Southern California is known for having more than its fair share of hot spots, from the trendiest happy hour haunts, to hotels and resorts with out-of-the-box offerings that proffer an exceptional travel experience. Here are a noteworthy few that have hit my radar of late:
iFLY Indoor Skydiving (www.iFlyWorld.com) – Starting at $79.95
iFLY is an experiential entertainment company that created modern indoor skydiving, making the dream of flight a reality by giving customers “wings” in a safe environment. iFLY developed technology that provides a stable, wall-to-wall cushion of air in a flight chamber, which provides an incredibly realistic and harmless indoor skydiving experience. iFLY offers great recreation but is also part of a fast-growing sport known as “bodyflight.” They have a program that can help beginner flyers progress in the sport to become competitive flyers. The company has safely flown more than eight million people in 50 locations around the world, including 25 in the U.S. and many throughout the Southern California region—including San Diego (in the heart of Mission Valley) where I, myself, took iFlight. Best yet, iFLY is accessible to just about everyone from ages 3 to 103 and any physical ability, even those with special needs including wounded warriors, autistic, blind or deaf, and those confined to wheelchairs. It’s also not advised for those with back or neck issues. The technology utilized to proffer safe bodyflight is impressive. Inside the tunnel structure, air is pushed down the side of it in Return Air Tower(s) and then directed up from the basement (plenum) through turning vanes. These vanes are filled with chilled water to provide a consistent, comfortable airflow in any climate. After going through the turning vanes, the air goes into the inlet contractor that compresses the air, speeding it up and forcing it into the flight chamber where people fly. The result is an indoor skydiving adventure where the dream of flight becomes a reality!
Eddie V’s San Diego Launches New Happy Hour Menu (www.EddieV.com) – $2 – $8
Another great option for making merry with friends and family throughout the holidays is with Eddie V’s. In San Diego there is a location adjacent to Seaport Village and also in the La Jolla Cove area. The restaurant is very well known for serving fresh prime seafood from both the Atlantic and Pacific as well as fantastic steak and other land items. They’ve recently introduced a fabulous new Happy Hour menu with options from $2-$8 that are great for sharing. There are a bevy of teaser dishes like Lobster and Crab Wontons, Blackened Fish Tacos and Lollipop Lamb Chops as well as some of their signature appetizer items like their famous—and insanely delicious—Jumbo Lump Crab Cake. There’s also various types of half shell oysters done a number of different ways. My favorite is the “Angels on Horseback”: seared oysters wrapped in prosciutto with fig glaze and parmesan. Plus there’s inventive hand-shaken cocktails and wines by the glass for just $8. At all locations, the atmosphere is refined yet relaxed with live jazz and blues music played nightly in their V Lounge.
