Water Sports

San Diego has such a wide range of water sports to choose from you will never be bored.  Whatever your preference or taste, San Diego has it. Want to go surfing in the morning, snorkeling after lunch and then have a bonfire on the beach?  Then head to La Jolla and have the day of a life time. Experience everything from spear fishing to kiteboarding and kayaking, San Diego has everything you want when it comes to water sports.

Hike

Whether you want a tough hike that tests your endurance or breathe taking vistas of the ocean and desert, you can find it here.  Head to the Tory Pines State Reserve in La Jolla and hop on Yucca Point trail, it is relatively short and easy with amazing views overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The best part about this hike is that the beach is accessible from many points along the trail. For a tougher challenge head to the shores of Lake Poway and hike Mount Woodson. This is an unforgiving hike that can be tough for those who are unprepared but the views of the Pacific Ocean, downtown, and Mexico prove that the effort is worth the reward.

Bike

San Diego is a great destination for road and mountain biking enthusiasts. With an unlimited number of trails and rides to choose from you could ride from sun up to sun down and not even touch the surface of the biking possibilities.

Extreme Sports

If you can never quench your thirst for adrenalin San Diego is your ideal travel destination. For some high flying adventure you can spend a day in the skies above San Diego with the boys at Torrey Pines Gliderport and achieve a view of San Diego and the Pacific coast that very few people will ever experience. If hang gliding doesn’t do it for you; you should head on over to Mission Gorge to rock climb with some of the best athletes in the world. The gorge features a wide range of climbs to accommodate an skill level.

Birch Aquarium

Birch Aquarium is one of those places you just got to visit, especially on rainy days. You and your loved ones will have an incredible time observing multiple sea animals in well over 60 habitats.

There is no particular time to visit Birch Aquarium; its doors are open every day of the year except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s day. Visit the site.

Miramar Speed Circuit

On a rainy day, nothing could be better than a good, competitive family race. If you agree, then Miramar Speed Circuit is definitely the place to visit. You and your family can hop in a go-kart and race indoors for hours. All the go-karts are speedsters–with the capability of traveling up to 40 miles per hour.

Miramar Speed Circuit is open Monday through Sunday. When you are ready to visit, you do not have to call–but you should consider it. Calling in advance opens the way for you to book your family race as well as to prepare for it. Visit the website.

Ice Arena

Ice Arena is one of the finest facilities for ice skating, so if you bring your family here, you will not regret it. If anything, you will be impressed. This ice-skating facility has a lot of fun-filled programs–birthday parties, hockey, figure skating, public sessions and skating school.

Ice Arena is open all week long. To enter its doors and take advantage of everything that is offered, you and your family have to pay: the general rate is 12 dollars; the rate for children is 10 dollars; the rate for groups is 8 dollars.

Solid Rock Gym

Solid Rock Gym is a rock climbing facility that has well over 115 top ropes, four bouldering areas and three lead areas, including a large cave and two arches. Bringing your family here, especially on a rainy day, is an excellent idea. You all will be able to have a whole lot of competitive fun and no dull moments. Since each top rope has four routes, you all can climb for hours and hours without repeating the same route. Visit the site.

Tea Upon Chatsworth

Tea Upon Chatsworth is the perfect place to visit when it is raining outside. Its intimate setting opens the way for you and your family to bond even more and enjoy each other’s company while sipping on a cup of tea, which can come in a lot of flavors.

Tea Upon Chatsworth offers a large variety of classes and events on the art of tea, hoping to educate visitors and give them a memorable experience. Aside from that, each class and event prepares visitors to carry out the demands of everyday life by giving their taste buds a flavorable kick that is indescribable. The sooner you visit Tea Upon Chatsworth, the quicker you can taste one of San Diego’s best cups of tea.

There is also the option of doing nothing. This can be particularly appealing on a rainy day in San Diego. If you don’t feel like leaving your hotel room you can always get your laptop out, get on the internet and play online games until the sun comes out again.

Museums –You can visit all of San Diego’s best museums easily, because they are all part of Balboa Park.  Whether you are interested in science, air and space, art, history, or natural history, the museums have it all.  It is impossible to visit all the museums in one day, so either choose one or two that appeal to you most, or plan to spend a few days in the park just visiting the museums.

Recreational Activities– Balboa Park is a great place for recreation.The park has great facilities for tennis, lawn bowling and golfing.  There is also a recreational center for sports like volleyball, basketball and racquetball. Because of the vastness beauty of the park, it is also the perfect place for an early morning run.

San Diego Zoo – San Diego Zoo is probably the best zoo in the United States, and it’s located in Balboa Park.  The zoo is divided up into different sections all representing different terrains across the world.  You can see animals from the Outback in one section, and then see animals from Africa and Asia in other sections.  The San Diego Zoo is an exciting wildlife conservatory, and an adventure for children and adults alike.

These activities just scratch the surface of what there is to do in Balboa Park.  There are also many places to eat, fun attractions, and performing arts, so pick up a map and learn about what is going on in the park during your stay.  Regardless of the reason for visiting San Diego, make sure to include Balboa Park as part of your visit.

Ashley R. Cummings is an avid traveler and writer.  She loves meeting new people and traveling to new places.  Facebook.  Twitter.

For any trip, the best means of getting the most from your days away is to put in some forethought and research before you go. Even for the most spontaneous of people, knowing the local attractions and drawing up a rough list of what you want to see is a must. Instead of spending time whilst on holiday actually looking up places to go and getting information such as travel and opening times, you can actually be enjoying your valuable time away. It’s also a good idea to try and combine top restaurants and bars with popular exhibits, allowing you to drink, dine and experience a number of popular venues all in the same area. Utilizing gadgets such as the Garmin nuvi 1490LMT and other GPS devices can also be extremely helpful, allowing you to navigate quickly to your destination without wasting time.

Top attractions in San Diego include the famed San Diego Zoo, Sea World and Belmont Park. The zoo is a must if you’re visiting the city, and attracts thousands of people every year. In addition to being home to thousands of animals in popular exhibits such as Elephant Odyssey and Panda Canyon, San Diego Zoo is home to thousands of plants and is an important botanical garden. Sea World, meanwhile, has also gained fame throughout the world and you can save many holiday memories here by using top quality cameras to catch the action as it happens. Aquariums hold sharks, penguins, dolphins and even pilot whales, in addition to world famous killer whale Shamu. Meanwhile, rides including Shipwreck Rapids and Journey to Atlantis are very popular with adults and children alike. If you want to enjoy a theme park right on the beach, then Belmont Park is for you.

In addition to some great attractions, San Diego also has a variety of places to shop as well as explore more cultural options. The city’s Old Town is the location of the first European settlement in California and boasts an historic park where ancient buildings such as the original blacksmiths shop and schoolhouse have been preserved. The Old Town San Diego Market provides the perfect place to buy souvenirs and memorabilia for your trip, and with delicious Mexican food you’ll easily be able to spend the entire day here. Seaport Village is also a fantastic waterfront location to visit in San Diego, and offers souvenir shopping, free concerts at the weekends, and video arcades to amuse the children.

With some careful planning you’ll easily be able to see most of the major attractions that San Diego has to offer in addition to enjoying the city for its own unique charm. Locating top spots in the near vicinity of one another will allow you to maximize time spent enjoying the sights rather than finding them. By taking top gadgets on your holiday including cameras and GPS systems you can reduce your holiday hassle whilst capturing memories forever.

One of the key things for any romantic getaway, especially if it’s due to be a surprise, is to do your homework. By finding the best hotels, you can call ahead and arrange a few little extras, ensuring that your room is as romantic as possible. Britt Scripps Inn is one place that has romantic atmosphere as soon as you arrive, and with the Victorian architecture adding to the luxury sheets and indulgent atmosphere, it’s a great place to start if you’re looking for a couples retreat.

It is also a good idea to plan a few possible excursions on your trip away, allowing for romance to build as you take in the beautiful city and its wondrous sights. Using discount car rental will allow you to easily travel around so that your weekend doesn’t get caught up on public transport, and with the freedom to go where you want, when you want, you’ll be really able to explore without hassle.

If you want to indulge in the coastline, then heading to Mission Beach Boardwalk is ideal. Taking a night stroll along the boardwalk is truly romantic, and you’ll be able to enjoy live music and carnival games. Meanwhile, if you prefer someone a little quieter, then La Jolla Cove is the ultimate in seclusion and stunning views. A trip to San Diego Zoo is also a great way to spend a few hours, and whilst you may not think of it as the most romantic spot, laughing and watching the zoo’s residents can be very romantic.

Food is also famed for being romantic, and San Diego has several top spots to go if you want to indulge in a little lunch or an evening cocktail. Little Italy is famed for having beautiful Italian cuisine, whilst Seaport Village in downtown San Diego offers some great restaurants. In addition, you’ll be able to visit Coronado Bridge here, and go to the 40^th floor of the Hyatt for stunning views across the city. Day trips with a food theme are also ideal, and you’ll find that Temecula is great for wine tasting, whilst taking a trip to Julian will offer antiques shopping and some of the finest apple pie in all of America.

San Diego really offers something for everyone, especially if you’re looking for romance. By combining fun day trips, great cocktails and foods, and walks along the beach or boardwalk, you can ensure that a weekend away in San Diego is as romantic as possible.

The park’s most famous attraction is the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster. Opened for the first time on the fourth of July in 1925, this exciting coaster is one of two original beachfront roller-coasters still active on the U.S. West Coast. Now, after a mega-makeover, the Giant Dipper is ready to thrill its passengers with its sharp turns, high speed and 73-foot drop.

Other exhilarating rides include the Vertical Plunge, which climbs three stories only to dive right back down at full speed. There’s also the Beach Blaster which swings everybody on board in the air at back and forth to 120 degrees. Plus there’s the classic Tilt-a-Whirl, Bumper cars and many more!

Belmont Park is home to San Diego’s largest indoor swimming pool, the historic Plunge pool. Also opened for the first time back in 1925, this lovely huge pool is a great place to have some fun with the little ones, on the shallow end, or do some serious swimming on the deeper end. Plus, it’s the perfect place to throw your next pool party! Other places to get some fun in the water are the park’s wave machines FlowRider and FlowBarrel, both of which are sure to bring gout the surfer in you.

After so much fun, everyone’s sure to be hungry. But not to worry! Belmont Park has a different eatery or restaurant for everyone in the family. From the lovely Wave House Bar and Grill to the Wind and Sea Bar, there’s everything from cold drinks to tempting appetizers to home-style American cuisine to be enjoyed.

For history lovers, Old Town is the perfect place to learn just how the settlement of California began and has evolved. Some of the most popular historic houses include the Alvarado House, the McCoy House and the famous Whaley House. The latter is considered by many sources to be one of the country’s most haunted houses. There are also many museums such as the Wells Fargo Museum that is located in the Colorado House, and the San Diego Sheriff’s Museum.

Old Town San Diego is also a great place to shop for unique souvenirs. Places like Del Sol and the Soho Museum Shop offer visitor lovely historic reproductions, sun-powered products and all sorts of interesting Old Town souvenirs and gifts. And of course, you can’t miss taking a trip to the Old Town Market Place, where you’ll find everything you need as well as a lively atmosphere with entertainment by local artists.

There’s also a wide range of restaurants to tempt your taste buds while touring Old Town. While it is obvious that you’ll find many Mexican and Spanish delicacies, there are plenty of other choices when it comes to international cuisine, including Japanese, Italian and Latin American. Plus, there are many amazing seafood restaurants around Old Town, serving everything from fancy oyster and shrimp meals, to those that treat visitors to buckets of lobster. There’s a restaurant for all tastes and travel budgets in Old Town.

Start your magical day at Legoland with an exciting ride on one of the park’s many roller coasters. The most popular is Legoland´s trademark Dragon Coaster, which takes visitors on a huge green dragon made of Legos that zigzags its way through tunnels. For the smaller kids, there is a dinosaur roller coaster that is just as fun but not as fast.

But, Legoland is not about roller coasters alone! There are many other rides throughout the park, most of which are interactive with the rest of the crowd. Plus, you get to work out as most of Legoland’s rides are for the visitor to control and move, such as the Firefighter Ride, where you have to drive your fire engine to the fire, and then use your hose to put it out and race back to the finish line before the rest of the engines. Others like the Jet Ski ride, include audience participation while you enjoy the ride itself.

But other than the rides, Legoland is a place to dream and discover. From Duplo Village, where you will be transported to Africa with its giraffes, lions and zebras – all made of Legos, of course – to Dino Island, where you can climb inside a “Mega-Egga-Saurus” or dig up fossils, Legoland has something for every taste. Pirate Shores is the place to have some fun with amazing water attractions and thrilling sea adventures.

And of course, Legoland’s main attraction, Miniland USA, is the best place to admire true Lego works of art. This part of the park includes impressive reproductions of some of the United States’ most prominent sights, including the Statue of Liberty and more. These miniatures were made with over 20 million Legos and are visible from many parts of the park.

A tour of the city’s museums should be on the card for anybody who enjoys art, sculpture and even military paraphernalia. One of the most impressive museums in San Diego is the USS Midway Museum where visitors can witness the perils and excitement of life aboard a naval carrier. The Museum of Contemporary Arts and the Chinese Historical Museum are equally enthralling with a variety of exhibits.

The old town tour offers a new perspective on San Diego, as it was more than a century ago vis à vis the astonishing developments in the city that it is today. The old town offers visitors a glimpse into how the town looked in 1821. The area is complete with a museum, a restaurant, five adobes and shops for mementoes.

It would be a sin to be in the city and not explore San Diego Harbor Bay with a boating tour. You can choose to check out the northern or the southern parts which take an hour each or go for the two-hour tour that will take you from one end to the other.

A trip to downtown San Diego will reveal that there are several popular tourist attractions dwelling aside the secluded spots that are simply spectacular. One of the places to start your tour of the city is Little Italy, the name says it all. This part of town was once an Italian fishing neighborhood, today it holds the distinction of being one of the most picturesque parts of the city with several restaurants serving lip smacking Italian delicacies, so if you want to start your adventure on a full tummy, do not skip this part of town.

The San Diego Zoo is a ‘must see’ attraction whether you are traveling alone or with the family. While the children will be utterly delighted at the sight of over 4000 animal species, the grown ups too can relish the prospect of watching exotic animals, like the shy Pandas, in an environment that mimics their natural habitat.

The Belmont Park with its innumerable rides and the largest indoor heating pool is a treat for adults and kids alike. The area offers the perfect backdrop for a fun filled day out with the family or friends.