Visitors Guide to San Diego, California, USA

By: Nia Rees
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:42:38
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The city of San Diego is located on the southwestern coast of the state of California, in the USA. This pristine, coastal city has much to be proud about and boasts a number of exceptional attractions, including America's best zoo. San Diego city center contains an extremely high concentration of museums, second only to Washington DC. With a popular of around 1.3 million, the city covers approximately 320 square miles / 830 square kilometers.

Close to Mexico, much of San Diego has a strong South American character and atmosphere, with many notable Mexican restaurants. City life is generally relaxed and centered around the downtown district, which can be found on the harbor. Many impressive entertainment venues are situated in downtown San Diego, together with shops and important businesses. Of particular interest, downtown's Gaslamp Quarter contains a cluster of historic Victorian buildings and structures. Other import areas worth a visit include Balboa Park, the Hillcrest District, together with La Jolla and Mission Bay, which stand alongside beautiful stretches of sandy beaches.

San Diego Tourism:
Tourist attractions in San Diego are excellent and include many superb beaches, which make San Diego the perfect holiday destination for all ages. Facilities include a number of notable buildings, museums and art galleries, countless must-see sights and family attractions, and a number of large parklands and gardens. Top attractions include Mission Beach and Pacific Beach, which both offer a range of water sports and coastal walks.

Also worth a visit in the city are the world-famous San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld San Diego, the Museum of San Diego History, the Museum of Art, the striking cathedral of the Basilica San Diego de Alcala, Knott's Soak water park and nearby Legoland California. Also a popular excursion from San Diego is the city of Anaheim, home to the spectacular Disneyland Resort, which can be reached by car, with the journey lasting around 90 minutes.

San Diego Transport:
Around San Diego, public transport is reliable and efficient and the city is easy to reach by road, with a number of highways and interstates close-by. The San Diego Trolley is one of the most popular methods of transport in the city and travels to all of the main attractions. Greyhound buses operate within San Diego and connect a number of California cities, together with Amtrak trains and taxicabs.
San Diego International Airport (SAN) stands around 3 miles / 5 km from the city center and is an important transport hub. With three large terminal buildings and many passengers arriving each day, San Diego Airport offers plenty of ground transportation options, such as shuttle buses, taxis and car rental.

San Diego Hotels:
Being a popular and sunny city of California's coast, San Diego predictably offers a variety of hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and affordable accommodation options. Some of the most popular hotels in the city can be found in the center of the downtown district, conveniently near to facilities such as shops and restaurants. Further hotels are located around Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, Mission Bay, Mission Valley, the nearby island of Coronado, La Jolla, and the scenic North County countryside. Hotel rates in San Diego rise during the summer season and at the weekend.

San Diego Restaurants:
San Diego offers a good selection of restaurants, which are readily available and suit most palates. Restaurants, cafes and bars have improved greatly in recent years, due to San Diego's rapidly expanding tourist appeal. Concentrated around the downtown areas of San Diego, Hillcrest neighborhood and La Jolla district, Mexican and Asian cuisine is particularly popular in the city. Many restaurants in San Diego feature live music and often stay open late. The numerous cocktail bars along the beachfront provide the perfect place to end your evening.

San Diego Shopping:
The city contains many large shopping malls, clustered in the Mission Valley area. The Mission Valley Center is perhaps the city's most notable shopping mall and features an array of shops, together with a large food court. For local arts and crafts, together with specialty shops, head to the Old Town district, while the Hillcrest neighborhood is the place to visit for boutiques and general fashion accessories. A number of antique shops and surfing-related items can be found along the Mission Beach area.

San Diego Weather:
San Diego features warm and sunny Mediterranean-style weather, typical of California, with sunshine throughout the year and pleasant breezes from the Pacific Ocean. Temperatures during June through August are at their hottest and can reach 27°C / 81°F. Winter and spring are warm seasons and many people visit the San Diego area at this mild time of the year. December and January are the coldest months, although daytime temperatures are still quite warm, generally around 18°C / 64°F, although lows of 12°C / 54°F are not unknown.

Article source: Expert Articles