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Introduction
At the southern extreme of southern California is San Diego County, home to 2.8 million people. Its beautiful beaches stretch for 113km (70 miles) along the coast. The city of San Diego boasts 10,878 sq km (4200 sq miles) of country, which encompasses the metropolitan sophistication of the city itself, the caves of La Jolla, the flowers and wineries of North County, the mountain peaks of East County, the Mexican flavours of South Bay and the Golden Triangle, noted for its upmarket shopping and dining. Other temptations include the dazzling array of restaurants in Coronado, the sense of heritage and history exemplified by the Mission Valley, the vast aquatic playground of Mission Bay Park and the duty-free border zone of Tijuana, Mexico.
America’s sixth-largest city is where California’s history began. The local climate approaches perfection, but there is more to the city than sun and sand. It is a place of character, rich in art and culture. Central San Diego is a vibrant collection of neighbourhoods, restaurants, shops and attractions stretching from the Bay to the Uptown district, including the residential areas of Hillcrest and Golden Hill. The original centre of commerce here was Old Town (the birthplace of California), but by the turn of the century, New Town, founded by the New Englander, Alonzo Horton, had taken its place. The Gaslamp Quarter is the city’s historic district, a 16-block area of shops, galleries, coffee houses, theatre spaces and dozens of restaurants. The Japanese Friendship Garden offers a pleasant refuge. It can be explored by horse-drawn carriage, a Ford Model T or on foot with an audio walking tour from the Gaslamp Quarter Foundation.
The San Diego Maritime Museum, anchored along Harbour Drive, is a good place to begin an exploration of the waterfront. Here, visitors can look at the Star of India (a century-old windjammer), the steam ferry Berkeley, and the luxury yacht Medea. The cruise ship terminal is a popular waterfront destination and excursion boats leaving from Pier B can take visitors on a tour of the bay.
The city’s maritime past is further commemorated in Seaport Village, a 14-acre waterfront shopping and dining complex, which puts the visitor in mind of the days when cargo ships would embark on the perilous journey from New England, rounding Cape Horn before reaching California. The village has 57 shops and galleries, four award-winning restaurants and 13 sidewalk eateries, as well as hosting frequent music events.
Balboa Park is another reminder of the founders’ civic vision. It covers 1200 acres and contains some fantastic architecture, including 14 museums, art galleries, the Reuben H Fleet Space Theater and Science Center, the Simon Edison Center for the Performing Arts, the San Diego Junior Theater, Starlight Bowl, sports facilities and the California Tower with its working 100-bell carillon. The Spreckels Organ Pavilion features concerts on Sunday afternoons (and Monday evenings in summer). The Park also houses the world-famous San Diego Zoo, which houses 800 different species. The entire zoo is designed as a 100-acre tropical garden which can be visited on foot or on a guided bus tour. Other attractions in Balboa Park include the Botanical Building, the Park Carousel, the Miniature Railroad, the Spanish Village Art Center and the WorldBeat Cultural Center.
For more information on San Diego please click to see our City Guide |