San Diego information

HOTEL: The meeting will take place at the Omni Hotel. Rooms at the Omni can now be reserved at the conference rate of $179 for a single/double.  You must book by May 26 to receive the conference rate. The following link will take you directly to the BGA hotel website.

The Omni is located in downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter (about a block from the Gaslamp Quarter’s gateway sign), and is in walking distance to the harbor. The hotel website provides of list of restaurants and things to do in the Gaslamp and nearby locations. You can sign up to the Omni Select Guest programs. To sign up, go to: http://www.omnihotels.com/loyalty. This a free benefit. If it’s your first time at an Omni hotel, it gives you complimentary wi-fi in your room. If it’s your second stay (e.g., for those who were at the Omni at the 2014 Charlottesville meeting), it also includes complimentary morning beverage delivery, complimentary bottled water on night of arrival, and—for the well-groomed—complimentary shoe shine and pressing of two items. All rooms at the Omni are large (all are 360 sq. ft./33.4 sq. meters), so there will be plenty of space if you need to share a room.

TRANSPORTATION: Map and Directions can be found by clicking on the “Property Details” tab in the hotel website. The hotel is only 4 miles/6.4 km from the airport. It is about a 14-minute taxi ride.

  • Taxi fares are approximately $16 one-way.
  • Shuttle vans are also available, and reservations can be made online at www.shuttlefare.com. Super Shuttle: $12 one-way; $22 round trip / GO Airport Shuttle $8 one-way; $16 round trip.
  • Bus/Trolley (Light Rail): Take the Metropolitan Transit System bus Route 992 (Blue or Orange Lines) to America Plaza Station. From American Plaza Station, take the trolley to the Gaslamp Quarter stop and walk one block east to the Omni. Bus is $2.25 one-way. Trolley is $2.50 one-way. Buses and trolleys should run about every 15 minutes.

WEATHER: The average San Diego temperatures for this week in June are:

  • Average High: 71º F/22º C
  • Average Low: 62º F/17º C

RESTARUANT & BARS: There are over 120 restaurants in the Gaslamp Quarter ranging from fast food to fine dining. Restaurant information can be found at the following website: http://www.gaslamp.org/dining/. There are also 50 bars and nightclubs. Good fish tacos (almost required on a visit to San Diego!) can be obtained right next door to the hotel at Tin Fish.

THINGS TO DO: The hotel websites has a list of things to do. Some popular options are:

  • Seaport Village, a pleasant area for waterfront restaurants and shopping, is about a 10-minute walk from the hotel.
  • Balboa Park is a historic 1200 acre park with 15 museums and beautiful grounds and gardens. It is a short taxi or trolley ride (stop is one block from the hotel), about 2 miles/3.2 km, from the hotel.
  • The San Diego Zoo is considered one of the best in the world, and its grounds also constitute a world class botanical garden. The zoo is a 10-15-minute drive from the hotel. The trolley also goes to the zoo.
  • Harbor cruise is a nice way to see the bay. Google San Diego harbor cruises for information.
  • Hotel Del Coronado is an iconic, historic San Diego resort hotel, famous as the film site of the movie “Some Like it Hot.” Take a ferry and then a taxi to get there. It is the closest beach area. Once there, beach access is free.
  • The Midway is a retired American aircraft carrier. The ship is now a museum. It is located near Seaport Village.