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e rooftop is billed as an "urban oasis," where hotel guests and locals can lounge by the pool or relax in cabanas with roofs that revolve to provide sun or shade. More active pursuits include cornhole, table tennis, or giant Jenga. Cocktails include "Summer on the Coast," "Ocean Spritz," and "Changes in Latitude" — Margaritaville Gold Tequila, orange Curaçao, lime juice, passion fruit puree, and Tropical Red Bull. (For $10 extra, you can enjoy your specialty drink in a 22-ounce souvenir cup that looks like a blender.) Bites range from scallop ceviche and shrimp cocktail to tacos, chicken wings, and burgers. e 5 o'Clock Burger has not only beef, but Black Forest ham, American cheese, a fried egg, and mayo on brioche. Beginning this month, the bar kicks off a reggae-themed Sunday brunch with radio station 91X broadcasting "Church of Bob," the music of Bob Marley and his peers, from 10am to noon followed by a custom Margaritaville playlist in the afternoon. e rooftop is also a favorite place to gather before or after a Padres game at nearby Petco Park. e hotel's ground floor LandShark Bar & Grill is a great spot for people-watching in the Gaslamp, whether tableside or at the bar, while listening to live music. Its décor includes a sign that reads "Fins Up," a reference to another Buffett song, which has since evolved into a greeting or salutation like "Cheers!" according to the hotel's "Parrot Heads." ere are also surf posters, a vintage life preserver, and a photo of the Padres in 1936, the team's inaugural — and winning — year in San Diego. "Flying" above the restaurant is a smaller version of Buffett's former plane, a 1954 Grumman HU-16 Albatross, dubbed the "Hemisphere Dancer." LandShark serves classic American beach fare with a contemporary twist. Friends joined us for a birthday dinner that included peel- and-eat shrimp, Baja-style fish tacos, and Ahi tuna bowls (washed down with margaritas). Kids have their own Lil' Sharks menu. e hotel's Executive Chef Mike Minor, most recently the top toque at La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, is a fan of regional Mexican cuisine, and is excited about the hotel's transformation. "We've put $30 million into the hotel," he says. "I'm so proud of everything." Although I watched Minor and his staff work hard that weekend, he says that "have fun" and "family first" are also part of the culture. Another sign at LandShark caught my eye: "Some of it's magic. Some of it's tragic. But I had a good life all the same." I later learned those are lyrics from Buffett's "He Went to Paris." What a fitting epitaph for the beloved singer, songwriter, sailor, actor, author, entrepreneur, and pilot, whose lyrics and lifestyle inspired millions of fans and launched a global brand. Buffett died on September 1, 2023, due to complications from a four-year battle with Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive skin cancer. He performed his final full concert last May, just four months before his death, at Snapdragon Stadium — but his music plays on. 619.819.9500, margaritavilleresorts.com/margaritaville-hotel-san-diego OPPOSITE Lobby of Margaritaville Hotel San Diego Gaslamp TOP LandShark Bar & Grill MIDDLE LEFT The lobby's iconinc ten-foot-tall blue flipflop MIDDLE RIGHT 5 o'Clock Somewhere Bar cabanas BOTTOM Jimmy Buffett suite living room @ranchandcoast RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE MAY 2024 67