Attractions in San Diego

[donald08]

San Diego has lots to offer. On the one hand it is home to state-of-the-art amusement parks and museums and on the other hand, the place boasts of first Spanish mission in California. Whether you are on a family vacation in San Diego, or a beach vacation with your beloved, make sure you don’t miss the following attractions to make your trip exciting.

Balboa Park

Balboa Park is America’s largest urban cultural park. It contains diversified museums ranging from horticultural to astronomical. The place is home to Botanical Building's sublime lily pond, El Prado etc. Balboa Park is also home to Children's Museum, and the Fleet Science Center.

Sea World

Sea World is home to the famous killer whale named Shamu and several other stunning marine animals. Watch the acrobatic skills of Shamu and her buddies. There are various exciting and spine-tingling rides too like Journey to Atlantis, Shipwreck Rapids, and many more.

San Diego Zoo

The world-famous zoo has two parks in San Diego: one located in Balboa Park is a traditional Zoo, and the other is Wild Animal Park located north of the city. Spare one full day to explore the zoo. The entire San Diego zoo accommodates more than 4000 creatures ranging from giant pandas, kangaroos, and gorillas all housed in natural environments.

La Jolla

The charming seaside town of La Jolla has lots to offer. The town is expensive, and filled with stunning mansions. Shopping malls and dining restaurants are situated along Prospect Street. Stroll along Coast Boulevard or the La Jolla Cove for the most scenic views.

Old Town

If you are a history lover then head to Old town. It’s full of traditional Mexican restaurants and shops. Enjoy the mariachi players strumming the sounds of Mexican music.

The Gaslamp Quarter

Enjoy the nightlife of San Diego at Gaslamp Quarter. It is lively and always buzzing. Enjoy live music after dinner at restaurants which are mainly housed within restored Victorian commercial buildings.

Cabrillo National Monument

A restored lighthouse and the statue of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the first Portuguese explorer to land in San Diego rest here. It’s an amazing vantage point to see migrating gray whales or enjoy magnificent views of San Diego's harbor and skyline. During winters you can also spot Mexico in the distance.

Mission Beach Boardwalk

Check out Belmont Park, an amusement park at the Mission Beach boardwalk. It features two major landmarks: the Plunge and the Giant Dipper.

Coronado Beach

Take a leisurely walk along Coronado Beach and enjoy the sunset.

Embarcadero

Roam around the Embarcadero, home to watercrafts, aircraft carrier, Seaport village, and a maritime-themed shopping area.

San Diego is full of activities and thrills. When planning a trip to San Diego rest assured, it has something for both adults and children alike. You can check out online the hotels which provide affordable vacation packages. It’s best if you check into San Diego motel or a hotel which is near by to all these attractions, so that you don’t waste much time in commuting.

[wanderer]

What a great list, Donald. I thought it needed to be higher in the list.

It just boggles my mind how much there is to do in San Diego. The list of San Diego attractions also needs to mention whale-watching tours. These gentle giants pass through in droves in the wintertime, and many of the local attractions celebrate the whale season with tours, exhibits, naturalist talks, etc.

[noHope8]

I personally think San Diego Zoo is the best attraction the city has to offer, and the place is so much fun. The park is huge, and you can spend literally all day there from morning to about 9pm. I love that they have pandas, something many people will go without seeing in a lifetime.

They have a tram that will take you around the whole zoo, which is perfect to close up the night. There is also a sky tram allowing you to see the whole park from a bird's eye view. I would definitely go back. It is a lot of walking, so wear comfortable shoes.

[windzdb]

Great lists!!! Thanks for posting Moreover, if you prefer park areas, there are two good ones, the Balboa Park area north of the Downtown area. This is where the San Diego Zoo is located, along with many museums, but also has lots of open space.

Another good park setting near downtown is Old Town, benefit here is it has a nice Transit Center that has many San Diego Trolley and Buses serve the area. Some nice Hotels are next to the park.

A couple of other areas near the center of town. Mission Bay has a great walk/bike pathway around it, and some nice Hotels, though some are isolated.

Also the Pacific beach/Mission Beach area has a very nice Beach Boardwalk that is popular with walkers, joggers and bicyclists that is right next to the Pacific Ocean, plus some other options.

Windz

[asfardudu]

what about the San Diego Air & Space Museum? I can;t see it anywhere on this list...Anyways, I wouldn't say it's the most affordable attraction in San Diego since it's a little overpriced but it is a great exhibition center.

They have planes from the very first planes to the most recent in stealth UAV's. I didn't check the Space side of the Museum out though. There was a separate price for it that was a little to pricey for what I was looking to spend at that particular museum at the park.

[melliset]

Sea-life lovers must visit Birch Aquarium at Scripps. This Birch Aquarium is in La Jolla and a visit is an enriching experience for children, as it is all about ocean education and conservation

[wanderer]

The aquarium has an outdoor tide pool exhibit where you can connect with marine critters all while enjoying views of La Jolla and the Pacific Ocean. No snorkel needed.