There is a lot of conversation lately about the importance of “third spaces,” the places we spend time outside of home and work where we can simply be around other people.
Coffee shops, libraries, parks and community centers have long filled that role. At a time when so much of life happens behind a screen or arrives at our doorstep in a cardboard box, I love seeing San Diegans rediscover how awesome it feels to go somewhere, see familiar faces and feel part of a community.
The Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center is one of those places.
You can come for a hike, but you certainly don’t have to. Wander through the exhibits, browse the gift shop, sit outside with a cup of coffee, or bring a friend and catch up while looking out over Mission Gorge. I recently enjoyed a lunch date with my husband on the terrace, where we ate sandwiches and coleslaw from nearby Cheers Deli and listened to chirping birds instead of the usual soundtrack of two teenage boys asking what there is to eat. It was lovely.
There’s no requirement to accomplish anything here. Sometimes it’s enough to simply be somewhere beautiful.
This fall, we have even more reasons to gather.
Every Wednesday and Sunday, Trail Tykes brings together a growing community of parents and caregivers who want their young children to love nature. Families explore, learn and spend time outside together, and along the way, parents meet other parents who are looking for the same kind of connection.
On Nov. 14 and 15, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Visitor Center will host our annual Holiday Marketplace, with local artists, makers and small businesses offering gifts you are unlikely to find anywhere else. There’s something special about buying a holiday gift directly from the person who made it. You can meet the artist, hear the story behind their work and know your purchase is supporting someone in your community. Those small choices add up and help keep San Diego’s creative economy thriving.
That spirit of community extends beyond the Holiday Marketplace.
On Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., we’re hosting a bridal open house for couples interested in getting married at Mission Trails. We have watched newlyweds dance on the terrace here as live music plays and the sky turns pink and orange behind the mountains. It is a wonderful reminder that parks can be places for meaningful gatherings as much as recreation.
Sometimes, community happens on a much smaller scale.
Our gift shop is open whenever the Visitor Center is open, and our giant stuffed snakes have become such a hit that we can barely keep them in stock. But one of my favorite stories involves a different animal.
A woman who had an encounter with a mountain lion at Mission Trails recently returned with her children and bought each of them a stuffed mountain lion. She didn’t want them to remember the experience as frightening. She wanted them to see it as something rare and special.
I love that.
Mission Trails can be where you climb a mountain or spot wildlife. But it can also be where you shop for a handmade gift, marry the love of your life, meet a friend, bring your kids, or enjoy one of the best views in San Diego with a sandwich and a side of peace and quiet.
However you use it, consider the Visitor Center your community space. “Third space” may be the official term, but around here, we’re not above campaigning to be No. 1 on your list.
Kinsee Morlan is the communications and external relations manager at Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation.
