Weekend Driver San Diego: Day Drives in and Around San Diego County [Paperback]

Jack Brandais (Author)

Book Description

Series: Adventures in Cultural and Natural History | Publication Date: November 21, 2003

"Weekend Driver" columnist Jack Brandais has put his favorite drives together in a "must have" collection that will allow everyone from newcomers to natives to explore our diverse county and its intriguing environs.

From Point Loma to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, from Baja California’s Guadalupe Valley to Huntington Beach, Brandais has found some of the best roads—paved and unpaved, twisty and straight. A true driving enthusiast, he really knows his stuff, whether it is the best type of vehicle for each drive, the type of scenery to expect, or about how long it will take to complete.

Many of these drives originally appeared in the San Diego Union-TribuneÂ’s "Weekend Driver" column. TheyÂ’ve been updated and expanded; each drive in the book includes complete directions, a map, photos, and tips for things to see and explore along the way.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...Easy-to-follow with plenty of pictures...special-interest notes and contact information. Don't send anyone out for a drive without it! --Mark Maynard, San Diego Union-Tribune

From the Publisher

A guidebook that’s actually fun to read!

That's right, Jack Brandais, who writes a column in the Wheels section of the San Diego Union-Tribune and the "Tank of Gas" features in their Night & Day" section, has collected twenty of his favorite day drives in the county in this entertaining and easy-to-use book.

Brandais' informal but informative style really conveys his enthusiasm for off-the-beaten-track backroads, classic routes and just plain driving! The "driving enthusiast" crowd will warm to this book, as will newcomers to the area and natives who long to know it better.

There's a lot more than just driving in this book, as well. Whether it's telling readers the best place to find a cheeseburger or shake along the way, to telling an anecdotes about famous residents/founders of places of interest, Brandais gives much more than road routes...It's like a friend telling you where to go, what to eat there, and some really cool things to see!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Sunbelt Publications (November 21, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0932653634
• ISBN-13: 978-0932653635
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #763,178 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Author Jack Brandais has been driving on roads around San Diego County since he was a kid, when his parents would take him on Sunday drives. He's actually a third-generation road fan, as his grandmother -- a pioneer driving enthusiast -- first explored these roads back in the 1920s. They're all great day trips... sometimes a long day trip if you decide to explore.

Weekend Driver San Diego is the best guidebook for really exploring San Diego County. Trips include areas in the news, including the Tijuana River Estuary, where the government wants to build a new fence along the border with Mexico.

These roads can be challenging, so be sure to drive your sports car, sports bike or any tricked-out vehicle. Or, just take your daily driver and have some fun.

Enjoy a few sample drives here on the web site, then pick up the book and have a great time. Or see what you're missing with a video trip.

Most of these trips originally ran as part of the Weekend Driver feature in the Wheels section of the San Diego Union-Tribune. In the Jack's Stories section, you'll find links to stories he's written, such as the One-Tank Trip feature for the Union-Tribune's Night and Day section, travel stores and the newspaper's Sunday Homes section.

Most recent stories took readers to a mountain area where Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties meet, out old Highway 80 and Indian Canyon in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Jack has also traveled throughout the United States to some locations far off the beaten track. Visit the Road Trips section to find a couple of sample San Diego county drives from his book, Weekend Driver San Diego, plus other road trips around California and the nation.

Jack's "day job" is as the media spokesperson for the San Diego Unified School District. He's also worked for the City of San Diego and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Enjoy your drive!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Drives in San Diego, February 3, 2004

By 

Elaine & Marc (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Weekend Driver San Diego: Day Drives in and Around San Diego County (Paperback)

As avid "get out of the house and take a drive" San Diegan's we thought we already knew all the great drives in and around San Diego. Wrong. But Jack Brandais does! We have driven several of the suggested routes and found each to be outstanding! His directions are easy to follow, the outings are pleasurable from both the driver's and passenger's point of view, and the history and points of interest he includes adds to fun. His drives are definately worth the gasoline!!

We highly recommend this book to both locals and visitors alike as a great way to explore the diversity San Diego offers.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We had so much fun, May 29, 2004

By 

N Rainer (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Weekend Driver San Diego: Day Drives in and Around San Diego County (Paperback)

My husband and just got home from one of the trips in the book, "Russians, Wineries and the Real Baja," which goes from Ensenada, to Tecate, Mexico. We had a wonderful time. It is so beautiful and we saw a side of Mexico we never expected. I highly recommend this book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of fun rides, February 3, 2004

By 

Fred Harris (Escondido, Calif.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Weekend Driver San Diego: Day Drives in and Around San Diego County (Paperback)

We just got the book after watching the story on Channel 10. Sunday we took our family on the drive to Palomar Mountain. All the "Stuff for Kids" listed really helped us. Our two boys actually turned off the video player and checked out the scenery as we bumped up Nate Harrison Grade. We ended the day at Bates Farm and had a wonderful time. Thanks for a great book. We never knew all this stuff was right here in San Diego.