 San Diego is "The Perfect Family Getaway"
San Diego is consistently rated one of the top vacation destinations in North America for families, and this year there is even more offerings for kids with exciting new attractions at SeaWorld San Diego, LEGOLAND California and the San Diego Zoo and its Wild Animal Park. It is also a city of rare beauty that will etch itself into your heart.
San Diego Values Program
San Diego is an affordable destination. Now it's even more economical with the San Diego Travel Values, a bi-annual insert containing coupons and other savings from hotels, arts and cultural organizations, activities and attractions. Guests can receive a San Diego Travel Values insert by calling toll-free 800-4-SAN-DIEGO, or visiting the Bureau's web site, www.sandiego.org
SAN DIEGO ATTRACTIONS
When it’s time for a family vacation, how can parents avoid the same old song and dance? The answer lies nestled along 70 miles of sunny Southern California coastline. San Diego, consistently rates one of the top family destinations in North America, is the ideal destination for children of all ages offering a variety of family-friendly activities, world-class attractions and special events throughout the year.
SAN DIEGO WILD ANIMAL PARK
Located 30 miles north of downtown, the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park is a 2200-acre preserve where wild animals roam free over vast expanses as they would in their native habitats of Africa and Asia.
SEAWORLD SAN DIEGO
Shamu Adventure -features the world-famous killer whale, Shamu, performing in a 2.5 million gallon pool and highlights the spectacular behaviours of killer whales as they interact with other whales, their trainers and audience volunteers. You can also swimn with Dolphins here.
Cirque de la Mer - treats guests to a fanciful version of whimsical, half-human/half sea creatures performing spectacular cirque-style acts on a beautiful water stage along Mission Bay.
Journey to Atlantis - the park’s newest attraction is based on the tale of the “lost city” and offers guests a 6-minute journey that includes a 60-foot plunge and a heart-pounding negative G force drop set against a backdrop of the sunken city. This will be the park’s largest attraction.
Animal highlights include the popular Wild Arctic, Penguin Encounter, Shark Encounter and Manatee Rescue.
You can also:
· Pet Dolphins
· Lunch with Killer Whales
· Touch and feed Bat Rays
· Pick up starfish
· Watch the surprise-filled Haunted Lighthouse
· Take in the panorama of San Diego from SeaWorld’s Sky Tower or Mission Bay Skyride
SAN DIEGO ZOO
San Diego Zoo is a world famous 100 acre tropical garden that houses 4000 animals of 800 rare and exotic species.
New male panda cub - Born in August 2003, Mei Sheng is continuing to grow and prosper. The cub joined mother Bai Yun and her mate Gao Gao, making San Diego Zoo one of only four facilities in the US to house critically endangered Giant Pandas and the only US zoo to successfully breed, birth and rear healthy cubs.
Bioclimatic exhibits - Visit the spectacular exhibits that mimic the natural habitats endangered species live in.
Popular zoo activities include:
· Three-mile guided bus tour
· Sky tram
· Children’s petting zoo
· Baby animal nursery
 LEGOLAND CALIFORNIA
Located 30 minutes north of downtown San Diego in Carlsbad, Legoland offers interactive adventures, delivers fun, imagination and entertainment geared for kids ages 2-12. The 123-acre theme park feature more than 40 interactive attractions and rides that are “kid-powered”.
Miniland USA - the newest addition to the theme park contains a miniature Florida, complete with Cape Canaveral and the famous Daytona racetrack, all built to scale with incredible detail out of millions of LEGO bricks. Also featured in Miniland USA are scale models of New York, New Orleans, California coastline, and Washington, D.C.
Block of Fame - is a landscaped pathway that doubles as a fun and educational, three-dimensional gallery lined with a collection of busts made solely out of LEGO bricks.
Rides include:
LEGO TECHNIC Coaster - a wild rollercoaster featuring dips and turns
BIONICLE Blaster - interactive spinning ride where guests determine how fast to turn by cranking the wheel in the centre of the vehicle
Coastersaurus - a Jurassic themed junior rollercoaster with life-sized animatronic Lego-saurs
BALBOA PARK
The largest cultural complex west of the Mississippi and the largest urban cultural park in the US and is often referred to as the “Smithsonian of the West”. There are 85 attractions, including 15 museums, art galleries, sidewalk performers, the Tony Award ® - winning Old Globe theatre, Starlight Bowl, the San Diego Zoo and an abundance of lush gardens and trees.
San Diego Museum of Man - celebrates the diversity and ingenuity of the human race. Permanent exhibits bring anthropology home with studies of native cultures from across the globe.
San Diego Museum of Art - houses an extensive collection of Renaissance and Spanish baroque art, as well as Dutch, American and Asian works. The facility also hosts many travelling exhibitions in its extensive, special exhibition space.
Museum of Photographic Arts - celebrates the unity of artist and camera by displaying major photography exhibitions, as well as through lectures, workshops and film series.
San Diego Model Railroad Museum - a Lilliputian world of model trains
San Diego Automotive Museum - is dedicated to the preservation of historic autos and displays classic and collectable vehicles.
San Diego Aerospace Museum - displays planes once used in war and peace.
San Diego Natural History Museum - displays silent bones of a vanished dinosaur and a seismograph’s twitching needle wait to be explored.
Reuben H. Fleet Science Centre - is where families can be swept into the middle of an IMAX film. Sharing the theatre are exhibit galleries where guests are actually invited to be part of the exhibits in a series of unique demonstrations.
THE BAYS
Mission Bay
- 4600-acre aquatic playground.
- Features separate, designated areas for sailing, power boating, fishing, swimming and water skiing.
- 20 miles of paths for runners, bikers and in-line skaters.
- Exercise stations are located throughout the course.
- Tecolot Shores, an open, grassy, park popular for flying colourful kites, playing Frisbee and having leisurely picnics, is a favourite spot for families.
The Big Bay – San Diego Bay
- Serves as a homeport for Navy ships, large sportfishing fleet, thousands of pleasure craft and an increasing number of cruise ships.
- Harbour tours.
- Dinner cruises.
- Whale watching expeditions.
- A great place to view San Diego’s distinct skyline from the water.
 THE BEACHES
Corando Beach
Recognised as the best family beach in North America by the Travel Channel
Families are greeted by the vast expanse of white sand
Recreational activities abound with impromptu football games, paddleball and sandcastle building
Southern end of the beach is great for flying kites
Volleyball games occur behind the lifeguard station
Ocean Beach
- Home to the Ocean Beach Pier.
- A large, sandy beach offering surfing, swimming and other recreational activities.
- Most popular for Dog Beach, where even the four-legged, tail-wagging family member can enjoy the surf and sand.
Pacific Beach and Mission Beach
- Connected by a 3-mile boardwalk that is crowded with inline skaters, skateboarders, runners and cyclists.
- Both feature designated areas for surfing and swimming
- Mission Beach is adjacent to Belmont Park which features the vintage “Giant Dipper” rollercoaster, “The Plunge” giant indoor swimming pool and assorted shops, amusment arcades and eateries.
La Jolla Shores
- A quiet, intimate enclave of lovely homes, spectacular scenery and a spacious beach.
- Recognised as one of the most family-friendly beaches in Sand Diego County.
- Parallelled by a wide cement boardwalk that separates the beach from a large, grassy park ideal for picnicking and volleyball games.
Families, surfers, kayakers and body surfers also throng to Cardiff State Beach and Elijo State Beach edging Cardiff by the Sea in San Diego’s North County. A day at the seashore here can also include some bird watching or nature walk at the nearby San Elijo Lagoon ecological reserve.
THE HISTORY
Apart from the ever-changing city skyline that symbolises San Diego’s modern image lies a rich heritage that comes alive at various local monuments and historic sites.
Cabrillo National Monument - commemorates the arrival of Portuguese explorer, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo on the coast of California in 1952. Provides a spectacular, panoramic view of San Diego’s harbour and coastline, along with the Old Point Loma Lighthouse.
Cabrillo National Park - offers a large, rocky shoreline of tide pools, the windows of the magnificent Pacific Ocean. Families can see flowery anemones, scampering shore crabs, elusive octopus, spongy deadman’s fingers and many other creatures of the sea.
Old Town State Historic Park - marks the first European settlement on the West Coast of the US and represents San Diego’s Hispanic heritage from 1821 to 1872. It features 12 acres of Mexican lore and historical sites presented in popular shops, restaurants, museums, a theatre and several carefully preserved or restored historic adobe and wooden buildings.
 Gaslamp Quarter - is the historic heart of downtown San Diego. It was founded in 1867 and is home to many Victorian buildings that have since earned historic status.
PETCO Park - the brand new Padres Ball park is found in the Gaslamp Quarter.
San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum - also located in the Gaslamp Quarter will open in June 2004.
San Diego’s Spanish heritage is preserved in its beautiful missions.
Mission San Diego de Alcala - Padre Junipero Serra’s first mission in California, still holds services daily in the original mission chapel.
Mission San Luis Rey de Francia - the largest and richest of all 21 California missions, is often called the “King of Missions”.
Asistencias de San Antonia de Pala and Mission Santa Ysabel - still serve as places of worship for nearby Native Americans.
OTHER FAMILY-FRIENDLY HIGHLIGHTS
Here are some other suggestions for family visits:
 La Jolla, the “Jewel” of San Diego
- Renowned for its luxury resorts, fine dining, beautiful beaches and spectacular hillside homes.
- Contains the Musuem of Contemporary Arts San Diego.
- Includes the Tony Award ® - winning La Jolla Playhouse.
- Just north of La Jolla are Torrey Pines State Park and the Birch Aquarium.
North County
- Offers ballooning and bi-plane adventures.
- Includes Quail Botanical Gardens.
- Offers award-winning luxury resorts and golf courses.
- Seaside communities, from Carlsbad to Oceanside offer village charm, boutique shopping and fine dining.
- Oceanside is home to the longest municipal wooden pier on the US West coast, which is a popular spot for fishing.
Julian
- This delightful mountain community was once the second largest town in San Diego.
- Located in the Laguna Mountains and reached by tree-lined country roads, nearly empty of traffic and uncluttered by commercial development.
- Guests can visit apple and cinnamon fragrant stores which sell home-made fruit pies.
- A popular time to visit is during the Julian Fall Apple Harvest, held each autumn from mid-September through to mid-November.
Mission Trails Regional Park
- Encompasses nearly 5800 acres of natural and developed recreational land in San Diego’s East County.
- Includes more than 40 miles of hiking and biking trails that meander along the San Diego River.
- Boat rentals are available on Lake Murray.
- Families can visit the state-of-the-art Visitor’s Centre, view magnificent wildlife and join hiking tours led by knowledgeable staff.
- Home to the Old Mission Dam, built to store water for the Mission San Diego de Alcala.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
- 600 000 acre living museum.
- A kaleidoscope of colourful wildflowers splash bold colours across the desert dunes, creating a spectacular floral display.
- A popular time to visit is when the arrival of spring is most apparent.
US Olympic Training Centre
- Located in San Diego’s South Bay.
- The nation’s first, warm weather, year-round Olympic training complex.
- Features training venues and support facilities for archery, canoeing/kayaking and rowing, cycling, field hockey, soccer, tennis and track and field.
- Families are welcome to join a narrated walking tour of the 150 acre campus.
Knott’s Soak City USA
- 32 acres of 150s surf-themed fun.
- Includes 22 thrilling water rides, a wave pool and extensive children’s area.
- Slides include La Jolla Falls, Solana Storm Watch Tower and Coronado Express.
Tijuana
- The most visited border city in the world.
- Boasts rich culture showcased through a variety of colourful attractions and traditional entertainment.
- Bazaar-like atmosphere where families can enjoy a unique cultural and shopping experience while bargaining for leather goods, glassware, jewellery and pottery.
Baja California
- Features beautiful, white sandy beaches,luxury resorts and authentic Mexican restuarants.
- Includes coastal villages of Rosarito, Ensenada and Puerto Nuevo.
- A fisherman’s paradise, offering excellent golf and ocean fishing.
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