Vacation Report, San Diego, CA: Balboa Park

Vacation Report, San Diego – Arrival, Centurion Lounge, and Hyatt Regency Mission Bay

Vacation Report, San Diego – Balboa Park

Vacation Report, San Diego – San Diego Zoo

Vacation Report, San Diego – La Jolla Cove

Vacation Report, San Diego – SeaWorld

Vacation Report, San Diego – Departure

Balboa Park

Balboa Park… wow, where to start! Well, in addition to being a park, it is a collection of museums as well as the home of the San Diego Zoo! Across a walkway, are two gardens: cacti and roses. Further to the north, adjacent to the zoo is the Spanish Village – a collection of stalls for many artists to display their wares as well as show how they go about creating their works!

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The architecture really blew me away – I love the return to the original Spanish influence to the area. Because of how late we slept in (being awake for 24 hours really takes it out of you), we weren’t able to explore too much our first day, but we picked up tickets to see the zoo as well as museums.

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Thankfully, the rose and cacti gardens have no closing times, so we were able to take our time exploring them.

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Turf Supper Club

For dinner, we discovered the Turf Supper Club thanks to Google Maps (seriously, Google… thank you). Unlike traditional steakhouses, the Turf Supper Club is a “cook your own steak” experience. You select your cuts and you cook it just how you would like it. If I lived in the area, I know I would be a regular here.

Vacation Report, San Diego, CA: Arrival // #KeepClimbing @Delta!

Vacation Report, San Diego – Arrival, Centurion Lounge, and Hyatt Regency Mission Bay

Vacation Report, San Diego – Balboa Park

Vacation Report, San Diego – San Diego Zoo

Vacation Report, San Diego – La Jolla Cove

Vacation Report, San Diego – SeaWorld

Vacation Report, San Diego – Departure

Flight Plan

To rack up some segments and miles to make sure I hit status, I planned a nice round-about route to explore San Diego! By planning for a nice long layover in Dallas-Fort Worth, I managed to take advantage of the Centurion Lounge there. Thanks to Delta’s recent upgrade rule changes, we flew first class on all four flights!

Courtesy of the Great Circle Mapper
Courtesy of the Great Circle Mapper

The icing on the cake? We got to experience the new blankets provided by Westin. Though they aren’t as heavenly as the bedding at Westin properties, it is many levels above the red blankets we know and… …love? Keep climbing, Delta!

Westin in-flight!
Westin in-flight!

Centurion Lounge, DFW

The Centurion Lounge is an airport oasis for American Express Platinum and Centurion cardholders. Though it is located in Terminal D, you can access it from any terminal thanks to the Skylink that joins all Terminals.

From AmEx's Centurion Lounge Page
From AmEx’s Centurion Lounge Page

In addition to gourmet food, there is a complimentary 15-minute spa massage available, which is heavenly between long flights! There are also shower suites and a lot of seating. Though Delta operates out of Terminal E, the SkyLink lets you get to Terminal D quickly.

SkyLink Map
SkyLink Map
The Centurion!
The Centurion!
No trip is complete without second breakfasts...
No trip is complete without second breakfasts…
A nice cup of tea after a massage!
A nice cup of tea after a massage!
6 hour layover? Put your legs up!
6 hour layover? Put your legs up!

Hyatt Mission Bay

From Hyatt.com
From Hyatt.com

I opted to use one of my Hyatt Suite certificates from my Diamond status to upgrade from a standard room to a king-size suite. This hotel features water slides, waterfront dining, a full spa, and spectacular views. Also offered are kayak and jet ski rentals as well as sport fishing and whale tour excursions – ideal for those who need to be on the water!

Map of the buildings
Map of the buildings
Entering the living room...
Entering the living room…
Extremely comfortable couch!
Extremely comfortable couch!
Closet and dresser
Closet and dresser
Roomy bathroom
Roomy bathroom
Bedroom!
Bedroom!
Wonderful waterfront view!
Wonderful waterfront view!