Hotel at a Glance: Ocean Villa Inn

Situated just steps from the famed Ocean Beach Dog Beach, Ocean Villa Inn provides a respite for humans and canines alike. In addition to dog-friendly rooms, the hotel packs in plenty of pooch-approved amenities, from a dog wash stocked with towels and shampoos to complimentary dog treats for all canine guests. The hotel also takes good care of its human visitors, putting them in well-appointed guest rooms close to the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, the San Diego Yacht Club, and the mighty Pacific Ocean.

• Bring your pooch: Park-Side and Park-View guest rooms include space for up to two dogs at no extra charge.
• Start the day right with a complimentary continental breakfast
• Heading to San Diego? Downtown San Diego and the Gaslamp Quarter are only a 15-minute drive away.
• Room with a view: Many rooms have private balconies or patios that overlook the park or the San Diego River.
• Take a dip in the heated swimming pool.
• Succulent gardens: The hotel’s grounds feature more than 100 aloes, cacti, and other succulents from around the world.

San Diego, California: Historical Attractions and Electric Nightlife in Southern California

San Diego’s sunny, comfortably warm weather and 70 miles of coastline have long attracted vacationing out-of-towners, but the city’s inland scene is no slouch, either. The Gaslamp Quarter is arguably the trendiest listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The area forms both the historic center of town and a hub of San Diego nightlife, with nearly 100 Victorian-era buildings occupied by high-end boutiques, jewelers, and gourmet restaurants.

A stroll through iconic Balboa Park takes you past 17 separate museums, as well as the world-famous and much beloved San Diego Zoo. There’s also the vibrant Spanish Village Art Center, a living gallery where local artists produce pottery, handblown glass, and oil paintings for sale.

Farther north, in Old Town—site of the first European settlement in California—shops in Mission-style stucco buildings sell colorful wrestling masks, woven baskets, and maracas. Nearby stands the Whaley House Museum, dubbed one of the Most Terrifying Places in America by the Travel Channel. Ghosts of former residents are said to inhabit the rooms, which are filled with Victorian furniture, eerie dolls, and squeegees for ectoplasm cleanup.

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