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The Perfect Family Getaway
There are many reasons why San Diego is consistently rated one of the top family travel destinations in North America. The nation's seventh largest city and California's second, San Diego is the ideal destination for families with children of all ages, offering a variety of family-friendly activities, world-class attractions and special events throughout the year.
Whether a family is planning a weekend escape or just a leisurely stay, San Diego offers so much to see and do that it will take more than a week to explore it all.
Following is just a sampling of San Diego's offerings that families can enjoy throughout the year:
SAN DIEGO ZOO
The San Diego Zoo is one of the most famous San Diego visitor attractions. This 100-acre tropical garden zoo houses 4,000 animals of 800 species and is noted for its many rare and exotic species exhibited like the giant pandas and young cub currently on loan from China as well as its lush botanical collection. In addition to spectacular bioclimatic exhibits like the Ituri Forest, Rain Forest Aviary, Polar Bear Plunge, Hippo Beach, Gorilla Tropics, Sun Bear Forest and Tiger River, the San Diego Zoo features other popular attractions, including a three-mile guided bus tour, children's petting zoo and baby animal nursery.
SAN DIEGO ZOO'S WILD ANIMAL PARK
Located 30 miles north of downtown, the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park is a 2,200-acre preserve where wild animals roam free over vast expanses as they would in their native habitats of Africa and Asia. Visitors can best see the park's 3,000 animals by taking the guide-narrated monorail tour after seeing the sights at Nairobi Village. The 1.75-mile Kilimanjaro Hiking Trail takes visitors through a variety of lush botanical gardens and past the homes of gorillas, elephants, cheetahs, lions and many other species. At the park's exhibit, Condor Ridge, guests can meander along mountain trails and view many of North America's most critically-endangered species, including California condors, thick-billed parrots, black-footed ferrets, burrowing owls, Harris hawks and desert big-horn sheep. In 2002, the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park opened a new, state-of-the-art habitat for Western lowland gorillas. The enclosure provides guests a better glimpse into the family dynamics of an 11-member gorilla troop in a setting that stimulates a serene African savannah. More than 14,000 sq.-ft. of space allow the gorillas plenty of room for climbing, exploring and engaging in playful activities.
SEAWORLD SAN DIEGO
Located on Mission Bay, this 189-acre park features six major shows, fascinating attractions and dozens of exhibits containing marine life from around the globe, including the popular Wild Arctic, Penguin Encounter, Shark Encounter and Manatee Rescue. Debuting in May 2003, SeaWorld San Diego's new 4-D movie "R. L. Stine's Haunted Lighthouse" promises to provide audiences plenty of thrills and chills. Based on R. L. Stine's popular children's horror books "Goosebumps" and "Nightmare Room," the 22-minute film is about two children who meet a sailor while on their beach vacation, and hear tales of a haunted lighthouse on the horizon. Featured during the summer season, SeaWorld's Cirque de la Mer treats guests to a fanciful vision of whimsical, half human/half sea creatures performing spectacular cirque-style acts on a beautiful water stage along Mission Bay. This first-of-its-kind "fantasea" adventure includes athletics, acrobatics, music and special effects, with a grand finale of dazzling daytime fireworks. In other areas of the park, SeaWorld San Diego visitors can pet dolphins, eat lunch with killer whales, touch and feed bat rays, pick up starfish for a closer inspection, view the largest waterfowl collection in the U.S., ride on Shipwreck Rapids, watch the surprise-filled Pirates 4-D or take a panorama of San Diego from SeaWorld's Skytower or Mission Bay Skyride.
LEGOLAND CALIFORNIA
Offering a full-day of interactive adventures, LEGOLAND California, located 30 minutes north of San Diego in Carlsbad, delivers fun, imagination and entertainment in a country geared for kids ages 2-12. Offering a "hands-on" experience like no other, this 128-acre theme park features more than 40 interactive attractions and rides that are "kid powered," where kids push, pull, steer, pedal, squirt, climb or build their way through a wonderland of activities. One of LEGOLAND California's most popular rides, LEGO TECHNIC Coaster is a wild roller coaster ride featuring dips, turns and top speeds up to 26 mph. LEGOLAND California is open daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day and during specific holidays in the spring and winter. During the remainder of the year, the park operates on five days a week, closing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
BALBOA PARK/ARTS AND CULTURE
In the heart of San Diego is beautiful Balboa Park, a horticultural paradise. Within its 1,200 lush acres are 85 cultural attractions, including 15 museums, art galleries, the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, the Tony-award winning Old Globe Theatres, Starlight Bowl, sports facilities, the San Diego Zoo, the historic Spreckels Organ Pavilion and an abundance of lush gardens and trees. The Balboa Park Tram provides convenient access to the park, originating at the Inspiration Point Parking Lot, offering 11 intermediate stops through the central core of Balboa Park. The free tram operates seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during the fall and winter months, and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the spring and summer. San Diego's rich interest in arts and culture is showcased throughout the county in some 90 museums, historic sites and monuments devoted to art, history, physical and natural sciences and more. Guests can also discover dynamic performing arts when they visit San Diego, including two Tony Award-winning theatres, the San Diego Opera, San Diego Symphony Orchestra, professional dance companies, chamber music ensembles and much more.
DINING
San Diego's dining scene is quickly becoming one of the hottest in the nation, thanks to a wave of culinary talent and their regionally-inspired menus that incorporate a dash of sun, a pinch of fun and the freshest ingredients, including produce from a growing number of local farms and seafood from the neighboring Pacific Ocean. Families will especially enjoy San Diego's unique themed restaurants, which package food and amusement into a single experience creating a fantasy world of fine dining.
SHOPPING
Families can find major league "shop-portunities" when they visit San Diego and explore its themed shopping districts, major malls, museum gift shops and bargain shopping in neighboring Mexico. The kids will especially enjoy a shopping trip to Westfield Shoppingtown Horton Plaza. With the design of a European marketplace and the color of an amusement park, Horton Plaza is one of San Diego's best known shopping extravaganzas, encompassing 6½ city blocks of open-air shopping pleasure in downtown San Diego. With its five staggered levels, three on one side and two on the other, Horton Plaza offers 140 specialty shops, restaurants and attractions, including a 14-screen movie theater, live theater performances at the Lyceum Theater, three major department stores and a multi-layered food court. Families can find great bargains at outlet centers located throughout San Diego County and beyond, offering name-brand clothing, housewares, appliances and more at low factory outlet prices.
MISSION BAY
This 4,600-acre aquatic playground is the largest of its kind in the world, featuring separate, designated areas for sailing, swimming, power-boating, skiing and fishing. Meandering around the beautiful bay's shorelines are 20-miles of paths for runners, bikers and rollerbladers. True fitness enthusiasts can test their athletic abilities at exercise stations located throughout the course. A favorite spot for families is Tecolote Shores, an open grassy park popular for flying colorful kites, playing Frisbee and having leisurely picnics.
THE BIG BAY
San Diego is home to one of the world's most beautiful natural harbors, the Big Bay. Bustling with activity day and night, the Big Bay serves as the homeport for Navy ships, a large sportfishing fleet, thousands of pleasure craft and an increasing number of commercial and cruise ships. With 27 miles of scenic waterfront, seven yacht clubs, 16 bayside parks, 17 marinas, 69 restaurants, 14 hotels, hundreds of shops and businesses and miles of waterfront promenades and bikeways, The Big Bay appeals to people of all ages and interest. One of the best ways to see San Diego like never before is from the water. Whether it's a harbor tour, dinner cruise, private charter or whale-watching expedition, families are transported into a world of relaxation and adventure while viewing an astonishing range of sights, including U.S. Navy ships docked at the 32nd Street Naval Station and Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego's distinct skyline and the magnificent San Diego-Coronado Bridge.
CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENT
Commemorating the arrival of Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo (sailing for Spain) on the coast of California in 1542, Cabrillo National Monument and the Old Point Loma Lighthouse provide a spectacular panoramic view of San Diego's harbor and coastline, as well as an excellent vantage point for observing the California gray whale during migration season. Cabrillo National Park also offers a large, rocky shoreline of tidepools, the windows to the magnificent Pacific Ocean. Here, families can see flowery anemones, scampering shore crabs, elusive octopus, spongy deadman's fingers and many other creatures of the sea. The best time to visit the tidepools is during winter and spring low tides.
GASLAMP QUARTER
The heart of downtown San Diego is the 16½-block historic Gaslamp Quarter, an urban, Victorian-charm dining and entertainment district that captures the lively spirit of a bygone era. Home of more than 90 restaurants, 40 retail shops and 20 nightclubs, guests can discover cuisine that reaches the far corners of the globe, entertainment that spans the decades, stores that provide intricacies not found anywhere else and much more.
Throughout the year, the Gaslamp Quarter becomes a giant outdoor block-party during several annual major events, including the Annual Mardi Gras Celebration and Parade, held on "Fat Tuesday" in February; Sham Rock, a St. Patrick's Day block party in March; the Easter Bonnet Parade in April; Annual Fiesta Cinco de Mayo in May; Taste of Gaslamp, downtown's favorite eating extravaganza in June, and Street Scene, California's largest, most diverse urban food and music festival, held each September.
SAN DIEGO'S MISSIONS
San Diego's Spanish heritage is preserved in its beautiful missions. Padre Junipero Serra's first mission in California, Mission San Diego de Alcala, still holds services daily in the original mission chapel. Mission San Luis Rey de Francia in Oceanside, the largest and richest of all 21 California missions, is often called the "King of the Missions." Two other asistencias (branch mission) Asistencias de San Antonia de Pala, near Mt. Palomar, and Mission Santa Ysabel, near Julian still serve as places of worship for nearby Native Americans. Mission San Juan Capistrano is located just a short drive north up the coast in Orange County.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY
From its 70 miles of shimmering coastline to the verdant Cleveland National Forest to the vast Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego is so huge, it's hard to see it all. But if time permits, following are some highlights families won't want to miss:
Just across the Big Bay from downtown San Diego, via the majestic San Diego-Coronado Bridge or San Diego-Coronado Ferry, is Coronado, the "Crown City," site of the famous Hotel del Coronado and home to a variety of attractions.
San Diego's South Bay features the Arco Olympic Training Center, Knott's Soak City U.S.A, magnificent beaches, marinas, unique shops, restaurants and much more. Heading south to the Mexican border, visitors pass through the South Bay cities of National City, Chula Vista and Imperial Beach.
Fifteen minutes north of downtown is La Jolla, "the jewel" of San Diego, renowned for its luxury resorts, fine dining, beautiful beaches, the Tony Award-winning La Jolla Playhouse and spectacular hillside homes. Just north of La Jolla are Torrey Pines State Park and Del Mar, noted as a horse racing fan's paradise, since Bing Crosby founded the seaside Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in 1937.
Farther up the coast, North County offers ballooning and biplane adventures, botanical gardens, LEGOLAND California, award-winning luxury resorts and golf courses and Mission San Luis Rey. Seaside communities, from Del Mar and Carlsbad to Oceanside, offer village charm, boutique shopping and fine dining.
Escondido is the hub of Inland North County, featuring a full spectrum of accommodations, shopping from handicrafts to high fashion, a variety of restaurant offerings, San Diego Wild Animal Park and the California Center for the Arts, Escondido. Throughout the year, visitors can explore the area's flourishing wine country at Bernardo, Falkner, Fallbrook and Orfila wineries; fresh water lakes and camping areas are also popular.
A different world unfolds as families leave San Diego's coast and travel east, up to the mountains or down to the deserts. The rugged landscape provides scenic backdrops for families venturing into San Diego's outback and exploring East County's numerous activities and diverse communities.
Driving east from the city on Interstate-8 leads to the East County region and the pine-studded Laguna Mountains, where families can enjoy hiking, biking, camping, fishing and mountain climbing during the summer months, and sledding and tobogganing in the winter.
The delightful mountain community of Julian, once the second largest town in San Diego County during the gold boom of 1869, is located in the Laguna Mountains and reached by tree-lined country roads, nearly empty of traffic and uncluttered by commercial development. The irresistible aroma of cinnamon and apples leads to stores selling homemade pies filled with fruit from local orchards. One of the most popular times to visit is during the Julian Fall Apple Harvest, held each autumn from mid-September through mid-November, a tradition begun in 1909.
Continuing east on Interstate-8 through the mountains, families arrive to the 600,000-acre Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, one of the richest and seemingly boundless living museums in the country. One of the most popular times to visit the park is when the arrival of spring is most apparent. As the dry, rugged landscape is transformed by winter rains, a kaleidoscope of colorful wildflowers splash bold colors across the desert dunes, creating a spectacular floral display.
BAJA AND TIJUANA, MEXICO
Any extended visit to San Diego should include a trip to Tijuana, Mexico, the most visited border city in the world. Tijuana's rich culture is showcased through a variety of colorful attractions and traditional entertainment. Known for its bazaar-like atmosphere, Tijuana visitors can enjoy a unique shopping experience while bargaining for leather goods, glassware, jewelry and pottery. Farther south is Baja California, featuring beautiful, white-sandy beaches, luxury resorts, true Mexican restaurants and the coastal villages of Rosarito, Ensenada and Puerto Nuevo. Baja California is also a fisherman's paradise, offering excellent gulf and ocean fishing.
For more information on San Diego, contact the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau, 401 B Street, Ste. 1400, Dept. 700, San Diego, CA 92101-4237, or call (619) 236-1212. In San Diego, visit the International Visitor Information Center, 11 Horton Plaza at First Avenue and F Street, and the La Jolla Visitor Center, located at the corner of Herschel Avenue and Prospect Street in La Jolla. Internet users can visit www.sandiego.org.
Joe Timko (619) 557-2812
jtimko@sdcvb.orgRobert Arends (619) 557-2857
rarends@sdcvb.org
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