Sightseeing OverviewSightseeing Overview Most visitors consider
SeaWorld, in San Diego’s popular Mission Bay area, to be the city’s key attraction. Just to the north, the city’s beach areas (
La Jolla (home of the
Birch Aquarium at Scripps and a famed scuba diving area),
Pacific Beach and
Mission Beach) provide all the sunbathing and swimming that visitors could need.
Coronado Island (the tip of a long land spit just west of Downtown) also has several famous beaches,
including the Silver Strand State Beach. The historic
Hotel Del Coronado, north of the Strand, has been a favorite filming location for many years and is worth a visit.
The Downtown area is home to the old
Gaslamp Quarter, with its 19th-century stately houses and jazz and blues bars, as well as over 15 museums and attractions in the lush
Balboa Park. The world-famous
San Diego Zoo is located at the north end of the park.
Old Town, California’s 18th-century birthplace, is located just north of Downtown and contains the majestic
Presidio (‘Fort’), which overlooks San Diego Bay amid spacious manicured gardens. Northeast of Downtown is the
Wild Animal Park, a larger, unique version of the San Diego Zoo. Outlying parks like the
Mission Trails Regional Park (again northeast of Downtown) are a nature-lover’s paradise. South of Downtown is Mexico, with the quirky curio shops, old rambling streets and unusual seaside attractions of Tijuana.
Tourist InformationInternational Visitor Information Center 1040 1/3 West Broadway (at Harbor Drive)
Tel: (619) 236 1212. Fax: (619) 230 7084.
E-mail:
sdinfo@sandiego.org Website:
www.sandiego.org Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700 (Jun-Aug), Thurs-Tues 0900-1600 (Sep-May).
PassesThe
Southern California Value Pass allows admission to both
SeaWorld San Diego and
Universal Studios Hollywood, within a 14-day period. The pass costs US$94 and can be purchased at either attraction or on their websites.
The
Two-
Park Ticket includes a ‘deluxe’ admission to
San Diego Zoo (with a narrated bus tour and aerial tram tour) and a
Wild Animal Park general admission. The ticket, which is available for purchase at either establishment, costs US$54.45 and must be used within five days.
The
San Diego 3-
for-
1 Ticket entitles holders to five consecutive days at
San Diego Zoo,
San Diego Wild Animal Park and
SeaWorld San Diego for US$98.95. It can be bought at any of these attractions or on their websites.
The
Passport to Balboa Park Pass provides access to 13 of the museums within
Balboa Park. The pass lasts seven days, costs US$30 and can be purchased from the House of Hospitality, within the park.
Key Attractions:SeaWorld For many, the name
SeaWorld is synonymous with San Diego. The 77-hectare (190-acre) marine park is one of California’s most popular attractions and for good reason. In addition to being a leader in marine conservation, it is one of the few entertainment parks in which visitors can experience an ‘up close and personal’ encounter with some of the world’s largest marine animals.
Built in 1964, the park is best known for its work with killer whales (now known as orcas) and dolphins. From 2006 visitors can experience ‘Believe’, a new killer whale show
highlighting the awesome behaviors of Shamu, Baby Shamu and crew. The Dolphin Interaction Program (DIP) offers visitors a chance to help in the feeding of dolphins and to experience what it is like to be in the water with one of the world’s most unusual warm-water residents.
‘Journey to Atlantis’ is SeaWorld San Diego’s largest attraction ever. Guests step aboard a Greek fishing boat and take a 6-minute, wet and wild thrill ride that includes a 60-ft plunge. After the ride, participants can get up close and personal with some of the park’s dolphins.
The ‘Wild Arctic’ simulated flight transports visitors outside Southern California to the world of the walrus, polar bear and beluga whale. The show imitates the feel and view of a jet helicopter flying high above one of the world’s most forbidding landscapes.
Adventure rides are a new and popular attraction at SeaWorld, for example the ‘Shipwreck Rapids’ ride steers participants down turbulent river rapids, through an underground cavern and past menacing looking traps.
500 SeaWorld Drive
Tel: 1 800 25 SHAMU
or 257 4268.
Website:
www.seaworld.com Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700 (basic hours); hours vary according to season and day of month/week – longest peak hours 0900-2300 (summer).
Admission charge.
Balboa Park One of San Diego’s oldest natural reserves, this 485.6-hectare (1200-acre) park is an easy walk from Downtown San Diego and is a favorite landmark for locals and visitors alike. On summer weekends, the park is filled with acrobats and musicians. Its exquisitely landscaped paths and meadows are over 100 years old, although
Balboa Park’s signature building, the
Casa del Prado, was built for the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition, to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal. The building’s ornate colonial-style architecture, high archways and tiled walkways have been meticulously preserved through the years.
The main street in the park is
El Prado, around which there are over 15 museums – one to suit just about any interest and historical focus. The park is also home to the
San Diego Zoo (see below) and the
House of Pacific Regions, an international display of culture, food and customs that is held every Sunday 1200-1700.
The park’s oldest and most famous museum is the
Reuben H Fleet Science Center, with exhibits that range from archaeology and history to Michael Jordan and basketball. It has an on-site planetarium and regularly hosts IMAX wide-screen movies with a strong educational flavor. Some of the other most celebrated museums include the
Automotive Museum (featuring over 80 classic models of car and motorbike), the
Museum of Man (noted to have exceptional exhibits on anthropology and archaeology), the
San Diego Aerospace Museum (covering the beginning of flight to Man’s most recent advances in space travel) and the
Museum of Art (regularly featuring artists from around the world).
Art-lovers will find a wide range of topics, artists and mediums to explore throughout the park’s many art museums, such as the
Museum of Photographic Arts, the
Timken Museum of Art and the
San Diego Art Institute. There are also cultural centers, such as
Centro Cultural de la Raza (an interdisciplinary center that promotes and provides resources for Mexican, Chicano and indigenous art and culture) and
WorldBeat Center (dedicated to promoting understanding and appreciation of African cultures and music).
Other attractions include
Japanese Friendship Garden,
Mingei International Museum,
San Diego Hall of Champions,
San Diego Historical Society Museum,
San Diego Junior Theater,
San Diego Model Railroad Museum,
San Diego Natural History Museum,
The Globe Theaters,
United Nations Building and the
Veteran’s Memorial Center Museum.
Central entrances are at Sixth Avenue and El Prado, and Park Avenue and Village Place
Tel: (619) 235 1100
or 239 0512 (House of Hospitality).
Website:
www.balboapark.org Reuben H Fleet Science Center 1875 El Prado
Tel: (619) 238 1233.
Website:
www.rhfleet.org Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 0930-1700, Fri 0930-2100, Sat 0930-2000, Sun 0930-1800 (early Sept-early July); daily 0930-2000 (early July-early Sept).
Admission charge.
Automotive Museum 2080 Pan American Plaza
Tel: (619) 231 2886.
Website:
www.sdautomuseum.org Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700.
Admission charge.
Museum of Man 1350 El Prado
Tel: (619) 239 2001.
Website:
www.museumofman.org Opening hours: Daily 1000-1630.
Admission charge.
San Diego Aerospace Museum 2001 Pan American Plaza
Tel: (619) 234 8291.
Website:
www.aerospacemuseum.org Opening hours: Daily 1000-1630 (regular hours); daily 1000-1730 (summer).
Admission charge.
Museum of Art 1450 El Prado
Tel: (619) 232 7931.
Website:
www.sdmart.org Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1800; Thurs 1000-2100.
Admission charge.
Museum of Photographic Arts 1649 El Prado
Tel: (619) 238 7559.
Website:
www.mopa.org Opening hours: Fri-Wed 1000-1700; Thurs 1000-2100.
Admission charge.
Timken Museum of Art 1500 El Prado
Tel: (619) 239 5548.
Website:
www.timkenmuseum.org Opening hours: Tues-Sat 1000-1630; Sun 1330-1630.
Free admission.
San Diego Art Institute 1439 El Prado
Tel: (619) 236 0011.
Website:
www.sandiego-art.org Opening hours: Tues-Sat 1000-1600; Sun 1200-1600.
Admission charge.
San Diego Zoo Known for its conservation efforts, the
San Diego Zoo is one of the only zoos to have successfully bred pandas in captivity. It maintains several endangered species exhibits and works with reserves and conservation groups worldwide, to encourage protection of threatened wildlife. The 40.5-hectare (100-acre) reserve has rambling scenic walkways for foot travel, or can be enjoyed by a narrated bus tour.
Introduced in Spring 2005, the new 1.4-hectare (3.4-acre)
Monkey Trails is the largest, most elaborate animal habitat project in the zoo’s history, having transformed the heart of the zoo into Asian and African forests with more than 30 species of exotic birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians - some of the world's most rare and endangered wildlife. Another popular attraction is the
Ituri Forest Exhibit, modeled after the African tropical forest of the same name. The 1.6-hectare (4-acre) exhibit features a life-size model of a traditional Mbuti camp and an underwater viewing area of the forest’s aquatic residents. The zoo’s
Sun Bear exhibit is home to several Malayan sun bears, known best for the unusual sun-colored crescents on their chest and their playful comical nature. The zoo also houses an exhibit of lowland gorillas, which are known for their size and remarkable agility.
Tiger River is one of the zoo’s more remarkable exhibits – the animal enclosures are situated along a winding, misty trail amid waterfalls, grassy knolls and a tropical forest of more than 5000 types of exotic plants. This mini rainforest features tigers, Burmese pythons, Malaysian tapirs and narrow-snouted crocodiles called gavials. The
Polar Bear Plunge is also not to be missed – home as it is to several polar bears in a simulated Arctic tundra environment. The zoo hosts several ‘after dark’ events, including live music performances and up-close animal encounters.
2920 Zoo Drive
Tel: (619) 234 3153.
Website:
www.sandiegozoo.org Opening hours: Daily 0900-1600 (basic opening hours); varies according to season.
Admission charge.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps Scripps Institute of Oceanography is one of the pioneers in oceanographic studies. Visitors can get a glimpse of some of the Institute’s more unique projects at its
Birch Aquarium. Public presentations and displays include lectures, whale-watching expeditions, tide-pooling trips for families and live cam demonstrations of the Institute’s current research programs.
Among its more impressive exhibits is the
Kelp Forest, a giant live exhibit of one of nature’s more impressive habitats. It is home to thousands of different kinds of sea life, from leopard sharks to the minuscule kelp fish that survive in camouflage along the leaves of the tall plant. A video camera provides a close-up view of many of the aquarium’s inhabitants. The aquarium’s
Jelly Tanks are home to some of the more beautiful and exotic types of jellyfish in the world, such as moon jellies, the lion mane jellies and the purple-striped jellies.
2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla
Tel: (858) 534 FISH
or 3474.
Website:
www.aquarium.ucsd.edu Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700.
Admission charge.
Old Town State Park San Diego’s
Old Town is where California’s Spanish history first began. The area is home to the famous
Presidio mission, which was established by 18th-century Spanish missionaries in 1769. Situated on the grassy knolls above San Diego Bay, the Presidio (Spanish for ‘fort’) commands a stunning view of the city, Old Town proper and the Californian coastline. Visitors can wander the Presidio’s immaculately sculpted gardens or visit the historical museum and mission located within the fort.
The
Old Town State Park includes a number of residential and commercial buildings down the hill from the Presidio in the main part of Old Town. The old school house and blacksmith’s building, both of which were constructed of adobe in the early 1800s, are some of Old Town’s last remaining pioneer structures. Mexican curio shops and restaurants are scattered throughout the Old Town residential area, which is now one of San Diego’s upper-class neighborhoods. The
Plaza del Pasado is a shopping area with a number of Mexican restaurants. Old Town also has its own popular live theater, which attracts large crowds throughout the summer months.
San Diego Avenue and Twiggs Street
Tel: (619) 220 5422.
Website:
www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=663 Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700.
Admission charge.
San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum In 2004 the longest-serving aircraft carrier in history was turned into the
San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum. The venerable
USS Midway was commissioned in 1945 and served as a flagship during Desert Storm as late as 1992. More than 225,000 Americans served on USS Midway. Now it is a highly popular museum offering a self-guided audio tour, a wide range of exhibits and displays, access to the mess deck, berthing spaces, hangar deck, flight deck and island superstructure, Mach Combat F-8 and F-4 phantom flight simulators and flight stations, flight avionics motion simulators and 15 restored aircraft, among other things.
910 North Harbor Drive
Tel: (619) 544 9600.
Website:
www.midway.org Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700.
Admission charge.
Further Distractions:Mission Trails Regional Park This 2300-hectare (5750-acre) park on the east side of San Diego is not to be confused with the many other 18th-century missions that are scattered throughout California, including the original birthplace of San Diego, El Presidio in the Old Town. The
Mission Trails Regional Park is a naturalist’s paradise. On any given day, one can see a variety of animals that are indigenous to this semi-arid landscape, including coyotes, fox, hummingbirds and the small gecko lizard. The park hosts ecology and guided interpretive walks all year round. It is also possible to camp in the park during the summer, as there are 46 fairly primitive campsites that are accessible to vehicles.
1 Father Junipero Serra Trail, off Highway-8 East
Tel: (619) 668 3281
or 2748, for campsite reservations.
Website:
www.mtrp.org Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700.
Free admission (park and interpretive center); charge for camping.
Seaport Village Named for its historic waterfront setting on the shores of San Diego Bay,
Seaport Village is one of the city’s more unusual ‘malls’. Located at the southern edge of the city’s old Embarcadero wharf area, the village is primarily a shopping and eating district. However, the beach area does have 7km (4 miles) of walking paths, ponds and lakes, providing scenic views of the waterfront, to explore.
849 West Harbor Drive
Tel: (619) 235 4014.
Website:
www.spvillage.com Opening hours: Shops open daily 1000-2100 (until 2200 summer).
Free admission.
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