The Business of Pleasure in San Diego
By Joanne DiBona
rec-cre-a-tion n. Refreshment of one’s mind or body after work through an amusing or stimulating activity: PLAY. – rec’re’a’tion-al adj.
The recreation industry is more than just fun and games – it is a multi-billion dollar industry, casting its net far and wide for pleasure and profit. San Diego ranks high as a “playground of choice” for visitors and residents alike, thanks to its agreeable year round climate and diverse landscape which includes beaches, bays, mountains, deserts and rural back county to be enjoyed. There’s endless opportunity for ‘amusing or stimulating’ activities throughout San Diego County!
For many businesses that deal in fun, tourists play an integral role in keeping that business afloat, whether they rent bicycles, camp sites or wet suits. Last year, 14.8 million overnight visitors poured $5.1 billion into the San Diego region, and much of that was spent on recreational activities.
The sunny days and sultry nights of summer draw an influx of visitors to San Diego, which many businesses count on to propel them through the slower winter months. For residents, the outdoorsy Southern Californian lifestyle makes recreation transcend the boundaries of mere play.
The adventure and freedom of biking in San Diego was recently acknowledged in Bicycle Magazine, which once again honored San Diego on its annual “Best Cycling City” list. Thanks to San Diego’s commitment to bicycling infrastructure (bike lanes, racks, access to public transportation, etc.), its perfect year-round riding weather, and its “fanatical devotion to fitness,” the city earned third place (behind Montreal and Chicago respectively) among cities throughout North America with a population of one million or more.
Peddling Bikes for Bucks
Shops that rent bikes are, not surprisingly, largely driven by the visitor market. Bikes & Beyond, on Coronado, rents bikes, skates and surreys (four-wheeled buggies with a roof).
“Surreys are the most popular rental item for vacationing families,” said Tyler Roudin, owner of Bikes & Beyond since 1992. “Bikes are still popular with single people and older couples, while skate rentals have tapered off in recent years,” he added.
Roudin runs another Coronado bike shop, Holland’s Bicycles, which caters to the bike owner’s every cycling need. The big seller at Holland’s is the wide-seated Cruiser, a predictable favorite in beach towns. The highest elevation on Coronado is 27 feet, so a Cruiser with 1 – 7 speeds is quite adequate (and very fashionable!).
By the hour or for the day, visitors take advantage of the cheap prices at Cheap Rentals, Mission Bay for all things wheeled or wet. They reach out to the vacationer on a budget by offering affordable rates on bikes, surfboards, bodyboards, wetsuits, Rollerblades, skateboards, scooters and snorkeling equipment.
“About 90 percent of our clientele is from out of town,” said Ed Nava, owner of Cheap Rentals. “The remaining percentage is primarily locals renting equipment for their out-of-town visitors. We rent fun!” he added.
Yet another eclectic fleet of recreational rentals around San Diego is Wheel Fun Rentals, with convenient concessions at local hotels, Imperial Beach, and Chollas Lake. Wheel Fun Rentals peddles a wide array of wheeled wonders for rent or for sale.
San Diego also attracts visitors who want to ‘get in gear’ by participating in bicycle training clinics and workshops. Three-time cycling Olympian John Howard offers a roster of personal training camps and coaching programs to all ages, abilities and interests. The “School of Champions” also promotes “hydrocycles,” a refreshing new way to get the maritime experience while also getting a great gluteus work out.
Speaking of gluteus, one of the most important accoutrements to the cycling lifestyle is an ergonomic, comfortable bike seat. Lucky for San Diego, a team of local sports medicine specialists put their heads together and designed the perfect, compression-free bike seat. Based on human anatomy and scientific studies, the Serfas RX Series of bike seats will keep pedaling a pleasure for longer than ever seemed possible and is sold at most bike shops around town and across the country.
Oh, Wet Fun!
The most popular tourist attraction in California is the sun washed beaches. Statewide, coastal tourism and recreation generated $1.1 billion in state tax revenue last year and generated 883,000 jobs, according to the California Coastal Coalition.
San Diego County is graced with 70 miles of sandy beaches, many of which have earned national accolades. Earlier this year, Coronado City Beach was ranked the #1 beach for families and overall the country’s second favorite beach by the Travel Channel. Just up the road, Encinitas made “The 10 Best Surf Towns” list in Surfer Magazine. Each of the 33 beaches throughout San Diego County has its own charm, personality and claim to fame, whether it’s for surfing, snorkeling, sightseeing, sunbathing, swimming or shopping.
Surfing is not just for the Internet! There are ample opportunities around San Diego to learn the fine art of riding the waves. The Australian Surf Academy, run by four professional Aussie surfers, helps folks get ‘amped’ for the waves and conquer the ‘pucker factor.’ (Yes, surfing has its own lexicon!) Also ready to aid and abet the ‘board-dom’ factor is Surfari Surf School and the San Diego Surfing Academy. (You’ll be ‘shortboarding’ before the tide comes in!)
An up and coming water sport is paddle boarding. A cross between a kayak and a surfboard, paddle boards are sleek and fast, gliding over the water like birds. The paddle boarder kneels on the board and propels the board with his/her arms. “Stock” boards are 12 feet long, “unlimited” boards are 18 feet long; unlike surfboards, the longer the board, the faster it goes. Some popular brands include “Saltwater Magic” and “Bark Boards” and cost around $100 per foot. This sport is suitable for all ages and training is recommended for entering any of the many paddle board races held throughout Southern California.
Yet another pod of recreational water activities includes sail boats, motor boats, jet skis, waterskis, wind surfing and kayaking. Residents and visitors alike can enjoy these activities with the help of Mission Bay Sportcenter and Action Beach & Bay Rentals.
Clearly, San Diego is an ideal destination for “amusing or stimulating activity.” Recreation on land or sea is good for mind and body…and business.
