Downtown San Diego

In stark contrast to the frenetic pace of its neighbors to the north—San Francisco and the Bay Area and Los Angeles, San Diego is much less hectic. San Diego always has the ambience of a resort, even though it also has a very large military presence, and is a major financial and business center. San Diego is actually California's second largest city, but certainly doesn't seem so. In reality San Diego is much closer to the popular laid-back image of California life than either of the other two major cities. Set on a beautiful natural harbor, San Diego has miles of oceanfront, and the city spreads out from this through all kinds of terrain into the desert at the city limits. South of San Diego is the border with Mexico.

The variety of terrain is one of the features of San Diego that make it so attractive - canyons and valleys, hills and cliffs. The city has built upon this natural geography rather than grading and bulldozing it into submission. The ocean attracts tourism and non-leisure businesses equally; the downtown core is very conveniently laid out and easy to get around. Inland the well-contoured landscape is covered with impressive real estate perched in seemingly precarious positions. While San Diego is much more conservative than other places in California, it is nonetheless very friendly and informal. People here seem to have more time, or certainly act as if they do - they are most helpful to visitors, and are proud to show their city. The presence of so many well-traveled military personnel also ensures that the populace is more aware of the world at large, and is particularly welcoming to visitors from outside the U.S.A..

HISTORY AND ECONOMY

	San Diego Mission

The Kumayaay tribe lived on the shores of the area that is now San Diego. They harvested the ocean for fish, ate local plants and traveled to the mountains to hunt. Except for holes bored in the Cuyamaca Mountains to store acorns, there is sadly no further visible evidence of their existence prior to the arrival of the first Europeans. Like so many coastal communities in California, the first settlers in San Diego were Spanish missionaries. San Diego has the distinction of being the site of the first of many missions in California. Many of the Kumayaay were 'converted' to Christianity. After Mexican independence the missions were dissolved, and the land was divided up into cattle ranches, with only the ranch owners benefiting. San Diego remained a poor pueblo, and the Kumayaay, deprived of their traditional means of hunting and cultivation, became poverty stricken. San Diego became a little heard of backwater until the early 20th Century.

In 1907 San Diego became a bunkering station for U.S. Navy ships, and this marked the beginning of the naval presence in the area. With the advent of World War I the importance of San Diego as a military base increased. The area's first world expo was held in 1915 to commemorate the opening of the Panama Canal, and titled the Panama-California Exposition. This made many Americans aware of the desirability of San Diego as a place to live, and migration to the city grew. The fledgling aircraft industry also found a home in San Diego, in fact Lindbergh's The Spirit of St. Louis was built in San Diego by the Ryan Aeronautical Company, and in 1935 the large aircraft manufacturer Convair also moved to the area. Also in 1935 the Pacific-California Exposition was opened and a whole new generation of Americans learned that San Diego was the epitome of the ever growing California dream.

The tumultuous events surrounding the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought permanent change to the San Diego area. The Headquarters of the Pacific Fleet moved there. Since then growth of the area has been rapid and continuous - high tech industry, financial services, education and research, and aerospace all play an important role in the economy. Tourism is also of great importance, but this is not surprising, considering the leisure opportunities and natural beauty of the area. Additionally San Diego has many wonderful tourist attractions that are particularly suitable for families. However despite these other industries, the military is directly or indirectly responsible for 25% of the employment in the region. The military presence does nothing to take away from the relaxed ambiance of the area - for a lot of people San Diego still remains the ideal vacation getaway.

CLIMATE

Many consider San Diego to have the perfect climate. The weather is pleasant all year round - rarely does the temperature get above 77 degrees or below 48 degrees (Fahrenheit). Even in January the average high is 65 degrees. Throughout the year there is little variance. There is only an average of 10 inches of rainfall every year with most of that falling from November through to March. Also the ocean temperature here is much warmer than further north, so it is ideal for water sports. Any time of year is a good time to visit. Nowhere on the North American continent has better weather year round.

TRANSPORTATION

The San Diego International Airport at Lindbergh Field is very conveniently located just two miles from the downtown area. The airport links San Diego from most major US cities, and for international visitors most people connect to San Diego on one of the frequent flights from Los Angeles, although there are direct charters from various overseas points, and scheduled service from London. There are regular Metropolitan Transit Service (MTS) buses and express buses serving the airport, as well as door to door shuttle services.

Local MTS transit is good and there is even a trolley bus going all the way to the Mexican border. Many people rent bicycles - as San Diego's climate makes this is a wonderful way to tour the area.

San Diego is the end of the line for Amtrak's coastal train service which starts in Vancouver, BC. This is a very pleasant way to reach San Diego from all of the major US West Coast cities. There is also a commuter service from North San Diego County. As with nearly all USA communities Greyhound buses provide regular service from across the continent to their centrally located terminal in downtown San Diego.

FEATURED ATTRACTIONS

Balboa Park, San Diego

San Diego is noted the world over for its magnificent zoo. Located north of Balboa Park the San Diego Zoo is renowned for its captive breeding programs, research and protection of endangered species, and for the very humane quarters that resemble the animals natural habitat as closely as possible. The zoo is also a delight for visitors. The climate of San Diego enables landscaped grounds to be particularly attractive - they consist of nearly 7000 types of tropical and sub-tropical plants and flowers. The open animal enclosures really enable visitors to closely observe the creatures as they would be in their natural state. In fact many of the animals in San Diego look much healthier than they would in the wild. A good way to orient to the zoo and all the available attractions is to take the very informative open bus tour around the zoo property, this allows visitors to preview the areas you want to focus on.

Among the more famous of the over 4,000 zoo residents are koala bears - very few of these can be seen in captivity outside of Australia (sometimes these are loaned to zoos with a similar philosophy as San Diego), and Giant Pandas on long term loan from China. Be warned, more often than not these are sleeping, so the chance of seeing cute pandas frolicking is not guaranteed - more likely you will see a wrapped up ball of black and white fur. It is best to check ahead to ensure that these two breeds are on exhibit.

The recreated habitats that have been constructed include the Gorilla Tropics, Sun Bear Forest, Tiger River and the various walk through aviaries where the birds fly around as if in the wild. Of particular note is the Polar Bear Plunge - here the arctic tundra in summer has been recreated, and you can watch the deceptively ungainly (on the surface) polar bears through underwater observation windows, as they transform into graceful creatures of the deep. Ituri Forest is an African rain forest very accurately transformed to San Diego. Here you will see hippopotamuses, buffalo and various monkeys, and this also has an underwater viewing area. The zoo of course is ideal for children, they can enjoy the petting zoo, and take a ride on an elephant, or on the cleanest most well cared for, and even good natured camel imaginable.

San Diego is known for a historic landmark that is familiar to many people, although most don't know where on earth it is. The Hotel Del Coronado has been used as the location for a number of films including the Marilyn Monroe classic Some Like it Hot. It has also been the background in countless advertising shots and TV commercials. The hotel is located in the resort community of Coronado. This community is located on an isthmus in San Diego Harbor, across from the downtown area. One way of accessing Coronado is by ferry across the Harbor, which is certainly the most appealing way of getting there. The Del Coronado was completed in 1888 and has been host to many people of eminence since, including the then Prince of Wales, (later Edward VIII and even later the Duke of Windsor), Charles Lindbergh and much more recently, Hillary Clinton. Its Victorian architecture is unique and the hotel is kept in pristine condition - restoration work is an ongoing process. The Del Coronado is crowned with many cupolas and turrets and these are enhanced by the distinctive red color of the roof. During the holiday season the hotel is attractively decorated with thousands of white lights, as is the avenue leading up to it. A tour of the hotel and its grounds is available to those visitors not fortunate enough to be staying there.

	Sunrise over a Beach near San Diego

Mission Beach offers the classic California Beach Experience. North of Mission Bay home of the world famous Seaworld, Mission Beach is full of surfers and well-muscled men and women, and lots of vacationing party types. Ocean Front Walk is a big attraction for skaters, skate boarders, and those on scooters, who cruise up and down there all day and evening. There are countless oceanfront eateries serving all kinds of food, but especially noteworthy are some of the many seafood establishments there. The oceanfront is also lined with bars, many providing various forms of entertainment. Take transit in the summer months - it really is not worth the effort to find a parking place.

While Mission Beach is definitely not family oriented, one attraction at the very south end of the beach is excellent for those traveling with younger children, and anyone who is a fan of roller coasters. Belmont Park. The big attraction here is the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster, one of only two original wooden roller-coasters left on the West Coast. The roller coaster was originally built in 1925 and has been carefully and authentically restored. It reopened for rides in 1990 and now has over a million riders per year. The six cars on the roller coaster reach speeds of 45mph and the highest drop is 73 feet, the ride takes almost two minutes, and at $3.50 per ride is a bargain by today's standards. This is not suitable for very young children - anyone under 4'2" is not allowed, but Belmont Park also has a wonderful indoor amusement park that includes a beautiful reproduction of an antique carousel, bumper cars, and the 'Crazy Submarine Ride.'

Downtown San Diego is very attractive, but particularly interesting (and safe at night) is the Gaslamp District. This 16 block neighborhood in the center of what was frontier San Diego is now an elegant district of smart shops, galleries, antique stores and fine restaurants. The gaslights are actually powered by electricity (although they do look authentic) and there is a slight air of artificiality because the area has been almost too well restored, it is nonetheless well worth exploring. The late 19th Century buildings are nice to take a look at, and the interiors of some of these are magnificent. On warm evenings the streets of the Gaslamp District are lined with people sitting on outdoor tables, and there is a wonderful atmosphere. Every Saturday it is possible to take a walking tour of the area. These walks are arranged by the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation.

Cruise Ship in San Diego Harbor

While in San Diego many travelers like to take advantage of the opportunity to take a quick day trip into Mexico. The City of Tijuana is a thriving city of over 1.5 million inhabitants. While its relative prosperity and its proximity to the border do not exactly make for a typical Mexican city, it is certainly very different than any American community. As well as offering outstanding shopping opportunities, Tijuana offers an interesting perspective on life in a less-developed country, the contrast is almost startling. Over 20 million people cross the border here every year. Most are Californians looking for cheap purchases on just about anything. Especially appealing are pharmaceuticals and American-standard dentistry at a much lower cost. Apart from that are fantastic deals on leather goods, blankets, pottery, tobacco and alcohol (especially Kahlua and Tequila). Be warned - many of the goods for sale seem tawdry and tacky, (but beauty is in the eye of the beholder), fakes abound, and often the quality is questionable. Nevertheless with a little common sense and product knowledge, it is also possible to obtain some excellent bargains.

Hawkers are everywhere and are quite aggressive in pushing their wares. Bartering is the order of the day and is expected. It is not advisable to buy food from the numerous street stalls and vendors, except for carbonated drinks in bottles. However it is pleasant, after shopping is completed (it never really is because there is always another hot bargain to be found until you are back across the border) to sit in a local Cantina and enjoy a delicious Marguerita, or sample real Mexican cuisine at a restaurant. Although many Californians take their vehicles across the border for cheap auto repairs, it is not recommended to take your auto into Mexico. Many insurance policies do not offer coverage in Mexico, and most car rental agencies expressly forbid their vehicles to be taken across. Far better to take the San Diego Trolley to the border and enter Mexico on foot. Be sure to have appropriate documentation to prove citizenship, as U.S. customs and immigration authorities are particularly stringent on those returning to the States.