Balboa ParkBalboa Park contains one of the biggest groups of
museums in the USA, many of them housed in magnificent
Spanish-Mexican buildings, in addition to more than 85 Performing
Arts and International Culture Organisations including theatres
like the internationally acclaimed Old Globe Theatre, and several
art galleries. The park also houses the world-renowned San Diego
Zoo with more than 800 species in spacious re-created natural
habitats. The oldest and most famous of the 15 museums is the
Reuben H Fleet Science Centre with a big screen Omnimax Theatre and
virtual reality simulator that transports visitors to outer space.
Other museums cover a wide range of interests, including cars and
motorbikes, anthropology, various forms of art, and natural
history. The Spanish Village Art Centre provides a traditional
ancient village setting for viewing sculpture, painting,
glassblowing and pottery performed by crafts people in classic
tiled-roofed studios. The park has numerous features and facilities
including golf courses, hiking and cycling trails, promenades,
extensive landscaped gardens and horticultural treasures, a
Japanese Friendship Garden, fountains and restaurants, a pavilion
for Sunday afternoon concerts and the world's largest outdoor
organ.San Diego ZooThe San Diego Zoo is one of the city's biggest
attractions and has a worldwide reputation for its enlightened
management program, worldwide conservation efforts, natural animal
environments and most notably its success in breeding endangered
species in captivity for reintegration into their natural habitats
(together with the Wild Animal Park north of the city). It is the
only zoo to have successfully bred Chinese giant pandas in
captivity. The zoo houses more than 4,000 mammals, birds and
reptiles. Many rare and endangered animals roam simulated natural
habitats, while tourists follow walkways and bridges, passing
waterfalls, tropical forests, sandy plateaus, arctic tundra, and
bird aviaries. The 100-acre (40-hectare) park can be explored on
foot, on narrated open-air trams, hop-on-and-off buses, or above
the ground on the aerial Skyfari tram or hot air balloon. One of
the highlights is the Tiger River Asian rainforest with animal
enclosures situated along misty trails enhanced by waterfalls and
exotic plants. It features tigers, pythons, tapirs and crocodiles.
Other highlights include the Gorilla Tropics, Sun Bear Forest,
polar bears in a simulated freezer, and the Ituri Forest Exhibit
that features African buffaloes, monkeys and hippos. There is also
a Children's Zoo where small animals such as bunnies, goats and
sheep can be petted, and the nursery where the latest arrivals are
looked after. An outdoor amphitheatre has daily sea lion and other
animal shows.SeaWorldOn the shores of Mission Bay is one of San Diego's
best-known attractions whose mascot, the resident killer whale
Shamu, has for many become synonymous with the city. SeaWorld is a
leader in marine conservation and plays an important role in
rescuing and rehabilitating animals found beached along the West
Coast. It is also one of the world's largest marine entertainment
parks and is a source of education as well as family recreation.
The park is best known for its work with killer whales (Orcas) and
dolphins, and the Dolphin Interaction Program provides the
experience of feeding, stroking and wading with bottlenose dolphins
(requiring advance booking and an additional fee). SeaWorld's
favourite attractions are its arena shows that run throughout the
day, highlighting the behaviours and talents of trained marine
mammals such as sea lions, walruses, otters, dolphins and killer
whales. Most of the exhibits are walk-through marine environments
like the Penguin Encounter that passes through a glass-enclosed
Antarctica with remarkable emperor penguins sliding over glaciers
into the icy water. The walk-through glass tube that passes through
the Shark House affords frightening face-to-face encounters.
Adventure rides include the Shipwreck Rapids ride with its
turbulent rivers and underground canyons, the exhilarating Journey
to Atlantis and the virtual-reality trip to the world of beluga
whales, polar bears and walruses of the Wild Arctic. During summer
peak hours the shows and more popular exhibits can be very crowded
with long queues.DowntownThe active downtown area is compact and easy to walk
around. It encompasses the business district, the historic Gaslamp
Quarter, the post-modern Horton Plaza pastel-coloured shopping
mall, and the waterfront Embarcadero with boardwalk shops, museums
and restaurants. The Gaslamp Quarter was the first commercial
district in San Diego and is now a trendy 16-block area of historic
buildings and old-fashioned wrought-iron street lamps, antique
stores, shopping centres, art galleries, chic coffee houses,
restaurants and jazz bars. The Horton Grand is a reconstruction of
a 19th-century hotel with Victorian décor and costumes, well worth
a peek. San Diego is one of California's most important centres for
the performing and visual arts, and its artistic and musical
heritage is celebrated annually with the opening of artists'
studios and galleries to the public, as well as its numerous Blues
and Jazz festivals. Summer evenings are the liveliest time to
visit, when people flock to the outdoor tables, bars and clubs and
wander the streets. However visits after dark should be confined to
the populated, well-lit areas.The BeachesEpitomising Southern California lifestyle, the beaches
and seaside suburbs are the heart and soul of the city, with
bikini-clad bodies, sun-tanned surfers, and a plethora of little
shops, coffee houses, cafes, and restaurants. The 70 miles (113km)
of sandy coastline attracts swimmers, sunbathers, surfers,
volleyball players and snorkellers. A boardwalk that runs from
Mission Beach to Pacific Beach is extremely popular for
rollerblading, jogging and cycling. Mission Bay is a playground for
waterskiing, sailing and windsurfing, and the surrounding beaches
of Mission Beach, Ocean Beach and Pacific Beach are known for their
wide stretches of sand as well as for the vibrant nightlife and
dining. The northern part of Ocean Beach is known as 'Dog Beach',
one of only two beaches in the city that allows dogs. Mission Beach
is the most popular with plenty of action, particularly along the
Ocean Front Walk that resembles the boardwalk parade of Los
Angeles' Venice Beach. To the north, the pretentious seaside suburb
of La Jolla is known for its high-priced real estate, expensive
shops and excellent restaurants, as well as its beautiful coastline
with lovely coves, cliffs, gorgeous beaches and superb surfing. La
Jolla Cove has clear waters and the offshore San Diego-La Jolla
Underwater Park affords brilliant snorkelling and diving, with
giant kelp forests and a deep canyon.Coronado IslandThe isthmus of Coronado contains an upmarket resort
community with several beaches, including the award-winning Silver
Strand State Beach, hotels, outdoor dining, boutiques and the
Museum of History and Art dedicated to the history of Coronado. A
naval station occupies the western end of the island. The island is
of little interest except for the historic Hotel del Coronado
around which the community grew. 'The Del' is a much-loved San
Diego institution, and a National Historic Landmark dating back to
1888. Its distinctive Victorian turrets, conical towers, balconies
and curious architecture have served as a filming location for many
years, and a stage for political meetings and social happenings.
Its glamorous old-world ambience with polished oak pillars and
arched ceilings has hosted guests like Marilyn Monroe, Frank
Sinatra and a number of presidents. Guided tours are available, or
visitors can choose to dine and dance here, stay as a guest or
simply wander through the grounds and look at its historic photo
gallery. Visible across the bay is Point Loma where a statue of
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo commemorates the landing of the first
European in 1542.Tijuana, MexicoA typical border town, Tijuana is not suited to
everyone's taste, with plenty of noise and frenetic activity. Its
location on the American/Mexican border and proximity to San Diego
ensures a steady stream of curious day-trippers and souvenir
hunters from up north. Tijuana's notorious 'sin city' image of
prostitution and sex shows has now taken a back seat; the sleazy
element, the drugs and violence that seems to be the lot of a
border town, is still there, but the focus has shifted in an effort
to clean the town up a bit, and it has become something of a
shopper's delight along with the intense nightlife and non-stop
entertainment. This is the place to shop, drink and dance the night
away; there are souvenir stalls, numerous duty-free shopping malls
and markets selling goods from all over Mexico, and countless bars,
restaurants and dance clubs. Tijuana has some traditional
attractions as well, including bullfighting and Jai Alai (a Spanish
ball court game), but this is not the classic Mexico that stories
are made of. Just across the Mexican border, 30 minutes from
downtown San Diego, Tijuana is unlike other Mexican cities, but is
a worthwhile experience that provides a fascinating contrast
between Mexico and the USA.
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