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Semi-tropical San Diego, with its mean temperature of 70 degrees F, Mediterranean-like white-washed stucco buildings and strong cultural influences from sunny Mexico, is as close to visiting a foreign country as visitors could get and yet, is as American as apple pie. The heart of this bustling city lies at the foot of the harbor just minutes by car from Lindbergh Field, where most travelers debark. Yet, modern San Diego has become much more than just a harborside city. Spanning from the North County beach areas to the South Bay cities al... More
Overview of San Diego, California
Information by Wcities Inc
 

Semi-tropical San Diego, with its mean temperature of 70 degrees F, Mediterranean-like white-washed stucco buildings and strong cultural influences from sunny Mexico, is as close to visiting a foreign country as visitors could get and yet, is as American as apple pie.

The heart of this bustling city lies at the foot of the harbor just minutes by car from Lindbergh Field, where most travelers debark. Yet, modern San Diego has become much more than just a harborside city. Spanning from the North County beach areas to the South Bay cities along the Mexican border, San Diego is one of the top ten largest cities in the United States. While all these areas fall under the San Diego umbrella, each individual community maintains its own personality, geography and identity. Truly, in San Diego's case, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Downtown

Less than three miles from the airport is downtown proper. This thriving commercial area with its active waterfront is a bustling, colorful combination of major hotels, convention facilities, restaurants, nightclubs and shopping venues. Its focal point is Horton Plaza, an architectural masterpiece that holds trendy shops, lively restaurants, a theatre and even an ice rink during the holiday season. Just east of Horton Plaza is the Gaslamp District, a 16-block source of civic pride. Once slated for destruction, this area has been reclaimed by the people of San Diego thanks to the 1970s Redevelopment Plan. Where once dilapidated warehouses and run-down Victorian houses stood, and where no one dared to enter after dark, the Gaslamp District has now become the pulse of the city.

Due west of the city proper is the Embarcadero, a fun daytime location where visitors can take in leisurely views of the bay, hop aboard a harbor cruise or enjoy seafood at its finest. For shopping, visit Seaport Village, a 14-acre shopping and dining complex designed to emulate early California-style architecture.

Balboa Park

No visit to San Diego would be complete without a trip to Balboa Park. Home to the world-famous San Diego Zoo, the park is much more than a beautiful place to see exotic animals. Gardens and grounds in Balboa Park were established as a city park for the people in 1868. In preparation for hosting the Panama-California Exposition of 1915, a celebration of the opening of the Panama Canal, founding fathers, architects and master gardeners collaborated to create the fine Spanish Colonial Revival-style buildings and gardens that still grace the grounds today. Additional buildings were raised on the site in the early 1930s, this time incorporating the look and feel of the Mayan civilization and California's early indigenous peoples. Within the confines of the park, visitors can enjoy scores of museums and art galleries including the Museum of Man, San Diego Museum of Art, Timken Museum of Art and Spreckel's Organ Pavilion.

Old Town

For a taste of what San Diego was like in its earliest years, take in the sights and sounds of this colorful settlement, now preserved as a state historic park. Famous as the first European settlement in California, this area is also well known for its glorious year-round gardens, mouth-watering Mexican dishes, lilting Mariachi music and free-flowing margaritas. Be sure to spend a little time browsing through Bazaar del Mundo, truly a marketplace of the world.

Within easy walking distance from the center of Old Town is the Presidio, a must-see while in San Diego. This structure, now a historic landmark, is where Junipero Serra established the first of the Spanish missions in California.

La Jolla

A short drive up the coast takes visitors to La Jolla ("the jewel" in Spanish), and truly a jewel it is. Despite its dense population, the people of this affluent city have somehow managed to maintain its beautiful natural setting. Cliffs along the main streets overlook the beaches and coves along the Pacific Ocean; tropical vegetation creeps and climbs across red-tiled roofs and verandas; and sunsets at La Jolla Shores are simply spectacular. Beyond breathtaking oceanfront scenery, this seaside community is home to the Birch Aquarium, which features the largest oceanographic display in the United States.

North County

Travel a few miles further north along the coastal drive to reach Del Mar, another fine beach community. Famous for its racetrack, founded by Bing Crosby and fellow Hollywood cronies during the 1940s, this seaside town offers as much to families as it does to racing aficionados. Beaches here are clean and family friendly. Boutiques and open-air restaurants line the main street, giving it a Riviera-like quality. Just north of this city, visitors can find the renown Carlsbad Flower Fields and LEGOLAND California, great for those with young children in tow.

Moving inland, the city of Escondido is a quieter, more rural version of San Diego, replete with avocado and livestock ranches, vineyards and granite-strewn hillsides. The community hosts the San Diego Zoo's 2,200-acre Wild Animal Park, an extension of the city's world-famous zoo providing visitors a look at animals in the wild.

South Bay

Visitors would be remiss if they never traveled south from the city proper into the area referred to as the South Bay. The main city in this area is Chula Vista, home to one of San Diego's greatest music and entertainment venues, the Coors Amphitheatre. This entertainment complex provides state-of-the-art acoustics, VIP tables complete with cocktail table service, stadium seating and picnic seating on grassy knolls. Adjacent to the amphitheater, visitors (and especially their children) can cool off in the watery fun at Knott's Soak City U.S.A..

While each district of San Diego has an original flair, the various sections blend seamlessly into a thriving, cosmopolitan city. From the North County beaches to the downtown shopping districts, San Diego's first-class attractions consistently please tourists and locals alike.

 
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Top Things to Do for San Diego from Yahoo! Travellers

     
    HOTELS
     
     
    THINGS TO DO
     
     
    RESTAURANTS
     
1
SeaWorld San Diego
500 Sea World Dr
 
 
 
 
 
2
San Diego Zoo
2920 Zoo Dr
3
San Diego California Ballet
4819 Ronson Ct
 
 
 
 
 
4
Old Town
2383 San Diego Ave
5
Little Italy District
1668 Columbia St
6
Belmont Park
3146 Mission Blvd
 
 
 
 
 
8
San Diego Mormon Temple
7474 Charmant Dr
 
 
 
 
 
9
USS Midway Museum
910 N Harbor Dr
10
Claire de Lune Coffeehouse
2906 University Ave
 
 
 
 
 

Top Restaurants for San Diego from Yahoo! Travellers

     
    HOTELS
     
     
    THINGS TO DO
     
     
    RESTAURANTS
     
2
The Field
544 5th Ave
 
 
 
 
 
3
Blarney Stone
5617 Balboa Ave
5
Candelas
416 3rd Ave
7
Alfiere Mediterranean Bistro
1590 Harbor Island Dr
 
 
 
 
 
8
Grape (The)
823 5th Ave
 
 
 
 
 
9
Old Town Mexican Cafe
2489 San Diego Ave
 
 

Popular Trip Plans for San Diego

 
 

Recommendations for San Diego

San Diego Entertainment Guide
provided by Wcities Inc

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.

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,... More
San Diego History
provided by Wcities Inc

"It's the most beautiful place in the world to me and I had rather have the affection and friendly greetings of the people of San Diego than all the rulers of the world."

So said Alonzo Horton, founder of what would become downtown San Diego, on the occasion of his 95th birthday. Most likely, San Diego residents would heartily echo his sentiments today. This beautiful, geographically-diverse region in Southern California is truly a wonderful sight to behold. But it is the people who have persevered through boom and bust to build this city, now one of the top ten largest in the United States.

Archaeologists have determined that the first inhabitants of this area settled here more than 20,000 years ago, in the area now known as Rancho Santa Fe. By 7000 BC, descendants of these earlier peoples had migrated to the sandy shores of La Jolla and the riverbed of Mission Valley.

The simple life of these native peoples was forever altered when the Spanish Conquistadors overtook the Aztec civilization. The conquest for gold, land and religion brought Spanish explorers and religious leaders to the area.

While looking for a Northwest passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sailed into San Diego Bay in 1542 and came ashore in Point Loma. In honor of the feast day on which he landed, Cabrillo dubbed the area San Miguel, now represented by the Cabrillo National Monument. For nearly 60 years, the land named by Cabrillo remained the quiet domain of the local inhabitants who continued to live their simple lives. And nothing much changed that way of life, even after Sebastian Vizcaino arrived from Mexico in 1602 and renamed the area San Diego de Alcala, in honor of his vessel, San Diego, and the Catholic saint of the same name.

In 1768, expeditions were organized from Baja (lower) California into Alta (upper) California in order to establish territorial rights along the California coast. Secondarily, the Catholic church decided to establish a series of missions along a northernly advance from which to convert the native peoples. By 1769, a contingent of soldiers and Franciscan Brothers established a military camp on Presidio Hill. That summer, Father Junipero Serra would found the first California Mission on that site. The Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala would later be moved to its current location in Mission Valley.

Around the time of Mexico's war to win independence from Spain, a thriving settlement of 600 people was established in Old Town. By 1821, Mexico earned its independence, and within four years San Diego was named the official capital of both upper and lower Baja.

In 1846, the United States declared war on Mexico to gain rights to the western lands and within two years, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hildalgo was signed ending the war and setting the countries' current borders. San Diego became the southernmost city in the United States.

By the mid-1800s, San Diego became an official county and acquired one of its most influential residents, William Heath Davis. He was so enchanted by the city that he purchased 160 acres by the bay and determined to build a fine city. For a while, his vision soared. Land parcels were sold and businesses moved in. Then disaster struck. A series of floods and then a fire put an end to his dream. But his own home, the William Heath Davis House, is still the oldest surviving structure in San Diego.

In 1867, a newcomer arrived in San Diego after hearing of its beauty at a lecture. Alonzo Erastus Horton renewed Davis' dream. With the purchase of 800 acres at 33 cents an acre, he spent $50,000 to build a wharf at the end of Fifth Avenue. Before long, he would also build his "Horton Hotel" at the site where the current US Grant Hotel stands today. At the dedication of the hotel, he also set aside half a city block as a plaza for his guests with the stipulation that it would revert to city ownership upon his death. Today, this half city block is the site of Horton Plaza.

The beginnings of culture in San Diego seem to stem directly from its entrenchment in promoting the Panama-California Exposition of 1915. Since 1868, Balboa Park has existed, but it was not until plans for the Expo took shape that the city would have one of its most distinctive attractions. Construction began in 1911 on the buildings which would commemorate the completion of the Panama Canal. Sugar magnate John D. Spreckels presented the Organ Pavilion to the people of San Diego and this organ is still played on Sunday afternoons.

Perhaps by accident, San Diegans acquired yet another world-famous attraction: the San Diego Zoo, during preparations for the 1915 Expo. Animals being imported for display during the Expo were quarantined by Dr. Harry Wegeforth. His efforts to garner public support for a zoo led to the plans for the facility to be a showcase in newly-developed Balboa Park.

By 1960, San Diego's population topped one million people and tourism had become the city's third most important industry. Investments in the city's economy flourished with the establishment of the Salk Institute, SeaWorld, the San Diego Stadium (now Qualcomm Stadium) and the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge.

From its humble beginnings as an abundant natural resource for indigenous peoples to a modern, bustling city, San Diego has witnessed both times of prosperity and decline. Through it all, the breathtaking natural beauty continues to attract people from all around the world. Yet, the true wonder of this city lies in its people, a truly divergent group who continue to look toward the future with hope, expectations, and genuine love for San Diego.

"It's the most beautiful place in the world to me and I had rather have the affection and friendly greetings of the people of San Diego than all the rulers of the world."So said Alonzo Horton, founder of what would become downtown... More
San Diego Recommended Tours
provided by Wcities Inc

As if the glorious weather alone were not enough of a reason, San Diego boasts several world-renowned attractions that keep tourists coming to this California metropolis. From sunny Balboa Park to the historic sites of the Gaslamp Quarter and the Old Town, a tour of San Diego is filled with possibilities.

Balboa Park The 1,200-acre Balboa Park is the cultural and tourist center of San Diego with numerous museums and theaters, a sporting complex, beautiful gardens, an open-air pipe organ, and the San Diego Zooon its premises. The famous Laurel Restaurant & Bar is nearby. It also houses the Museum of Man, an anthropological museum documenting the Southwestern and Mexican cultures. Next to the museum is the venerable Old Globe Theatre and the San Diego Museum of Art and the Timken Museum of Art.

Downtown The world's oldest floating merchant ship, the Star of India is located in the dock at the corner of Ash Street and North Harbor Drive. The ship is part of the San Diego Maritime Museum, while the San Diego Aerospace Museum is not far away. Also located along the Embarcadero is the New England-style Seaport Village.

Gaslamp Quarter Slightly east of Seaport Village, the historic Gaslamp Quarter, highlighted by gas street lamps and Victorian-style buildings, draws countless tourists and locals. Westfield Horton Plaza is a sprawling outdoor mall in this area. The San Diego Convention Center and PETCO Park sit on the waterfront, right around the corner from the Edgewater Grill.

Coronado After visiting the downtown San Diego attractions, take the ferry from Broadway Pier or drive across the arching, 2.2 mile-long San Diego-Coronado Bridge to Coronado Island, a beautiful resort community boasting some of the most exclusive homes, boutiques and restaurants in San Diego. If you take the ferry, you will disembark at the Ferry Landing Marketplace. From here catch a shuttle bus that will take you to the town's main tourist drag, Orange Avenue, where you'll find the Coronado Historical Association Museum of History and Art. Up the road is the Coronado Brewing Company, a popular pub and restaurant.

Old Town A slice of historic life has been preserved and re-created in the Old Town neighborhood at the Old Town State Historic Park, a kind of dusty Mexican theme park complete with restored haciendas, costumed characters and serenading mariachis. Start your visit at the Seeley Stables where volunteers give free daily tours. The haunted Thomas Whaley Museum is a must-see attraction in Old Town, as is the Presidio Park and the Presidio/Junipero Serra Museum. With historic museums, affluent boutiques, adventurous water sports and breathtaking ocean views, San Diego boasts a variety of sites for any tourist. So, choose a tour that piques your interest and enjoy the first-class attractions offered by this bustling city.

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As if the glorious weather alone were not enough of a reason, San Diego boasts several world-renowned attractions that keep tourists coming to this California metropolis. From sunny Balboa Park to the historic sites of the Gaslamp Quarter a... More
 
 
 
 

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