La Jolla ??

I will be there next week with the wife. Good places to eat? Visit? Stay-away-froms?

thanks, Stan

Bring lots of money (by Midwestern standards) but the choices for food and activity are endless.

Though not immediately in your area (about 40 minutes away) the original Stone Brewery Bistro and Gardens in Escondido is fantastic.
They now have a second location in Historic, downtown SD which would only be 20 minutes away. My guess is the food is just as good but the setting at the original is pretty spectacular.
http://www.stoneworldbistro.com/

This covers mostly LA County and Orange County. I don't know if there is similar for SD County.
http://www.socalcarculture.com/events.html

My go to is usually Yelp. Be prepared for expensive dining and shopping, that is the more (most) expensive part of San Diego. If you go north on the 101 coastal road a few miles it will take you up to Solona Beach. If you do, Pizza Port Brewing Company is highly recommended.

Any park and/or beach around there is absolutely beautiful. If you're in to sea life, the Scripps Aquarium is there. If you like hiking you need to check out Torrey Pines State beach.

USS Midway Museum?

Some good low buck mexican but otherwise pretty high rent. We were cruising around with the zillow app open on the phone and passed multiple $10mm tear downs...

This is north San Diego County, definitely not LA or OC. Make the most of what you have there in that small community. It's special. I was there several times 15 or so years ago. One time was when the Lamborghini Club of SoCal was having their annual meeting at an Italian restaurant right across the street from my hotel. That was unbelievable, especially when the inebriated owners were leaving after dinner! Fantastic burnouts on the hill from vintage Lamborghini's, including P400's and early Muira's!

La Jolla is an exceptionally beautiful community, so stroll around and enjoy what's there. Don't waste your limited time traveling to other SoCal areas, otherwise you'll miss the great ambience of that fantastic local community. It's beautiful. Do you think I like it there? You bet I do!

But be sure to visit Grand Prix Classics in town while you're there. Meet Mark Leonard, the owner, and talk vintage race cars with him. That will be memorable. I did, and I've had a license plate surround from there on my Miata for many years. Ask for one. I think he'll oblige.

http://www.grandprixclassics.com/

Check out the art galleries there. There is at least one on Prospect with a bunch of car/racing stuff.

Since I live right on the outskirts.

Whisk and Ladle for lunch or dinner one day.

I remember visiting an exotic car dealership just up the cliff from the ocean near where all the sea lions hung out. Ferrari's and Porsches were displayed outside; the "big" buck cars were kept inside. Stopping at a red light was like being at a car show as I drove through in my rental surrounded by all the exotics. Enjoy your visit.

In reply to whenry:

That might have been Symbolic Motors. I think they're closed now but maybe sold and re-opened under new name and management. They were right near Grand Prix Classics and had some fantastic vintage cars in the showroom the times I visited ... like a fifties era Testa Rossa and sixties era GTO (Ferrari, not Pontiac). I have a couple license plate surrounds from there too, but haven't used them yet.