San Diego sights and landmarks guide

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• Outdoors Activities: rated for 75%
• Food: rated for 85%
• Sightseeing: rated for 75%
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The world-class sights and sounds of San Diego make it one of the premiere tourist spots on the US West Coast. The mild temperate climate coupled with 70 miles of picturesque coastline makes San Diego an ideal getaway destination.

The whole of the San Diego area is awash in history but also boasts of high-tech modernity. This mix of the best of the past and present allows San Diego to offer a generous amount of almost everything for just about everyone looking for an enjoyable holiday.

Arts and Culture

Owing to its rich historical heritage, San Diego is largely an artistic and cultural center for Southern California. There are quite a number of historical landmarks in and around the city, and primary of these is Balboa Park - a 1,200 acre recreational park right at the heart of San Diego.

Several museums and cultural sites are located here including the San Diego Museum of Art, the Natural History Museum, and the San Diego Art Institute. For theater lovers, the restored Spanish-era Casa del Prado Theater and the Old Globe Theater offers excellent performances, ranging from Shakespearean plays to modern musicals and everything else in between.

Over at Columbia district in Downtown San Diego, one would find the Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum and the Maritime Museum, both of which commemorates San Diego’s importance as a coastal hub. Various art galleries and exhibitions are also featured at Little Italy, North Park, La Jolla and Solana Beach.

Don’t forget to visit the very roots of San Diego; the Mision San Diego de Alcala and the San Diego Presidio, both of which are National Historic Landmarks located at Presidio Park.

Waves and Wildlife

Fun in the sun is generally available all year round in San Diego. Relax and rejuvenate in the numerous beachfront resorts and spas that line up the coastline. Some of these are the Torrey Pines State Beach and the clothing-optional Black’s Beach. There is also the Mission Beach, Pacific Beach and La Jolla Shores which is accessible to the Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the La Jolla Underwater Park and Ecological Reserve.

While visitors can settle for San Diego’s brand of swimming, surfing, snorkeling and sailing, probably the best known water related enjoyment is SeaWorld San Diego. Built in 1964, this theme park was the first of the SeaWorld Adventure Park chain. Visitors can watch trained dolphins, seals and orcas perform and might even have the chance to interact with these and other creatures of the ocean. A day at SeaWorld San Diego will surely be a hit for the entire family.

Now, it can get pretty wild after dark at San Diego’s infamous nightlife district Gaslamp Quarter. However, the real wild life happens at the world renowned San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park and its extension the San Diego Wild Animal Park located at San Pasqual Valley. Together, these wildlife exhibits feature more than 7,000 animals of more than a thousand species.

Other Sights

Point Loma is largely regarded as the embarkation point of Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo when he arrived at San Diego Bay in 1542. The picture perfect Old Point Loma Lighthouse is a view worthy of a visit. Legoland is another theme park in San Diego. Situated in Carlsbad, this features incredible miniature depictions of various world landmarks built entirely from millions of LEGO bricks. Along with 21 fun rides, Legoland is a great destination for the children in all of us.

There are plenty of other interesting locations all over San Diego. A weekend won’t be enough to experience all that this place has to offer. With the sheer number of attractions in San Diego visitors will surely keep coming back for more.