San Diego has something for everyone, and when you come to visit us at the Ocean Park Inn with your significant other we know that your individual vacation plans don’t always match up. When you visit us in San Diego, however, there is a perfect package designed to fit both the male and female desires alike: Fishing and Massages.

For the Guys: San Diego has some of the best deep-sea fishing on the west coast. You can go out and catch a multitude of species including Sea Bass, Halibut, Dorado Tuna and Yellowtail. There are a variety of deep-sea charters around the city, including Seaforth Charters, Islandia, and Fisherman’s Landing. We will connect you with the best charter to help you bring in a trophy fish, and go home with another great fishing story to tell around the boardroom.

For the Ladies: While your man is out on the open water spend your time relaxing in the privacy of your own room with one of our amazing in-room massages. Listen to the waves of the Pacific Ocean crash into the shoreline just steps from your hotel room and let one of our massage therapists work the kinks out of your stress-ridden muscles. After your massage, sit back in your robe and top the experience off with a glass of champagne and watch the sunset. When your better half returns home from his fishing adventures you can enjoy the fruits of his labor and head down to the grill to cook up the catch of the day.

The fishing and massage combo is an ideal solution for guys who want to indulge their inner sport-fisherman, and for ladies who enjoy a day of relaxation and pampering. Call us today and inquire about our fishing and massage packages, and we’ll make sure your experience is unforgettable!

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From December to March visitors to San Diego have the one-of-a-kind opportunity to witness one of nature’s most majestic events: the migration of the California Gray Whales. The whales migrate from the Alaskan seas, where they spend the spring and summer, down to the warm water lagoons of Baja California, where they birth and rear their young. Ocean Park Inn is centrally located for either viewing the whales from land, or chartering a day excursion to view them up close.

Those of you wishing to stay dry should

head down to Cabrillo National Monument, one of San Diego’s most picturesque national parks. The monument is located on the southern tip of the Point Loma peninsula and offers a glass enclosed observatory which serves as the perfect lookout for these amazing creatures. The monument also features whale exhibits and a taped narration explaining the characteristics of these animals.

After Christmas, the Birch Aquarium at Scripps celebrates the gray whale season with whale exhibits and educational activities. The aquarium’s outdoor tide-pool area overlooks the La Jolla shoreline and the Pacific Ocean, making it an ideal vantage point for viewing the migration.

For those of you that are more on the adventurous side San Diego offers a number of day excursions for whale watching, and there is an excursion for every level of explorer. If a leisurely luxury cruise is more your style, then check out Hornblower Cruises and Adventures, which offers a 3½-hour deluxe whale watching adventure cruise from December to April. If you are the kind of person who likes to get up close and personal with nature, be sure to schedule a whale watching kayak tour with OEX Kayak and Dive Center. This excursion gives you 2 ½-hours of whale watching action, and takes you on a one-mile paddle trip around the Pacific.

Be sure to add San Diego to your travel plans this winter or early spring because whether you charter an ocean adventure or simply view the whales from a distance, this is one experience you won’t want to miss!

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When you come to San Diego to visit OPI this fall it’s the perfect time to hit the water and go sailing. Whether you are a regular visitor to sunny San Diego, or a first-timer, nothing is more cathartic than setting sail in the bay and cruising out into the open ocean. You will see a vast array of boats while you’re out sailing, from mega-yachts parked in the Marriott Marina to aircraft carriers and battleships that make San Diego a military stronghold. The feeling of the cool fall breeze blowing across your face as you glide swiftly through the waters of the Pacific Ocean is the quickest way to leave your worries behind and escape into a state of bliss.

With an average wind speed of 7 mph and an average temperature of 74 degrees the conditions are consistently ideal for a casual sail. San Diego offers waters that are perfect for beginners looking to learn, and easily manageable for sailing veterans who have been on the water for years.  Sit back and relax with a glass of wine and a plate of your favorite local cuisine and sail until the sun goes down over the gorgeous Pacific Ocean. If you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the infamous green flash just as the sun dips below the horizon. If you’re in need of a vessel to fulfill your sailing desires, check out one of these boat rental spots conveniently located near the Ocean Park Inn:

Seaforth Boat Rentals: 1641 Quivera Rd, San Diego CA 92109

Mission Bay Sports Center: 1010 Santa Clara Place, San Diego, CA 92109

Shelter Island Sailing: 2240 Shelter Island Drive, San Diego, CA 92106

These great shops allow experienced sailors to rent a boat and hit the water, or captain services for those who want to purely enjoy the ride, and even sailing lessons for interested novices looking to get their sea legs. So the next time you’re visiting us at the OPI we’d recommend you pack a lunch, grab your family and set sail on the deep blue!

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A day of rest for the USA, A Day of Surf and Sun for San Diego

For most Americans Labor Day is traditionally celebrated as the end of each warm and relaxing summer.  The holiday is therefore often spent of as a day of rest, a chance to take in local parades, and more.

Labor Day was first celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City. In the aftermath of a tragic event during the Pullman Strike of 1894, the President made it a point to reconcile relationships with the labor force.  Labor Day was made a state holiday in all 50 states by the turn of the century.

If Labor Day is the ultimate summer day for most of the United States, it is only right that it be deemed a day of surf and sun in Southern California.  As it directly follows what is often the warmest month of the year for San Diego, Labor Day is the perfect ending to a long and enjoyable summer.

There is no avoiding Labor Day weekend in San Diego.  The scent of barbecue is in the air, the beaches are packed and there is an overall sense of happiness and relaxation that settles over the crowds. San Diego weather, which almost always cooperates with a comfortable average in the 70’s near the coast, can be relied upon to host a picnic, barbecue or backyard party.  Boasting some of the best beaches in the country, including the sand just across the boardwalk form the Ocean Park Inn at Pacific Beach, San Diego makes spending some time in the sun easy.  For those who want to get outside and put a few miles on their shoe leather, San Diego also supplies hiking opportunities at Cowles Mountain, and family fun destinations such as Balboa Park or Sea World.

All in all, if Labor Day is for resting, barbecuing, surfing or catching some rays at the beach you need look no further than San Diego and Ocean Park Inn.

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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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