Down
south, towards the Mexico border, sun-drenched San Diego is the perfect
family holiday destination. As if
San Diego's 120
kilometres of coastline and reliably sunny weather weren't enough, the city is
also home to museums, a world-renowned zoo, theme parks, SeaWorld San Diego,
famous golf courses, and a lively theatre scene, as well as great food, shopping
and nightlife in the historic downtown quarter.
San
Diego Adventure
Join
locals swimming or snorkelling along the sweeping Pacific bays, kayaking into La
Jolla caves at low tide and cycling or rollerblading along Mission Beach's boardwalk. Back on dry land, the Museum of Contemporary Art showcases minimalism and
pop art. Kids in tow? Keep them amused with traditional craft
demos at the Old Town State
Historic Park, killer whales and pirouetting dolphins at
SeaWorld San Diego, and giant panda encounters in Balboa Park's world-famous San Diego
Zoo.
Nightlife
& Party with Locals
Bronzed,
well-dressed revellers begin their evening over cocktails and legendary Pacific
sunsets at La
Jolla Bay.
Go downtown to the Gaslamp Quarter for an upbeat mix of nightlife - from
live jazz to Irish reels via techno DJs - in bars that range from cosy to
post-modern. Playful Mission Valley is the place to sample locally made
beers in a brewpub and take your chances in the arcades. The much-lauded San Diego Symphony
performs at Copley Symphony Hall.
Gourmet
Cuisine & Dining Out
Enjoy
tacos with ice-cold Cerveza (beer) in the Mexican-infused Old Town and
Old World flavours from Mediterranean to
classic French in the vibrant Gaslamp Quarter. To enjoy a thin-crust pizza with a
bottle of Chianti - head to Little Italy.
Here, diners tuck into Eric Bauer's market-fresh cuisine over live jazz
and blues in trendy supper club Anthology.
Prospect Street is the heart of La
Jolla's restaurant row, offering swanky dining, locally grown,
organic dishes and ocean panoramas.
Just
45 minutes north of downtown, San Diego's
North County is among the finest wine-growing regions in
South California. There are 14 wineries, many open to
touring. San Diego's restaurant
scene bustles with newcomers and old standbys alike, one-hundred of which are in
the Gaslamp Quarter. The fare is
infinitely varied, including pan-Asian, Hawaiian, Mediterranean, plenty of surf-and-turf, and even a new,
risqué cook-your-own-steak joint.
World's
Best Scuba Dive Sites
San
Diego's
underwater scene ranges from the magnificent giant kelp forests of Point Loma to
the nautical graveyard off Mission Beach called Wreck Alley. At the aquatic Ecological Reserve off La
Jolla Cove, fishing and boating activity has been banned since 1929. Diving and snorkelling, though, are
welcome in the 533-acre reserve; and it's a reliable place to spot garibaldi,
California's
state fish, as well as endangered giant black sea bass. Shore diving here or at nearby
La Jolla
Shores is common, and there
are dive shops to help you get set up.
But
boat dives are the rule. Check out
the Islas los Coronados, a trio of uninhabited
islets off Mexico (a
90-minute boat ride from San
Diego), where seals, sea lions, eels, and more cavort
against a landscape of boulders (watch for swift currents). There's also the Yukon, a 366-foot
Canadian destroyer that was intentionally sunk in 2000. It's part of Wreck Alley, an artificial
reef less than 1 mile out from Mission Beach that includes several other vessels
and the remains of a research platform toppled by a storm in 1988. Water visibility is best in the autumn;
water temperatures are cold year-round.
World
Class Golf Courses
Sun
cascading along stretches of white sandy beaches, relaxing resorts, shopping,
dining, and partying are legendary in this region. As a golf destination, San Diego has over 1,800
undulating greens to conquer, 4,000 bunkers to avoid, and countless
ball-swallowing water features within the 90-plus courses. Combine the regions golf scene with
their numerous attractions and you'll understand why San Diego is one of the
top golf spots in the universe.
Family
Holidays
Dozens
of public parks, 70 miles of beaches, and numerous museums are just part of what
awaits kids and families in San
Diego.
Balboa Park has street entertainers and clowns
that always rate high with kids.
They can usually be found around El Prado on weekends. The Natural History Museum, the Model Railroad Museum, the Air &
Space Museum, and the
Reuben
H. Fleet Science
Center (with its hands-on
exhibits and IMAX theatre) draw kids like magnets.
The
San Diego Zoo appeals to children of all ages, and the double-decker bus tours
bring all the animals into easy view of even the smallest visitors. There's a Children's Zoo within the zoo,
and kids adore the performing sea lion show.
SeaWorld
San Diego, on Mission Bay, entertains everyone with killer
whales, playful dolphins, and plenty of penguins. There are also wet and wild thrill rides
and a collection of Sesame
Street-related attractions, including rides and a 4-D
interactive movie experience.