Thursday, September 25th, 2008
Although San Diego has many things for grown ups to
enjoy, it hasa lot of activities for kids to enjoy
as well. Custom made for families, San Diego has
plenty of public parks, nice weather year round,
several museums, and many things for children of all
ages to amuse themselves with.
For kids who love animals, there’s the well known
San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Animal Park. The zoo
is located in Balboa Park, while the park is located
a bit north of the city. If you have the time, you
should take a full day for your kids to enjoy the park
and the zoo. If the traditional zoo makes your kids
uncomfortable, the park is a great alternative.
Kids of all ages also enjoy the world famous Sea
World, which is home to Shamu the killer whale and
several other marine animals and exhibits. Sea World
has been a great attraction for kids for many years,
showing them the marine life like never before.
When it comes to the winter months, whale watching is
a very popular activity. You can watch them from
the coastline or take a cruise. Watching the gray
whale is very amusing to kids, openening their minds
to new possibilities.
Balboa Park is a great place to visit as well, as it
has a lot more than the San Diego Zoo. There are
places for kids to explore, with the children’s museum,
the Fleet Science Center, and the Natural History
Museum.
Another popular park for kids is Legoland California,
which is located north of San Diego. There are a lot
of things to see in this park, with a majority of
the park being built from the popular Lego blocks.
Overall, this is one of the best and most quiet options
for younger children.
Hitting the beach is great as well, as San Diego has
many different beaches for kids of all ages. On the
beaches, kids can build sandcastles, rent boogie
boards, or just enjoy the swimming that San Diego so
proudly displays.
Older kids will enjoy the true recreation mode for
San Diego – roller skating and rollerblading. Along
Mission Bay there are great spots, along with
playgrounds and parks. You can fly kites here as
well, which is a great break from the ordinary.
Amusement Parks are a great attraction in San Diego,
with Belmont Park being very popular. There are many
rides here, amusing kids for hours on end. The
Giant Dipper and the Plunge are among the best, for
younger or older kids.
If San Diego is on your family vacation list, rest
assured that there will be plenty for your kids to
do on your stay. They will feel right at home with
the many things to do – while you your mate are
occupied with plenty of things for you to do as
well.
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Wednesday, September 24th, 2008
Alive with the sea and plenty of activities for all
that visit, Pacific Beach is a great place. With plenty
of activities to offer visitors, Pacific Beach in San
Diego has seen well over 26 million visitors! With
numbers like these, you know you really can’t go wrong
by visiting.
Aside from the wonders of the beach, the boutique
shopping distric of Pacific Beach features hundreds and
hundreds of choices to find treasure in the sand. With
local names such as the L.A. Rack and Starbucks, this is
truly a shoppers paradise. There are also new and retail
clothing stores, salons, and many other stores to be
found here in this shopping paradise.
When it comes to the nightlife and exquisite dining,
Pacific Beach has it all covered. The restaurant experience
here is as diverse as the undersea life. You can find
everything here from fusion Thai to gourmet pasta, seafood
to hamburgers and virtually everything in between.
When the sun starts to set and the tide changes, the
Pacific Beach seems to come to life. There are dozens of
nighttime high spots with dancing, live music, and some of
the best beach bars in California. With most being found
within walking distance of the hotels, Pacific Beach does
it’s part to simplify your experience.
Arguably the best feature to Pacific Beach is the golden
sands that California is so very well known for. The beach
and the Ocean Front Boardwalk are both modest in their
approach to offer bike and board rental stores, beach-
front dining with great views, and plenty of green
parks for you to experience.
Being out on the sand, you can experience the thrill of
horseshoes, the hot girls, dolphins playing in the water,
and endless surf competitions in the summer. The summer
is definately a little bit hotter when you are sitting in
the ocean at Pacific Beach with your toes in the sand.
With Mission Bay Park and the Historic Crystal Pier nearby,
you’ll always find something to do here. Mission Bay is a
public park, offering the world famous Sea World, with
plenty of amusement park rides, undersea wildlife to see,
and plenty of fine dining.
On the other hand, the Historic Crystal Pier offers a
taste of Southern California reinvented. A walk along
the pier can bring back a taste of days gone by, coupled
with the lifestyle that only California can bring.
With a taste of the ocean and everthing in between, Pacific
Beach makes for a great and unforgettable summer. Offering
plenty of shops, fine dining, and California sand, this is
one area of San Diego that should be visited – time and
time again!
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Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008
The Old Town San Diego Park serves as a way to recreate
life in both the early American and early Mexican era
of 1821 – 1872. Perfectly situated in San Diego, the
park helps to recreate what was once San Diego. No
matter how you look at it, a trip to California isn’t
complete without a visit to the Old Town.
Around the five adobes of the main complex, there are
shops, a museum, and several restaurants. Around the
garden courtyard, the La Casa mansion helps to bring
back a taste of the Old Town. Just a short hop from
there, the museum is full of artifacts that help to
reflect on the life that was once the Old Town.
The Old Town also has a blacksmith shop, schoolhouse,
and several other historic buildings, including the
first newspaper office in San Diego. This is truly
a place to visit, especially for those who are wanting
to learn more about the history of San Diego.
The city of San Diego was the first Spanish settlement
in California. This occurred when a fort and mission
were established in 1769. Back in 1769, California
was just beginning to get established, therefore it
wasn’t near the state nor the size that it is today.
When visiting the Old Town Park, you should make sure
to visit the Robinson-Rose House Visitor Center. This
center is reconstructed now and displays a model of
Old Town and the way it looked back in 1872. The model
that is on display was created by Joseph Toigo.
The Old Town Park also offers exhibits of the way things
used to be, programs, and even guided tours. You can
get a personal tour of the park, with a guide who
will show you around and even explain things to you.
During your visit to the park, you can also enjoy a
picnic at one of the picnic areas or get something to
eat from one of many vendors. There are supplies here
as well, including restrooms.
Those living in San Diego can find the Old Town Park
on San Diego Avenue and Twiggs Street. Being close to
the main city, visiting the Park is easier than you may
think. If you live in the city but have never been to
the park, you should stop by and take a look.
On a vacation or a visit from town, the Old Town San
Diego helps to bring back a taste of the past. There
is a lot to see here and a lot of historical value. All
you need to do is stop by the park and see what you
think about the way things used to be.
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Monday, September 22nd, 2008
Located in the Ocean Beach Community, Ocean Beach is
actually just south of the entrance to the Mission
Bay channel. Located at 1950 Abbott Street, the beach
is a very popular location in the summer. During the
winter months, couples like to walk the beach and
just bask in the presence.
The Ocean Beach is wide in structure, about a mile
long. Along the north end of the beach, you’ll find
a volleyball court. During the summer, the court is
always teeming with people playing volleyball while
the sand around it is teeming with people watching.
At the south end of the beach you’ll find the Ocean
Beach Municipal Pier. The Pier is open to the public
with plenty of walking and fishing available. Located
on the pier is a bait and tackle shop along with a
restaurant. Although you don’t need a fishing license
to fish off the dock, catch regulations are enforced.
If you walk to the south end of the beach you’ll find
many restaurants, surfing shops, and many other commercial
shops and establishments. Although you can travel to
the north end of Ocean Beach, it’s mostly bordered by
residents of the ocean area.
The unique part of Ocean Beach is the Dog Beach, located
at the north end. This sandy area is where dogs can
run and play without a leash – anytime – day or night.
Although dog owners are responsible for their dogs and
the clean up of them, Dog Beach is actually pretty
nifty for anyone who owns dogs.
For your protection along the beach, lifeguards are
out each and every day, year round. They are generally
on duty from 9 AM until dark although you can check with
them for their specific hours of operation. They are
there for your protection and very willing to answer
any question that you may have.
Keep in mind while on the beach, California beaches do
experience powerful rip currents. It’s because of these
currents that beaches in California experience over
1,000 rescues by lifeguards every year. To be on the
safe side while in San Diego at Ocean Beach, it’s
always a good idea to swim near a lifeguard.
For those who like surfing, surfing is permitted at
Ocean Beach in designated areas. Scuba isn’t recommended
however, because of the lack of undersea life, heavy
rip currents, and the surf.
For swimming or enjoying the California lifestyle, Ocean
Beach is a great place to go. It is a very popular
place in the summer, drawing hundreds of thousands of
people. If you long for a taste of the California
lifestyle, make sure you visit Ocean Beach in San
Diego.
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Sunday, September 21st, 2008
A sparkling jewel of San Diego, the La Jolla
area is a picture perfect post card with several
beaches along more than seven miles of coast
against an array of rolling hills known as Mount
Soledad.
Being a part of San Diego, La Jolla is only
15 minutes from the downtown district. Along with
beautiful scenery, the area also offers many fine
restaurants, art galleries, hotels and resorts,
and many other attractions such as the Scripps
Institution of Oceanography.
The Birch Aquarium is also a part of La Jolla,
giving you the chance to enter the exciting world
of sharks, living coral reefs, and many other undersea
exhibits. This aquarium showcases the mysteries of
the ocean and what actually lives there.
The shoreline of La Jolla consists of rocky headlands
seperated by pristine coves and sandy beaches. All
along the beach, you can find many different hotels
and resorts, designed to make your stay a little bit
better.
The North Pacific Beach extends to La Jolla, traveling
from the Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach. If you travel
north of this area, you’ll find yourself on the
beaches of La Jolla.
By going to the south end of the La Jolla shoreline,
you’ll find Windandsea Beach. Windandsea Beach has
long had a reputation for surfers paradise, although
the steep beaches and rocky cliffs can be very
dangerous if you aren’t aware of them.
Close to downtown La Jolla, there is an area called
Casa, which used to be a children’s pool. Now days,
the area has been taken over by seals and sealions.
Although children can’t swim here anymore, it’s a
great pastime to lay on the beach and watch them play.
Traveling along the La Jolla shoreline, you’ll find
the tide pools. These pools are great to look at,
although you shouldn’t touch them. You should visit
during low tide and be sure to wear rubber soled shoes,
as they can get quite slippery.
The cove in La Jolla is very beautiful, although one
of the smaller beaches in San Diego. On either side of
the cove, there are sandstone cliffs. This helps to
add an isolated feel to the cove.
Throughout La Jolla, the Shores Beach is the widest and
longest beach. If you look off to the distance on the
beach, you can see the Scripps Pier. Also on the beach,
there are novice scuba classes held throughout the summer
months.
With plenty to offer you and your family, the beaches of
La Jolla are among the best in San Diego. There’s plenty
to do and see here, with dining and swimming. For a
great visit to the beach, La Jolla seems to simplify the
best of life in California.
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Saturday, September 20th, 2008
Considering how San Diego is one of the best cities in
the United States, its really easy to tell how popular
the city is for tourists. Among the many accomplishments
behind San Diego, let’s take a look at several facts behind
this amazing city.
Fact 1
Inside the city limits of San Diego, more than 1 million
people live there. This makes the city the second largest
in California and the sixth biggest in the entire United
States! For the city to be this big, the residents still
have that hometown experience – which is quite amazing!
Fact 2
No matter what type of year it is, it’s never the wrong
time to visit. The weather is near perfect year round, giving
you the chance to experience everything to offer here. With
an annual high of 70 degrees and a low of 55 degrees,
you can pretty much go swimming year round.
Fact 3
If you visit between December – March, you can catch some
glimpses of the impressive gray whale. All along the coast
or on a cruise, you can catch this very amazing mammal.
Fact 4
If you travel just 23 miles south, you’ll be in the beautiful
city of Tijuana. What was once thought of as dangerous,
happens to be an amazing place of Mexican hospitality,
with great restaurants, shopping, and a pleasing nightlife.
Fact 5
San Diego offers an amazing array of flowers and roses. With
the climate being dry, it’s the perfect conditions for roses,
wild daises, and other exotic flowers. With different flowers
in the winter and summer months, avid flower lovers will fall
in love with everything San Diego has to offer them.
Fact 6
It’s no secret that one of the biggest attractions to San
Diego are the beaches. Make sure you read the signs though,
as the beauty behind the beaches vary almost as much as the
rules do.
Fact 7
When it comes to nightlife, San Diego has something to please
everyone. From country dancing to singing in a bar, the city
has a very happening nightlife. No matter what you like to
do at night, San Diego has it all – and probably a bit more.
Fact 8
The most attractive feature to San Diego is the zoo. The 100
acre zoo here houses almost 4000 animals all of which who have
plenty of room to roam around. With pandas for everyone to see,
the San Diego zoo is reason enough to give the city a visit.
For more reasons than one, San Diego is the perfect city to
visit. You can visit here with family or friends and know that
you’ll always have places to go and things to see. Winter or
summer, San Diego is the one place you’ll never find boring.
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Friday, September 19th, 2008
Everyone in California knows that the best beaches
in San Diego are on Coronado Island. Being linked to
downtown San Diego by the Island Bay Bridge, Coronado
is home to the SEALs training center and the Naval
Air Station Coronado. A military powerhouse, the
island of Coronado always has something going on.
One of the best features to Coronado is the world
famous Hotel Del Coronado. This Victorian style
seaside hotel was established in 1888, and was easily
one of the biggest and best hotels of that era. The
hotel was hosted in the past by the infamous Marilyn
Monroe and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
The Hotel Del Coronado has some of the best service
in California, along with breathtaking views of the
San Diego area. The restaurant here is one of the
best around, and even if you aren’t staying here, you
can enjoy a great meal. Each and every year, thousands
of people visit Coronado just to stay at this world
class hotel – yes, it’s that good.
The Ferry Landing is also a great addition to what
Coronado Island has to offer. The Ferry Landing
Marketplace offers you 30+ shops, restaurants, and
art galleries. You can walk around and check out
what the marketplace has to offer, or enjoy a
visit to the Tidelands Park.
There are great places to walk and bicycle here,
with awesome views of skyline San Diego. At sunset,
this is one of the best places to be. On Tuesdays, you
can find a farmers market here as well.
The Coronado Beach is located here as well, along the
Travel Channel. North of the beach there’s the Best
Weekend Getaway Beach. Even in the summer, the
Coronado Beach isn’t crowded, giving your family plenty
of room to enjoy the splendors of one of California’s
best beaches.
From the Glorietta Bay Inn in Coronado, you can take
a walking tour. Tours leave several times a week,
showing you everything the area has to offer. This is
a great way to learn more about the area. Or, if you
like, you can let someone else do the driving and
try a pedicab tour.
For the romantic, the Gondola Cruise helps to take the
pressure out of life. A romantic spin through the
canals of Coronado Cays can be quite the break from
the ordinary.
You can reach Coronado Island from San Diego by taking
the Coronado Bay Bridge exit off I-5. By water from
San Diego, you can take the Coronado Ferry that runs
hourly from 9 AM – 10 PM. Walking from the Ferry
Landing to Hotel Del Coronado is a little over a mile.
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Thursday, September 18th, 2008
Throughout the vast state of California, Newport Beach
remains one of the most overlooked cities. The city
of Newport Beach is actually a very charming island,
with great beaches and a peninsula. With all of it’s
charms, it remains overlooked by tourists and those
looking for an ideal vacation spot.
Lying cradled within the Balboa Peninsula, the seven
islands that make up Newport Beach happen to have some
of the most expensive real estate in California. Many
of the homes here are 1.5 million and up! When you
consider that many are surrounded by small yacht harbors
and a peaceful yet tranquil environment, you know the
price of the homes are more than well worth it.
If you live in California, you can find Newport Beach just
off Pacific Coast Highway in beautiful Orange County. Simply
take CA 55 south from I-5 to Newport Blvd. Or, you can
also take CA 1 at Newport Blvd. After a short travel, the
Newport Blvd. will turn into Balboa Blvd. and eventually
take you down the middle of the island.
Whether you live in California or just outside of it,
Newport Beach is one place you should visit. Once you
visit this overlooked treasure, you’ll probably find yourself
wondering why you didn’t visit sooner. Take our word
for it – Newport Beach is simply “that good”.
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