San Diego is 'way
too large a place for the city's name to be descriptive
regarding MudHoles..... For lodging and most of the
entertainment on this page, we mean Little Italy. This
single street of activity, perhaps three blocks long, is
quickly being gentrified into destruction. Go there
before it is too late.
This slightly industrial area on
the side of a hill is wedged between the Interstate and the
airport (note the aircraft on final approach in the
photo).
The area has genuinely been of
Italian descent for along time, but only recently has come to
the attention of the rest of the city.
Alternative lodging might include
the La Jolla Cove Motel 800.248.2683 at 1155 Coast Boulevard
(there is an emphasis on La Jolla, eventhough it is many miles
away -- La Jolla is simply a crowded and small-scale
alternative destination).
| PROPERTY |
LA PENSIONE HOTEL |
| ADDRESS |
606 WEST DATE STREET AT
INDIA |
| TELEPHONE |
619.236.8000 OR
800.232.4683 |
| WEB |
www.lapensionehotel.com |
WHEN TO GO AND HOW
TO GET THERE:
- Front Street exit from
Interstate 5
- Turn right on Date Street,
heading for the water
- Turn right again on
India
The hotel is not remarkable, but
it is modestly priced and it is in exactly the right place to
experience Little Italy. The structure used to house
Tait's Meat market on the ground floor, and then was
re-constructed about ten years ago as a hotel.
| LA PENSIONE
HOTEL |
- "IN THE
HEART OF LITTLE ITALY"
- VERY
BASIC ROOMS
- MICROWAVE
AND REFRIGERATOR
- DORM-ROOM
LIKE, BUT THAT'S OKAY
- WASHER
& DRYER
- LIMITED
UNDERGROUND PARKING (FIRST COME, FIRST
SERVED)
|
This is an area teeming with
sidewalk cafes, coffee bars, real bars, and a tremendous
amount of street activity.
| MUDHOLE-RATING |
|
 |
QUIRKINESS |
 |
ACCOMMODATIONS |
 |
GOOD AREA FOOD |
 |
DIVERSIONS |
 |
COST |
| ATTRACTIONS
|
- COMEDY STORE
(IN LA JOLLA)
- LA JOLLA ART
MUSEUM
- GASLAMP
DISTRICT
- PALOMAR
OBSERVATORY
- OLD TOWN SAN
DIEGO
- MIRAMAR AIR SHOW
(EARLY AUGUST; PART OF "FLEET WEEK")
- HOTEL AT
UNIVERSITY TOWN CENTER BY MICHAEL
GRAVES
- CAVES BELOW LA
VALENCIA IN LA
JOLLA
|
| RESTAURANT
RECOMMENDATIONS |
- ZUCCHERO'S
- MARINE ROOM (IN LA
JOLLA)
- BULLY'S (IN LA
JOLLA)
|
 We last visited
this property in February 2002.
| 
