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Introduction to San Diego
Welcome to San Diego, California's second largest city, where clear skies stand guard over 70 miles of beaches and a mild Mediterranean climate
Bordered by Mexico, the Anza-Borrego Desert, the Laguna Mountains, and the Pacific Ocean, San Diego county offers many options for pleasure
and business. And with Tijuana, the Mexican city, just a short trip from downtown, San Diego offers an international experience within a beautiful
city that leads the nation in the biomedical, high-tech, and telecommunications industries.
Area Attractions
Being home to four theme parks, San Diego is qualified to rinse away the daily blahs. So bring the family and experience the great fun San
Diego has to offer. See wildlife from around the globe at the San Diego Zoo. Get close and personal with an endangered rhino at the San Diego
Zoo's Wild Animal Park. Set your kids free on kid-powered rides at LEGOLAND California Resort. Devote your day to checking out the teeth on a shark,
at SeaWorld. You'll be amazed at how much there is to do.
Art & Culture
San Diego will certainly satisfy your cultural cravings. Spend the day at beautiful 1,200-acre Balboa Park, one
of the country's biggest cultural complexes with the largest concentration of museums west of the Mississippi. Browse the many museums featuring
fine art, aerospace, science and natural history, photography, automobiles, and model railroads. Dance the night away to jazz, blues, or reggae
music at one of the many clubs and outdoor concerts. And marvel at the old-world Mexican architecture scattered throughout the delightful
neighborhoods and shopping districts.
Dining
San Diego's fresh, locally grown produce comes from 6,000 regional farms. San Diego's chefs emphasize cooking with what's seasonally available
to them that day, that hour, the moment the farmer's stands are open. You'll appreciate this exquisite taste while dining on a yacht, sitting
seaside at an outdoor cafe, or sampling a sweet wine at sunset. With over 6,000 eating establishments,
you'll find more variety and flavors than you can imagine.
Downtown
With San Diego International Airport just three miles northwest of downtown San Diego and the famous electric Gaslamp Quarter, you can go
from jet lagged to jet setting in one quick taxi trip. From swanky steakhouses to unusual ethnic fare, from dining clubs to late-night jazz
bars, you'll find over 100 restaurants, dancing, and drinking establishments all located within blocks
of each other. And the best part is that all this is just a few minutes' walk from nearby hotels and the San Diego Convention Center.
Gaming
You'll find Vegas-style gaming in "America's Finest City." San Diego's eight modern casinos have every game your heart desires including
poker, blackjack, Pai Gow, and multitudes of slot machines And beyond the ringing of jackpot bells, you'll find shopping centers, championship
golf courses, and award-winning restaurants.
Golf
Bring your clubs and get ready to test your handicap. San Diego features 92 golf courses, many with spectacular
views and pristine greens. Perhaps you'll want to visit when Torrey Pines, San Diego's legendary course, hosts the 2008 U.S. Open. Keep your
calendars open for the annual Buick Invitational, also at Torrey Pines, and the Accenture Match Play Championship at the La Costa Resort &
Spa.
Mexico/Baja California
For an authentic taste of Mexico, take the San Diego Trolley and cross the border into Tijuana, a town that's hopping with culture, shopping,
and dancing. Farther south you'll find beautiful resorts where you can spend a few nights alongside a white sand beach.
Outdoor Activities
Check this out: Over 90 golf courses, more than 1,000 tennis courts, and 70 miles of beaches. All in an ideal climate. And whether you head
for the mountains, inland valleys, deserts, or beaches, San Diego has an outdoor activity just for you. Explore
desert trails or rural mountainscapes, swim in the ocean, scuba dive among kelp forests, or bicycle through alpine forests. Rather sit back
and watch? San Diego has a plethora of outdoor venues to accommodate just about any sport or spectator event. Clearly "America's Finest
City" deserves its reputation as "America's fittest city."
Shopping
Attention shopaholics: San Diego's world-class shopping provides everything from elegant upscale boutiques
to discount outlets. Enjoy San Diego's perfect weather while you shop since most shopping centers are outdoors. Start downtown in the Gaslamp
Quarter and visit its neighboring architectural beauty, Horton Plaza. Head to Fashion Valley, La Jolla, or Mission Valley for both local stores
and national department stores. Carlsbad and Viejas outlet centers will go easy on your wallet. And don't forget a trip to Old Town's eclectic,
Mexican-flavored jewelry stores and boutiques. |
