It's finally spring! One quick look around and you can tell; spring has sprung. As a Stockton resident, you know spring is the absolute best time of year to get outside and enjoy the great weather. The sinister chill has lifted, the chili breezes are gone, and there are several precious weeks left before it's 100 degrees every day.
It's clearly time to get out and play. Even a lunch break becomes an excuse to stroll the plaza and get some much needed vitamin D. If you need some fresh ideas of ways to get out and enjoy the great weather, here's 4 great ideas from downtownstockton.org for making sure you are taking advantage of the beauty of spring. If you are a husband or significant other, earn brownie points and a day alone with the remote by sending your woman off on the "girls' day out."
Got to work? Downtown Stockton can make even a Monday great!To get a pre-work boost and to catch up on emails, stop in at Starbucks Coffee or Freedom Coffee, both have Wi-Fi free. If you’re planning a last minute meeting and need a rental space, click here for a full directory. For a quick lunch, grab a slice, cafeteria style, at Alfalfa’s Pizza and Deli for less than $4. They make killer sandwiches too.
For an upscale waterfront business lunch, take your clients to the University Plaza's Delta Lounge in the Waterfront Hotel. If you need to order in for your team, click here delivery options. If you’re meeting friends after work and need a change of scenery, head over to Chitiva’s Waterfront Bar and Grill or to Nena's Mexican Restaurant for a margarita or hide out in a local watering hole at Davoli’s Avenue Inn or Weber Inn.
Have a Girls Day Out:
Start mid-morning with a chocolate mocha or herbal tea from the world’s tiniest and tallest coffee shop – the Red's Café then hop across the street for a little shopping inside The Courthouse Plaza. The Glam Dollz Boutique has a great selection of high-heels and pumps, and Bella's Fashions sell a variety of fun accessories. Right next door, grab a healthy lunch at Daisy and Juice Subs and head over to the Janet Leigh Plaza just a couple blocks away.
Stroll across the plaza and buy a candle or a last minute gift at Pier 159, where they have EVERYTHING and then wind down with a movie in 3-D or IMAX at the Cinema. Who could ask for more? On your way home, don't forget to pick up a pound or so of freshly roasted coffee beans at the Jesus Mountain Coffee Co. at 224 E. Miner Avenue (behind Huddle, cooperative work space).
Have an Active Day Outside:
Kick off the day with fresh fruit or a fresh squeezed juice at Juice It Up! on Weber Avenue. If you biked down, the best place to lock your bike is on the Cinema Plaza across from the Cold Stone Creamery. Or, if you need a caffeine boost to start the day, bike racks are also located outside Freedom Coffee which also has juice, muffins, and free Wi-Fi.
Get your heart rate up at the In-Shape Health Club. If you’d prefer to exercise outside, walk the new Joan Darrah Promenade to Downtown Stockton Marina, launch a pole with the fishermen who are pulling in bass, and end at Weber Point to play soccer, run through the fountains or monkey around in the kids play area.
If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, launch a kayak or a hydro-bike from a dock at the Marina (209-462-4200) and see if you can spot the sea otters who live in the boat slips. Or, if you’d like to watch someone else do the work, take in a Stockton Ports Baseball Game at Banner Island Ballpark or a Stockton Thunder Hockey Game at the Stockton Arena.
If you just care about the food! Downtown Stockton is chockfull of fabulous ethnic eateries for the foodie to enjoy!
- Thai: For excellent Pad Thai, try Royal Siam 2.
- Greek: For great house made spanakopita and baklava, try Yasoo Yani or try a gyro plate at the Kabob and Gyro House.
- Mexican: Downtown has many excellent Mexican restaurants but our Facebook followers have voted Xochimilco Café their favorite. Xochimilco is open late, most weekends until at least 1 am.
- Chinese: One of the oldest standing restaurants in Stockton, On Lock Sam has excellent duck!
- Pizza by the Slice: Alfalfa’s Pizza and Deli or Joe’s Pomodoro Pizza Cafe.
- BBQ: Q's Korean BBQ is known for their mouth-watering short ribs.
- Sushi: Try Misaki for fresh cuts of sashimi and sushi.
