Valentines, Sailors Are Your Best Bets This Weekend

It’s Thursday, and you’ve ready to think about the weekend, or even willing to start the festivities a little early. Patch to the rescue! We’ve got the best bets for you whether you want to stay close to home or find something to do outside your backyard. Check our picks for the places to see and things to do.

This week there's a huge Navy celebration in Coronado, and the San Diego Padres throw open the doors to Petco Park for a day.

• Where/when: Naval Air Station, North Island, Coronado, 8 a.m., Feb. 12

• Why Go: To help celebrate a century of flight in the Navy. Civilians will get the rare opportunity to see the base, along with tours of aircraft carriers and a big flight show.

• Price: Free

• Where/when: Petco Park, downtown San Diego, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 12

• Why Go: Padre fans can give their team a rousing send-off for the baseball season by attending FanFest at Petco Park in downtown San Diego, featuring clinics with the players, park tours and the chance to grill management about the team. 

• Price: Free

• Where/when: California Center for the Arts, Escondido 7 p.m., Feb. 10

• Why Go: Try a play to avoid that most dread of weekends for singletons, the one leading up to Valentine's Day. See the musical parody "Menopause: The Musical" with a couple girlfriends and bond in sisterhood rather than commiserating over men. 

• Price: $34-50.

• Where/when: SweetArt Festival, downtown Escondido, 1-5 p.m., Feb. 12.

• Why Go: Can you say, chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate? Stroll among the participating vendors while listening to live music and gathering sweet chocolates all the while.

• Price: Free admission to Sweet Street and garden; $20 for beer/wine pairings. 

• Where/when: Temple Adat Shalom, Poway, 8:45 a.m., Feb. 13.

• Why Go: Go head to head with other mah jongg fans in five rounds of play of the Chinese tile game. Breakfast and lunch included.

• Price: $40  registration. Must register by Feb. 11. No walk-ins.