If you are looking for a place for a destination wedding, a place to propose or just have a romantic picnic then this is the section you want to read. San Diego is full of those special spots that create memories. Whether along the coast or in the mountains and canyons there are spots that will just take your breath away.
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Weddings and Romance
San Diego is often considered a destination wedding location. People travel from all over the country to have weddings here, and it's no surprise. There are locations everywhere that can make a destination wedding memorable. There are also many fine hotels that can set you up with an entire wedding package or honeymoon cruise.
Compared to other places in southern califnornia, the city of San Diego has a number of outdoor spots where it allows weddings. One of the most popular is Cuvier Park, also called The Wedding Bowl. It is a small park located at Coast Blvd and Cuvier Street in La Jolla. It is located directly across the street from the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art. The park site is about five steps below street level so it is hard to see from the street. It is the most popular spot for weddings along the La Jolla Coastline. Like all locations in city parks, you need a permit and reservation to use this park for your wedding. All up and down the coast there are small parks like this that lend themselves to weddings. Balboa Park has a number of locations that can be used for weddings as well. There's the Rose garden along park Boulevard or the Alcazar Garden near the Prado. Be aware that most of the park areas allow weddings, but not all will allow you to have a reception there.
It's not exactly a location but it is a pretty neat place to have a wedding. There are two faux stern wheelers that run on Mission Bay. They can be rented for weddings and other events. They operate from the Bahia Hotel on Mission Bay.
Coastal Locations for Wedding and More
Some of the other really nice coastal spots include any of the four piers that are along the coast. Imperial Beach pier is the most southwestern pier in the continental United States. It extends out almost 1500 feet into the Pacific. Out at the end you'll find a restaurant. Going north the next pier is in Ocean Beach. This pier is the longest, almost 2000 feet, concrete pier on the west coast. It too has a restaurant. During major winter storms, the pier occasionally has to be closed because the waves will splash over the deck. Still farther north is the Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach. This pier does not have a restaurant, but what it does have is cabins. Yes, you can sleep over the ocean. The first part of the pier is private property and is the Crystal Pier Hotel. The outer part of the pier is public property. The pier closes after sunset, but what a place to watch a sunset. The fourth pier in San Diego is the Oceanside Pier. It juts over 1900 feet into the Pacific.
Torrey Pines State Reserve is just south of Del Mar in the city of San Diego. The over 2,000 acres has eight miles of trails, beaches and a lagoon. The reserve also holds one of the largest groups of endangered Torrey Pines. Some of the trails will take you to a bluff that overlooks the ocean.
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Scenic Views for Weddings and Romance
If you are looking for a view, there are some spectacular ones in San Diego. You can drive to the top of Soledad Mountain. It's not really much of a mountain, only a little over 800 feet high, but it gives you a spectacular 360-degree view. On a clear day, you can see out to Catalina Island, south to the Mexican Border and east to the Laguna Mountains. Also in the city of San Diego is Cowles Mountain. This is the highest point in the city at 1592 feet. It is located in Mission Trails Park. A hike up the mountain is rewarded with views to the ocean and beyond. Still higher is Mount Laguna at 6100 feet. There are many trails in the Laguna Mountains that can reward you with views to the east and the desert or the west and the city.
Hidden Treasures
Now for some of those spots you might not read about in a guidebook. These are places that the locals know about but kind of keep quiet about because they can get over run easily.
The first is in the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve. Los Peñasquitos (meaning little cliffs) Canyon Preserve lies between Rancho Peñasquitos and Sorrento Hills to the north and Mira Mesa to the south. It stretches approximately seven miles from the I-5 and 805 merge to just east of I-15. It encompasses some 4,000 acres of both Peñasquitos and Lopez Canyons. There is a year round stream that runs through the reserve. That is unusual in southern California. What makes it special is that there is also a waterfall. It is about midway into the preserve so you'll have to do some hiking to get to it, but it's worth the trip.
The La Jolla Natural Park is another one of those places that are a little hard to get to, but worth the trip. It sits on the west side of Soledad Mountain and has an incredible view of La Jolla. To get there you take Exchange Place from Torrey Pines road away from downtown La Jolla. You bear right onto Country Club Drive, bear left at the next fork, which is Romero Drive. Bear left again at the next fork and just as the road turns right, you'll see a gate on the left. Park here, get out and walk along the dirt path. Just about 100 yards walk and you'll come to a beautiful overlook. Enjoy the view.
