Exploring San Diego From Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Are you heading to San Diego and want to explore or go to a game? I have the perfect hotel for you. Sitting on the edge of San Diego Bay, the Hilton San Diego Bayfront rises majestically to the sky.

You have heard it said location, location is everything when planning your travel. From my experience, I cannot say enough about the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel from which to explore.

San Diego Convention Center Nearby

Are you there for a conference? The San Diego Convention Center has a direct path to the hotel, giving you easy access to your hotel room for break time. You will need your walking shoes because the Convention Center is a 2.6 million-square-foot facility.

I appreciated its contemporary design. The steps facing the Bay and The Rady Shell are lit at night—a great artistic touch. Sculptures are abundant outside the building. My guess is that the inside equally displays unique contemporary art.

Petco Park Easily Accessible

Did you come down for a game in Petco Park? Smiling, all you have to do is take the walking bridge over busy Park Blvd from the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Go down the stairs and walk a few feet; you are at one of the entrances. Since our room was on the 24^th floor, I joked that we could see inside the stadium a bit higher.

Take time to Explore the Gaslight District.

Again, take the bridge over Park Avenue, turn left, and go about three blocks, and you will be in the Gaslight District. Granted, we went during the day but were disappointed to see the street taken over by brand venues such as the Hard Rock. To us, it feels like it has lost its charm since local owners of stores and restaurants were not evident to us.

We decided to have breakfast at Mary Jane’s, a restaurant in the Hard Rock Hotel. The staff was great, food was good and plentiful. Fortunately, I decided to head to the restroom and discovered walls covered with music memorabilia that one would expect at a Hard Rock hotel.

Pro Tip: If you are going to Gaslight District, plan to head there in the evening.

The Rady Shell on the Waterfront

What an outstanding venue! It’s like the Hollywood Bowl on a smaller scale, with San Diego Bay as the backdrop. We could see The Rady Shell out our hotel window, so knowing we would have the opportunity to experience it kept us anticipating the event for a few days.

Walking to The Shell from our hotel was easy on a pathway past extravagant yachts docked along the way. Surrounding the entrance are many vendors preparing fresh food being prepared with inviting scents wafting through the nighttime air. The tables scattered throughout the area invited you to slow down and enjoy a delicious meal before the main event.

The Evening’s Event the Broadway Show Rent

We had a magnificent view of the performance in the center and about ten tables back. The San Diego Symphony played the music and performers from the Broadway show, stood in line at the front of the stage, and narrated the storylines.

Frankly, I was mesmerized by the music, the setting, and the appreciation for the fact that I was sitting there enjoying this outstanding performance. I hadn’t known The Rady Shell existed, and you can be sure my next trip to San Diego in the summer will be on my list of places to visit again.

My Room at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront

We parked the car in their garage and didn’t move it for three days. What a joy it is to walk every day in fabulous weather. It’s all covered and safe.

Check-in was simple, and we headed up to the 24^th floor. I appreciate the safety feature of using your card in the elevator to key in your floor number.

I opened the door and smiled—a corner room with two large windows. One view was of The Rady Shell, and the other revealed a panoramic view of Petco Park: a light, bright room to enjoy the beauty of San Diego Bay for our two-night stay.

It had been a long day, so it was nap time for me. I crawled into the comfy bed, and the linens melted around me. Perfect. My traveling partner went to the pool and returned with the verdict, which was an excellent experience with good cocktails.

Dining at Hotel Restaurant Hudson & Nash

We looked good dressed up and headed to the hotel’s lower level. This hotel’s unusual feature is that the restaurants, shops, spa, etc., are on the floor below the main entrance.

Escorted to a corner table with windows on both sides, we felt like we had hit the jackpot. It was a delightful place to people-watch both outside on the walkway and inside as people arrived in an array of outfits fit for a lovely hotel like this one. Plus, it is positioned well for the sunset.

I ordered my usual Old Fashioned and was in for a surprise. Inside the glass was the obligatory orange and an entire stick of cinnamon. (Okay, I confessed, it was so good, I ordered one for a bedtime cocktail in my room.)

Justin Watlington, Department of Head, Food and Beverage at Hilton San Diego Bayfront, greeted us at our table. His pride in the hotel and its restaurants was so evident. They aim to attract dinners from throughout the city to dine on the San Diego Bay.

He sent over an artistically arranged Tuna Poke. Usually, I’m not a fan, but I was pleasantly surprised when I lifted a full fork to my mouth. Wow, I loved it. Sriracha-Miso Marinate, Seaweed, Avocado, served with a Black Sesame Crisp.

Feeling it was one of their unique dishes, and we might have missed it, he also sent over Convoy Wings—sweet chili sauce, toasted peanuts, and frizzled holy basil. He was right. We loved it. Wanting to save room for our entrée, we asked for the rest to be boxed, for we didn’t want one of those tasty morsels to go to waste.

My entrée was Pacifico Sea Bass, and my dining partner ordered Dijon Salmon. Both were done to perfection, and I would absolutely order them again.

Since it was strawberry season, I couldn’t resist ordering a Strawberry Shortcake—light, fluffy, and loaded with fresh strawberries and sweet cream.

Breakfast at Odysea Waterfront Lounge

Alas, it was time to head back to Palm Springs, but first, breakfast at Hilton San Diego Bayfront, Odysea Waterfront Lounge. At the entrance to the dining area, there are plenty of places to sit and work on your laptop if you need to get something off to a client.

As a connoisseur of Eggs Benedict and fussy about the hollandaise sauce, I was pretty sure their Eggs Benedict would be excellent. Indeed, I was not disappointed, and saying it was a plentiful breakfast is an understatement.

Oh, and I didn’t mention that they have a free Beach Bus that transports you to the Hotel Del Coronado at no charge—intelligent people who understand that no visit to San Diego is complete without at least a stop there.

The Hilton San Diego Bayfront is a lovely hotel with a fabulous location. The staff made everything about our stay easy. I am delighted to learn about and happy to share our experience in San Diego while staying here.