San Diego, California Attractions
California is in such close proximity that it is a popular vacation destination for "Zoners". In less than a day's drive we can reach the ocean.
San Diego is one of the best cities in California. The weather is beautiful, the people laid back, the city has tons of sights to see: Balboa Park, SeaWorld, San Diego Zoo, Wildlife Park,Old Town, Gaslamp Quarter, Mission Bay, Point Loma, tons of museums, attractions and of course the ocean. Of all the attractions offered, my son said "the ocean is the best part." And at the end of the day, who can argue with that.
Seaport Village
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San Diego Zoo Save $$ Often Costco has value ticket packs Phone: (619) 234-3153 San Diego Sea World Visiting off season you may find the rides closed, but the lines for the shows are much shorter and you don't have to fight your way through the crowds. If you want to see all the attractions go during peak time. If you want to see the animals and shows it is more enjoyable off season. Seaworld is an incredible place. The Shamu show brings the most crowds and is "the show" to see. If you want to get wet sit in the Soak Zone-the first 16 rows. We sat in row 14 and didn't get wet at all, but the people below us were soaked. If it were warmer when we went I would have sat closer to the front, just be careful of any camera equipment because you will not just be wet, but as the sign states SOAKED. The shows are incredible to watch, you can really see that these amazing animals have a close relationship with their trainers. The Dolphin show is another great show to watch. We sat in the soak zone for this show as well, since we didn't get wet at the Killer Whale show we figured no big deal, but we were wrong we were drenched during the dolphin show. Off season they will take photos of you with the dolphins on select shows. While SeaWorld is famous for the killer whales, they are also home to Beluga Whales, dolphins, penguins, polar bears, flamingos, puffins,seals, sharks and the Clydesdale horses. Seaworld is an awesome family attraction and a wonderful way to spend the day. It is a great place to visit with or without kids. Phone: (619) 226-3901
Cabrillo National Monument The first time we visited here it was really foggy, a shame because on a clear day you can see to Mexico and the views from Cabrillo National Monument are incredible. We were happy to visit on a clear day this time and enjoy the views of the bay, the city and the many ships and sailboats below. Point Loma Lighthouse Point Loma separates San Diego Bay from the Pacific Ocean, so the views (on a clear day) are incredible from this vantage point. Point Loma was first discovered by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo on September 28, 1542. The iconic San Diego Point Loma lighthouse was completed in 1854 and first lit on November 15,1855. The lighthouse was used until 1891. You can tour both the lighthouse and the assistant lighthouse keepers quarters.The lighthouse has several rooms to view and where you can try and imagine what it was like to live in and raise your children here at Point Loma as a lighthouse keeper. If visiting Cabrillo National Monument, don't forget to stop and visit the Tidepool area as well. On the western side of Point Loma lies a small rocky intertidal zone. During periods of low tide, pools form along this shore and you can see various creatures including anemones. We have never seen anything I guess because we don't come at the right times,but that is ok there are plenty of walking paths along the rocky ocean cliffs here and the sunsets are incredible.
Phone: (619) 557-5450
Balboa Park You could spend your entire vacation here at the park and not see everything there is to see. Balboa Park houses the San Diego Zoo, the Science Center, Museum of San Diego History, home to 15 major museums, several theaters, botanical gardens, several flower gardens and fountains, train rides-there is something for every age group at Balboa Park. The architecture alone is beautiful to look at. Even if you don't have time for the museums, a visit to Balboa Park is a must if you are in San Diego. Most of the gardens are free, with the exception of the Japanese Garden, and many of the museums are free on Tuesdays. You can pick up a map of the park at the Visitor's Center. Gardens Within The Park Inez Grant Parker Rose Garden
Zoro Garden The Zoro grotto garden located within Balboa Park use to be a nudist colony in the 1930's, now it is a lovely butterfly garden. Early in the morning we saw many butterflies sipping the nectar from their favorite flowers. This is a neat garden because it is sunken in, tucked away within the trees. Palm Canyon Across the Parking lot from the Alcazar Garden, Palm Canyon in Balboa Park will take you across a wooden footbridge, down some stairs to a wide winding path through lush palm trees. Some of the Palm trees date back to 1912. Palm Canyon has more than 450 palms and is home to many squirrels. We enjoyed watching them play and eat. You can hear them knawing on their food, this is how quiet it is in Palm Canyon. While you walk through Palm Canyon you can often hear the organ from the Spreckels Organ Pavilion
San Diego Wildlife Park The Wild Animal Park is not located in San Diego, but rather about 30 miles north of the San Diego Zoo in San Pasquel Valley. A picturesque area. We left early to visit the zoo and arrived a few minutes after the park opened and headed straight for the Journey into Africa Tour, which is located clear on the other end of the park. We were glad we went first, since the later it was in the day the more people there were on the tour and as a bonus the animals are lot more active in the morning. This tour takes you by giraffes, cheetahs, gazelle, the rare white rhinos (there are only 6 in the world, this park has two of them), ostrich,antelope,etc. The tour is aprox 30 min long and is a cool ride to take in the park. Our next stop were the Lions, which were one of the most fascinating to watch as the two cubs were wrestling while mom and dad looked on. The Lions area is huge compared to regular zoo enclosures. Most of the enclosures are quite large, which means lots and lots of walking for us humans. The Wild Animal Park could easily take many days to explore all of the exhibits in depth, but if you don't mind a lot of walking you cover a lot of ground in a day. The tiger was a disappointment-he is a far walk from other animals and was no where to be found. The gorillas were eating when we arrived, cheetahs were basking in the morning sun, and the meerkats were people watching. Our favorites at the park was the African tour, the lions, and suprisingly the hidden jungle where you could see many tropical birds close-up and the Lorikeet Landing exhibit. The Lorikeets are not shy and will land on your arm, or shoulder or in my case your head. We had a lot of fun interacting with the Lorikeets.
The Whaley House- Supposedly Haunted The Whaley House is said to be the most haunted house in the US, according to the Travel Channel. Historically the Whaley house is important to San Diego because it was the County Court house, San Diego's first commercial theater, a general store, a ballroom, a billiard hall, school, and polling place, as well as the Whaley's personal residence. It is said to be haunted because the original home site was built on the public hanging grounds and Mr. Whaley's daughter commited suicide and died in the house. We visited at night because what the heck-maybe you would have a better chance of seeing ghosts?
Seaport Village Seaport Village is beautiful during the day as well as at night. It is adjacent to Embarcadero Park North and a easy walking distance from many of the hotels downtown. Seaport Village has cobblestone pathways that lead you around the village of shops, restaurants and San Diego bay. For the kids there is a 1895 Antique carousel within the village and horse drawn carriage rides.
Gaslamp Quarter The Gaslamp Quarter is the place for restaurants, bars, clubs, and shopping. This area is filled with late night entertainment. This is a great area to stay in for singles or couples visiting San Diego Location: Downtown San Diego
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