A Dozen Things You MUST Do In San Diego
Written: Mar 19 '00
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Pros: Beautiful parks, harbor, beaches, museums
Cons: Many attractions are EXPEN$IVE
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| mrkstvns's Full Review: San Diego |
Want to know what the very best things are to do on your next trip to San Diego? This epinion article is for you! Here are brief snapshot impressions of what I see as San Diego's top dozen attractions. I visited most of these places two weeks ago during a fairly long trip to San Diego and northern Baja. I'll probably post a couple of more detailed reviews on places that were especially interesting to me just as soon as I get a chance.
One thing I recommend doing as soon as you get into town, is stopping by a local tourist info office (there's a desk in the airport) and picking up a copy of one of the free tourist guides, such as "San Diego This Week." Besides the obvious benefit of giving you up to date info on schedules, performances, phone numbers, and such, the books contain discount coupons for several local attractions, including Sea World, the Zoo, the museums of Balboa Park, and more. With the high admission prices of most attractions in the San Diego area, it doesn't make sense to pass up whatever discounts you can get.
1. Balboa Park: Outstanding urban park with more than a dozen museums. Faux spanish baroque architecture lends a spanish flavor to the park which goes well with the towering palms and lavishly lush landscaping. The zoo is in the park, as are museums such as the San Diego Museum of Art, the Museum of Man, the Aerospace Museum, and lots more. Huge pipe organ with free concerts Sundays at 2pm. Small village of cottages from different nations, each providing a taste of their respective nation's culture and cuisine (open Sunday afternoons only). Japanese garden and tea room. Botanical garden. More...
2. Cabrillo National Monument: Site of the first European contact in California when Juan Cabrillo landed here in 1542. There's a fascinating lighthouse here (which was only used for a few years -- it was too high! The light beam would go right over the top of the fog bank!) The point is also popular with local whale watchers who can sometimes spot the flumes of migrating whales offshore. There are also displays describing the point's military role (San Diego expected to be attacked by the Japanese after Pearl Harbor), and there are numerous tidepools along the point. It'll cost about $5 per car to enter the park, and you need to be out by 5pm. See counsel's excellent review for more info on this fascinating park.
3. Gaslamp District: This is the place to go for nightlife in San Diego. Lots of restaurants and bars in a renovated turn-of-the-century neighborhood downtown. This is where you'll find places like Croce's or the Rock Bottom Brewery. Horse-drawn carriage tours available. Parking is difficult.
4. Zoo: One of the most famous zoos in the world, featuring more than 3,000 animals on 100 acres in Balboa Park. The big draw lately has been the pandas, who are visiting from China -- including the baby bear, Hua Mei, who was born in this zoo (check ahead of time if the pandas are a priority for you -- when we were there, they were only viewable between 10am and 2pm -- get there late and you could be in for a big disappointment). This is an absolutely beautiful zoo, but it's very expensive with basic admission starting at $18 and going up to $26 if you want access to everything including the overhead cable car. Extensive displays though, so plan to spend the better part of a day here.
5. Sea World: The big draw is the animals, like Shamu the killer whale and the manatees. They've also got some water rides and "adventure attractions," such as the Penguin Experience. Also offer whale watching cruises during migration season (December through March), though whale watches are also available from downtown or from Point Loma. Easy access, close to downtown. Expensive.
6. Old Town: Billed as an historic state park, there are a couple of historic buildings (like the fascinating hacienda that dominates the central square) and tons of shops, some that try to convey a frontier atmosphere, others that don't even attempt the pretense. There are lots of restaurants too, most unremarkable, but some are quite a good (and very popular). Several people recommended Baja Lobster to me, though I didn't get a chance to try it because there was an hour wait for a table on a Saturday night (we went next door to Berta's, which was very good and had some unusual south and central american dishes). There's also a nearby area called Heritage Park that features 1900 era victorian homes. A lot is made of the Bazar del Mundo shops in the Old Town park, but we were unimpressed with what we felt was a limited selection and somewhat high prices. Bonies7 has an excellent review of the excessive commercialization of Old Town -- take a look at it, he's right on the money!
7. Harbor Cruise: Cruise around the harbor with a narrated guide who points out significant landmarks and tells you about the various events and happenings. See navy subs or aircraft carriers. There are also dinner cruises and whale watching cruises (more whale watching cruises are available from Point Loma).
8. La Jolla: Beautiful, if overcrowded and overpriced, suburb to the north of the city. There are lots of expensive fashionable boutiques and galleries in the town itself, but the real reason to come to La Jolla is to walk the beach and see the seals who congregate on the rocks here. Scripps Institute of Oceanography is here and they have an aquarium open to the public (see my epinion about the aquarium for details).
9. Seaport Village: Re-creation of a harbor seaport filled with shops and trendy restaurants. Pleasant place to walk along the harbor. We were there on a Friday night and it wasn't over crowded either. Close to downtown.
10. Wild Animal Park: A cageless extension to the San Diego Zoo, located to the northeast of the city in Escondido. Ride a tram through 1,800 acres of open land where elephants, rhinos, giraffes, and other animals roam free. Expensive.
11. Legoland: This is a theme park oriented around the popular kids' toy, located on the north side of the city. Don't know much more about it since I wasn't in theme park mode on this trip, and didn't bother to check it out. There's an epinion on Legoland, and info is available from any of the local tourist info places or from most hotel concierges.
12. Tijuana: TJ is seedy, dirty, very UNmexican, and you never feel that you are very far from having your wallet stolen while you're there -- yet it's utterly attractive to gringos who come for the tacky shops and bars of Avenida Revolucion (or for San Diego locals who come for dirt cheap auto body work, upholstery work, prescription medications, dentistry, and more). The best place for shopping is the Bazaar de Mexico artisan's market at Revolucion and 7th Street. There are other things to see in Tijuana too (though you wouldn't know it from most peoples' accounts), including a cultural exhibit called Mexitlan, a newly-opened Museum of the Californias, the beach at Rosarito, and the chance to see things you can't find north of the border -- like a bullfight, or a Jai Alai match. There are also some outstanding restaurants in TJ, though they're not on Revolucion, so you'll want to get some recommendations before you go (I recommend Cien Aņos). It's easy to get to the border -- just take the trolley -- it stops right next to the border checkpoint. It can be a hassle crossing back, with frequent delays at the checkpoint.
That's it! My top 12 picks for San Diego's best attractions. There are plenty of other places to visit and things to do, so I guarantee you won't be bored when you're in town. You could check out any of the beaches up the coast, some of the old missions, do a little shopping, maybe even take in a Padres game at Qualcomm Stadium. Have fun!
Recommended:
Yes
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