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When residents Flossie and Tony Reisner moved to Vi at La Jolla Village seven years ago, they were excited that the location of the community—just a short drive to the Pacific Ocean and the hub of the city—made it easy for them to visit San Diego’s best walking trails, beaches and cultural sites at their leisure.
One day, they noticed more neighbors and friends attending Walking San Diego, a weekly bus outing organized by the community’s Lifestyle department that encourages residents to explore different parts of the city together.
“They were having so much fun that we said, ‘Let's try it,’” said Flossie. “Since then, we've been going almost every week.”
One-of-a-kind sightseeing, at your own pace
Walking San Diego has been a part of Vi at La Jolla Village’s programming for nearly fifteen years and was started as an opportunity for residents of all abilities to get out and discover new parts of the city while also getting some light exercise.
“There’s the physical aspect of walking that's really beneficial for older adults,” said Lifestyle Director Mellany Hanson. “But there’s also the relationships that form during these group outings where the residents meet with like-minded people.”
The community supports the group by planning the outing locations and organizing transportation for the 20 residents who sign up to attend. However, once the bus arrives at their destination, residents are free to explore independently.
“Some people walk fast,” said Flossie. “We just like to sort of meander around with people and take in the beauty of the morning. It's lovely.”
Or, for residents like Tony, taking a break to catch up over a cup of coffee can be just as rewarding as the walk itself. “We find things we have in common with other people just by chatting and getting to know each other,” said Tony. “One of the guys I walked with was in the Navy, and I was in the Navy, so we had that connection to start the friendship.”
Something for everyone
Mellany and her team consider resident requests and feedback when planning the weekly walks and offer a variety of locations to attract a wide spectrum of interests.
“It’s great for our residents to be able to get out into the greater San Diego community, because it's a beautiful place to live, and there's so much to do,” said Mellany.
Resident Laura Ramsey says that one of her favorite Walking San Diego outing locations is La Jolla Shores, a mile-long sand beach and bustling shopping and entertainment area. As an artist, Laura also finds inspiration on these visits.
Recently, her watercolor painting featuring a pelican she saw at La Jolla Shores was featured in an exhibit at the San Diego Watercolor Society.
“It’s beautiful,” said Laura. “The beach, and the wildlife and the ocean are always different.”
While Flossie enjoys seeing the sea lions and other wildlife of La Jolla Cove, Tony, a history buff, is partial to Coronado, a peninsula off San Diego Bay that, in the late 19th century, became a top resort destination and welcomed many prolific individuals to the famous Hotel Del Coronado.
“They have a little history lesson that shows which famous celebrities have been there before, like Bing Crosby,” said Tony.
Finding joy in community
Since joining the Walking San Diego outings, Laura has found new friends to explore with outside of the weekly walks.
“The gals and I said, ‘We need to come back here for lunch and shopping,’” said Laura. “That's why I think the outings are important—because you’re building new friendships.”
If a resident is interested in going out with the group on an outing for the first time, Flossie says they shouldn’t worry about feeling like they’ll be left by themselves.
“Whenever a new resident goes on an outing with us, everyone wants to get to know them, where they’re from, if they have grandchildren,” said Flossie. “It feels like you’re in a huge family here.”