Overview

With over forty miles of coastal beaches and an atmosphere far less posh than Los Angeles, San Diego, California’s second largest city, can be a fantastic destination for the Californian tourist. There are several districts in San Diego that are worth exploring. Old Town is the most popular district with tourists, home to most of the city’s museums and theaters, as well as many shopping, dining, and drinking establishments. Balboa Park is home to the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Air and Space Museum, the Museum of Man, and the Old Globe Theater. Gaslamp is an artsy district where you’ll find many art galleries, boutiques, corner cafes and over 90 restaurants. Little Italy is home to some of the best Italian food in San Diego, and it also offers a fabulous view of the harbor. Kenningston is a great place to unwind and while you’re there you should take time to visit the Ken Landmark Theatre, a theater that shows classic movies. Mission Bay is home to Sea World and is a great place to sail. Finally, for a day at the beach, the most popular places are Mission Beach, Ocean Beach and Pacific Beach.

Sights

San Diego is home to several museums, and each one has its own appeal. However, for a classic San Diego experience, head to Del Mar Plaza, an all-in-one plaza built with the Pacific Ocean landscape in mind. Inside the square, visitors can eat, visit a spa, drink, shop at the luxury department stores, and even dry clean their clothes. The San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Wild Animal Park and Birch Aquarium are great destinations for animal lovers. Mount Soledad is also a beautiful natural attraction and a great place for mountain climbing and other outdoor activities.

Night life

San Diego is a great place to shop, and the city is full of shopping malls and districts. Some notable malls include Seaport Village, University Town Center, Horton Plaza, North County Fair, Plaza Bonita, Mission Valley Center, Fashion Valley, Grossmont Center, and Del Mar Plaza. You won’t have any trouble finding a good affordable restaurant in San Diego, though both Mission Beach and the Gaslamp District have the best selection of fresh fish dinners. The Gaslamp District is also home to the largest selection of restaurants in the city. However, for Italian cuisine, you’ll want to go to Little Italy. For the most part, San Diego locals tend to spend more time in theaters and museums than they do drinking; however, when they do go out into the city, they prefer the nightclubs and live music venues to the more traditional bars and pubs. Many of these establishments are clustered along the beaches, although the Gaslamp, Old City and Downtown districts are also lively spots.