San Diego, California

Although San Diego may be better known for sun, sand and surf, the city actually boasts a vibrant and flourishing arts and entertainment scene. From world-class theaters and magnificent museums to cool cafes and hole-in-the-wall nightclubs, there is something here for every entertainment taste.

Art

If you should tire of admiring San Diego's magnificent natural scenery, the city has a number of art museums that offer eye-candy of a different kind. Balboa Park offers many of these treasures, including the San Diego Museum of Art, which offers an impressive collection of Renaissance, Dutch, Spanish Baroque, Impressionist, Southeast Asian and Contemporary Californian works. Also located at Balboa Park, the Timken Museum of Art showcases an extensive collection of Russian icons and 14th Century religious paintings, while the Mingei International Museum has a delightful collection of pottery, textiles, ceremonial and daily-use objects from around the globe. The work of some of the world's best photographers is displayed at the Museum of Photographic Arts. Meanwhile, Spanish Village Art Center offers visitors a chance to watch painters, glassblowers, sculptors and woodcarvers at work. Those with more modern sensibilities may prefer the Museum of Contemporary Art, headquartered in La Jolla with a smaller branch downtown.

Theater

San Diego boasts a remarkably healthy theater scene with not one, but two Tony-award-winning theaters. The consistently excellent La Jolla Playhouse often originates innovative and provocative dramas and musicals. Meanwhile, the oldest professional theater in California, Old Globe Theatre, performs classic, Shakespearean and contemporary works on three stages in Balboa Park. In addition, several smaller companies, such as the San Diego Repertory Theatre and the Lamb's Players Theatre, stage year-round performances of contemporary works.

Film

With giant multiplexes like the Gaslamp Stadium 15 Pacific Theatres and AMC Mission Valley 20, San Diego's cinemas offer plenty of mass, if not exactly highbrow, fare. Meanwhile, independent, art-house and foreign films are shown at the Hillcrest Cinema or the Ken Cinema, the latter specializing in revivals and cutting edge independent film.

Museums

First-time visitors to San Diego are often surprised by the variety of museums found here. The Museum of Man is an anthropological museum focusing on Native American, Southwestern, Mexican and South American cultures. In addition, the Junipero Serra Museum houses Native American and Spanish artifacts from the early days of the missionaries. Those not easily spooked should brave the Thomas Whaley Museum in Old Town, known for being haunted, a fact authenticated by no less than the United States Department of Commerce. Caveat Emptor, of course.

With a nod to San Diego's once prominent status as a commercial seaport, the delightful San Diego Maritime Museum offers visitors a chance to tour three historic vessels. Furthermore, the Birch Aquarium boasts the largest oceanographic exhibit in the country.

Nature lovers can indulge themselves at the San Diego Natural History Museum, which highlights the desert ecology of Southern California and Mexico. Meanwhile, science and technology buffs will enjoy the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center & Space Theater, which showcases a 3D tour of the ocean depths, rainforests and even outer space, all courtesy of IMAX.

Music

Options for classical music fanatics range from large concerts by the San Diego Symphony at Copley Symphony Hall to more intimate recitals by the San Diego Chamber Orchestra. The San Diego Opera season runs from January-May and consists of five operas performed at the Civic Theatre.

For those with slightly less rarefied musical tastes, San Diego offers an array of choices in rock, pop, jazz, folk, country, blues, hip-hop and alternative music. Serious rockers head to the ultra-sleek Coors Amphitheatre, which seats up to 20,000 and has become a "must-play" venue for top musicians. The 14,000-seat ipayOne Center also hosts big-name concerts. Smaller venues for upbeat tunes include Humphrey's By The Bay.

Sports

As far as baseball goes, the San Diego Padres have been the pride of the city. Playing in the National Football League AFC Western Conference, the San Diego Chargers have had a checkered record, but still manage to draw fans to Qualcomm Stadium between August and December.

Other prime spectator sports include horse racing and golf. From late June to early September, San Diegans place bets on their favorite thoroughbreds at the Del Mar Racetrack. This venue attracts some of the best jockeys and horses in the country. Meanwhile, the world's top golfers also visit San Diego several times each year at the Mercedes Championship at the La Costa Resort & Spa in January, and the Buick Invitational at the Torrey Pines Golf Course in February.

Whether your preference is for trendy nightclubs or traditional theater performances, San Diego has entertainment venues to please all tastes. Add sunny skies and ocean views to these top-notch attractions and it is no wonder why San Diego draws countless tourists every year.

Sunny San Diego revels in its reputation as a visitor's paradise. Downtown has picked up, and the refurbishing of a slightly shabby area into the thriving Gaslamp District has brought with it a number of first-rate hotels, most clustered along the bay by the San Diego Convention Center. Meanwhile, the North County region offers deluxe accommodations, Meanwhile, the North County region offers deluxe accomodations, perfect for a weekend getaway. The moneyed, beautiful villages of La Jolla and Coronado Island are great walking towns and inspire loyal visitors. Looking for something a bit more lively? Head to the beaches, particularly Mission Beach and Pacific Beach for an upbeat, and sometimes raucous, twenty-something environment. Whatever your preference, you will easily find accommodations to meet your wishes in the diverse community of San Diego.

Downtown

The US Grant Hotel is the city's oldest and most stylish hotel, offering unexpected old-world decor in a streamlined late 1960s shell. Pricey, but with a cadre of loyal visitors who would not stay anywhere else, this establishment is close to Horton Plaza, the San Diego Convention Center, Seaport Village and Balboa Park.

Along the bayside edges of downtown, the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego features a fantastic bar with floor-to-ceiling windows and several pleasant restaurants. The hotel, within walking distance of Seaport Village and the San Diego Convention Center, is popular among both business and leisure travelers. Next door, Sheraton Suites offers great service and plenty of amenities.

Hotels abound along Shelter and Harbor Islands as well. These two man-made islands were dredged from San Diego Bay back in the 1960s and designed primarily as stages for deluxe hotels, with little else on them. Shelter Island has more of the pseudo-Hawaiian theme and boasts Humphrey's Half Moon Inn & Suites. Near the airport, virtually every room in every hotel offers a bayside view; savvy visitors will ask for a room with a view of North Island or downtown San Diego.

Beach Cities

Pacific Beach offers a few seaside motels and a handful of less desirable ones, with dozens of inexpensive dining options primarily along Grand and the Pacific Coast Highway (often abbreviated PCH).

Mission Beach is seaside rental paradise, with loads of properties on offer for summer, as well as a year-round roller coaster and amusement arcade. The location is young and noisy and has popular accommodations, including the Catamaran Resort & Hotel.

Mission Bay

Luxury hotels ring this popular water recreation center. The five-star Hilton San Diego Resort is a tourist favorite, featuring easy access to SeaWorld and the bay, while being a terrific spot for water-skiing, jet-skiing and other water sports. In addition, the family-friendly Bahia Resort Hotel is also located along Mission Bay. Guests at this establishment enjoy luxury accommodations and free cruises on board the Bahia Belle.

Mission Valley

Home of "Hotel Circle," this section of town offers motels and hotels from most major chains, including San Diego Mission Valley Hilton, San Diego Marriott Mission Valley, Days Inn and many others. Views tend to be of the hotels on the other side of the valley or the overdeveloped interior of the valley itself. All of the inns are close to shopping centers, restaurants and transportation, including the San Diego Trolley.

Coronado

The island of Coronado is mainly residential, yet still popular among tourists. The island of Coronado is mainly residential, yet still popular among tourists. Ideal for on-foot exploration, the island offers a nearly one mile-long sandy beach, boutique shopping, picture-perfect streets and an array of fine restaurants. The top attraction is the Hotel del Coronado, the largest all-wooden structure in the United States. Even if you do not stay at the hotel, it is worth a visit to enjoy the architecture. The tower add-ons are modern, while the original rooms are quaintly Victorian.

Coronado also has several independent motels and two competing luxury hotels, the family-friendly Loews Coronado Bay Resort and the four-star Coronado Island Marriott Resort.

La Jolla

A deluxe retreat for decades, La Jolla is known for attracting artists, Hollywood stars, and, in general, the rich, famous and fashionable. The landmark La Valencia Hotel offers romantic Spanish-flavored charm, as well as close proximity to notable art galleries and restaurants. Also located in downtown La Jolla, The Grande Colonial is a long-standing favorite in this seaside community. The historic building, which has been renovated many times since its opening in 1913, features incredible ocean views and is conveniently located near the fine dining and galleries of La Jolla Village.

Inland from La Jolla, the Golden Triangle is a modern, deluxe business area. The area hosts several major hotels including the four-star Hyatt Regency La Jolla, where guests enjoy countless business services, and the Residence Inn La Jolla, which serves business travelers for extended stays.

North County

The beautiful open country of North County is San Diego's commuter getaway, with hundreds of new homes constructed every year. While there are some attractions, such as LEGOLAND California, the Wild Animal Park, Carlsbad Flower Fields and great surfing, most visitors to this area will be headed to one of the major resorts for recharging rather than avid sightseeing. La Costa Resort & Spa offers a pair of golf courses, three types of tennis courts and fine restaurants, while the Four Seasons Resort Aviara coddles clients with another golf course and abundant meeting space.

In Del Mar, not far from the Del Mar Fairgrounds & Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, L' Auberge Del Mar offers French-styled buildings in the heart of Del Mar Village, with beach and shopping only steps away.

Whether your preference is for a sleek, modern hotel or a romantic, seaside getaway, you will easily find accommodations to meet your desires in San Diego. From quiet North County retreats to historic downtown accommodations, San Diego's hotels consistently please even the most discriminating world-class tourists.