Summer of ’85

When a reader reached out to inquire purchasing my 1985 shots of Club Diego’s in Pacific Beach, it brought back a lot of memories for me. I was on summer break from college and went out to San Diego with my dad and his wife. I had just turned 21 and Club Diego’s was the place to go! Neon signs, huge dance floor, and the best 80’s music (or at least in my opinion!).

I looked at the other shots I took on my point and shoot camera; while the quality may not be great, I am sure glad I have them. While buildings come and go quickly at the beach, this restaurant/bar obviously still had its original vintage bones, as well as a cool neon sign. Saska’s is still in business; it opened in 1951 as the High Tide Bar.

Dad and I did the usual touristy things, including a visit to Sea World (I LOVED those board shorts!)…

and the Wild Animal Park, where I was part of the bird show. No, it didn’t crap on my hair. Apologies for the short-shorts, but OP (Ocean Pacific) was IN!

Lahaina Beach House was my favorite place to grab a lunch and beverage when I was surfboarding all day or catching the rays.

The Giant Dipper Roller Coast at Mission Beach has been around since 1925:

The Plunge swimming facility has been around since 1925 as well; my dad would tell me stories about swimming here when he was a kid. The boardwalk area around it had recently been renovated when I was there that summer.

No trip to San Diego was complete without a visit to the legendary Hotel del Coronado:

I was all about learning more about my dad and HIS favorite haunts back in the day; he took me on a tour of his alma mater, San Diego State University:

And there’s a snapshot of my Summer of 1985 vacation!

See more vintage and contemporary San Diego photos at my main website.