San Diego downtown real estate broker

Bob Schwartz, CRS, GRI

Certified Residential Specialist

San Diego, California

Telephone - Cell:
(619) 300-8819

Facsimile:
(619) 229-0048
E-mail:

Click here to email Bob

Bob Schwartz

San Diego real estate broker

Certified Residential Specialist
Promotions Unlimited

San Diego Activities

Air Activities	Airjunkies Paragliding: (760) 753-2664 Air Adventures Skydiving: (619) 661-6671 A Ballon Adventure by California Dreamin: (760) 438-9550; 438-3344	San Diego’s spectacular landscapes, sunny skies, and amazing climate produce a very prevalent sport and recreational flying activity. The Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, Gillespie Field in El Cajon, Montgomery Field in central San Diego, and Brown Field in South County all have FAA-approved flying schools and aircraft rental facilities. Also well-liked in San Diego are hot-air balloons. Only in coastal communities can you take up a hot-air balloon at daylight AND dusk. Many businesses that take people on tours provide amazing picnics or champagne flights to cater to a couple’s anniversary or birthday. Aside from these activities, skydiving, air combat and biplane voyages, helicopter or blimp rides, and even sky sailing are also presented in beautiful San Diego!
Beaches	Coronado: (619) 435-4179 Oceanside: (760) 966-4570 San Diego: (619) 221-8884 Solana Beach: (858) 422-2971	When a visitor comes to San Diego, the most common areas they want to stop at are the amazing beaches all around the area. Serious or new surfers, young and old couples, and parents and children alike can all find the perfect beach for them. San Diego’s 70 miles of coastline invite people of all kinds. Many beaches are patrolled by lifeguards that keep beaches safe during riptides. Those eager to learn more about lifeguarding or surfing can enjoy specific classes that teach technique and different facts about each. Surf and weather reports are available at the phone numbers above.
Bicycling	County Route S7, Palomar Mountain (800) 895-4427	San Diego accommodates very well to the bicycle-lover with bicycle lanes accessible on most all roads and multiple bike paths around the county. Bicycling is also popular along the boardwalks at the beach.
Boating	Oceanside Yearley Sailboats: (760) 722-4940 Seaforth Boat Rentals: (619) 223-1681; 239-2628	Yet again, San Diego’s famous weather of fair winds, sunny skies, and amazing climate creates the ideal site for boating, power-boating, and sailing. There are multiple marinas if you need to rent a boat or even take sailing lessons. The boat-launching ramps are numerous as well.
Camping	California State Lifeguards (Beach): (760) 438-2675 California Park Service Information Center (State Park): (760) 767-5311 California State Park Reservation Center (Fee-paid Beach): (800) 444-4275	San Diego is home to a wide variety of camping spots to choose from; 30 of which have private camping locations tailered for RVs and tents. Whether you prefer camping on beaches, rivers, creeks, mountain forests or deserts, San Diego is the supreme camping spot for you. o The popular Cleveland National Forest contains chaparral, mile-high mountains and coniferous trees. o Anza-Borrego Desert State Park presents the camper miles of deep canyons, desert oasis, and dramatic plains. o The state beaches of South Carlsbad and San Elijo have campgrounds on the bluffs that face the beach. o Cuyamaca Rancho State park is about 45 miles east of downtown and has 110 miles of hiking and horseback trails. o The Palomar Mountain area and La Jolla Indian Reservation also contain several campsites that are admired year-round.
Del Mar Fairgrounds and Racetrack	2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar (858) 793-5555	Probably the most admired occurance in Del Mar is the 375-acre site’s 3 week long Del Mar Fair. The old-fashioned county fair is composed of traditional events such as livestock judging and races, cooking contests, and eating contests as well as popular entertainment and the great time-honored fast food that can be expected from any fair. Though the Del Mar Racetrack presents events throughout the year, “the surf meets the turf” for seven weeks of horse racing during the Pacific Classic race. The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club presents home and horse shows, riding competitions, a Halloween haunted house, and a light show.
Gambling		Gaming If gaming is what you like, Barona, Sycuan, and Viejas Indian reservations can be found in eastern San Diego County, all of which hold popular casinos! The casinos include video gaming machines, card tables, bingo halls, off-track satellite wagering on horse races, as well as restaurant dining with live headliner entertainment!
Golfing & Tennis	Balboa Golf: 2600 Golf Course Drive San Diego, CA 92102 (619) 570-1234 Mission Bay Golf 2702 North Mission Bay Drive (858) 581-7880	San Diego’s renowned “perfect” weather is a golfer’s dream. Possibly the reason San Diego hosts 87 wonderful golf courses is because one could chose a tee time on any day in the whole calendar year and live a golfer’s paradise. Therefore many famous golf tournaments are also hosted in the region.Another year-round sport in San Diego is tennis. There are over 1,200 private and public tennis courts, many of which are bordered by large condominium complexes that provide private lessons. La Costa Resort & Spa hosts the TIG Tennis Classic annually attracting top tennis professionals.
Hiking	Audubon Society: (619) 275-0557 San Diego Trails Council: (619) 563-5025 Sierra Club: (619) 299-1744	Read about San Diego’s numerous parks to fully understand the amazement and wonders available to the outdoor-lover. Many people help the area’s appealing characteristics with guided hikes and trips. Afoot and Afield in San Diego County by Jerry Schad is a good reference with a complete listing of local trails.
Horseback Riding, Running, and Jogging		San Diego is home to numerous outlets for renting or boarding horses and seeing the area’s more rustic places or finding equestrian lessons for the new rider. The amazing climate and beautiful scenery of San Diego provide a wide selection of clubs and popular 5K/10K runs such as the Camp Pendleton International Triathlon and the San Diego Track Club providing coached workouts at Balboa Stadium.
Ice Skating	Ice Chalet, University Towne Centre: (619) 452-9110 San Diego Ice Arena, San Diego: (619)530-1825	Aside from what is probably a huge misconception about San Diego, there is actually public ice skating access year round! Popular sports aside from ice skating are broomball and hockey.
Indoor Sports	Balboa Park Activity Center: (619) 581-7100 San Diego County Parks and Recreation Department: (858) 694-3049	For those of you who like indoor activities such as bowling, bridge, chess, table tennis, and arts-and-crafts clubs, San Diego provides multiple venues. Dance groups such as international folk dance, Middle Eastern belly dancing, Hawaiian hula dancing, square dance, swing dance, and tap and ballet dance provide lessons and parties all around the county.
Inline Skating	Hamel Sports on the Mission Beach Boardwalk: (619) 488-5050 Rock & Roll at the Escondido Sports Center: (760) 839-0796	Close to 80% of the nation’s inline skating industry is based here in San Diego. Famous top line inline skaters featured on ESPN’s X-Games live in North County so it is no surprise that skating has boomed in popularity around the city. Many women over 30 are commonly incorporating inline skating into their regular fitness activities!
Shopping	Horton Plaza – Fashion Valley – Mission Valley Mira Mesa – College Grove – La Mesa - Escondido Bonita – Chula Vista – La Jolla – Carlsbad	One of the most loved pastimes in San Diego is enjoying the numerous shopping venues all around the city. Major malls can be located at all of the above listed locations, with even more outlet stores in Carlsbad, San Marcos, San Ysidro, Alpine and Temecula. San Diego also holds multiple specialty districts such as Solana Beach (off Lomas Santa Fe and Cedros) where you’ll find stores dedicated interior design and home furnishings. In Hillcrest (near downtown) you can enjoy many bookstores. The Bazaar del Mundo in Old Town features Mexican art, clothing and jewelry. Coronado Island is acclaimed for its Ferry Landing Marketplace and Orange Avenue (between First Street and Dana Place) where over 200 stores line the streets. Also, the famous Prospect Street in La Jolla is the “Rodeo Drive” of San Diego. If swap meets are what you seek, look in National City, Oceanside, Santee, Escondido, South Bay, Spring Valley, and the Sports Arena in San Diego. But, if fresh produce is the ticket, visit one of the city’s MANY farmer’s markets where the corn you buy was picked from the fields earlier that day.
Skateboarding	Escondido Sports Center, Escondido: (760) 839-5425 YMCA Skate Park; (619) 298-3576 Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA: (760) 942-9622 Robb Field Skateboard Park: (619) 531-1563	Though it is encreasingly important to realize that skateboarding is not allowed on any school property, malls, shopping centers, parking lots, or on the street, there are numerous designated areas listed above where a boarder or a fan can show off their tricks.
Skiing	Big Bear Mountain Resort, Big Bear Lake: (909) 585-2519 Snow Report: (800) BEAR-MTN Snow Summit Mountain Resort, Big Bear Lake: (909) 866-5766 Snow Report: Toll 888- SUMMIT-1 Mountain high Resort, Wrightwood: (760) 249-5808 Snowcrest Snow Park/Ski Area, La Crescenta: (626) 440-9749 Snow Report: 583-9477 Snow Valley, Running Springs: (909) 867-2751 Snow Report: (800) 680-SNOW Tamarack Ski Resort, Mammoth Lakes: (760) 934-2442 Snow Report: (800) 237-6879	Where else in the world can you enjoy the sunny surf in the morning and the snowy ski in the afternoon? San Diego is only three to four hours away from the San Bernardino Mountains, home consting of Big Bear Lakes. Even though only 135-180 inches of snow falls in the area yearly, the resorts are outfitted with top of the line snowmaking machinery that can provide great snow cover no matter what the weather is. Aside from skiing, Big Bear and Snow Summit are complete with snowboard parks. If it's been awhile since you last hit the slopes, Snow Summit even has one of the biggest snowboarding schools in the state! Mammoth Mountain is the place to go for the Southern Californian willing to drive eight hours. The annual Winter Gravity Games, an exciting winter sports festival, is hosted at Mammoth. Top athletes from around the globe are drawn to California for competition in snowboarding, free skiing, snow mountain biking, and more.
Spectator Sports	Padres Tickets: (619) 283-4494 Chargers Tickets: (619) 280-2121 Gulls Tickets: (619) 224-4625	San Diego is the place to find baseball’s Nation League Champions San Diego Padres and the National Football League’s San Diego Chargers. Charger games are viewed at QUALCOMM Stadium in Mission Valley and the Padres play at Petco Park conveniently located right downtown. The San Diego Sports Arena hosts the San Diego Gulls Hockey Team as well.
Sportfishing	Pat’s Fishing Reports: www.biteson.com Helgren’s Sportfishing at Oceanside Harbor: (760) 722-2133 H & M Sportfishing: (619) 222-1144	Whether you prefer a half-day or a full-day trip, alone or with a group, week-long trips to Baja or short trips closer to home your specialized sportfishing trip is right here in San Diego. Charter fishing boats sail each day from San Diego and Oceanside. Information can be accessed by phone about daily catches. You can also find information on runs of particular kinds of fish such as albacore, yellowtail and rock cod over the phone.
Team Sports	YMCA Youth Sports: (858) 292-4034	Both Children and adults alike have great opportunities to join in the camaraderie and skill-building that is the team sport. To join up in any of the multiple varietes of sports available, phone your local city park and recreation department, school district, or YMCA for more information. If you are looking for a highly competitive team or something fun to occupy your spare time, there is no doubt you will definitely find the right league for you! To highlight the YMCA of San Diego: It contains the biggest youth and family services in the County because of its thirteen branches that each contain a multitude of programs. Every sports program, including indoor and outdoor soccer, swimming, gymnastics, flag football, basketball, baseball, tennis, skateboarding, inline skating, roller hockey, and more, features trained coaches and even character development. All throughout the year, the YMCA offers Sports Camps that involve with specialized training in all activities including even surfing and boogie boarding in the summer!
Water Parks	Wave Waterpark, Vista: (760) 940-9283 Whitewater Canyon Waterpark, Chula Vista: (619) 661-7373	If you or your family is ready for water slides and exciting play structures, these water parks are sure to keep you happy through the summer!
Water Sports		The beautiful lakes, bays, and beaches of San Diego bring in people from all walks of life who are interested in kayaking, swimming, water polo, canoeing and sailing. You can also enjoy waterskiing, wind surfing, fishing, personal water craft activities, and rowing.
Whale Watching	San Diego Harbor Excursions: (619) 234-4111 Seaforth Sportfishing: (619) 224-3383	For a calmer and more placid setting, between December and March, you can spend your time watching the California gray whales make their way down the San Diego coastline. The whales are taking their 7,000 mile migration from Alaska to the less cold waters of Mexico’s Baja peninsula. In Baja they give birth to their newest members of the migration, their calves.
Wine Tasting		To enjoy the social stage of San Diego one can learn about the ways of connoisseurs of wine. With the wineries found in Rancho Bernardo, Escondido and Julian areas of the Orfila Vineyards, many San Diegans participate in wine tasting. Other wineries include: Bernardo Winery, Deer Park Winery, Ferrara Winery, and Shadow Mountain Vineyards so near to San Diego; wine tasting is a very common and fun activity.

City Offers Many Free Activities

Having a good time in San Diego doesn’t always require a lot of money. In fact, many things to see and do here are absolutely free. With 70 miles of beaches, amazing weather and an array of settings country-wide, San Diego offers a fun and inexpensive getaway for all seasons of the year.

Here’s a partial list of free, year-round San Diego activities:

* Head to San Diego’s many beaches, all free, to swim, body surf or hang-ten. Play in the sand, collect seashells or just bask in the sun.

* Visit La Jolla Cove and see the magnificent sunset on the ocean. The cove is a spectacular natural setting.

* See Seaport Village during the weekends for exciting, free entertainment and hours of leisurely strolling and window-shopping. Or just sit in the grass and watch the passing yachts and ships on San Diego Bay.

* Stroll through the 16 ½ block historic Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego and enjoy the renovated turn-of-the-century Victorian architecture, home to restaurants, boutiques, art galleries, specialty shops and more.

* Fly a kite along the vast grassy areas in the Tecolote Shores of Mission Bay Park, a 4,600-acre park. Here, away from trees and overhead wires, friends and family often gather to launch their colorful kites into the San Diego breezes.

* Enjoy free organ concerts and 2 p.m. on Sundays at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. The Organ Pavilion features one of the world’s largest outdoor pipe organs, a San Diego landmark since 1914.

* Bike or jog along one of Mission Bay Park’s numerous trails. Both Joggers and walkers can use more than 20 miles of scenic trails that wind through both sunlight and shade near the shoreline. The paths also have workout courses at planned stations throughout the route.

* Visit the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista for a free tour of the 150-acre-facility, including training fields and tracks, athlete dorms and the Otay Lake Reservoir. Tours are offered daily.

-- San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau

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