Free Concerts

Today I went to Kit Carson Park, and experienced Queen Califia's Magical Circle, which was amazing. But I don't want to take the time to upload those photos now, so I am going to post about something that I did last summer, which was going to lots of free concerts! They should be starting again soon, now that summer is approaching. I don't remember exactly which parks I went to for the concerts, but I will list them if I remember, with each photo. Here they are! (All the photos were taken with my phone, not my normal camera, so they're not very high quality)

This was the La Jolla Riford Branch Library, on a Sunday afternoon. It was a youth concert, with 3 youth who had won awards for their music. There was piano and cello, and it was quite amazing. I think the libraries have events year-round, you just have to look for them. 

Speaking of library concerts, this was a hula performance (kind of like a concert) at the North Clairemont Branch Library in February. The North Clairemont branch is my normal library, and they seem to have concerts or performances about once per month, on at Tuesday or Wednesday at 6:30. They're really great!

This was part of the Twilight in the Park concert series, in Balboa Park. I think I went to 4 or 5 of these concerts (on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays all throughout the summer) but I guess I only took pictures at one of them. 

I just found out I can add a caption! Well, this photo as well as the one below are from a movie in the park night , in Ocean Beach. I don't remember the name of the park. We watched We Bought a Zoo. 

Other concerts I went to in Summer 2012:

• Point Loma Park (it was huge!)
• Kate Sessions Park (La Jolla/PB)
• Bird Park (North Park)
• Pioneer Park (Mission Hills)
• Coronado Concerts in the Park (Spreckels Park- the one in the center, along Orange Ave.)
• Coronado Ferry Landing (this was more like people playing music for people to listen to as they shop/eat/walk, as opposed to a real concert, but there was a small grassy area to sit and listen)

This summer, I want to go to even more!! 

If you want to find free summer concerts all over San Diego County, just google "Free concerts San Diego" or something similar. You can also try "free summer movies in San Diego." I know Balboa Park has movie nights in the summer, hosted by the Museum of Art (I think).

Remember to bring a blanket or seat, a jacket, and snacks!

Completed Items

Here are some of the things that would be on my bucket list, but I already did them. I will probably post about those things when I have time, particularly because I'm mostly only going to complete the items on weekends, and it'll be more exciting if I don't make only one or two posts per week. At the rate I'm going, though, that may not be something I should worry about :-).

• Zoo
• Safari Park
• Beaches: Torrey Pines, La Jolla Shores, La Jolla Cove, Pacific Beach, Mission Bay, Ocean Beach, Sunset Cliffs, Coronado
• Free Summer Concerts/Movies: OB, Kate Sessions, Point Loma, Pioneer Park, Bird Park
• Twilight in the Park (concerts at Balboa Park)
• Organ Concerts (Balboa Park) (didn't take photos)
• December Nights
• EarthFair
• sdNAT
• San Diego Museum of Art (no photos allowed)
• Timken Museum (didn't take photos)
• Museum of Contemporary Art: La Jolla and Downtown
• Japanese Friendship Garden
• Mingei International Museum
• Museum of the Living Artist at SDAI (I don't think I took photos)
• Reuben H. Fleet Science Museum (didn't take photos)
• Museum of Man (didn't take photos)
• International Cottages (didn't take photos)
• Air and Space Museum
• Hall of Champions (didn't take photos)
• Automotive Museum
• Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater (didn't take photos)
• Museum of Photographic Arts (no photos allowed)
• San Diego Historical Center
• San Diego Botanical Building (Balboa park)
• Model Railroad Museum
• San Diego Archaeological Center
• San Diego Chinese Historical Museum
• New Children's Museum
• Farmer's Markets: I've been to 2, but not sure which ones. I still want to go to the OB one. (didn't take photos)
• Cabrillo National Monument, Lighthouse and Tidepools
• Mt. Soledad Memorial Cross
• Torrey Pines hiking
• Christmas Lights in Clairemont

The List

Here is my preliminary Bucket List. I got most of the ideas from the website Hiddensandiego.net, and I hope emeraldrain doesn't mind me using her ideas (I figure that's what she made the site for anyway). I then supplemented with ideas from the San Diego Family free magazines, particularly the one called "Out & About: 380+ Fun Family Adventures," as well as a little bit from the AAA Westways magazine. I will probably add to it as I find out about new ideas. If anyone knows specifically about slides in San Diego (like playground slides, but cool ones, specifically super-long slides, concrete slides, and slides that go down hillsides), let me know and I will definitely add it to my list. Here goes:

Hiking/Nature

• XBlue Sky Reserve
• #Mt. Woodson
• XElfin Forest
• #Devil’s Punchbowl/Cedar Creek Falls
• Los Peñasquitos Canyon (easy)
• XHo Chi Minh trail
• #Kit Carson Park (hiking, and feed ducks?)
• XBlack Mountain trail
• #Golden Hill Park (part of Balboa Park)
• XPalomar Observatory (and trail)
• #Bridle Trail in Balboa Park
• #Palm Canyon in Balboa Park
• Adobe Falls in Mission Valley
• ?Old Pomerado Road
• #Old Mission Dam
• ?Stonewall Mine
• ?Lake Hodges (incl. bridge)
• #Webb Park (ducks & scooter)
• #Mission Trails Regional Park
• #Lake Miramar/Miramar Reservoir
• *Double Peak Park (San Marcos)

Museums/Paid places

• #Tijuana River National Estuary
• #Living Coast Discovery Center (Chula Vista Nature Center)
• #Carlsbad Flower fields (march-mid may)
• #Old Town museums (esp. Mason Schoolhouse)
• Marston House & Gardens
• ?Lavender Fields (free)
• #Mission Basilica San Diego de Acala
• #San Diego Botanic Garden ($12 or $8 plus $2 parking)
• ?Sunny Jim Cave ($4)
• #Water Conservation Garden (free)
• #World Beat Center (Balboa Park)
• #Map and Atlas Museum of La Jolla
• Women’s Museum (Pt. Loma)
• ?Whaley House (Old Town)
• ?California Wolf Center
• ?William Heath Davis House
• XMonarch Program Butterfly Vivarium
• ?San Diego Firehouse Museum
• ?Maritime Museum
• ?Midway Museum

Just to Look Around

• #Santa Fe Train Depot (Amtrak)
• Grant Hotel
• *Hotel del Coronado
• Point Loma University
• #UCSD grounds
• San Diego State grounds
• #Heritage Park Victorian Village (Old Town)
• ?Murphy Canyon
• XGalleta Meadows (metal sculptures)
• #25^th St. Musical Bridge
• #U.S. Olympic Training Center
• Martin Luther King Jr. Promenade

Day trips (multiple or extended activities)

• #Julian: apples and Eagle/ High Peak Mine
• Leo Carillo Ranch and Rancho Carillo trail
• Mushroom Beach (add to Beach Walk)
• #Presidio Park (trails and historic places)
• Rancho Peñasquitos waterfall hike and other stuff
• ?Warner Springs County
• ?Old Poway Park

Other

• #Ocean Beach Farmer’s Market
• #Maple Canyon (bridges)
• Blue Sky Ranch
• #Chicano Park
• #Queen Califa’s Magical Circle (Kit Carson Park)
• #Santee Drive-in theater
• #South Bay Drive-in theater
• ?Sunset Park (San Marcos)
• #Suspension Bridge (Banker’s Hill)
• #Topiary Garden 3549 Union St.
• Washington St. Skatepark
• #Grape Day Park
• XWriterz Blok
• ?Mt. Helix
• *Coronado Public Art Walking Tour
• #Tweet Street park 

*=I really want to do this

?=I might not really care to do this
#= I did it!
X= I decided not to try (probably because of distance, or difficulty)

I should probably number it... but then it'd mess up the categories if I were to add more. Hmmmmm.... Well, there it is for now! We'll see how much I can do in a year!