Year-round warm climate with sun-covered beaches as far as your eyes can see make the United States‘ city of San Diego an excellent place for outdoor activities. However, this is not all that this Southern Californian city offers. Its lively and sophisticated cultural scene brings together numerous festivals and events, museums, art galleries and world-class cuisine to cater even to the most demanding cosmopolitan taste.
Below you can find our highlights that should not be missed when visiting San Diego for a weekend trip.
Tip: For a perfect week-long trip, combine your visit to San Diego with the nearby city of rich and famous – Los Angeles, or reward yourself with some outdoor solitude in Joshua Tree National Park.
La Jolla
The Southern California coast is known for its beaches and surfer vibe. However, one of the most special beaches is La Jolla, where people, seals and sea lions all share the ocean waves. Mainly gathering in Children’s Pool and La Jolla Cove, the quaint sea mammals can be seen lazying around or playfully teasing each other. The beach is easily accessible by public transport from San Diego and makes an ideal place to marvel at sea lions in their element.
Tip: Sea lions and seals usually gather on the beach around lunch-time and then again before sunset, otherwise they are looking for food out in the sea.
The harbour
San Diego has a rich history, being one of the first landing spots for the Spaniards exploring the Pacific Coast of the continent. The harbour now houses several of the historic sailing boats that traversed the oceans in search of new lands.
Cold War buffs may be interested in exploring Soviet and US submarines. Following the Cold War theme, right next to the Maritime Museum is docked the huge navy USS Midway. This impressive aircraft carrier survived dangerous naval battles and is now open to the public – the additional tour of the control tower and exploring the battle planes on “the island” are a must!
The historical quarter: Gaslamp
The historic commercial Gaslamp Quarter’s architecture of Victorian-era buildings is famous for its nightlife, classy events, festivals, numerous elegant bars and richly decorated ice cream parlours tempting visitors. By virtue of its proximity to Mexico, the food in the quarter is an extraordinary mixture with many excellent food options (Mexican and non-Mexican).
San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo is one of the most famous in the world, housing rare animals such as snow leopards, okapis, tapirs, koalas, and birds of paradise. What makes this zoo special is that the enclosures resemble (or at least try to) the natural habitats of the animals. Informative talks by experts and interactive sessions with some of the animals make this a great choice for travellers with little ones.
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