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The second largest city in California, San Diego offers miles of beaches, a mild Mediterranean climate, museums and cultural venues, family friendly attractions, dining and entertainment, historic attractions, and 16 military facilities hosting the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Marine Corps.
Bordered by Mexico, the Pacific Ocean, the Anza-Borrego Desert and the Laguna Mountains, San Diego offers visitors many options for recreation and pleasure.
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Weather
Possibly the world’s most perfect weather, San Diego’s sunny climate makes it an ideal destination year-round. The average daytime temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit. With plenty of sunshine in the forecast, there are few demands on your wardrobe. Days are frequently warm, even in winter, so pack a pair (or two) of shorts. Evenings are pleasantly cool, even in summer, so bring a light jacket.
Activities & Attractions
Balboa Park
The nation's largest urban cultural park, Balboa Park is home to 15 major museums, renowned performing arts venues, beautiful gardens, shopping, restaurants and casual outdoor dining, and the San Diego Zoo. The Park has an ever-changing calendar of museum exhibitions, plays, musicals, concerts, and classes—all in the beautiful and timeless setting of this must-see San Diego attraction.
Balboa Theatre
Built in 1924, the Balboa Theatre played host to hundreds of famous Vaudeville acts and ushered in the era of talking motion pictures. Today, the 1,400-seat theater is newly restored to its original Mediterranean and Spanish revival style splendor and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Children’s Museum/Museo de los Niños San Diego
Located just steps away from the Convention Center, the new state-of-the-art facility includes a stunning three-story atrium and a dramatic 7-foot entrance bridge.
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
Preserving the history of what was originally the 1915 Santa Fe Depot baggage building is now the Jacobs Building, completely renovated. Adjacent to the Jacobs Building is the Copley Building, an entirely new three-story structure with open galleries, 120-seat auditorium and a terrace with spectacular harbor views.
The Gaslamp Quarter
Since Alonzo Horton first built a wharf at the foot of Fifth Avenue, the Gaslamp Quarter has been a destination. Once one of San Diego's seedier sections today the Gaslamp Quarter offers a vibrant atmosphere with an architectural mix from the turn of the century with today's gaslamps, brick sidewalks, landscaping, galleries, theaters, hundreds of boutiques and shops, more than 100 restaurants, bars and nightclub, and many buildings completely restored.
La Jolla
Since the 1880's, La Jolla has been a favorite vacation destination. Boasting southern California's most beautiful and majestic coastline and the finest weather in the world, La Jolla offers a varied selection of hotels, shopping, dining, events and attractions. The most compelling geographical highlight of La Jolla is its ocean front, with alternating rugged and sandy coast line and wild seal congregations.
Mission Bay Park
Mission Bay Park is San Diego’s biggest playground. This water wonderland boasts 27 miles of shoreline, 19 miles of sandy beaches, free parking, great playgrounds, picnic sites, barbecues, and basketball and volleyball courts. Plus, it’s minutes from the airport.
Old Town
Old Town San Diego is considered the "birthplace" of California. San Diego is the site of the first permanent Spanish settlement in California. It was here in 1769, that Father Junipero Serra came to establish the very first mission in a chain of 21 missions that were to be the cornerstone of California’s colonization. Old Town San Diego is nestled in heart of San Diego, with more than 150 shops, award-winning restaurants, museums, and historical sites. Old Town, the Birthplace of California, is just a short walk from the San Diego Trolley Transit Center and a short drive from most San Diego destinations.