Enjoy spending a morning exploring coral reefs or historical museums, or spending a day at the zoo or sailing around our beautiful bay. Read on for more family fun!
Balboa Park • map on page 51
Expanding more than 1,200 acres, it features the world-class San Diego Zoo and 17 museums devoted to topics such as anthropology, art, aviation, photography, science and the history of San Diego itself. The scope of objects contained within its institutions is staggering. A sampling includes the real capsule used in the Apollo 9 space mission at the San Diego Air & Space Museum and Louie Mattar’s fabulous $75,000 car at the San Diego Automotive Museum. Families can also view giant-screen films in Southern California’s only IMAX Dome Theater at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. Traveling exhibits are popular attractions at the park like “Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed” at the San Diego Natural History Museum. The park also features the beautiful Japanese Friendship Garden, known for its ornamental plants, colorful koi pond and bonsai display. Other can’t-miss museums include the Spanish Village Art Center with its colorful art studios, the San Diego Art Institute showcasing local art, and Veterans Museum at Balboa Park, honoring those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and Wartime Merchant Marine. Take advantage of the park’s variety of offerings, (select museums have free admission on Tuesdays for San Diego residents), free daily park tours and free public organ concerts on Sunday afternoons.
In 2015, Balboa Park celebrates its centennial with a spectacular year of festivities that commemorate the International Exposition of 1915, which put San Diego on the world stage. The year-long extravaganza has already begun with the launch of “Ingenious! The World of Dr. Seuss,” a major exhibit on the art of beloved children’s author and illustrator Theodor Geisel, on display throughout 2015 at the San Diego History Center. For upcoming events visit PassPortToSanDiego.com/events-san-diego. Belmont Park • 29 map on page 52 Take your fun to new heights at Belmont Park—a historic oceanfront amusement park where visitors still ride the Giant Dipper, an original wooden roller coaster dating back to 1925. This seaside attraction for families, carnival lovers and romantics features bumper cars, rock-climbing, mini-golf, a zip line, an arcade and more. It also boasts world-famous waves machines, creating endless surfing for beginners to pros. The park features its 2015 Summer Kids Series, featuring free crafts, activities and music from 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays from mid-June to mid-August. Tuesday Family Nights return Aug. 4 and last all month, with 50 percent off ride tickets from 4 p.m. to closing and free activities, like face-painting, stilt-walking and juggling, from 6-8 p.m. belmontpark.com
Birch Aquarium at Scripps • 9 map on page 53 
Dive into the world of sharks, seahorses and living coral reefs at Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Perched on a bluff above the Pacific and featuring more than 60 habitats of fish and invertebrates, the venue hosts daily animal-feeding and hands-on educational visitor activities. Birch also offers seasonal outdoor excursions such as tide-pooling, whale watching, grunion runs, pier walks and snorkel tours. Other programs include monthly SEA Days (Science, Exploration & Adventure!) and Summer Learning Adventure Camps. Also not be to be missed are three living tide-pool displays allowing visitors to touch sea stars, hermit crabs, sea cucumbers and other other unique animals local to San Diego’s tide pools. Check out the venue’s monthly Green Flash concerts, pairing live music with panoramic ocean views, through September 2015! Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. yearround. aquarium.ucsd.edu
Cabrillo National Monument • 15 map on page 52
About 30 minutes west from downtown San Diego lies Cabrillo National Monument— a gem of a national park named for Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the first European to set foot on the California coast. The park features stunning views of San Diego’s coastline from 400 feet above the ocean. Visitors can tour the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, built in 1855; trek the two-mile Bayside Trail offering breathtaking harbor and city of San Diego views; and during low tide, peer into tide pools of the Rocky Intertidal Zone. Also, a lookout point near the lighthouse provides one of the best places on land anywhere to observe migrating gray whales. The park’s elevated location also has military importance: History buffs will enjoy seeing searchlight bunkers and viewing the exhibit, “They Stood the Watch,” which shows the park’s role in World Wars I and II. Going further back in time, re-enactors stroll the park and offer a living picture of life in the 1880s. Visit Cabrillo—San Diego’s Ocean Gateway & National Park—at nps.gov/cabr or cnmf.org.
East County • map on page 53
This inland playground is home to mountain hiking, biking, off-roading and Las Vegasstyle gaming. ATV-riders can tear it up in the dirt with San Diego Motorsport Rentals, serving Ocotillo Wells through mid-April. Outdoor lovers will enjoy time in the historic gold-mining town of Julian, offering camping, horseback-riding and famous apple pie and ciders. In El Cajon, journey through time at the Heritage of the Americas Museum, actually four museums at one location, represented by natural history, archaeology, anthropology and art. In Alpine, visit the Lions, Tigers & Bears sanctuary, a nonprofit providing a safe haven for unwanted and abused big cats and other exotic animals. Also don’t miss the Santa Ysabel Store & Backcountry Visitor Center in Santa Ysabel, an iconic landmark dating from 1884, or The Warner-Carrillo Ranch House in Warner Springs, which served as a Butterfield Stage Stop and was California’s first regular overland stage connection with St. Louis. For entertainment, check out East County’s Native American casinos like Viejas and Sycuan, which have world-class golf, spa services and shopping. For business networking or help with relocation or lodging needs, visit the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce, East County’s leading business advocacy association at eastcountychamber.org.
Embarcadero/Downtown San Diego • 7 map on page 52
Locals and tourists often stroll along San Diego’s beautiful waterfront, known as the Embarcadero. Two of the city’s most treasured attractions are found here: the floating Maritime Museum of San Diego and the USS Midway Museum. The Maritime Museum is housed in an iconic collection of ships, with the magnificent Star of India as the main draw. Just steps to the south, the awe-inspiring naval aircraft carrier USS Midway invites guests to explore its impressive 4-acre flight deck. Tour the waterfront on two wheels with San Diego Segway Tours by Wheel Fun Rentals. For spectacular views of San Diego Bay, book a daytime or dinner cruise with Hornblower Cruises & Events, which boards near the Maritime Museum. For delicious seafood and equally beautiful bay views, catch a bite at Anthony’s Fish Grotto, a San Diego landmark. Or try one of the many dining options at Seaport Village + The Headquarters, or drop by Kansas City Barbeque, an easygoing hangout serving hearty helpings of barbecue and beer in downtown San Diego, and also home to the 1986 hit film Top Gun. Also, don’t miss the San Diego Symphony’s outdoor Summer Pops season at Embarcadero Marina Park South from July through September.
Gaslamp Quarter • map on page 52
Known as “the Historic Heart of San Diego,” the Gaslamp Quarter comprises 16-1/2 blocks of sidewalk cafes, jazz clubs, late-night dancing, residential/work lofts and micro-breweries. Just a short walk from the Convention Center in San Diego’s downtown, the district is replete with renovated turn-of-the-century Victorian architecture, home to boutiques, art galleries, specialty shops and more. Catch a ballgame at nearby Petco Park, make a reservation at any of the high-profile restaurants featuring celebrity chefs and enjoy some top-name entertainment at House of Blues San Diego on Fifth Avenue. Get rolling and see the sights on traditional cruiser bikes or carriage-like surreys from Wheel Fun Rentals, with a location at Wyndham San Diego Bayside on Harbor Drive.
La Jolla • map on page 53
Located 15 minutes north from downtown San Diego, the charming village of La Jolla combines a southern European resort atmosphere with Southern California fun. Drive to the top of Mount Soledad for breathtaking, 360-degree views of San Diego, including the gently curving La Jolla coastline and Mission Bay. Back down on Prospect Street, stroll into ritzy boutiques and lovely art galleries. Right off Prospect, savor the beloved bakery and restaurant Girard Gourmet, serving inspired farm-to-table cuisine for 28 years. For snorkeling and swimming, enjoy the gentle waves of La Jolla Cove. Up the coast at La Jolla Shores, paddle close to cliffs, caves and sea lions with La Jolla Kayak. Or enter the world of sharks, seahorses and living coral reefs at Birch Aquarium at Scripps.
Legoland® California Resort • 1 map on page 53
This hands-on theme park experience for families with children ages 2-12 features more than 60 interactive exhibits, attractions, family rides and shows, and millions upon millions of Legos. The resort is also home to Sea Life Aquarium and the world’s first Legoland Water Park.
Lions Tigers & Bears Big Cat and Exotic Animal Rescue • 9 map on page 54
24402 Martin Way, Alpine, CA 91901 • (619) 659-8078 Learn about the lives of 60-plus rescued animals that live at Lions Tigers & Bears, San Diego’s only accredited big cat and exotic animal rescue sanctuary. On guided educational visits, guests get an introduction to each rescued animal, like Tabu the beautiful tiger, or Meatball, a rescued California black bear; brother “moon” bears Teddy and Baloo; Tuffy the long-legged serval and the rest of the motley animal crew, while learning about the burgeoning issue that is the exotic animal trade. Children and adults alike can learn the difference between wild and domestic animals at the sanctuary’s “Animal Encounters,” while enjoying a hands-on educational experience with rescued goats, horses, pigs, llamas and more. Arrange a visit by becoming a “Member For a Day” today. Extend your visit by booking a private overnight safari at the luxurious White Oak Wild Nights Mountain Retreat. lionstigersandbears.org
Living Coast Discovery Center • 8 map on page 52
Just six miles south of downtown San Diego, The Discovery Center’s “living, breathing, flapping, buzzing, and splashing home” sits on the 316-acre San Diego National Wildlife Refuge on Sweetwater Marsh, the ideal location for exploration of the region’s most memorable animal residents in their native habitats. Come face-to-face with moray eels, an American bald eagle and sea turtles. Get even closer to rays as an interactive touch pool puts the aquatic creatures beneath your fingertips. Other experiences include bird watching-platforms and native plant gardens attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. The Center also offers 1.5 miles of walking trails, nature day camps for kids and teens, overnight adventures, scouting programs, kayak tours of San Diego Bay, private birthday parties and much more. Don’t miss the Center’s annual “Farm to Bay” fundraiser on Aug. 8, 2015, which invites guests to learn about the local sustainable food community and sample from dozens of San Diego’s top restaurants, farms, wineries and craft breweries. thelivingcoast.org
Mission Beach/Pacific Beach • map on page 52
From concession stands to fine-dining eateries, busy night clubs to street performers, expect to find all kinds of fun along the sandy shores of Mission and Pacific Beaches.
Often compared with the carnival-style atmosphere of Coney Island on the East Coast, Mission Beach teems with both land and water activities. Joggers, bicyclists, rollerbladers, and casual strollers use the oceanfront boardwalk leading 3 miles north to Pacific Beach. One of the most popular places to rent a bike cruiser, kayak or surfboard is Cheap Rentals at Santa Clara Point. Enjoy high-flying Mission Beach fun with San Diego Parasail Adventures or the actionpacked outdoor activity center The Adventure Center. Just across from Mission Bay and minutes away from Pacific and Ocean Beaches, San Diego Jet Ski rents everything from Jet Skis to jet boats as well as stand-up paddle boards and beach bikes. Mission and Pacific Beaches are also people-watching meccas, where free-spirited visitors converge to hang out, especially on weekends. The main action happens at Belmont Park—an amusement park dating back to 1925, where visitors still ride the Giant Dipper, an original wooden roller coaster. North to Pacific Beach, watch the world go by while having an omelet atop the rooftop patio at the Broken Yolk Cafe, serving eggs prepared more than a dozen ways for over 35 years.
Oceanside, North San Diego Coastal • 2 map on page 53
A picturesque New England-style harbor, miles of white sandy beaches, shopping and abundant recreational and cultural attractions beckon visitors to Oceanside, a charming beach city about a 30-minute drive north from downtown San Diego. Stroll down California’s longest wooden pier, bike along the nine-mile San Luis Rey River Trail, catch some world-class surfing or tee off at one of four golf courses. One of the most popular attractions is the historic Mission San Luis Rey, a majestic jewel of early California history. Known as the King of the Missions, it is the largest of the 21 missions that flourished here in the 1700s and 1800s. Nearby, the king of bakeries, the historic San Luis Rey Bakery & Restaurant, has been serving fresh breads, rolls and decorated cakes for 45 years. Enjoying a renaissance is Oceanside’s downtown, filled with new restaurants and breweries, and a fabulous year-round Farmers Market and Sunset Market on Thursdays hosted by MainStreet Oceanside (mainstreetoceanside.com). For overnight accommodations, book a stay at Days Inn or Rodeway Inn. Both are within walking distance of Oceanside’s beaches and the beautiful walk-around harbor lined with open-air restaurants on the marina. Just off Interstate 5, Oceanside is centrally located between Los Angeles and San Diego.
Old Town San Diego • 14 map on page 52
Old Town San Diego welcomes visitors to 19th-century colonial life. This robust community consisting of four major parks also contains colorful shops, early-California-style restaurants, Cygnet Theatre, staging renowned plays and musicals, and the restored Cosmopolitan Hotel. Docents dressed in period attire provide tours of the many museums, such as the Mormon Battalion Historical Site. Other fascinating historic sites include the Whaley Museum and Adobe Chapel Museum. For a spooky evening, visit Haunted San Diego Ghost Tours, open daily (except Tuesdays).
San Diego Zoo • 8 map on page 51
This wildlife-lover’s paradise tops every attraction list for its lush landscape and natural habitats. Giant pandas, gorillas, sun bears, leopards, flamingos, koalas and other animals have their own outdoor homes. The 100-acre zoo offers a guided bus tour that traverses 75 percent of the park, and an aerial view from Skyfari, a gondola lift. San Diego Zoo Safari Park • 4 map on page 54 With over 1,800 acres to explore, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park offers an expansive natural setting to view animals, birds and fish. Ride the Africa Tram Safari and see giraffes, antelope and other animals grazing on the plains. Don’t miss the park’s Tiger Trail or Shiley’s Cheetah Run, an up-close look at a cheetah sprinting up to 70 mph.
SeaWorld® San Diego • 17 map on page 52
Shamu’s home celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014 with the orca whale as the main attraction. Other crowd-pleasers include performances by Bottlenose dolphins, various birds of flight and pilot whales, and hilarious sea lions and sea otters. Be sure to capture an aerial view of the park and San Diego from the SeaWorld Sky Tower.
