MoPA will be high on the visit list so recommendations on nearby hotels are welcome. Any suggestions for good landscape location photography are welcome too. Thanks in advance.

The coastline from La Jolla and further north is quite picturesque. This message thread on Fred Miranda may be useful:

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/752...n,diego#6861645

Paul

I grew up in SD, so I'm a little familiar with it.

SD is not much of a landscape photography place. My only recommendations would be:
(1) Photographing animals at the San Diego Zoo.
(2) Torrey Pines State Park (in the "North of La Jolla" band that Paul recommends): twisty photogenic pine trees on eroded bluffs above the ocean.
(3) Drive to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park for the day, in the eastern half of the county (lots of ocotillo and other cactus, with mountains above, and bighorn sheep if you go to the right places).

My favorite area to stay in SD when visiting relatives is in one of the resort-type hotels on Shelter Island (which sticks into San Diego Bay). It's a central location not far from downtown and Balboa Park (where I think MoPA is), and a very nice area to walk around and look at the yachts on the bay. The best hotel of the batch there would be Humphrey's Half Moon Inn. Harbor Island is OK too, and closer to downtown, but much closer to the airport noise.

Lisa

Sometimes when you are close to an area you tend to get bored with the available opportunities, or sometimes local things just seem ordinary to you. Certainly there are places that are more compelling if doing a trip specifically for landscape photography, but there are some nice opportunities in San Diego. I get there frequently and always take my gear along.

Not only is the zoo fun, but the Wild Animal Park is interesting and presents some possibilities. San Diego Harbor, including the unique Coronado Bridge is worth checking out. I've seen some nice shots taken of the moored sailboats in the marina taken on a foggy morning, and several of the sail boats themselves on the water. The trees mentioned at Torrey Pines are also good fog subjects. The San Diego skyline and waterfront is very picturesque especially in late evening or at night from across the bay. The Scripps Pier, while not your traditional pier is interesting to explore. I haven't explored balboa park yet but I've seen some nice images taken there.

As far as Torrey Pines/ La Jolla Cove area, there is a wealth of locations there. My favorite is just south of La Jolla Cove. Sunsets are spectacular, and even sunrises present some nice opportunities.

Here are a few of my favorite from my many visits to the San Diego area ...
Click to view attachmentClick to view attachmentClick to view attachmentClick to view attachmentClick to view attachment

As you can tell I love the sunsets there.

Of course if you don't like seaside and sunsets, that does limit your possibilities. One last tip, I highly recommend this San Diego gallery from one of my favorite landscape photographers, Patrick Smith.

http://www.patricksmithphotography.com/san...-seascapes.html

You're right, Wayne, I'd forgotten about the opportunities for photographing ocean sunsets. Where did you find those pretty rocks in the ocean in some of your shots???

Also, if you have a very clear day and you like distant city landscape shots, Cabrillo National Monument at the tip of Point Loma has some fine views overlooking the bay and the city from a relatively high point over the ocean. Good tide pools there, too, if you go at low tide.

If you want to photograph animals at the Wild Animal Park, you'd better have a very long lens. Most of them are wandering in huge enclosures.

Lisa

There is a whole book devoted to photographing San Diego:

Photo Secrets, San Diego, The Best Sights & How To Photograph Them, by Andrew Hudson

Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/096530873...hotosecretspubl

Just a little south from LaJolla Cove. Nice grassy bluff over looking the ocean ... a favorite for couples to come watch the sunset.