danielle robay: i'm from chicago, born and raised, and very proud. i'm a midwest girl. i've driven up and down the coast since i moved to la almost 10 years ago. and san diego is where i come most often because it's an escape. how are you going to be stressed out in a city this gorgeous?

there's a reason it's called the finest city. there's hiking, and biking, and kayaking, and 70 miles of beach. san diego is the beach. it is relaxed here. it is chill here. it's definitely an escape. [theme music] [vocalizing] (singing) [inaudible] danielle robay (voiceover): when you think of the perfect place to travel, san diego has almost become a punchline when comparing it to any other destination on earth. on the surface, you have the perfect weather, the perfect beaches, and the city even photographs perfectly. ok. first things first. drop my bags at the mission bay resort and forget everything back at home.

this property is a local institution and features southern california lifestyle at its best. a little paddle boarding and a quick bite is all i need to get into the mindset for a little adventure. but once you get out and about, you realize this city is so much more than a backdrop. it's become an epicenter for food, culture, and conservation, which you'll find in a short walk through neighborhoods like barrio logan and little italy. taste and smells are my memories when i travel, so i decided to start with the mercado in little italy-- fresh california oranges, smelly cheese, homemade bread. it's a community hub. [inaudible] enjoy! so if you're a tourist, do what the locals do. danielle robay (voiceover): another thing that locals are keenly aware of is the pride shared in their hometown, and the foundation on which this city was built. i'm talking about the us navy. and if watching "top gun, maverick" on screen

didn't fulfill your love of smelling jet fuel in the morning. having any fun yet? danielle robay (voiceover): a trip to the uss midway just might. san diego is the ultimate navy town. it really was the navy and marine corps that, actually, over the last century, built this town. danielle robay: so you're telling me that it's the eighth largest city in america because of the navy, not the perfect weather? the perfect weather has always been here, which is one of the reasons why the navy came here. the training that the navy and the marine corps has to do to deploy overseas is better done when the weather is good. danielle robay: just for scale, how big is this aircraft carrier? david: this aircraft carrier weighs 70,000 tons. and it's as long as three football fields. so if you stood this aircraft carrier up on its back, it would actually be taller than the highest skyscraper here in san diego. incredible. danielle robay (voiceover): but if you're looking for another slice of nautical history, a truly unique experience is a paddle on the water to the legendary sea caves in the town of la jolla.

once hideouts for pirates and smugglers in the 19th century, today you'll find much calmer occupants-- sea lions and pelicans. the only way to get there is by kayak. and luke leidiger is leading the way. it does not get much more san diego than this. absolutely. the sun just came out. the water is beautiful. it's a perfect day. danielle robay: i see all the kayaks around. you're taking me through the caves. luke: yeah. we're going to actually be going into the cave system. it's known as, like, the seven sea caves of la jolla. there's actually like 45 sea caves that people don't even talk about because they're underwater, or they're caves within caves. you've got to hold your breath and, like, go into an underwater cavern. it's really interesting. - are we going underwater? we're not going to be going underwater. no, we'll just be going in the main caves if they're safe enough to go into today. danielle robay (voiceover): keeping motor craft away from the caves is how conservation experts keep this area pristine. so it's worth the effort, paddling out to rock formations, which have withstood the test of time. luke: this sediment is made of, like,

a limestone sandstone mixture-- really strong concrete. but when these ocean waves come and pound on the face of these cliffs, it stands no chance. it creates these huge caves and caverns underwater and all the way through. danielle robay: wow! luke: let's do it. paddle hard. danielle robay: wow! it's gorgeous in here. luke: nice. welcome to the cave. we're going to do a quick turnaround. perfect! danielle robay: this is stunning. you can hear the echo in here. it's gorgeous. - exactly. it's incredible. danielle robay: you see the blue sky. luke: woohoo! danielle robay: that was awesome. danielle robay (voiceover): the beauty in this area and the wildlife around these caves are just the beginning. wait until you see what's in store on land. "1st look" is sponsored in part by mission bay resort, where southern california lifestyle is right at your fingertips. book your trip today at missionbayresort.com.

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danielle robay shop (voiceover): tucked ikea. within the urban sprawls of san diego, you'll find balboa park. much like central park in new york, this 1,200-acre urban oasis acts as a setting for most of the locals' life stories, dating back to 1868. talk to me about the architecture here because it's this beautiful mix of spanish colonial and mediterranean. christine: balboa park was established when the panama canal was first opened. so for a lot of the europeans, it was the first time they were seeing california, so they brought some of the familiar architecture here. danielle robay (voiceover): and it's within these structures that some of the city's cultural treasures call home. christine: there are performing arts centers. there are museums, gardens everywhere, hiking trails. it really is a big park in the middle of a beautiful city.

danielle robay (voiceover): also, within the park's borders is the featured attraction, the san diego zoo. but its sister property, just 45 minutes north, the san diego safari park, is where you can really take a ride on the wilder side. situated on 1,800 acres, this park's work in conservation thrives, with more than 3,000 endangered and threatened animals from six continents roaming free. and today, i'm hitching a ride with asha, a wildlife care specialist for an up close expedition of their care. so tell me what we're going to see today because we have a full day planned. yes! we're going to be cleaning today, feeding, and also just some general observations because a big part of our job is to observe the animals. we have to make sure that everyone's walking right, eating right. we're going to go to the rhino rescue center where there is 11 rhinos. look! that was great. - that was pretty good. - that was pretty good. ok.

so what are we doing with the hay now? well, we've got to feed the rhinos. we're going to feed the rhinos right now? come on! let's go. i've got to take my jacket off for this. but before the fun work comes the dirty work. how much of this is mud and how much of this is poop? it's about 50-50. ugh! a good scoop, and then when it starts pushing forward, [inaudible]. what about that? careful, [inaudible]. and pull it all in there right there. there you go! i feel it under my shoes. asha: yeah, you don't want to fall. can i please go see the rhinos now? [laughs] all right. let's release the beasts. [gasps] this is incredible. i'm really kind of at a loss for words. this is beautiful. pretty cool, right? hi, beautiful. hello. it's way harder than i anticipated. danielle robay (voiceover): this truly once-in-a-lifetime experience is made possible by developments in modern science that have saved these

rare animals from extinction. what we're doing is working with advanced reproductive methods to try to figure out how to basically make more rhinos. the interesting thing about future, she is one of the first babies that has been produced using artificial insemination. [gasping] we've got scientists over at our research institute here. what they're figuring out how to do is take skin cells and essentially create an embryo, and then implant it into one of these rhinos. science is incredible. isn't it? whoa! and we're always conservation focused in what we do. we're trying to bring back species from the brink of extinction. so anything that we can do to further the welfare of the animals that we have in human care and trying to save the species out there in the wild, that's our goal. that's what we're here for. danielle robay (voiceover): but rhinos are just the tip of the iceberg. species ranging from giant cats to exotic birds are studied here to further the work in global conservation. [screams]

this is also true of the park's playful tower of giraffes. asha: we are going to do one more test of strength from you. you're going to pull directly up. danielle robay: it's really heavy! i believe in you. danielle robay: why aren't they just eating from the trees? why are we bringing the trees to them? asha: we bring outside sources to make sure that we are able to feed them every single day. and it's nice and fresh. and our trees have a nice break to get healthy and to grow back. danielle robay: smart. oh! their tongue is so long! asha: yes! do you see the color of her tongue? danielle robay: it's purple. - it's purple. the main reason for that is because they eat using their tongue. so their tongue spends a lot of time coming out into the sunlight. danielle robay: their tongue is tan. asha: yes. danielle robay: i'm in complete awe. these animals are gorgeous. it's pretty amazing to be able to touch them. i'm shocked at how oily it is. i have a whole new appreciation for these animals. and for what you do. absolutely one of the best things you could ever do is to get up close and personal with these animals,

just so you can take it with you for a lifetime. [theme music]

danielle robay (voiceover): with its ethnic and cultural mix, california offers a wide range of amazing cuisines. but here in san diego, there's one restaurant that elevates the dining experience to the absolute highest level. i feel like people must make such noises when the food comes out. there's a lot of oohing. i've seen some crying. i've seen a lot of things. danielle robay (voiceover): tears of joy are commonplace at addison, an affirmation of its coveted three-star michelin rating, an honor that's not lost on chef and san diego native william bradley. so in terms of three michelin stars, there's only 13 in the us, 6 in california, and one, yours, in southern california. it's amazing to be amongst some of those restaurants. it's less than 1% globally.

how do you get a michelin star? william: it's really about harmonization of flavors, quality of product, mastering of the technique, and consistency. danielle robay: this looks like a piece of art. william: as you can see, this kind of emulates a rose. so this is a kanpachi sashimi done with salted pears, kiwis, and the flowers of the shiso leaf. danielle robay: i love the crunch. it's sweeter than i expected. what we have here, this is chicken liver mousse. i'm sorry. what? chicken liver mousse. danielle robay: this is a churro with chicken liver mousse? i know you said there's a huge element of surprise at the restaurant. this is one of them. william: this is toothpaste, and that's the toothbrush. precision is so important to us. but practice and understanding the repetition of what we do makes for people to be able to perfect this. this is known as our eggs and rice dish. it's a signature here at addison. and i find it very aesthetically pleasing

to the eye, and texturally, a dish that i really enjoy. the cold with the hot rice is really special. how much faith do you have to have in your kitchen staff to get it right every single time? william: all the faith in the world. we're sitting here now, and the dish that we're trying, obviously, is something that i composed mentally in my mind, but they've executed and cooked it probably better than i can. so the last thing we do, just to play on the churro again, this is a mexican bitter chocolate. danielle robay: and just one dot of chocolate. william: one dot, because, again, it's the balance. that is enough for the entire piece. mmm. i don't even know how to describe how that tastes. it's san diego all rolled up in a churro. this is san diego all the way. yeah. danielle robay: does each course feel like you're telling a story? william: it can to some people. but for me, i'm really thinking about the balance and harmonization of a menu, how it flows.

so it's more like a song. at this level, you seek out the highest and best ingredients that you can get. and that really determines the flavor profiles and can really separate a dish. it's really the quality of the materials. danielle robay (voiceover): and if william's courses are songs, then one of his go-to musicians is spencer rudolph, founder and farmer of sage hill ranch garden. cheers! cheers! [crunching] this is so flavorful! danielle robay (voiceover): which is taking san diego farming into the previous century. so on our farm, we don't use any type of fossil fuels. everything's done by hand. due to the limitations of our land, we weren't able to come in with a tiller or any type of tractor. so we kind of adopted what would be old school growing. we like to surround ourselves with people that have the same amount of obsession. i mean, you can be at his farm, and he has such a love affair for his farm. as you can see in our soil down here, it's one of the more softest parts of the farm, too.

we really treat our soil very sacredly. sacred soil. i like that. sacred soil, exactly. william: knowing that it's going to be removed from the ground the right way and brought to us that day is amazing. danielle robay: it's really a family farm. i mean, you and your dad built it. your sister works here, right? your mom is cooking and bringing coffee out, and then your other sister helps with some of the events. exactly! we like that it brings it all together, which i find to be, like, really kind of ideal for, like, a family farm. william: so this is a beautiful fish that we like to serve here at addison. this is known as [inaudible]. and we're also, to the right here, showcasing some of those beautiful vegetables from sage hills. this is california on a plate. danielle robay: the crunch is really nice with the fish. this is really good. it's a shocker right now. you know it's good when you're shocked by your own food. that's really good today.

danielle robay: when you opened the restaurant, did you set out for a michelin star? william: to even think that i would come back to san diego and fight through the ups and downs that this restaurant has and to bring a three-star establishment to san diego, where i was born and raised, is what you would call a cinderella story. cheers to that, chef. cheers! i will drink to that. [music playing] [theme music] [vocalizing]

here in the bay, our cars take us and all of our stuff where we want to go. but, our cars can't take us anywhere with unpaid tolls. vehicles with overdue, unpaid tolls may not be able to renew their registration until outstanding balances are paid. payment assistance is available. visit bayareafastrak.org/assistance so go pay your unpaid tolls today and keep your wheels on the road!

when you're so close to the border, you have to try authentic mexican food. and in san diego, the small, little, unassuming spots are where they make the really good stuff. it's a great way to start your day. mmm! [singing in spanish] danielle robay (voiceover): latin american culture has been part of san diego's dna from the very beginning because of its close proximity to the mexican border. and while this town has grown into a metropolis over the years, the border itself has remained an unspoiled landscape. why do they call it border state park? eileen: because it's along the tijuana, mexico border. yeah. i saw there was really a wall separating it. it's very close. - yeah. there's two different walls. one's built from trump, and the other one's the old wall. danielle robay (voiceover): border field state park is a vast mass of land that marked the beginning of the united states and mexican boundary survey of 1848.

today it serves as a natural escape for the people of san diego. and places like surfside ranch offer up a unique experience on horseback. how long have you had the ranch? eileen: we took over the business since april 2021. danielle robay: when we were back at the ranch, you had a fair amount of horses. eileen: yes. we have 35 horses, including the miniature ponies. we have donkeys. danielle robay: where are you taking me? i'm taking you to the border state park beach, where it permits you to ride on a horse. danielle robay: i see the sun setting. eileen: yes. danielle robay: and i'm thinking it's going to be pretty special to ride on the beach. eileen, i've ridden on trails all over the country, in new york, in colorado. i've never been to the beach on a horse. this is spectacular. yes. we're very fortunate to have this because there's no other place that you can ride on the beach. you can only do this here? yeah, you can only do this in san diego. that's special.

danielle robay (voiceover): if you're not done horsing around, there's one bar in the center of town that will keep the party going. paying homage to the carousel bar in new orleans, wolfie's is a nightlife spot that has replaced horses with bar stools and cotton candy with cocktails. this is my first time ever at a carousel bar. i'm moving left. you're moving right. what's happening? we're all moving to different places. i love it, right? danielle robay (voiceover): the saying "what goes around comes around" is taken quite literally here at wolfie's with the bar making a full rotation in 14 minutes. the bartenders follow you along the spinning bar, serving up their delicious signature cocktails. was this always supposed to be a carousel bar? was it built for wolfie's? joel: it was built for wolfie's. we tried to bring a real carousel inside this venue, but it's so small that a big carousel wouldn't fit at all. we decided to build one from scratch. and if you take a look at every single painting that we have,

there's easter eggs in every single one. it's fun. i don't have a drink yet. what am i drinking tonight? we have three signature cocktails. i can walk you through them, and then let's taste them all. - all three? - yeah, all three. we have time. i'm going to be at the bottom of this carousel. the bar is just going to keep spinning faster. and so will i. ok. let's do it. joel: the first one is going to be a belle fille, based on lime, cucumber, fortified wine, and vodka. that's my kind of drink. what's up next? joel: we're going to make you the fleur de france-- lemon, pamplemousse, creme de violette, and vodka. the question i'm asking myself is, danielle, are you getting disoriented because you're spinning or because you're drinking? and i honestly don't know the answer. wow! i really taste the flour. joel: yes. it's so sour! joel: what do you think? [laughing] all right. you now have the third one.

woo! this one has a pearl on it. yes. it also has gold dust. it has gold dust? joel: yep. there's going to be glitter all over the drink. wow! that one's strong. that's the strongest drink of the three. it's delicious, though. - thank you. but i think i'm going for my purple drink. joel: yeah. that was the one? yeah. i really want to thank you for your hospitality. i have seen so many amazing things this week. and this is one of my favorites. i'll see you-- both: around. after a week here in san diego, i realized that it's not about the perfect weather, or the perfect beaches, or the perfect palm trees, which are all perfect. but the reason you come to san diego and you keep coming back to san diego is because of the people. they are the heart and soul of this city. they are fun. they are loving. they are warm. and they welcome you with open arms. they really love this city. it makes you feel prideful, too.

so this is to san diego and to the people that make it great. ( ♪ ♪ ) hey sharon, did you know triscuit is crunchy on the outside yet incredibly wholesome on the inside?! just like me! you forgot salty. i'm not salty. triscuit. unapologetically wholesome. (vo) ultimate endless shrimp is here with a limited time flavor drop. new crispy dragon shrimp. one of seven endless choices. right now, only at red lobster. welcome to fun dining.

a glass of wine in the evening. hello, park avenue. [music playing]