Gaslamp Quarter
In the historic
Gaslamp Quarter, consisting of 16½-blocks around Fourth and Fifth Avenues, grand Victorian-era buildings are home to more than 100 of the city's finest restaurants, 35 pubs and nightclubs and 100 retails shops, as well as theaters, art galleries, offices and residential/work lofts. When the sun sets, this downtown neighborhood attracts thousands of diners, shoppers, theatergoers, and nightclub patrons. www.gaslamp.org
Hotels
Opened in May 2007, the 159-room luxury
Ivy Hotel features 16 suites, two presidential suites and one signature suite boasting two levels with a spiral staircase leading to a private poolside cabana. Additional features include a personal butler on each floor;
Envy, a four-level nightclub;
Quarter Kitchen, a street-level restaurant seating 180 guests;
Eden, a rooftop terrace and swimming pool, and 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. www.theivyhotel.com
Opened in February 2007, the boutique-style 35-room
Keating Hotel features modern and expressive Italian design by Pininfarina, the world-renowned Italian design firm behind famed luxury brands Ferrari and Maserati. Located in the Keating Building (circa 1890) with a Romanesque-Revival facade, the hotel is Pininfarina’s first foray into hotel design and features a modern and sleek interior punctuated with historic details. The hotel also offers an on-call lifestyle concierge and an underground semi-private lounge. www.thekeating.com.
The Victorian-style 132-room
Horton Grand Hotel, comprised of two hotels of the 1880s, was once home to Wyatt Earp during his seven-year stay in San Diego. www.hortongrand.com
The 282-room
Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter’s most unique feature is its 30 residential-style lofts. www.sandiegogaslampquarter.hilton.com
Offering 64 rooms, the restored late-Victorian
Gaslamp Plaza Suites was San Diego’s first skyscraper when it was built in 1913 at 11 stories. www.gaslampplaza.com
Restaurants
Croce’s Restaurants & Bars, established by Ingrid Croce as a tribute to her late husband ‘70s singer/songwriter Jim Croce, is a local landmark combining live jazz and fine dining for more than 20 years. www.croces.com
With rich mahogany paneling and painted caricatures depicting famous San Diegans,
George’s on Fifth is housed in one of the most photographed historical buildings in the Gaslamp Quarter and serves American classics, seafood and steaks. www.georgesonfifth.com
Visitors can embark on culinary journeys around the world when dining in the
Gaslamp Quarter’s 100 restaurants. Cuisines to be savored include Afghan, Brazilian, Chinese, Indian, Italian, Mexican, Persian, Spanish, Thai and more. www.gaslamp.org
Nightlife
Located in an historic warehouse,
Stingaree is a luxury restaurant and nightlife destination offering three stories, floor-to-ceiling waterfalls and translucent floating staircases leading to a rooftop bar retreat. www.stingsandiego.com
At
Thin, partygoers perch on polished steel barstools and sip Cadillac margaritas in a futuristic setting. In the Onyx Room, located directly downstairs, urban beats move an energetic dance area and swinging lounge. www.onyxroom.com
At
Side Bar, hipsters gather for hip-hop beats and house music, cool cocktails and a laid-back, retro, sophisticated lounge atmosphere. www.sidebarsd.com
At
Café Sevilla, the DJ plays Latin disco and hip-hop music while flamenco dinner shows heat up the stage on Friday and Saturday nights. www.cafesevilla.com
The
Field Authentic Irish Pub & Restaurant offers traditional Irish music, imported draft beer, Irish whiskeys, and award-winning pub fare in a setting that was shipped piece-by-piece from Ireland. www.thefield.com
Arts & Culture/Entertainment
The
Horton Grand Theater is home to the hilarious, long running “Triple Espresso—a highly caffeinated comedy.” www.tripleespresso.com
The
William Heath Davis Historical House Museum is the Gaslamp Quarter’s oldest surviving structure, a saltbox style home shipped around Cape Horn and assembled in 1850 in San Diego. www.gaslampquarter.org/history/thehouse.php
The Shout! House features dueling piano players sitting face-to-face at grand pianos and performing classic rock ‘n’ roll hits from the 50s to the present, driven by audience requests. www.theshouthouse.com
The
Tim Cantor Gallery, www.timcantor.com, features oil paintings, writings and conceptual works of art;
CJ Gallery, www.cjartgallery.com, showcases the work of contemporary Asian artists;
Michael J. Wolf Fine Arts, www.mjwfinearts.com, displays fine art and works from emerging national and international artists; and
Brokers Building Art Gallery, www.brokersgallery.com, offers one of the largest gallery spaces in downtown.
Tours
The
Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation offers a vivid re-creation of the Gaslamp Quarter’s history with a guided walking tour. Foundation guides share stories from the late 1800s when the area flourished as a red-light district. www.gaslampquarter.org
Shopping
Visitors looking to expand their wardrobe can head to Volcom, www.volcom.com, with clothing for the skateboarding and snowboarding youth; Splash Wearable Art, showcasing Indonesian-inspired fashions; Villa Moda, www.villamoda.com, offering women’s apparel and jewelry; Kurios, www.kurios.com, featuring fashionable clothing and accessories; and Future of Style, www.futureofstyle, selling designer urban fashion for men and women.
Guests can decorate their homes with unique pieces from Highlights Lighting, www.highlightssandiego.com, featuring beautifully crafted contemporary lighting; Kita Ceramics & Glassware, www.kitaceramicsglass.com, offering imported wares from Italy and Japan; Avitatt, www.avitatt.com, a furniture and accessories boutique; and Opium Gallery, www.opiumgallery.com, selling exotic furniture and gifts.
Events
Mardi Gras in The Gaslamp Quarter on Fat Tuesday is the largest Mardi Gras party on the U.S. West Coast and features a Mardi Gras parade and outdoor block party with several stages offering live musical acts.
The annual
Monster Bash in the Gaslamp Quarter on Halloween weekend is an outdoor music festival in the streets featuring bewitching live bands and an extreme costume contest.
Occurring Every St. Patrick’s Day,
shamROCK is an evening of Irish food, live music and lucky libations including “green beer” and pints of Guinness.
Future Developments
The
Hard Rock Hotel San Diego is currently under construction and slated to open October 2007. The property will be San Diego’s first condo-hotel, with 420 luxury rooms and suites. Embracing the trademark rock ‘n’ roll attitude, cutting-edge design, 24-7 service, and high-octane nightlife for which Hard Rock is famous, it will feature a signature restaurant operated by NOBU and an ultra lounge and sky bar by Rande Gerber. The two-building, 12-story hotel will also house a world-class spa and fitness center, a state-of-the-art screening room, landscaped outdoor pool deck with private cabanas, 7,000 square foot music venue, retail boutiques, and 40,000 square feet of unique indoor/outdoor banquet and meeting space. www.hardrockhotelsandiego.com
Slated to open late 2007, the 344-room
Renaissance Marriott Hotel will offer a 6,400 sq. ft. ballroom, 3,900 sq. ft. of meeting space, and 7,000 sq. ft. of retail space.
Slated to open in 2007, the
Residence Inn by Marriott Gaslamp will be built around a historic 1900s building and include 185 extended-stay rooms.
