Denis T Iwamoto, OD

Romance, music and a dash of history all prove to be the ingredients of the perfect romantic evening when you visit Gaslamp Quarter. Aside from being an obviously hip, lively collection of restaurants, clubs and bars that are part of the district's top-drawer nightlife, it's also a great vantage point to do some fun people-watching.

The Julian Grape Stomp Festa is a great way to spend a Saturday and this year’s is shaping up to be one of our best. With ten local wineries offering sips to sample, a wide variety of food and shopping opportunities, great Italian music provided by Roman Holiday, Bocce Ball Court, a little extemporaneous dancing here and there, this will be a party to remember!

Belmont Park truly has a little something for everyone. It has the distinction of being the only beach-side amusement park in southern California and its biggest draw is the Giant Dipper which is an original wooden rollercoaster. Another popular attraction is the Plunge, a 175-foot-deep indoor heated pool, the largest in the state. There's also Pirate's Cove which is literally a 7,000-square-foot indoor playground. Plenty of places to shop and dine can be found here, too, so make plans to head to Belmont Park and leave happy.