Everything’s Waiting For You Downtown
by Lois Alter Mark
photography by Vincent Knakal

When Petula Clark sang her famous ode to “Downtown,” celebrating the fact that “the lights are much brighter there/No finer place for sure,” most San Diegans just couldn’t relate. Although we’re part of the 12th largest city in the country, many of us — especially those living in the paradise of North County — couldn’t find a good enough reason to leave our beautiful coastline and battle the traffic on 5 south to head downtown.

Until now.

Over the past few years, downtown San Diego has experienced an incredible transformation, becoming a real urban cultural center filled with an ever-increasing number of dining, shopping, and entertainment experiences that are attracting residents from all over the county in droves.

“An urban vibe has evolved downtown that just doesn’t exist elsewhere in the region,” says Jack Berkman, president and CEO of Berkman Communications and a long-time resident of Del Mar. “We now have the best of both worlds, being able to enjoy all of North County’s unique attractions and amenities right outside our door, as well as all the things downtown offers in a very walk-able area just 20 minutes away.”

Berkman, who collaborated with the Gaslamp Quarter Association on the innovative San DieGO Downtown campaign aimed at spreading the word about “America’s Finest Playground,” admits that he and his wife get downtown at least six days a week themselves to see a show, do some shopping, or eat dinner.

And they’re certainly not the only ones. According to downtown store owners and restaurateurs, business is finally starting to boom — not just from tourists and conventioneers, but from people who live in the outskirts of San Diego who are beginning to realize that going downtown really is worth the trip.

“Many restaurants are now offering great weekday specials that are hard to resist,” says Lauren Clifford, who works with Berkman on San DieGO Downtown. “Others just have incredible atmosphere that everyone should experience.”

Some of these unique establishments include Café Sevilla, a downtown landmark serving food with a Spanish flair along with free salsa lessons, and Top of the Hyatt, a hidden gem at the top of the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel, which features panoramic views of the city. Rooftop hotel bars like Jbar, a trendy new hot spot on the roof of Hotel Solamar, the East Village’s newest boutique hotel, offer a fresh way to see the sights, with Altitude Skybar at the Marriott even giving guests a peek into Petco Park to watch the Padres.

Clifford is excited that the world-renowned Palm restaurant will soon be bringing its famous lobsters and steaks to San Diego as well, and believes it’s a sign of things to come. “The fact that a restaurant of this caliber is opening here speaks volumes about the city’s changes and the direction it’s taking,” she says. “New restaurants are continuing to raise the bar and attract top culinary talent to San Diego.”

One of these new restaurants, Oceanaire, has already won a number of awards and is earning rave reviews for its enormous portions of ultra-fresh seafood and a dead-on 1940s atmosphere that conjures up images of the Rat Pack. Guests are coming back for seconds and thirds — and trying out other downtown attractions while they’re there.

“Once people become familiar with the downtown area, they feel more comfortable branching out,” says Dan Flores, senior marketing manager of the Gaslamp Quarter Association. “The best thing the ballpark has done is get people used to coming downtown. Now they’re coming down to eat dinner before a game, staying afterwards for drinks, and coming back down on non-game days to do some shopping or just walk around and people-watch.”

According to Flores, the biggest misconception about downtown is that there’s no place to park. “Even my own mother worries about this,” laughs Flores. “But the fact is there are now 16,000 parking spaces available in a two-block area alone. We’ve opened two reasonably priced public garages that are both regulated, so the highest rate you’ll pay is a $10 flat fee.”

Everything you ever wanted to know about parking downtown is available on www.gaslamp.org, where you’ll find insider parking secrets as well as detailed maps that you can print out and leave in your car. Information is updated daily and makes the “where to park” concern obsolete.

And once you’ve parked your car, there’s no reason to move it. San Diego, unlike Los Angeles, is a walking city and all of its main downtown areas — the Gaslamp Quarter, the East Village, and the Embarcadero — are in walking distance of each other.

If you really want to experience a downtown phenomenon, though, treat yourself to a pedicab ride and let someone else’s feet do some of the walking — or, in this case, peddling. Probably the most efficient mode of city transportation, these bicycle rickshaws can scoot through places taxis just can’t fit. Instead of being stuck in a stuffy cab, you can enjoy the beautiful San Diego weather and check out the latest sights while being regaled with stories from your driver. Rates average $5-$10 per person, but be sure to agree on a price upfront.

As activities abound downtown, the Union-Tribune’s online counterpart, www.signonsandiego.com, has added a Gaslamp link on its home page to keep readers informed of the latest news. With just a click, you can find out about events like the Fall Back Festival — the Children’s Historic Street Faire taking place on October 30 — and print out discount coupons for restaurants and attractions.

As more North County residents head downtown to play, they’re also starting to stay. According to Georg Hochfilzer, general manager of the historic Westgate Hotel, the trend is growing for North County residents to come in for the theater or symphony and simply stay overnight or for the weekend instead of dealing with traffic.

“People are treating these trips like mini-vacations,” says Hochfilzer. “The ambience at the Westgate is like that of a European hotel, so if guests don’t have to drive back, they feel they can relax and maybe enjoy a nice bottle of wine and our famous Friday night seafood soiree. They can also take advantage of the city’s exciting transformation.”

The Westgate offers special theater packages, as well as courtesy transportation to such San Diego staples as Balboa Park and the Old Globe.

Ed Netzhammer, general manager of the Omni San Diego Hotel, has also noticed that more and more of his guests are local residents. “On Padres game nights, 29 percent of our leisure guests are from San Diego County,” he says. “The Gaslamp District has a newfound energy and excitement, and San Diego residents now have a reason to make a night out of coming downtown.”

For Padres fans, the Omni offers special baseball packages, which include game tickets and exclusive access to the park via the 80-feet sky bridge. The hotel also offers “A Night on the Town” and a “Drop the Kids at Grandma’s” packages for those who would rather pursue other downtown activities.

In the next six months, the Gaslamp District will become even more accessible to pedestrians as the lamps themselves are moved closer to the curbs, widening the sidewalks and opening up walking space.

So now, 40 years after Petula Clark sang her song, San Diegans can finally agree, “Things’ll be great when you’re downtown. Everything’s waiting for you.”