjoy the rest of your day after a spotting whales at sea than a wonderful time expanding your knowledge of the deep ocean blue! To book with Hornblower, visit http://www.hornblower.com/hce/port/category/sd+tours. For those seeking a more adventurous whale watching boat tour, we love the Whale Watching San Diego Sailing Adventure. Sail aboard the America, a classic racing vessel that looks like it was built in the 1800’s! This boat tour guarantees guests entry into the Maritime Museum either before or after their tour paired with a guaranteed whale sighting and no seasickness! Guests are able to bring food on the boat to enjoy as well. To book with Whale Watching San Diego Sailing Adventure, call 800-644-3454.

Speaking of adventure, there’s also an option for those who like to really immerse themselves in the outdoors! Nature lovers can whale watch from a kayak along the La Jolla Shores. As whales are often spotted along the La Jolla cliffs, kayakers get an up close view of these marvelous creatures as they swim beneath their feet. Although whale sightings are not guaranteed, participants are able to take in the beautiful scenery of the La Jolla cliffs in an adventurous kayaking experience they’ll never forget.  To sign up for a small group kayaking tour, you can pay $60 for a single kayak, or $55 a person for a double kayak. To book, please visit http://www.hikebikekayak.com

However you choose to whale watch, let Ocean Park Inn serve as your home base after this breathtaking experience.  Located on the shores of Pacific Beach with great weather conditions and even better views, Ocean Park Inn is the perfect place to escape the cold winter months of January through March. To book one of our oceanfront rooms, visit http://bit.ly/QN1Jod

There is no better way to celebrate Chinese New Year than with this exciting San Diegan celebration. The festival takes place in the Asian Pacific Thematic Historic District of downtown and blocks off 3rd Avenue and J Street. Attendees will have a wonderful view of the beautiful San Diego Harbor while they enjoy sampling different Asian cuisine, and purchasing beautiful Chinese jewelry, art, clothing, and more.

Guests can bring their little ones by the children’s craft area where they will learn how to construct a traditional Chinese lantern. They’ll get the chance to use their lantern when they participate in the lion, dragon and lantern parade later that day. Performers like the Encinitas Ballet Company and the His-Fang Temple folk dancers will make an appearance, as well as other martial art, acrobatic and musical groups. Asian Story Theatre, which dramatizes Chinese folk tales, will be performing as well. Raffle tickets will be available to purchase for a chance to win a prize!

The festival starts each day at 10am and ends around 5pm. The festival is FREE, so bring the whole family! Located just 15 minutes away, Ocean Park Inn is the perfect place to stay for a weekend of cultural fun and relaxation. After the festival, kick up your feet and rest by the waves, enjoy one of the many surrounding restaurants, or take a dip in the hot tub! For booking information, visit http://bit.ly/QN1Jod