A unique Valentine’s Tree greets customers inside Valentine’s Mexican Food in downtown San Diego!
At first glance one might assume it’s a Christmas Tree, but decorated entirely with red tinsel, ribbons, crafted roses and glittering ornaments. With a closer look the truth is revealed. The tree is wrapped with Love!
Chinese New Year is being celebrated this weekend with a festival in downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. 2025 is the Year of the Snake!
The 42nd Annual San Diego Chinese New Year Fair is a free cultural event taking place along two city blocks by the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum. The food, entertainment, lion dancing and more can be found at the corner of Third Avenue and J Street–the center of San Diego’s Asian Pacific Thematic Historic District.
I’ve been under the weather the last couple days, but I found the energy today to walk down from Cortez Hill to experience a little bit of the fun. I snapped these photos.
In the darkness long before sunrise, downtown San Diego sleeps.
I often walk the city streets in the very early morning, when practically nobody is about. There are those times when I have to catch the day’s very first trolley. It can be a strange almost eerie experience. The stillness. The silence.
Here are some photographs I’ve taken during recent night walks.
There are sudden visions behind windows, on sidewalks, rising into the black sky.
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The 43rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade was held today in downtown San Diego. It’s one of the biggest and best MLK Day parades in the nation. Everyone comes together to celebrate unity, equality and the optimistic vision of humanity championed by civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr.
Before the parade began, there was a 5K walk and run along Harbor Drive. Meanwhile, participants assembled in front of the County Administration Building for the big parade. I spotted colorful floats with inspiring messages, school bands and drill teams, cool cars, church groups, local sports teams, politicians, law enforcement, firefighters, and diverse businesses and community organizations who believe in the message of MLK.
The annual paradeis coordinated by the Zeta Sigma Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., the oldest African American fraternity in America.
In addition to the parade, the MLK Harmony Health Festival at nearby Waterfront Park attracted a big crowd. Helpful resources were available to all members of the community, and families were enjoying entertainment, games and a bite to eat.
I walked around before the parade began and took these photographs, as I have in past years.
The first photo you see above was taken from the Maritime Museum of San Diego’s historic ferry Berkeley, which is docked beside Harbor Drive.
The next photo shows 5K walkers…
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
The school’s once drab appearance as seen from Park Boulevard is being radically altered. As you can see from these photographs taken today, a very cool new entrance is being built. San Diego’s oldest high school is being modernized!
The San Diego High School Administration & Classroom Building (Building 100) was an addition completed in 1976, and had all the stark aesthetics of many buildings designed in that era. The building serves as entrance to the campus.
Take a look at what’s coming!
You can see how the new glassy entrance with its cantilevered, sleekly projecting roof will make San Diego High School a new downtown landmark at the south end of Balboa Park! (Yes, the school is actually located inside Balboa Park.)
To learn about all the changes that are being made, and to view a flyover video of the project, check out the design team’s website here.
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
New Year’s Day in 2025 was the perfect day for a long, sunny walk in San Diego. So that’s what I did!
I took these photographs as I strolled from beautiful San Diego Bay to Balboa Park.
Happy New Year to all!
A couple sits at the end of Broadway Pier gazing across San Diego Bay toward many sailboats. It’s the San Diego Yacht Club’s annual New Year’s Day Race.Many people were enjoying a sunny New Year’s Day by walking along San Diego’s Embarcadero.The Children’s Park playground was super busy.Family plays foosball at Children’s Park.A quiet day to fish out on San Diego Bay.A perfect day for friends to throw a baseball on the grass.The big 2-day New Year’s FNGRS CRSSD concert takes place at Petco Park.People enjoy walking through Balboa Park’s rose garden.Yes, a very fine day for a walk.Musician plays in the Plaza de Panama near Balboa Park’s House of Hospitality.Many eyes gaze down into the lush Lower Garden of the Japanese Friendship Garden.A good crowd listens to the 110th Anniversary Concert of the Spreckels Organ in Balboa Park.You never know what you’ll see in Balboa Park!Nearly all of the International Cottages in Balboa Park were closed for New Year’s Day. At the House of Scotland cottage, the door was wide open, welcoming one and all!Another year gone by. The effort to reopen the historic Starlight Bowl continues.The United States flag above the San Diego Automotive Museum is at half-staff on New Year’s Day. President Jimmy Carter passed away at age 100 on December 29, 2024.
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
A large bronze statue that honors Navy frogmen is planned for the new Navy SEAL Museum in San Diego, which is scheduled to open later this year at downtown’s America Plaza.
The impressive statue will stand south of the museum entrance, in an outdoor space that is adjacent to the America Plaza trolley station. (You might recall, how years ago, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego had their Hammering Man sculpture located in the same spot.)
I’m told the diver statue should resemble one now situated at the original Navy SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida, in front of their Memorial Wall.
The statue that is coming to San Diego will stand atop a granite pedestal inscribed with the BUD/S classes that become plank owners of the new museum.
The museum’s Plank Owner BUD/S Class Campaign is presently underway. Those who contribute will become part of a legacy that will motivate and inspire generations of Americans for years to come.
As this webpage explains, the museum is reaching out to the Navy SEAL community. Donations are being accepted of any size to help with the construction of the Museum which will preserve our history and tell our stories to the nation.
Every donation will receive recognition on the museum website here. For those Classes reaching the $5,000 goal, the Class Number will be permanently etched into the granite pillar which holds the bronze Navy SEAL Sculpture.
Would you like to inspire future generations, and help build the Navy SEAL Museum in San Diego? Visit their website by clicking here!
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Looking for some holiday season fun in downtown San Diego?
Look what I discovered today during my walk along San Diego’s sunny Embarcadero. The first ever Downtown Skate roller skating rink at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina!
The 6000 square foot rink has a beautiful view of the Marriott Marina and sailboats passing on San Diego Bay, and features festive decorations that light up in the evening after dark. There are also tasty treats to enjoy like hot chocolate (and that yummy chocolate chip cookie that I devoured)!
Some of the folks working at Downtown Skate smiled for my camera.
Would you love to “roller dance” under bright, sparkling lights?
Looks like loads of fun!
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Did you know that the holiday season television animated classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas received a censored edit due to “inappropriate” language? And that the Grinch’s green color was likely inspired by a rental car?
Those are just two of many fun facts you’ll learn about the Grinch should you visit The Chuck Jones Gallery, which recently relocated to San Diego’s Seaport Village!
The surprising “Did You Know?” display stands next to works of collectible Grinch art created by Theodor Seuss Geisel, also known as beloved children’s author and cartoonist Dr. Seuss.
I happened by the gallery today and enjoyed viewing a wide variety of classic pop culture art, and learning some surprising Grinch history!
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Enjoy these photographs, taken early this morning around sunrise.
I walked through downtown San Diego along Harbor Drive, then on down Martin Luther King, Jr. Promenade, which parallels Harbor Drive. The sun would rise almost directly in front of me behind thin clouds.
You can see how dramatic the blazing sunrise was!
These photographs taken by my old camera are unaltered, except for some cropping. (I’m feeling lazy. Yes, I could’ve sharpened a few of them.)
What a beautiful day! What a beautiful city!
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Cool San Diego Sights! 