In the online San Diegosphere, the buzz surrounding Point Loma's new Liberty Station developments is hard to overlook.
Formerly a Naval Training Center, Liberty Station is already one of San Diego's most promising tourism destinations. Within the next few years, Liberty Station is going to become a distinctive festival of San Diego delights.
Among Liberty Station's upcoming attractions:
Be prepared for some begging from the wee ones: the world's first Nickelodeon Resort, owned by Marriott, will open in Liberty Station. Expect a vivacious hotel slash amusement park, complete with Nickelodeon-themed water rides. Also expect life-sized versions of - Nickelodeon characters like Dora the Explorer, Rugrats, SpongeBob and SquarePants (frightening!). The Nickelodeon Resort by Marriott is expected to open in 2010.
1. Hillcrest's so-much-fun Corvette Diner, owned by San Diego dining superstars The Cohn Restaurant Group, will be setting up shop in Liberty Station. Now you can head to Point Loma to slurp peanut butter milkshakes and be peppered with bazooka gums by your disobedient server.
2. A maritime-themed Ocean Village, complete with kayak and boat rentals, nautical shops and an esplanade is slated to occupy the junction of historic Decatur Road and Perry Road.
3. Liberty Station is, in a word, enormous. It' already an integral part of Point Loma culture, including onsite non-tourist attractions like the award-winning San Diego High Tech High, a Boxing Club gym, the Liberty Station Convention Center, and countless other offices and institutions. The Marketplace includes Trader Joe's (God's gift to grocery shopping), along with numerous other brand-name suburban haunts.
However, tourists and adventurous locals don't have to wait for SpongeBob to make the westward trek, if only for Liberty Station's stomach-rumblingly diverse dining selections.
Existing restaurants include San Diego dining staples Wine Steals, Royal Spices Thai, Oggi's Pizza & Brewing Co., Sammy's Woodfired Pizza, as well as Solare, The Dinner Studio, Mellow Wine Bar, and indispensables like La Salsa, Starbucks and Subway.
Liberty Station's NTC Movie Nights are a crowd favorite, playing favorite movies like Shrek, Moonstruck, and Grease under the stars.
The Sail Ho Golf Course, located at the north end of Liberty Station, offers picture-perfect greens with skyline views of Downtown San Diego. Visit www.sailhogolf.com for internet-only specials.
To learn more about Liberty Station, visit www.libertystation.com.
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