Yes, there’s the beach and surf culture one can find in Southern California. But there’s also a distinctive counter-culture vibe.
Imagine taking a time machine back into the groovy 60s. Hippies. A feel-good, carefree, uninhibited attitude and lifestyle. And all that goes with that.
Whenever I walk down Newport Avenue or along the beach, there’s plenty of interesting sights for my camera.
These are from today–a sunny late summer’s day…
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Another fun blog post full of photos taken while walking around San Diego before the start of Comic-Con 2026. It’s now Tuesday. Tomorrow is Preview Night.
Shop windows, activations rising, exhibitors arriving, a little cosplay–just random images!
Enjoy!
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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!
Starbucks at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront will be home to Willy Wonka and his Oompa-Loompa pals during Comic-Con 2026!
Local artist Shirish Villaseñor (@shirishtheartist) is now painting the windows of Starbucks with movie characters adapted from my favorite book when I was a boy: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!
Willy Wonka, as he slowly materializes, is holding the Golden Ticket! Perhaps you, too, can sample an Everlasting Gobstopper!
I hope no naughty children are nearby!
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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!
The windows of Sweet Things Frozen Yogurt are being painted for Comic-Con again!
Shirish Villaseñor (@shirishtheartist) decorates these windows every year with a different pop culture theme. You can find Sweet Things outside the Hilton Bayfront hotel near the San Diego Convention Center.
For 2026? Images from Mortal Kombat!
Shirish was just getting started today. How many Mortal Kombat characters do you recognize?
Once these windows are done, she’ll be painting the windows of nearby Starbucks with a different mystery theme!
UPDATE!
Next day photos…
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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!
Walking in downtown and Coronado today, I found many signs that NASCAR is racing in San Diego all weekend!
It’s NASCAR’s first time in San Diego–at Naval Air Station North Island to be exact–and you could tell people were excited.
The Coronado ferry was packed to the gills. Race fans were wearing shirts and gear representing their favorite drivers. The Goodyear blimp was overhead. Shops and bars were welcoming those who’d come to see some of the world’s best drivers race a wild and woolly course on the Navy base!
As the Sunday race action came nearest downtown and Coronado, it almost sounded like an F-18 roaring its high powered takeoff from North Island!
I took these photos while walking around…
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I headed to Ocean Beach today. Wandering along and around Newport Avenue, and near the beach, I took these cool photographs. Every walk in OB is an adventure–there’s always more to discover!
How to describe laid-back Ocean Beach? Counterculture meets the beach? A funky hippie paradise? A place where locals, professionals and tourists mingle with skaters, surfers, and stoners playing guitar on the boardwalk near the pier? You never quite know what you’ll encounter!
Some of the best weird sights are in shop windows. There’s a ton of colorful street art, too, which I’ve covered many times over the years. (I did happen upon one awesome mural which I’ll share in my next blog post.)
Anyway, these photos are from today’s sunny walk. They were taken before and after a lunchtime pollo asado burrito…
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Anyone walking in downtown San Diego can see how the city is preparing for another Major League Baseball season. With signs, banners, loads of merchandise in shop windows–everyone is getting ready to enjoy exciting Padres games at Petco Park!
Can you believe it? Last year, the San Diego Padres had the second highest ballpark attendance in all of Major League Baseball. Not only do we have the best ballpark, we have the best fans!
I took these photos in East Village and the Gaslamp Quarter yesterday morning. With a month to go until Opening Day (March 26), more fun downtown sights will certainly materialize.
It looks to be another great season! Let’s make the playoffs and fight for a World Series appearance!
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Have you been inside the San Diego Library’s branch in Mission Valley? The library offers beautiful views, particularly from the second floor mezzanine and the adjacent outdoor patio.
These first few photos are from the Mission Valley Library mezzanine, where there are desks perfect for quiet reading or study. Artistic ceiling supports appear like trees with spreading leafy branches.
One can gaze down at the interior of the library. Aesthetically, it’s quite pleasing. The silvery gray metal and light brown wood makes the space feel very clean, orderly and open.
Now we’re looking from the interior mezzanine toward the outdoor patio. Much natural light comes through those windows.
Outside, the partially enclosed patio is a wind-sheltered place where anyone can lounge in the sun, breathe fresh air, and gaze out over the trolley tracks and the Fenton Parkway Station toward trees along the San Diego River. The grassy SDSU Mission Valley river park stretches to the east, where people walk and play sports.
Wouldn’t you like to hang out here?
Finally, here’s what the south side of the Mission Valley Library looks like from outside. That’s the semi-circular patio up above.
The library building opened in 2002. It has received the award for Best Institutional Design from the American Institute of Architects.
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I took these this morning during a walk through the Gaslamp Quarter–mostly up Fifth Avenue. The Gaslamp trolley station was decorated, as were many restaurants, bars, hotels and store windows.
This year there are even inflatables and Christmas trees on patios and sidewalks. Some businesses are going all out!
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If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
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