Here are, according to us and our local team, the things to do and see in San Diego in order to get the real vibe, real essence of the city.
Get San Diego offline audio guide >
1. Of course you could do all of the following or just register to our cultural scavenger hunt!
2. Take a look to this map of the city, to have a real idea on how it is built and organized.
3. Balboa Park
Balboa Park encompasses a 1,400-acre site with historical buildings, numerous museums, gardens, and green space. The park was created for the Panama California Exhibition of 1915-1916, and most of the buildings remain from that event. The predominant architecture is Spanish-style low-rise buildings that blend in with the natural surroundings. Among the highlights of the park are the botanical gardens and lily pond, the Museum of Man, the Museum of Natural History, the San Diego Museum of Art, and the famous San Diego Zoo. Even if you never go into a building, the park is simply a beautiful place.
Get Google maps directions>
4. SeaWorld
SeaWorld San Diego is one of the city's main attractions, particularly for families. It is located along the waterfront in Mission Bay. For many Americans, SeaWorld has been a longtime family tradition, having been around since the 1960s. Among the highlights are shows featuring killer whales, sea lions, dolphins, and other sea life. There are all kinds of rides, from roller coasters plowing into water to more sedate carnival type rides for tots. SeaWorld is an aquarium that allows close-up looks at sharks and other sea creatures that can be seen through an acrylic tunnel, along with touch tanks and close encounters with dolphins and inhabitants of tidal pools.
Get Google maps directions>
5. San Diego Zoo
Located in Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo is one of the largest and most famous zoos in the United States. The zoo has all kinds of exotic animals, including pandas, which have been successfully bred here. It is spread out along a canyon, with many hills that can sometimes be challenging for visitors wandering through the site. The park prides itself on the animal enclosures, which are designed to recreate natural settings.
Get Google maps directions>
6. Gaslamp Quarter
In downtown San Diego is the Gaslamp Quarter National Historic District, an area of restored late-19th- and early 20th-century Victorian buildings. Today, the Gaslamp Quarter is a trendy area with shops, restaurants, and galleries, attracting locals and tourists. The area covers less than 20 blocks and runs approximately from Broadway to San Diego Bay. There are also a large number of high-end hotels that are popular with both tourists and business travelers due to the great location in the city. This area underwent restorations in the 1970s, which eventually led to it being listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Get Google maps directions>
7. Seaport Village
San Diego's Seaport Village is a delightful place to stroll around and spend an afternoon. Located right on the waterfront, this area of unique shops and restaurants is one of the city's must-sees. Picnic tables, benches, and waterfront patios are sprinkled throughout the area, and weekends can be very busy. Outdoor performers take to the stage regularly in the afternoons, some of which can be quite eclectic. The area is easily accessible on foot from many of the nearby attractions including the USS Midway. Since there is limited and expensive parking at Seaport Village, it may be best to park a little distance away and enjoy the stroll along the waterfront to the site.
Get Google maps directions>
8. Old Town State Historic Park
The Old Town San Diego State Historic Park gives visitors a look at the town's Mexican and early American history, and offers opportunities for shopping and dining. It was probably founded in 1820 by demobilized Mexican soldiers who had done their military service at the Presidio or in the fort on Presidio Hill, both of which are located here. Many of the historic buildings, including numerous adobe houses, have been repaired. Also located here are interesting shops and restaurants with outdoor patios. The Old Town State Historic park is the most visited state park in California. There is no admission fee.
Get Google maps directions>
9. Point Loma and Cabrillo National Monument
Point Loma provides an incredible view out over San Diego and the Pacific Ocean. This is the place where Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo first landed on the west coast of the United States in 1542. The history of his incredible "Voyage of Discovery" is told through a variety of displays and exhibits at the Cabrillo National Monument. A large statue dedicated to Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo gazes out over the land he discovered. Also located on Point Loma is the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, built in 1858. Visitors can tour the refurbished lighthouse building. Access to Point Loma is along a very scenic roadway.
Get Google maps directions>
10. San Diego Museum of Art
The San Diego Museum of Art is a copy of the 17th-century University of Salamanca, in the so-called Platero style, with finely-chiseled terracotta and silversmith work. Busts of Spanish painters adorn the façade, and their works hang in the museum's collection. The museum's collection covers a broad spectrum of works from around the world and pieces that date back to 7,000 years ago. Spanish old master paintings, along with Asian art, European art, and art from the Americas are highlighted.
Get Google maps directions>
11. Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum
Walking along the San Diego waterfront trail, visitors may be surprised when they come across one of the US military's largest ships. The decommissioned USS Midway is permanently berthed at Navy Pier. The highlights of a visit to the USS Midway Museum include over 60 exhibits and 25 restored aircraft. More than 225,000 military service personnel served on the ship, and today visitors can take a self-guided audio tour to learn all about its history. For an additional fee, visitors can try a flight simulator on board.
Get Google maps directions>
12. Mission Beach
The Mission Beach Boardwalk epitomizes San Diego's dreamy Southern California lifestyle. This scenic three-mile stretch is the place to go for a leisurely walk, sunbathing, and people-watching. The boardwalk is also a popular spot for rollerblading, skateboarding, and cycling. A highlight of Mission Beach is Belmont Park, an East-Coast-style seaside amusement park complete with a historic roller coaster, excellent restaurants, fairground eateries, and street performances. The carnival ambience encourages visitors to relish a day of fun in the sun.
Get Google maps directions>
13. Sunset Cliffs Natural Park
Romantics will appreciate the awe-inspiring experience of a Southern California sunset. One of the best places to go is Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, which stretches for 68 acres along coastal bluffs above the Pacific Ocean. The location provides an incomparable viewpoint to take in the ocean panoramas as the sun transforms the horizon from blue to glorious rosy-toned hues. During the gray whale migration season, the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park offers a chance to spot the whales as they migrate to Baja California in Mexico.
Get Google maps directions>
14. Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala
This was California's first mission. In 1769, the Spanish Franciscan Father from Majorca, Junipero Serra, founded the mission stations, the first of which was built in San Diego. A few years after it was founded, however, it was moved six miles inland because disputes had arisen between the Spanish troops and the Indians. In 1775, the Indians set fire to the new mission; the Fathers sought refuge with the army and it was 1777 before they built a new mission station with the help of the Indians. However, it quickly became dilapidated following secularization. Today, visitors can see the old church with a bell-tower, declared a basilica in the 1970s; a beautiful garden; and a small museum. It is a National Historic Landmark.
Get Google maps directions>
Jessica is our San Diego local representative, we asked her what an ideal day of leisure in Zurich could look like, what would she suggest doing from early morning to late at night?
Here is what she suggests. Don't hesitate to contact Jessica on Twitter @bigcitychase #Jessica #questionforJessica if you have questions for her, we may publish your conversation in this blog if she thinks it might be useful to other San Diego visitors.
Jessica from San Diego for Big City Chase San Diego :
"Hi guys, my name is Jessica I was born in Sand Diego, grew up in the La Jolla neighborhood, studied at SDSU and then moved to LA to attend grad school, I worked in LA, about everywhere in the world and then moved back to San Diego a couple years ago. There is the San Diego from my childhood and my young adult years in my memory and then, there is the San Diego today, the one I am of course going to share about with you. So here is how I suggest you start your leisure day. Early morning, hit the beach. Either for a walk or a run, but you got to be there early morning to admire the best surfers in the world.Then I'd go get breakfast at
0 commentaires