Once a decayed, run down area of downtown San Diego, the Gaslamp Quarter has been renovated and is now the epicenter of San Diego night life. During the day, the multitude of restaurants make it the A-List place for dining. Located in downtown San Diego it’s just minutes from the airport with many hotels for those that wont mind the thriving, booming sounds of the many bars and night clubs. Add the thousands attending the San Diego Padres from Petco Stadium and you get a Marde Gras like atmosphere on most weekend nights.
Fifth and E Street mark the center of the Gaslamp Quarter. Crowds from the bars in the evenings and tourist in the daytime make this a wonderful place to start your visit to San Diego. Once seen, it’s not easily forgotten. Rivaling Paris, New York’s Times Square and New Orleans French Quarter for excitement and sheer party energy, the many universities and the sailors of the numerous U.S. Navy installations create a Spring Break, festival like environment.
Visitors will note the distinctly New Orleans – French Quarter, architecture style of the San Diego Gas Lamp Quarter. Though not a success when first constructed in the 1980s, this is a first class tourist destination now especially during Spring, Summer or on days when the Padres play at Petco Stadium. This is a popular place for the nearby San Diego Convention Center, attendees to stay at the many resident hotels and in addition, many music festivals are held at the nearby Water Front district grounds.
Sidewalk dining is big in the Gas Lamp Quarter as you can imagine with the year round warm weather in San Diego. The Gas Lamp Quarter offers many occassion to have a world class meal while people watching similar to what you’ll find in Paris.
A stay in the Gas Lamp Quarter is like staying in the center of a premier tourist attraction. Adjacent to the Gas Lamp Quarter is Seaport Village, the Water Front Distric where the Midway Aircraft Carrier is on exhibit as a museum, and the very near Little Italy neighborhood and other attractions like Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo, Old Town and of course the beaches are only 15 minutes away.