San Diego is located at the southwestern-most end of California, right along the border with Mexico. What sets San Diego apart from most cities is its moderate temperatures and sunny days, making it perfect for vacations. Although sitting on the beach for your entire vacation might sound like a good idea, you may find yourself getting antsy. Luckily, San Diego is not just a "beach town," and there are several famous things you can do while you are in the city.
The San Diego Zoo is so well known, it decided to point it out in the name. The "World Famous" San Diego Zoo is located just north of downtown, inside Balboa Park. This zoo focuses on animal conservation and study and strives to provide animals with habitats as close to what they would be in the wild. The zoo has exhibits which mimic areas of the world such as Africa or Asia and special areas dedicated to polar bears and elephants, and it is one of the only zoos in the United Stated to feature pandas. The zoo offers guests motorized tours to see a majority of the zoo in a short amount of time. The zoo also has many hidden paths and walkways to provide a day of discovery.
San Diego Zoo
2920 Zoo Drive
San Diego, CA 92101
619-231-1515
sandiegozoo.org
Once you are done with the zoo, you can explore the area of town in which it is located, Balboa Park. Balboa Park was created in 1868 and has grown to be the largest urban park in the United States. The park is not only home to the San Diego Zoo, but it also has 15 museums, including the San Diego Museum of Art, the Ruben H. Fleet Space and Science Center, and the San Diego Museum of Man. There are also two world-renowned performing-arts venues, the Old Globe Theatre and the Starlight Bowl. The park also has large sections of open grass space which is perfect for a picnic lunch or just relaxing with the family.
Balboa Park
Balboa Park Visitors Center
1549 El Prado
San Diego CA 92101
619-239-0512
balboapark.org
Old Town San Diego is located northwest of downtown. This area is the original location of the city of San Diego and still has many of the historical buildings. Old Town is known for its tribute to Mexican heritage, and it features some of the best Mexican restaurants in the city. Stop by the Whaley House, which is known as the most haunted house in the country. Also, just east of Old Town is Heritage Park, the "rich" section of town where you can look at old Victorian-inspired houses which date to the 1800s.
Old Town San Diego
Chamber of Commerce
2383 San Diego Ave.
San Diego CA 92110
619-291-4903
oldtownsandiego.org
