City guides
United States of America
California
Things to do in San Diego
Easygoing San Diego offers plenty of entertainment for holidaymakers, with lots of the city's attractions revolving around the lovely coastline and marine life. Top San Diego tourist attractions include the endlessly popular Sea World, the picturesque Seaport Village, Mount Soledad, Balboa Park with its 17 museums and cultural institutions, the pedestrianised Old Town and the quaint Gaslamp District. Animal attractions can be found at the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
Of course, the beaches are a big drawcard in San Diego. The best beaches include Carlsbad State Beach; the beautiful La Jolla Cove; Mission Beach, which is a good spot for active beach games; and La Jolla Shores, the perfect place in San Diego to learn to surf. The laid-back Pacific Beach is popular with young locals, Black's Beach is frequented by surfers and sometimes nudists; and Coronado Beach is probably the best family beach in the city.
Those planning to do a lot of sightseeing should consider purchasing the Go San Diego Card, which offers discounts on about 48 top San Diego attractions.
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
Though located within San Diego's city limits, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve remains one of the wildest landscapes along the coast of Southern California. Spanning over 2,000 …
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
Though located within San Diego's city limits, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve remains one of the wildest landscapes along the coast of Southern California. Spanning over 2,000 acres, this rugged sanctuary has miles of unspoilt beaches, chaparral and elegant Torrey Pine trees, which cling to the sandstone cliffs against a backdrop of the Pacific Ocean. Torrey Pines aren't found anywhere else in the world. Visitors can also walk hiking trails that weave through diverse ecosystems, and offer stunning views of deep-blue waters and sculpted canyons.
Website torreypine.org
Balboa Park
Balboa Park contains one of the biggest groups of museums in the USA, many of them housed in magnificent Spanish-Mexican buildings, in addition to more than 85 Performing Arts and …
Balboa Park
Balboa Park contains one of the biggest groups of museums in the USA, many of them housed in magnificent Spanish-Mexican buildings, in addition to more than 85 Performing Arts and International Culture Organisations including theatres such as the internationally acclaimed Old Globe Theatre, and several art galleries. The park also houses the world-renowned San Diego Zoo, which has more than 800 species in spacious re-created natural habitats.
One of the oldest and most famous of the 17 museums in Balboa Park is the Reuben H Fleet Science Centre; its big screen Omnimax Theatre and virtual reality simulator transport visitors to outer space. Other museums cover a wide range of interests, including cars and motorbikes, anthropology, various forms of art, and natural history.
The Spanish Village Art Centre provides a traditional ancient village setting for viewing sculpture, painting, glassblowing and pottery performed by crafts people in classic tiled-roofed studios. The park has numerous features and facilities including golf courses, hiking and cycling trails, promenades, extensive landscaped gardens and horticultural treasures, a Japanese Friendship Garden, fountains and restaurants, a pavilion for Sunday afternoon concerts and the world's largest outdoor organ.
Website www.balboapark.org
San Diego Zoo and Safari Park
The San Diego Zoo is one of the city's biggest attractions and has a worldwide reputation for its enlightened management program, worldwide conservation efforts, natural animal env…
San Diego Zoo and Safari Park
The San Diego Zoo is one of the city's biggest attractions and has a worldwide reputation for its enlightened management program, worldwide conservation efforts, natural animal environments and most notably its success in breeding endangered species in captivity for reintegration into their natural habitats. The zoo houses more than 4,000 mammals, birds and reptiles.
Many rare and endangered animals roam simulated natural habitats, while tourists follow walkways and bridges, passing waterfalls, tropical forests, sandy plateaus, arctic tundra, and bird aviaries. The 100-acre (40-hectare) park can be explored on foot, on narrated open-air trams, hop-on-and-off buses, or above the ground on the aerial Skyfari tram or hot air balloon.
One of the highlights is the Tiger River Asian rainforest, which has animal enclosures situated along misty trails enhanced by waterfalls and exotic plants. It features tigers, pythons, tapirs and crocodiles. Other highlights include the Gorilla Tropics, Sun Bear Forest, polar bears in a simulated freezer, and the Ituri Forest Exhibit that features African buffaloes, monkeys and hippos.
There's also a Children's Zoo where small animals such as rabbits, goats and sheep can be petted, and the nursery where the latest arrivals are looked after. An outdoor amphitheatre has daily sea lion and other animal shows. Some 35 miles (56km) away is the San Diego Safari Park, where visitors can see animals such as giraffe, rhino, cheetah, elephant, tiger and gorilla in open-air habitats. Tours are available by tram, bus, Segway and even zipline.
Website www.zoo.sandiegozoo.org/
SeaWorld
SeaWorld is a leader in marine conservation and plays an important role in rescuing and rehabilitating animals found beached along the West Coast. It's also one of the world's larg…
SeaWorld
SeaWorld is a leader in marine conservation and plays an important role in rescuing and rehabilitating animals found beached along the West Coast. It's also one of the world's largest marine entertainment parks and is a source of education as well as family recreation.
The park is best known for its work with killer whales (orcas) and dolphins, and the Dolphin Interaction Programme provides the experience of feeding, stroking and wading with bottlenose dolphins (requiring advance booking and an additional fee). SeaWorld's favourite attractions are its arena shows that run throughout the day, highlighting the behaviours and talents of trained marine mammals such as sea lions, walruses, otters, dolphins and killer whales.
Most of the exhibits are walk-through marine environments such as the Penguin Encounter that passes through a glass-enclosed Antarctica with remarkable emperor penguins sliding over glaciers into the icy water. The walk-through glass tube that passes through the Shark House affords frightening face-to-face encounters.
Adventure rides include the Shipwreck Rapids ride with its turbulent rivers and underground canyons, the exhilarating Journey to Atlantis and the virtual-reality trip to the world of beluga whales, polar bears and walruses of the Wild Arctic. During summer peak hours the shows and more popular exhibits can be very crowded with long queues. Certain attractions are closed at certain times of the year.
Website www.seaworld.com/san-diego/
Downtown San Diego
The bustling downtown area of San Diego makes for a compact hub of activity and is an easy walk. It includes the business district, the historic Gaslamp Quarter, and the waterfront…
Downtown San Diego
The bustling downtown area of San Diego makes for a compact hub of activity and is an easy walk. It includes the business district, the historic Gaslamp Quarter, and the waterfront Embarcadero with its boardwalk shops, museums and restaurants. The first commercial district in San Diego, the Gaslamp Quarter, is now a trendy 16-block area of historic buildings and old-fashioned wrought-iron street lamps, antique stores, art galleries, shopping centres, restaurants and jazz bars, and chic coffee houses. Well worth the visit is the Horton Grand, which is a reconstruction of a 19th-century hotel with Victorian decor and costumes. One of California's most important centres for the performing and visual arts, San Diego is celebrated for its artistic and musical heritage annually with the opening of artists' studios and galleries to the public, as well as its numerous Blues and Jazz festivals. Summer evenings are popular and considered to be the liveliest time to visit, when people come out in their droves to frequent the many outdoor tables.
San Diego Beaches
Epitomising the Southern California lifestyle, the beaches and seaside suburbs are the heart and soul of the city, and are graced with bikini-clad bodies, sun-tanned surfers, and a…
San Diego Beaches
Epitomising the Southern California lifestyle, the beaches and seaside suburbs are the heart and soul of the city, and are graced with bikini-clad bodies, sun-tanned surfers, and a plethora of little shops, coffee houses, cafes and restaurants. The 70 miles (113km) of sandy coastline attracts swimmers, sunbathers, surfers, volleyball players and snorkellers.
A boardwalk that runs from Mission Beach to Pacific Beach is extremely popular for jogging and cycling. Mission Bay is a playground for waterskiing, sailing and windsurfing, and the surrounding beaches of Mission Beach, Ocean Beach and Pacific Beach are known for their wide stretches of sand as well as for the vibrant nightlife and dining. Mission Beach is the most popular as there's plenty of action, particularly along the Ocean Front Walk, which resembles the boardwalk parade of Los Angeles' Venice Beach.
To the north, the pretentious seaside suburb of La Jolla is known for its high-priced real estate, expensive shops and excellent restaurants, as well as its beautiful coastline of lovely coves, cliffs, gorgeous beaches and superb surfing. La Jolla Cove has clear waters and the offshore San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park affords brilliant snorkelling and diving through giant kelp forests and a deep canyon.
Website www.sandiego.gov/lifeguards/beaches
Coronado Island
The isthmus of Coronado contains an upmarket resort community with several beaches, including the award-winning Silver Strand State Beach, hotels, outdoor dining, boutiques and the…
Coronado Island
The isthmus of Coronado contains an upmarket resort community with several beaches, including the award-winning Silver Strand State Beach, hotels, outdoor dining, boutiques and the Museum of History and Art dedicated to the history of Coronado. A naval station occupies the western end of the island. The island is of little interest except for the historic Hotel del Coronado around which the community grew.
'The Del' is a much-loved San Diego institution, and a National Historic Landmark dating back to 1888. Its distinctive Victorian turrets, conical towers, balconies and curious architecture have served as a filming location for many years, and a stage for political meetings and social happenings. Its glamorous old-world ambience with polished oak pillars and arched ceilings has hosted guests such as Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and a number of presidents.
Guided tours are available, or visitors can choose to dine and dance here, stay as a guest or simply wander through the grounds and look at its historic photo gallery. Visible across the bay is Point Loma, where a statue of maritime explorer, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, commemorates the landing of the first European in 1542.
Website www.coronadovisitorcenter.com
Tijuana, Mexico
A typical border town, Tijuana is not suited to everyone's taste as there's plenty of noise and frenetic activity. Its location on the American-Mexican border and proximity to San …
Tijuana, Mexico
A typical border town, Tijuana is not suited to everyone's taste as there's plenty of noise and frenetic activity. Its location on the American-Mexican border and proximity to San Diego ensures a steady stream of curious day-trippers and souvenir hunters from up north, as well as students in search of cheap alcohol and a lower drinking age. Tijuana's notorious 'sin city' image of prostitution and sex shows has now taken a back seat; the sleazy element is still there to an extent, but the focus has shifted in an effort to clean the town up a bit. It has become something of a shopper's delight along with the intense nightlife, a burgeoning culinary scene and non-stop entertainment. This is the place to shop, drink and dance the night away; there are souvenir stalls, numerous duty-free shopping malls and markets selling goods from all over Mexico, and countless bars, restaurants and dance clubs. Tijuana has some traditional attractions as well, including bullfighting and Jai Alai (a Spanish ball court game), but this is not the classic Mexico that stories are made of. Just across the Mexican border, 30 minutes from downtown San Diego, Tijuana is unlike other Mexican cities, but is a worthwhile experience that provides a fascinating contrast between Mexico and the USA.
La Jolla Cove
La Jolla Cove is a true gem of California's famous coastline, and a must for nature lovers. The surrounding sandstone cliffs offer panoramic views, particularly at sunset, and the …
La Jolla Cove
La Jolla Cove is a true gem of California's famous coastline, and a must for nature lovers. The surrounding sandstone cliffs offer panoramic views, particularly at sunset, and the cove's pristine waters are a huge drawcard for snorkellers, who'll make the acquaintance of colourful fish, seals and dolphins when they head out. Swimmers who arrive at low tide can enjoy the crystal clear tidal pools and visit Sunny Jim's Sea Cave, which is accessible via a tunnel. Visitors should also make a point of walking along the tranquil, rocky shore, where they'll spot large colonies of sea lions lounging with their pups.
Joshua Tree National Park
Located in south-eastern California, Joshua Tree National Park is instantly recognisable for its vast desert expanses, spectacular sunsets, and peculiar Dr Seuss-like trees. The vi…
Joshua Tree National Park
Located in south-eastern California, Joshua Tree National Park is instantly recognisable for its vast desert expanses, spectacular sunsets, and peculiar Dr Seuss-like trees. The vistas are at times like something from another planet, and visitors can spot bighorn sheep, coyotes, bobcats, rattlesnakes and a variety of birds in the brush. Barker Dam, near Hidden Valley, is a great place to spot wildlife. Joshua Tree encompasses parts of both the Colorado and Mojave Deserts, and has nine designated campgrounds. There are good hiking trails and nature walks, and visitors can also view the park by horseback and 4x4.
Website www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htm
Legoland California
Legoland California is among the most popular attractions for families in San Diego. The first Legoland built outside of Europe, the park is divided into nine sections: Explorer Is…
Legoland California
Legoland California is among the most popular attractions for families in San Diego. The first Legoland built outside of Europe, the park is divided into nine sections: Explorer Island, Heartlake City, Fun Town, Castle Hill, Miniland USA, Pirate Shores, Imagination Zone, Land of Adventure and Legoland Waterpark. The attraction also features a lego-themed aquarium and a hotel. Rides and attractions cater for all ages, and there are shops and restaurants located around the park. Legoland California even has its own iPhone and Android apps to assist visitors in planning their Legoland adventure.
Website www.legoland.com/california/
San Diego Wine Country
While not as well-known as Napa Valley or Santa Barbara, the wineries in San Diego and neighbouring Riverside are growing in popularity, as they produce excellent wines. A few of t…
San Diego Wine Country
While not as well-known as Napa Valley or Santa Barbara, the wineries in San Diego and neighbouring Riverside are growing in popularity, as they produce excellent wines. A few of the most popular wineries to visit include Bernardo Winery, The Blue Door Winery, and San Pasqual Winery. While many of the most popular wineries are in Escondido, there are other areas around San Diego worth visiting. The suburb of Temecula is home to more than 30 wineries that offer tastings and tours, and Valle de Guadalupe, just across the border in Mexico, also has a number of good vineyards within 90 minutes of San Diego that are worth exploring.