It is considered one of the most beautiful gay beaches in the US: When you think about “Black’s Beach”, even machotypes like Steve, a muscle guy covered in large tattoos, gets excited. The marine stationed in San Diego comes here often and enjoys hanging out for a few hours on the vast and secluded beach. The natural beach, sheltered by high cliffs, can only be reached via a steep path that leads down from a car park not far from the university. Early in the morning, surfies climbing down the slope carrying their boards dominate the scene, during the day the beach fills up with students. Ater a good 30 minutes walk, you come across masses of gay sun seekers in the most northern part of the beach.

As one of the few official nudist beaches in America, “Black’s Beach” enjoys the reputation of being especially liberated. You can experience the beauty of the Pacific here without the usual infrastructure of beach bars and deckchair rental. To enjoy sixpacks, surfers, show-off – the proverbial Californian beach life up close – you best take a walk along the beach promenade that connects the districts Mission and Pacific Beach. There is only one rule, especially on weekends: see and be seen. San Diego’s gay scene is agreed: you can see the prettiest (hetero) guys of the city in P-Beach. Those who wish to be very close should rent a room in Tower23 Hotel.

The newly opened boutique hotel in the immediate vicinity of the beach promenade is the most trendy place to stay. While you sleepyhead enjoy your blueberry pancake on the balcony for breakfast, the first surfers do their stretching only a few metres away before plunging into the rough surf of the Pacific just a few moments later. San Diego’s beaches alone are worth a trip to the southernmost corner of California. There is a total of 70 miles of beach in the city and surrounding county. Nature lovers can snorkel with sea lions and dolphins in the placid waters off the coast of the wealthy district La Jolla, while pelicans glide past in the clear air.

Other attractions include Coronado Island, off the coast of San Diego Bay, which is connected to the mainland by a vertiginously high bridge. There is not only the traditional Hotel Coronado, which once served Billy Wilder as backdrop for his hit movie “Some Like It Hot” on this sandy island with its wonderful beach. There is also the training center of the Navy Seals, the elite troop of the American Navy. They use the beach mainly for endurance training and often the young, half-naked Marines jog right past the bathers. “San Diego is a casual city and stands for everything that makes up the Californian lifestyle. Joe, a sun-tanned forty-year-old who doesn’t miss the opportunity to swim a few rounds in the ocean every morning before work, knows the advantages of his city very well. As Director of Public Relations for the Tourism Department, he has witnessed the changes within San Diego in recent years.

The once orphaned city centre is now considered a showcase project in terms of revitalisation. Around the historic Gaslamp Quarter in the heart of downtown there are a lot of chic restaurants and bars. New hotels like the W, Ivy or Solamar attract a young, trendy crowd to their roof terraces, for whom to style and coolness is essential and they can find it here. The “Top of the Park” party, on the other hand, is more casual and relaxed. The event on the roof of the Park Manor Suites Hotel for San Diego’s gay scene is the opening ritual for the weekend every Friday.

Outside the lifts of the old house, men queue to enjoy the sunset as do a few hundred others, sipping a beer or a cocktail. As a gay tourist, there is no better place to chat with locals. Joe from the Tourist Office also comes here once and again with his partner. The party is the best place to spread the latest gossip and meet old acquaintances. San Diego’s gay scene is by far not as snobby as the one in Los Angeles. People hear can just laugh at the Hoolywood attitude there. From the hotel on the edge of huge Balboa Park you can quickly reach the restaurants and bars in the gay neighbourhood of Hillcrest. Urban Mo’s is certainly one of the most popular.

Also Rich’s, probably the best gay club of the city, is not far and gets especially busy on weekends. Another hotspot has developed in nearby North Park district. Gay bars like Eagle, Pecs or Bourbon Street invite you to bar-hopping until you have found your favourite pub. Thanks to curfew at 2 a.m., San Diego visitors will be fit the next day to explore more of the city. You should not miss a visit to the biggest city and culture park of the US. Especially the museums built at the beginning of the 20th century in an imaginative colonial style make the Balboa Park a worthwhile destination. You also find the the world-famous zoo here that makes animal welfare its core mission.

The peninsula Point Loma is very scenic and famous for its grandiose view on San Diego bay. A small road passes a veteran cemetery and winds its way up to the 128-metre-high hill that is crowned by the monument to Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo in addition to a lighthouse from 1851. The Portuguese explorer was the first European to reach the west coast of the US in 1542.

A trip to Las Americas Premium Outlets satisfies completely different needs. A good 30 kilometres from downtown San Diego and just before the border with Mexico, the huge shopping mall is an eldorado for bargain hunters. Whether Levis, Calvin Klein, Converse, Lacoste, Ralph Lauren or Tommy Hilfiger – those who want to stock up on some new clothes are in the right spot here. Beachwear of all kind and brands can be found here also.
(Published in Spartacus Traveler 04/2009)

INFO

www.sandiego.org
Official homepage of San Diego’s Tourisms Board with all relevant information for gays and lesbians. San Diego Gay & Lesbian Travel Guide can be ordered here for free.

HOW TO GET HERE

American Airlines offers daily flights from Frankfurt  to San Diego via Dallas/Fort Worth. You can also travel via London. AA offers up to three daily flights from there. Return tickets are available from 508 Euros in Economy and 2988 Euros in Business Class. You can also fly into Los Angeles and go by car to San Diego (about 2 hours drive). www.aa.com/rainbow

A rental car is a must for your stay in San Diego and its surroundings. Avis offers a one-week rental from 160 Euros, www.rainbow.avis.com

HOTELS

Tower23 Hotel (4551 Ocean Blvd.) Luxury lifestyle hotel directly on the beach promenade of Pacific Beach, www.t23hotel.com

Solamar (435 Sixth Avenue) Beautiful boutique hotel with trendy restaurant in downtown, www.hotelsolamar.com

Park Manor Suites (525 Spruce Street) Gay-friendly hotel on Balboa Park and right next to gay neighbourhood Hillcrest, www.parkmanorsuites.com

NIGHTLIFE

Kemo Sabe (3958 Fifth Avenue) Asia meets America. Gay-friendly restaurant in Hillcrest, www.cohnrestaurants.com

Top of the Park (525 Spruce Street) The gay scene meets here every Friday night for cocktail or beer on the roof terrace of Park Manor Suites Hotel, www.parkmanorsuites.com

Urban Mo’s (308 University Avenue) Typical American Bar and popular gay joint in Hillcrest, www.urbanmos.com

Rich’s (1051 University Avenue) Big gay club offering a variety of parties and go-go boy shows. This place is always busy, www.richssandiego.com

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