Travel Guides > San Diego, CA

San Diego Travel

Compared to the hustle and bustle of many of California's large cities like Los Angeles, San Diego is a breath of fresh air. The freeways seem less crowded here, the spaces more open, and the people more friendly.

The perfect way for a first-time visitor to start their sightseeing is with a trip on San Diego's Old Town Trolley. The trolley tour gives guests a great introductory look at the city with the opportunity to disembark at any of the eight stops along the way. The trolleys run often and shuttles to the trolley's starting destination pick-up at most hotels along Hotel Circle.

You may want to make your first stop at Old Town San Diego and Old Town State Park. Here you'll find old buildings that tell the story of the city's early years, shops and stands that sell fine crafts made by local artisans, and the best Mexican food in the city.

On a beautiful, sunny day, you'll find thousands of visitors in Balboa Park, touted as America's largest cultural park. This 1,200 acre park is just minutes from downtown and is a stop on the trolley line. There's so much to see and do here that you may require more than a day to visit everything.

Start with a stop at the Visitor's Center where guests can pick up a schedule of the day's events and a list of the opening and closing time of the various museums and gardens. If you plan on visiting the famous San Diego Zoo, make that your first stop as you'll need the entire day to enjoy it and it gets really crowded in the summer.

In this expansive park, visitors will also find San Diego's Museum of Art, Natural History Museum, Aerospace Museum, Fleet Science Center, Veteran's Museum and Memorial Center, the Japanese Friendship Garden, and a least a dozen more interesting attractions.

Balboa Park also plays host to many concerts and special events all week long. Check out the giant pipe organ, in concert at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.

For a day of family fun, travel to the Mission Bay area of San Diego and spend some time at SeaWorld. This adventure park is home to some of the finest marine animal shows in the world as well as other animal shows and a handful of exciting thrill rides.

Do you believe in ghosts? It's rumored that there are a few that reside at San Diego's breathtaking Hotel Del Coronado. A designated National Historic Landmark, "the Del", as it's known to locals, has often been voted one of the world's top ten resorts. The amenities here are a step above, the facilities gorgeous, and the service second-to-none.

The downtown area is home to a fine selection of restaurants offering a variety of international cuisine as well as several shopping districts. Take a stroll through the stores in the old Gaslamp Quarter or visit modern Horton Plaza and take home some souvenirs of this great California city.