Finally made it & found the way to the statue - very nice up there & lots of homes built since the…read morefirst few pictures from past years - all behind him. Such a beautiful gift to those living here in Rosarito & those visiting. And yes from the road below, his face/head seem smaller than his body, but it's still a beautiful statue.

there is a statue of Jesus in the middle of the mountain overlooking the ocean…read more.. It's kinda funny since the whole area is debaucary haven.

One of my favorite places in Coronado can be found by biking through the quiet house lined streets…read more The houses that have stood the test of time, been renovated to their original glory and the special houses known as historical landmarks. The architecture stands out, quietly waiting to be noticed and appreciated. The Stephens Terry house made my head turn as I was biking by, had to stop and take a look at this historical landmark that's up for sale. "The mansion, a three-story Coronado landmark at 711 A Ave., was designed by noted architects William Hebbard and Irving Gill in 1898 for A.P. Stephens. It was purchased in 1915 as a retirement home by Marshall O. Terry, former surgeon general of New York. Mr. Hansen bought the home at auction in 1950. He raised two families there - his four sons and two nephews and a niece, whom he took in after the death of their parents." Union Tribune Such a treat to find a 117 year old mansion style home! Now if I could only get the realtor to give me the grand tour of the inside.

Very cool area that is walkable from cruise port. Tons of stores and restaurants. I loved the water…read morefountain show which probably only shows at certain times of day which was weird to me like at 2pm then 7pm. Very breezy I the heat made it so refreshing there. The farther you walk away from the cruise port. The better the deals I found.

CITY TOUR STOP #4…read more It's almost like a farmer's market on a different level. The entire area is a delight to all senses. There are plenty of shops to choose from should you have house or souvenir needs. The beautiful ENSANADA sign is situated at the very end. And then there's that majestic flag that weighs over 300lbs - 2nd biggest in the world, according to our tour guide, Alfredo. It was a quick run (given we were a part of a tour group) but interesting, nonetheless. It's one of those places you keep in mind to visit again and walk through at your own pace. There will be a next time.

Sightseeing in San Diego, California…read more.. I don't remember why I had this place on my List of Things To See, but we stumbled across the Historic Alvarado House when we visited the San Diego County Fair on 6-25-23. The person who actually spotted this exhibit is Emmett T. I thought that the house was a functional structure in a residential area, but no... Not now. It used to be - in 1885 when it was sold for $600 to Don Diego de Jesus. Currently, the house is located near the Garden/landscaping contest displays, the Historic Alvarado House was on the edge of the "Blue Zone" of the Fair. The most recent owner of house donated it to the Del Mar Historical Society. Plans are in the works to move the house somewhere else and present it as a museum. We arrived at the San Diego County Fair around 6pm and the house was closed for tours. Maybe if we return and get there earlier, we would be able to walk through the house and observe the contents? Thanks to Emmett (again) for being a great tour guide!

Cute little church located in Tijuana. My uncle lives around the area and every time we drive, we…read morewant to go visit. The Cristo is huge, you can appreciate its beauty from far away and different angles. The way to get there is a little tricky, ask around. But once you arrive there are 2 churches. One for festivities and the other one for misa. There is also a side for prayer. We had fun visiting this place. Also the Cristo is on the back, go around and enjoy the view.

Very little is left of the mission (one of the last to be built). The attached museum, though, is…read morevery good. Much larger than it looks from the outside, with bilingual displays throughout. Very knowledgeable staff, too.

The Desert View Tower, built in the 1920's, offers a stunning view of the Anza Borrego Desert. It's…read morealso currently available on a short-term rental website listed as "Lighthouse in Jacumba, CA"! If you're driving by, it's worth a stop. Free to look around the grounds and giftshop; but there is a fee to climb to the top for the best and most expansive view ($9.50 as of this writing). The tower is next to "Boulder Park" featuring some truly hideous sculptures created by an unemployed engineer during the depression. The boulders are much more notable for what may be cupules created by Native Americans, cups that are carved out of rock as part of ceremonies and rituals. A smattering of animals live on the grounds including chickens and peacocks. Free parking.

I've been trying to figure out what to write about this fun little stop an hour east of San Diego…read more It's a wonderful piece of history and definitely worth exploring. My husband and I enjoyed our visit quite a bit. We paid the fee to climb to the top of the tower and go exploring the boulders on the property as well. The tower interior is home to a magical shop full of antiques and second-hand treasures. The boulders next to the tower are fun to explore and have lots of animals painted onto the boulders in the shapes of various animals. As you can tell we really enjoyed our visit BUT... The one road in and out of the Desert View Tower property is absolutely littered on both sides with (maybe) abandoned motor homes, shanties, and whole collections of god-only-knows-what! And the road itself is like driving on the surface of the moon. I felt like I was driving into a scene of "The Hills Have Eyes" (kids ask your Gen X parents about that one). Seriously... I thought we might be murdered and eaten! But if you're feeling brave, come well-armed, and are willing to pop a tire and ruin your suspension, it's a GREAT place to visit!

When I knew I'd be spending a few days in Escondido, I started looking into all that this San Diego…read moresuburb comes to offer. After checking out TripAdvisor, Queen Califia's Magical Circle Garden stood out. I'm all about art, especially when the scale is impressive like it is here. We stopped by on a Tuesday morning around 9:30 a.m. Make sure to check out their website to see when they're open because their hours are quite limited (Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. when I was there and every fourth Saturday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.). It's located inside Kit Carson Park. I didn't have any trouble parking in their lot and then walking to the sculpture garden. Once you arrive, take in all the artist, Niki de Saint Phalle, created. It's weird, it's cool, and it's trippy all in one. There's some information you can read to learn more and while we were there, there were some members of the non-profit that is involved with the art installation there that told us more about it. Walk around and take it all in. You can easily do it in 10-15 minutes and it's a free attraction. Saint Phalle has other artwork in San Diego, but the Magical Circle Garden, is by far the most expansive one in terms of scope. And the most interesting in my book.

Tucked away inside the massive 285 acre Kit Carson Park, you'll find Queen Califia's Magical Circle…read moreGarden by renowned artist Niki de Saint Phalle. Completed and opened to the public on October 26, 2003, this whimsical, meaningful, and colorful sculpture garden is surrounded by an incredible 400 foot snake wall. Once you meander through the mosaic & mirrored mini-maze, there are nine freestanding sculptures: Cathead Totem Birdhead Totem Yelling Man Totem Bullhead Totem Untitled Totem (Bird on a Square) Kingfisher Totem Step Totem Snake Totem Each totem is something marvelous to behold, and de Saint Phalle's mosaic work is simply spectacular. There are also 3 freestanding benches faced in travertine marble by Pierre-Marie Lejeune that measure from 13-20 feet in length. In my opinion, the standout feature of the garden is the central structure called Queen Califia and the Eagle Throne. It is so beautifully unique, and the space underneath almost feels sacred with the golden egg (former) fountain and the spectacular celestial ceiling. Queen Califia was a legendary black Amazonian who was believed to rule a terrestial island of gold and riches "to the right of the Indies." It is only fitting that this special garden has been erected in her honor. In fact, this is the only American sculpture garden by Niki de Saint Phalle! The garden is surrounded by a locked fence and is only open on Tuesdays and Thursday from 9am-12pm, and on 2nd & 4th Saturdays from 9am-2pm. Docents were available to answer questions today, and they are usually onsite during the hours when the garden is open. This special space is certainly worth a visit, and it would be lovely to pair it with a hike and a picnic in the park for sure. Keep in mind that there is a short walking trail that you need to traverse to get to the garden after you've parked your car, Additionally, you can hike in from other areas of the park as well. Be sure to take a look at the story boards to the right of the entrance facing the snake wall before you enter to gain more history and context for this special installation that we are lucky to have in Escondido. Entry is free and parking is free. There are bathrooms in the park. I took about 20 minutes to peruse the area, and that was enough time for this visit (it was also 90 degrees), but do plan accordingly depending on your interests and needs. Peace.

This is THE MOST AMAZING HIDDEN JEWEL of San Diego County! The History is so very deep,…read moremulticultural, humbling and beautiful. A small remnant of our distant past here in Southern California. You and your Family are blessed to have the opportunity to visit. AND it is just beyond BEAUTIFUL. Peaceful. Deep. Spirit filled and spiritual. Full of stories, ghosts and history. This should be something that everyone in North County knows and Loves!!!! Just a Godsend and Blessing!

This is a a great place to take portraits, the staff is friendly. It's also a great place to just…read moresimply go for a walk and enjoy the nature that surround you.