Planning for a US vacation? Well, don’t miss San Diego. Why? Is that the question you are thinking of? Then put your doubts aside and start packing your bags instantly. Beach lovers, if you are looking out for an exciting vacation then rush to San Diego. This place can truly be a traveller’s paradise. You will be flooded with plenty of options. Name a place and you will find it here. It has all qualities to be pleasant as well as an exciting weekend destination. Whether it’s a museum, park, sunny beaches and zoo-all are there in this oldest town of California. Keep reading to find out some best things to do in San Diego.
San Diego in Few Words
To begin with, San Diego is in California. This century-old ancient town is situated in Southern California and its foundation dates back to 1769. It has a friendly and welcoming climate. You can find here a pleasant blending of mild temperature along with ample of sunlight. Wonderful climate and exciting tourist attractions have together enhanced the appeal of this place to another level. If you water sports lover then San Diego is a heaven for you. You must be still wondering about the answer. Here comes your surprise. This place has many beaches. Precisely it has over 68 miles of beaches. Now you can keep surfing to your heart’s content.
Explore San Diego
Now comes the most important part of your trip. You need to select the places which you feel like visiting during your stay. Here the problem is, you have limited day offs but the tourist destinations are many. So you actually need to chalk out your plan if you step inside the town.
Have your home works done as you get prepared to explore the nooks and corners of the town!
A list of best things to do in San Diego.
1. Wander in and around Balboa Park
Don’t miss this park which can be compared with Central Park. On the event of Panama California Exhibition, this park was designed and built around 1915-1916. Buildings present are the manifestations from the glorious past. Low rise edifices exhibiting Spanish influence are the dominant architectural feature of this park. Turn to have a gala time with family. It can be an ideal picnic spot. Botanical gardens, San Diego Zoo, and the museum can be considered as the prime attractions of this very popular park. Avail the opportunity of exploring Balboa Park and taste the richness of glorious cultural past.
2. Fun, frolic and Beaches
Are you the beach person? Are you unable to avoid the call of the sun-kissed and fun-filled beaches? Check out the beautiful beaches of San Diego. The well-knitted shoreline of Pacific and Mission Beach forms a continuous stretch. It may not be able to maintain the serenity and purity of the Coronado Beach but it can definitely be marked as the popular one.
During the summer days, enjoy your sunbath and explore your surfing skill. Beaches remain packed with cheerful and happy faces everywhere. Though Pacific and Mission Beach are interconnected, still the contrast of the ambience creates the difference. The boulevard adjacent to Mission Beach has more homes compared to hotels. Thus this is pretty less crowded. Stroll around peacefully here. Again if you are a party freak, then be a part of the happening nightlife in Pacific Beach.
3. La Jolla
Can you guess the pop-up words related to La Jolla? Well “food, fun, pristine water, seals, seagulls” – all are related to La Jolla. Relax as the waves touch your feet. Freshen up your stressed soul with the salty breeze. The underwater park is adjacent to the beach. Artificial reefs
Of the marine park is capable of attracting marine life. Fishing is strictly prohibited here. Engage your family in beach activities and add an extra star to accelerate their enjoyment. Snorkelling and kayaking gears are also available. La Jolla Cave can rightly be referred to as the heart of La Jolla. This ecologically protected area is the abode of diversified marine life both within and out of the water.
4. Cabrillo National Monument and Point Loma
Catch an excellent and wide-eyed glimpse of San Diego from Point Loma. Enjoy the vastness of the Pacific Ocean overlapped with beautiful San Diego. Turn the pages of history and travel back to 1542. Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed for the first time on the western coast of the USA. He at first named the bay as San Miguel that was later changed to San Diego. Long back in 1939 Portuguese government gifted the heroic statuette of Cabrillo which later on replaced with the present figure. Point Loma has an old lighthouse that dates back to 1858. Visitors can take a tour of the lighthouse, presently represented as a museum.
You can also experience the history going live in front of your eyes as you go through the displays of the Cabrillo National Monument. His unbelievable expedition will leave you enthralled.
5. Maritime Museum San Diego
The war galore, USS Midway which has served for the longest term as an aircraft carrier is permanently moored in the dockyards of San Diego, better known as Embarcadero from 2004. The huge statue will leave you in amazement. You can imagine yourself as a crew or member of the ship as you walk along the alleys, sleeping quarters, brig, engine rooms and the restored aircraft. This historic ship was a part of the Vietnam War.
6. Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala
Check out the first mission of California that was built in 1769. Junipero Serra built the first mission station in San Diego which was later shifted to six miles away from its previous location due to the land dispute issue that broke out between Indians and Spanish troops.
These are the few major places that you need to check out while in San Diego. But apart from this, you can also take a tour of the San Diego old town as you relish the European flavour in the USA. This European settlement has sets of streets preserved in its old forms. This city has built from the historical past as old as the eighteenth century. Again you have GASLAMP QUARTER. This is a voguish area with Victorian buildings. This area is packed with hotels, restaurants, shops and even galleries. It is also quite popular both among locals as well as tourists.
Also Read: Things to do in Las Vegas: A Guide for a Tourist in Las Vegas
Enjoy your visit to San Diego. Don’t miss the amazing local food. It is a nice amalgamation of Spanish, Mexican and indigenous flavour. Experience all the splendors of this place. Leave the place with a contented heart.
