La Jolla - Welcome to the Jewel City for WCET's Annual Conference
Published by: WCET | 9/9/2010
Tags: WCET Annual Meeting
La Jolla (pronounced la HOY ya), the location of this year’s WCET Annual Conference, is nicknamed “Jewel City.” Best known for its beautiful beaches, upscale homes, boutique shopping, galleries and elegant dining with breathtaking views, when you are in La Jolla you feel like you are truly on vacation and away from it all.
As a native of Philadelphia, even after spending 20 years in San Diego, I still am amazed at the climate here, particularly the “wintertime.” November in San Diego has balmy, sunny days and evenings with gentle ocean breezes—sweaters and light jackets are all that you need to be comfortable, but remember to bring your sunscreen and sunglasses!
I like this user-friendly map that shows La Jolla’s major streets and attractions:
http://www.carolmendelmaps.com/mapsd/clicksd/sd1c.html
Nearby Shopping Centers:
La Jolla Village Square at 8657 Villa La Jolla Drive is within walking distance, about ¾ of a mile from the hotel.
Within close driving distance is Westfield University Town Center (UTC) Shopping Centre at 4545 La Jolla Village Drive
Surf’s Up!
My favorite beach in La Jolla is La Jolla Shores Beach. Besides the nice sand and swimming area, there’s a grassy area for picnicking and at night there are campfires out on the sand. It can get pretty chilly once the sun sets, so pack a beach towel and jacket.
Memorable Dining Experiences Await
La Jolla is known for its fine dining in romantic settings. If you are in the mood and if your credit card allows, three of the most memorable restaurants are:
Donovan’s Steak & Chop House, 4340 La Jolla Village Drive, across from UTC Shopping Center. Selected as the Best Steakhouse in San Diego by Zagat Survey. Honored with the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence and recipient of the distinguished DiRoNA Award for culinary excellence in all aspects of fine dining.
Crab Catcher Seaside Grill, 1298 Prospect Street, in the heart of downtown La Jolla. Fresh seafood in a casually elegant atmosphere with spectacular ocean views.
George’s at the Cove, 1250 Prospect Street, offers three different types of menus : upscale and elegant, sophisticated, modern California cuisine, or casual bistro style. The ocean views are unsurpassed and something you will always remember.
Want to play tourist?
San Diego has so many activities from which to choose; for example:
Museums
Birch Aquarium at Scripps: 2300 Expedition way, La Jolla, Ca 92037. 858-534-FISH. www.aquarium.ucsd.edu.
Cabrillo National Monument: 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Dr., San Diego, Ca 92106. 619-557-5450. www.nps.gov/cabr/.
Coronado Museum of History & Art: 100 Orange Ave., Coronado, Ca 92118. 619-435-7242. www.coronadohistory.org
Maritime Museum of San Diego USS Midway: 1492 North Harbor Dr., San Diego, Ca 92101. 619-234-9153. www.sdmaritime.org.
Balboa Park www.balboapark.org/
Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. The Science Store. 619-238-1233. Mon-Wed, 10am-9pm, Thurs-Sun, 10am-10pm, Fri-Sat, 10am-11pm.
San Diego Hall of Champions. 619-234-2544. Open daily 10am-4:30pm.
San Diego Museum of Art Museum Store. 619-696-1971. Tues-Sun 10am-4:30pm.
San Diego Museum of Man. 619-239-2001. Open Daily 10am-4:30pm.
San Diego Natural History Museum. 619-232-3821. Open Daily 9:30am-4:30pm.
Aerospace Museum. 619-234-8291. Open Daily 10am-4:30pm.
Automotive Museum. 619-231-2886. Open Daily 10am-4:30pm.
Coronado Island
Fashion, fine art, collectables, keepsakes, bike rentals, dining, and the historical Hotel Del Coronado
Gaslamp Quarter
Dining, Shopping, Entertainment & Business Located on 4th, 5th and 6th street downtown San Diego. www.gaslamp.org
Legoland
Legoland Dr, Carlsbad. Park Hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. www.legoland.com
Little Italy
Downtown San Diego’s oldest continuous neighborhood business district. www.littleitalysd.com
San Diego Safari Park (formerly named Wild Animal Park
15500 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido. Park Hours: 9am to 5pm, www.wildanimalpark.org
San Diego Zoo
619-231-1515. Winter Hours October 4–December 9: 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Daily www.sandiegozoo.org/
Seaport Village
50+ shops, 17 unique eateries and outdoor entertainment. www.seaportvillage.com/
Sea World
Park Hours: Winter 10 a.m.-5 p.m., www.seaworld.com
Your visit to San Diego and to La Jolla, the Jewel City, is sure to be a special experience! Come join us at the conference.
Guest Posting from:
Andrea Henne
2010 CatalystCamp Ranger
Dean, Online and Distributed Learning
San Diego Community College District
ahenne@sdccd.edu