Carole Fisher
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Exploring San Diego and Ensenada with Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises is ready to welcome everyone on board, and San Diego and Ensenada have a lot to offer!
I recently had the opportunity to go on a Princess Cruise that left out of San Francisco and visited San Diego and Ensenada. We spent three glorious days in San Francisco before we left. Tony Bennett had it right when he sang that he left his heart in San Francisco.
We went to our hotel, the Le Meridien and dropped off our bags. Our first stop was an hour cruise that went from the Golden Gate Bridge to Oakland Bridge and cruised by Alcatraz. It was a beautiful sight. Then we went to Pier 39 for clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. This is the perfect SanFran combo. Later that evening we went to Sam’s Grill that claims to be the 5th oldest restaurant in the U.S. I am not sure about that, but it certainly had all the charm you would expect from a restaurant that has been around a long time.
The next day was my favorite of the whole trip. We went on a tour that went down the coast to Monterey and Carmel by the sea. I don’t believe I had used the term unparalleled views before this, but it is the only term I can think of to describe the scenery properly. There were rows of artichoke fields, miles of huge waves, and abundant forests. We had a chance to stop at Pebble Beach, and my husband had a chance to see the famed 18th hole. We went to Carmel by the Sea. One word of warning: the tour started at 8 am, and we did not get back until after 9 pm. It was worth every minute.
On Sunday, we rode the cable cars and went to the Ferry Building. The cable cars are a must-do experience. At the Ferry Building, we sat out and watched the Oakland Ferry come in. There are several stores and eating establishments. We were not there for the farmer’s market, but that is a bucket list item.
Visiting San Diego and Ensenada with Princess Cruises
Monday, we left on our cruise. We went to San Diego and Ensenada. This is a five-night cruise, which is an excellent five-day getaway.
In San Diego, we found a pedicab as soon as we left the shipyard. This was a piece of pure luck. Our driver took us down the boardwalk and shared the history of the ships that were docked there. One of the most interesting was an aircraft carrier. It was massive. After this, he took us to Seaport Village. We had lunch at a little restaurant that was built out over that water.
I have to admit that in Ensenada we played it lazy. We had a balcony cabin on the aft of the ship, and we spent the day watching people come and go while enjoying the view of the town. This is a good hint though. This was our first balcony on the back of the ship, and it was so cool. We had a perfect view of Golden Gate Bridge as we left San Francisco plus great views of the cities when we were docked. Perhaps my favorite though was the last couple nights of the cruise when there was a full moon.
San Francisco, San Diego, and Ensenada are three destinations that are pretty close to home which provide a great getaway. If you’re looking for a fun vacation that embraces all that California and Ensenada have to offer, our award-winning travel advisors would love to help you plan your next worry-free cruise. Happy Travels!