Tag: gaslamp

Museum of Illusions prepares to dazzle San Diego!

Was that a strange mirage in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter this morning? I don’t think so!

The Museum of Illusions San Diego had its front door open and construction workers streaming in and out. Their building has a brand new paint job and a big Museum of Illusions sign above the entrance. It appears they’re getting ready to open soon!

That’s what their website says, too. Check it out here.

Mind-boggling holograms, optical illusions, rooms that puzzle human perception and play tricks on your mind…

Sounds cool!

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Enormous soccer ball in San Diego’s Gaslamp!

Am I hallucinating? There’s an enormous soccer ball in downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Square!

I spoke to a security guard in Gaslamp Square who indicated the gargantuan soccer ball appeared Thursday and will vanish tomorrow. The gigantic inflatable promotes the MLS 2025 soccer season kicking off yesterday on Apple TV.

Gaslamp Square, located conveniently between popular Petco Park, the bustling San Diego Convention Center, and the iconic Gaslamp Quarter archway sign, seems to have become our city’s small version of Times Square. It’s overlooked by the nearby Hard Rock Hotel. There’s the big MTS video board installed last year. There’s the history of Gaslamp Square being a center of exciting outdoor activities during Comic-Con.

Come to think of it, I remember how, in 2017, a small aircraft was mounted here on a pedestal to promote a Red Bull Air Race over San Diego Bay.

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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.

Feel free to share this!

Year of the Snake in San Diego’s Gaslamp!

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.

The family-friendly 42nd Annual San Diego Chinese New Year Fair is presented by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of San Diego.

The big event is taking place Saturday and Sunday, February 8-9, 2025. Hours both days are from 10 am to 5 pm.

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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.

Thank you for sharing!

Photos of San Diego’s big holiday Pet Parade!

There’s a fun holiday parade in San Diego that seems to grow in popularity every year. The 2024 Gaslamp Quarter Pet Parade was held this afternoon, and thousands converged in downtown San Diego to enjoy the spectacle!

Excited dogs joined spectators lining the Fifth Avenue sidewalk. Costumed dog participants walked up the parade route or rode on small floats, while marching bands from several local high schools performed favorite Christmas music. Students from Eastlake High School, Castle Park High School, Chula Vista High School, and Montgomery High School contributed to the happy pageantry.

I joined the crowd smiling at the dog-gone merry parade! My camera got busy!

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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.

Thank you for sharing!

San Diego, all aboard the Holly Jolly Trolley!

The holiday season wouldn’t be the same without a new San Diego tradition: the Holly Jolly Trolley!

Excited people gathered this morning for a festive ride aboard the original, now vintage 1001 car of the San Diego Trolley.

Today only, the Holly Jolly Trolley travels in a loop through downtown San Diego. Before and after the trip, passengers meet Santa, enjoy hot cocoa, get a trolley Christmas tree ornament, take photographs at a special booth and more at the Gaslamp trolley station.

This year–the event’s Second Annual–seats were quickly sold out, but that didn’t prevent me from walking around the Gaslamp station and seeing the 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.

Thank you for sharing!

Lion dancing meets ballet folklórico!

My favorite part of the annual Fall Back Festival in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter is the dancing.

As far back as I can remember, the San Diego Lucky Lion Dancers have always been followed by Gift of Dance students who perform ballet folklórico.

It’s a very colorful mixture of two diverse cultures!

Here’s a bunch of festive photographs from today! As I upload them, I can’t help smiling!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

Day of the Dead altars on car hoods.

I arrived late yesterday to the Gaslamp Quarter’s Día de los Muertos celebration. The classic cars and lowriders were already departing, so I couldn’t photograph their colorful Day of the Dead hood and trunk altars.

Fortunately the event continued today, so I made sure to arrive early!

Enjoy these photos of touching Day of the Dead altars. They remember and honor loved ones who’ve passed away. The traditional altars attain a unique quality when combined with Mexican American lowrider culture, which thrives in San Diego.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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 colorful Día de los Muertos in the Gaslamp!

Is that the Ghostbusters cool ECTO-1 car . . . with a skeleton and a señorita? I wasn’t expecting to see this when I walked up Fifth Avenue during San Diego Gaslamp Quarter’s annual Día de los Muertos celebration!

I arrived around 5 o’clock, just as all the classic and lowrider cars were starting to depart. Unfortunately I was too late and missed their unique hood ofrendas.

I did observe several static Day of the Dead altars around what is essentially a big street festival. And elaborately face-painted Catrinas. And live music on a stage, and lots of food and vendors and people in a late Saturday party mood.

The very colorful, family-friendly event continues this evening until 9 pm. It returns tomorrow, Sunday, November 3, from 11 am to 6 pm. You can learn more about the Gaslamp’s Día de los Muertos Festival by clicking here.

(I’ll probably swing by again tomorrow, when I go to the nearby Fall Back Festival!)

Enjoy a few photos!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

Creative Halloween pumpkins at Hard Rock Hotel!

The Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter has an awesome Halloween display inside their lobby!

The hotel’s different departments have each “carved” a pumpkin. Their creative efforts fill a large table, and guests are invited to vote for their favorite. The winning department receives a trophy!

I checked out all the great pumpkins this morning. Some are really scary. Some are pure fun. (I like the pumpkin with a spa facial.)

Here come the photos…

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

Halloween creeps into San Diego’s Gaslamp!

Should we be frightened? Halloween has crept into San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter!

I took these spooky (and fun) photographs early this morning in dim light, then in the late afternoon as restaurants and bars prepared for a terrifying onslaught of evening partiers.

Trick or treat!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.