A good spot off the beaten path to see the unique reptiles that aren't housed in the House of…read moreReptiles. Its uncovered and exposed to the elements but still with the visit. I like it because the walkways are spacious and you feel free to go at your own pace. Be back soon.

This is another lovely park in 4S Ranch, just north of 4S Commons Town Center.  It has a large…read moregreen space that's good for sports and other activities.  The park is also nice for leisurely walks or a picnic.  One common complaint is that people don't pick up after their dogs even though there are poop stations with bags and covered bins.  Street parking only.

We did the Thank You Run in Thanksgiving morning. We look forward to it every year, a nice easy…read morepath through the houses and park. For so many people it is fairly quiet and peaceful. The amazing folks in the neighborhood come out and cheer on runners and walkers alike and it is just overall fun. A great way to start the morning for sure!

This trailhead is located about a mile further north along Hwy 67 from the main staging area where…read morepretty much everyone starts their hike of Iron Mountain. That route is about a six-mile round trip whereas starting from this point makes the trek about 50% harder and longer. The parking lot was located across from a few houses along Ellie Lane, hence the trail name. Only three other vehicles were parked when I arrived. You start off pretty flat along the property line of these houses, but as you continue eastward and then veer north to begin the loop, the route becomes narrower, rockier, and steeper. The terrain was not for beginners. I only saw three sets of hikers during this part of my journey so it was definitely more isolating than the regular Iron Mountain trail. I didn't make a stop at Table Rock, but there were a few spots where you could get great photos of the boulders on the mountainside like when hiking Mt. Woodson. Ramona Viewpoint was another place where you could pause to admire the view of the landscape to the east. The trail had enough twists and climbing that the roughly three miles before reaching the junction with the main path to the Iron Mountain summit was a solid cardio workout. The ascent to the top was about 1.5 miles further which I had done on a few occasions in the past. There were so many more people on this leg including a couple of fools who were wearing flip flops despite the semi-muddy conditions in some spots. On the way back, you make a right turn northward about 1/4 mile before the main staging area to take the western portion of the Wild Horse Trail Loop back to the Ellie Lane trailhead. I really enjoyed the additional challenge and length of this trail. It felt like two hikes for the effort of one. I completed the circuit of nearly nine miles in about 3.5 hours. If there was a drawback, then it would be the lack of more trail markers. I made a couple of wrong turns and had to retrace my steps to stay on track according to the hiking app I was using. I would rate the difficulty level as moderate to hard.

After spending the better part of the morning coming up with new and creative ways to say "No!" to…read morea Carlsbad timeshare peddler, Mrs. Picante and I really wanted to take a long hike, preferably away from hoards of people. We've all seen the photos of fellow Yelpers posing on Potato Chip Rock, but several reviews referred to how crowded the hike was. Since we were leaving at 11:00 AM, we saw that trailhead from the highway, but passed on it, having read that the Ellie Lane trail--the "secret backway" to the Iron Mountain trail, had a lot fewer people. Parking in the small free lot, we saw only three other cars.... definitely a contrast to the Potato Chip trailhead area and the Park N Ride south of Ellie Lane that also serves as staging for the Iron Mountain main trail. In summary: we were not disappointed! The hike starts relatively flat flanking a small ranch property and a few houses built into the hillside, but quickly turns into a zig-zagging scramble up a rocky trail through the aeons-old boulder field of the Poway hillsides. Recent rains had eroded the trail slightly in a few places, and the cool of December along with the sun tracking lower across the sky left the ground damp-- great, since it can get pretty hot and dusty here in the summer. Plenty of large boulder promontories presented photo ops with the ocean glimmering on the horizon... every bit as pretty as Potato Chip, though arguably not as unique as that eroded land feature. Steady uphill and a quick pace racing the sunset kept our hearts beating well. After a couple of miles, we came to Table Rock. Couldn't connect the drone, and probably not supposed to fly it here anyway, so we kept going. The trail got a little hard to find here, but we recovered it fairly quickly and kept moving towards Iron Mountain. A half mile of downhill brought us to a junction: right to head back towards the Park N Ride, and left to head up towards Iron Mountain. We opted for more uphill, and made it as far as the rock formation at the top, where a sign warns that raptor nesting in the rocks prohibits humans in the winter months. I assumed they didn't mean velociraptors; and besides, I like hawks and eagles and wouldn't want their little babies to jump off the nest ledge on my account. Besides, we were running out of daylight, and had to high tail it back down. On the way back we stayed in the main Iron Mountain trail until the last turn right back to Ellie Lane. We arrived with a little orange left in the sky, and only our truck in the lot. All told, we only passed two other hiking groups: a dad and his kids, and a lone fellow out exploring who was fresh in from Menlo Park. If you're looking for a fairly challenging hike, with plenty of photo ops on big granite boulders... and you'd rather not wait in line to take your picture on said rocks... this is a great place to enjoy some outside time!

This is a safe haven for UCSD students who love to climb. Not sure if you like climbing? Try this…read moreplace out free for the first week of every quarter. Bring a few dollar bills for climbing shoe and chalk bag rentals because they really help! This climbing gym is close to the heart of campus and all the staff are friendly and often avid climbers themselves. The gym itself is not very large but there are enough variety of routes to keep you busy, entertained, and challenged. They'll change up the routes every quarter or so too. The inside of the gym can get a bit muggy and smelly sometimes but really, what did you expect to smell - roses and lavender? They put a big fan on blast to help air circulation and once you're in the gym for a few minutes you won't notice much. Overall, it's a really fun experience in this gym. Beginners should come the first week of every quarter to get their free experience. It can be busy but it's worth. If you're up for it, buy the $50 quarterly pass and the gym will be pretty empty when you go the rest of the quarter. Really nice! Go climb!

this place was fun! how can rock climbing not be fun and entertaining? notice how i said 'fun' and…read morenot GREAT AND FANTASTIC! haha. well, the sport itself is just very enjoyable. but the reasons why i gave this a 3-star are: 1. the walls are shorter. i believe they're somewhere from 20 feet. that is very short. you basically feel as though you took 4-5 steps and BAM! you've reached the top. 2. this place is run by volunteers. so it's not always a guarantee that the climbing center will open, or that it will be open on time. the pluses? WELL.... 1. so cheap!!! only $9.00 for all the gear and climbing for the day (but really you'll probably only stay 1-hour before your grip gives out). this is regular price i believe. not just a student price. 2. they teach you to how belay! so bring a friend! it's pretty easy, man. 3. the walls are short, but they're not that easy. most of them do that forward slant/tilt thing so you really need to muster up all your strength just to hold on. if you're just beginning rock climbing its not a bad place, because it's still challenging enough. and being that its 50% cheaper then other places in san diego, big plus! i think i'll be back soon. yep.

City Parks. We haz them. Terrific ones too. South Clairemont Recreation Center and Community…read morePark is a wonderful neighborhood gem to enjoy the great San Diego weather and maybe some exercise too. We stopped here on a Sunday, and the rec center was closed, but when I cruise by this area, I usually see people using the gazebo and charcoal bbq grills for parties and picnics. This location is where they hold the annual Clairemont Family Day http://clairemontfamilyday.com/index.htm. Upon closer inspection, this large rec center & park space also includes: - A softball field - A full-size basketball court - A tennis court - A playground Per the website, there are meeting rooms, a kitchen, and a kiln room inside the rec center http://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/centers/sclairemont.shtml. Nearby is the Clairemont Pool http://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/aquatics/clairemont.shtml and a Skate Park http://www.socalskateparks.com/park/Clairemont. With so many activities available nearby, there's no reason for kids of all ages to complain about having nothing to do. Just go outside and play!

Well coming to this Neighborhood Park in Clairemont it is not to bad !!! It has lots of green area…read moreof grass and there is an small area for kids to play such as slides and swings plus bars for kids to hang on !! As you walk around there are Sidewalks and dirt plus some areas for you to sit also . But there are grills for you to BBQ also . I noticed there are quite a few gophers here at this park as you can see patches of dirt where they cover up there holes . But the parking is kind of small here and you might have to park on the side street . But here at this park there are Tennis Courts and a Basketball court also which is not so bad but it is painted in blue and gray . I shall say this park is for everyone and good for jogging and a walk . Also lots of kids come here to play on the playground. I suggest you take a look and see for yourself !! Overall it's an decent park and I can see myself coming back here to relax !!

Another great San Diego neighborhood park. I've driven by it several times and finally stopped to…read morecheck it out. The park is well maintained, complete with restrooms. There is a playground area for younger children, as well as picnic areas with tables and barbecues. The park offers off-street parking. Need for for a picnic, Pacific Highlands Ranch.

Great neighborhood park! It offers a nice playground for the little one. One for the young ems and…read moreone for the preteens. Next to the playground equipment there's a half court basketball court.You'll find several areas with picnic tables and BBQ stations. I liked the walkway that skirts the perimeter of the park which is perfect for walking, running, and for teaching the young to ride. I only spotted one drinking fountain near the restrooms. Speaking of the restrooms, they were in very good condition and most importantly, clean. Being winter, the grass was a little dull but healthy and cut to a very good level for playing about.

Great moderate hike! There are several trails to choose from, but the one we did was just over 3…read moremiles with over 800 ft of elevation gain. The trail is well maintained and rewards you with a beautiful panoramic view of Poway.

Short and sweet out-and-back trail. ~1.9 miles total, can finish in about an hour. Start in…read moreSilverset Park where there's a nice parking lot, a bathroom and a lot of families walking around. The hike itself is very quiet, I was expecting bigger crowds on a Sunday afternoon with beautiful weather but only ran into 2 solo hikers the entire trail. This could be a pro or a con depending on if you're seeking solitude or have some concerns about safety (e.g. a female solo hiker), but the area itself feels extremely peaceful and safe and embedded in a lovely suburban neighborhood. I also had cell service the whole time on this trail too which was nice. Gets steeper closer to the top and might have to climb over a good number of rocks (some of which are a bit loose) but nothing that you can't handle with a good pair of hiking shoes and a bit of caution. Agree with the other posted reviews that there's a network of trails that is not super well labeled and the signs are not helpful. Still, you can see the summit from the trail pretty much the entire time and that helped me orient myself, just choose the path leading in the direction of that summit. Great workout, views at the top are beautiful and completely worth it!

Great neighborhood park. -Lots of shade throughout the day…read more-Nice play structure and swings, wood chip bedding -Large well kept lawn for activities -Stage kiddos love to play on -Water fountain on the west end -Surrounded by large euc Keep in mind there are no bathrooms. But there is a Starbucks and a Vons at the top of the hill. I recommend stopping there for a drink and potty break before visiting the park.

SOOO beautiful. My best friend and I discovered this park today and it is so peaceful and has tons…read moreof shade. Such a friendly environment..