3 days of cool sunshine in happenin' San Diego

Once upon a time, San Diego was known mostly as a playground for families, thanks to the San Diego Zoo (and its crowd-pleasing pandas), the Wild Animal Park, SeaWorld and the dozen-plus museums in the city's massive Balboa Park. And, of course, the nearby Legoland California theme park, a kid favorite.

Yet somehow, under the radar, San Diego also has become surprisingly hip.

In the past two years, this Southern California city of 1.2 million has opened half a dozen multimillion-dollar hotels, including a Hard Rock Hotel and the ritzy Ivy Hotel. Another five-star luxury condo-hotel, the Setai San Diego, is slated to launch this fall.

Celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa put his name on a restaurant here last November, and the revitalized Gaslamp Quarter has welcomed a bevy of new, upper-crust dining rooms and clubs.

The newly opened LUX Art Institute is drawing visitors, and crowds flocked to the world-renowned Torrey Pines Golf Course in nearby La Jolla for the 2008 U.S. Open this month.

And, of course, San Diego has miles of sandy beach and year-round sun.

All this makes San Diego an enticing weekend getaway for Pacific Northwesterners. Here's a suggested long-weekend itinerary:

Friday

Check in at the swanky, mod Ivy Hotel (619-814-1000 or www.ivyhotel.com), and the pampering begins the minute you walk in the boldly decorated lobby. Opened last January in the Gaslamp Quarter — known for its restaurants, galleries and boutiques — the Ivy is all about its guests: Personal "butlers" are on hand 24 hours a day to assist with everything from navigating the flat-screen TV to serving complimentary welcome cocktails. All things considered, prices aren't nearly as bad as you'd expect for this kind of luxury (rooms start at $249).

If personal butlers aren't your thing, The Sofia Hotel (800-826-0009 or www.thesofiahotel.com), a few blocks northwest, makes for a comfortable weekend's stay. Newly renovated rooms (starting at $159) are tiny but well-designed; amenities include a full-service spa and 24-hour yoga studio.

Dinner time? Vagabond Kitchen (619-255-1035 or www.vagabondkitchen.com) serves eclectic cuisine inspired by world travel — such as sea bass in corn husk, Caribbean style ($19.50) and coq au vin ($17.50).

Saturday

Begin with breakfast at Cafe Chloe (619-232-3242 or www.cafechloe.com), a Francophile's dream about three blocks east of the Ivy Hotel. Homemade hot chocolate ($3.50) is delicious; croissants and pain au chocolate ($2-$2.50) are perfectly flaky; and steel-cut oatmeal is topped with bananas brûlée ($8.50).

Shopping is big in San Diego, so hop to it. Cruise through the massive, almost tropical Balboa Park up to the corner of University and Fifth avenues, the gateway to the Hillcrest neighborhood, where trendy boutiques and cool cafes rule. The adjacent North Park is a bit more upscale: fewer record stores, more galleries. Don't miss Kate Ross (619-501-6318 or www.shopkateross.com), a shoe boutique that doubles as an art gallery.

Presuming it's nice out, it's time to get on the water ... at least figuratively speaking. Point Loma Seafoods (619-223-1109 or www.pointlomaseafoods.com) is a deli-counter-style takeout joint with bayfront dining. It's loud, crowded, cheap and good for lunch. San Diegans crave the chowder ($2.74), fish sandwich ($7.38) and the "best tartar sauce in San Diego," as one local put it, six cups of the stuff in front of her as a testament.

At dusk, head downtown to PETCO Park to root for the San Diego Padres baseball team. Night games start at 7:05 p.m., and same-day lawn seats at the pedestrian-friendly stadium's Park at the Park are a mere $7 ($5 in advance) and have a great view of the outfield.

Afterward, try to beat the crowd by heading two blocks west to the Fleetwood (619-702-7700 or www.thefleetwood.com), where the signature Fleetwood Ale is on tap and decent pub fare is served till the wee hours.

Take the after-party around the bend of the San Diego Bay to The Pearl Hotel (877-732-7573 or www.thepearlsd.com), a renovated vintage motor lodge with inventive signature cocktails and $79 rooms after midnight, just in case you need to crash somewhere cheaper.

Sunday

Be sure you're hungry for breakfast when you head to the Hash House a go go (619-298-4646 or www.hashhouseagogo.com), whose homestyle scrambles, omelets and griddle entrees (average $15) weigh down the farm-style tables.

After filling up, hop in the car and hit the road: The stretch of highway from the Ocean Beach neighborhood north to the coastal community of La Jolla, just beyond the city limits, is particularly scenic.

Continue north to the valley east of Encinitas, home to the brand new LUX Art Institute (760-436-6611 or www.luxartinstitute.com), which opened six months ago.

On the way back, make a stop at the Lodge at Torrey Pines (858-453-4420 or www.lodgetorreypines.com), a luxurious hotel overlooking the Pacific with a famed golf course. Nearby is Torrey Pines State Reserve (www.torreypines.org), a 2,000-acre park with beaches and trails.

Have dinner at a locals' favorite in the Ocean Beach area, the casually elegant Thee Bungalow (619-224-2884 or www.theebungalow.com). Roasted duck ($24.95) is the specialty.

Head to the airport if you've got a late flight home or, if staying until Monday morning, take in an alfresco flick at Cinema Under the Stars (619-295-4221 or www.topspresents.com) in Mission Hills, where classic films are screened in a cabana-like setting.