edit San Diego Travel Guide

• Balboa Park not only the home of the zoo, here you will find a wide variety of cultural experiences, including: the museum of art, the museum of man, the automotive museum, the botanical building and the natural history museum.
• The Gaslamp Quarters is the central point of San Diego's downtown. This is the place to go if you want walk around and find wonderful shopping, great restaurants and a nice place to enjoy the night.
• LegoLand a theme park with a miniature United States built entirely out of legos is cool to check out, plus there are lots of fun rides for the kids.
• The San Diego Zoo is a great destination for the whole family. One of the best zoos in the world, it is home to many of the planet's most rare and exotic animals, including the only pair of giant pandas in the U.S.
• SeaWorld allows visitors a chance to interact with aquatic animals in an exciting way. Through shows, displays and enclosures people can learn about the world's oceans and the creatures that inhabit them.
• Visit La Jolla - A coastal community of San Diego which includes secluded coves, beaches and ocean cliffs to explore. There are dozens of coffee shops, restaurants and high-end shopping outlets to be had in La Jolla.seaport villiage down by the harbor***
• Wild Animal Park The sister park to the San Diego Zoo. The park is located about 30 miles north of San Diego in Escondido, and covers 1800 acres where animals roam freely.

San Diego has historically been a military town.

By plane

San Diego International Airport (SAN) is less than 10 minutes from downtown San Diego. The descent into the airport, passing remarkably close to downtown buildings, can be a bit alarming for first-time visitors. It is served by most major West Coast carriers. Be aware that even discounted coach airfares between San Diego and Los Angeles (about 120 miles/190 km) can cost nearly as much a trip to the east coast.

There are a number of airport shuttle companies that handle transportation to and from the airport. They cost around $15 per person. Metro bus #992 ("the Flyer", $2.25) travels 10 minutes to downtown, and connects to the Coaster commuter train, the Trolley, and the Amtrak station.

Private pilots will prefer the nearby general aviation airports, Montgomery Field (ICAO: KMYF) in Clairemont Mesa, Gillespie Field (ICAO: KSEE) in El Cajon, or Brown Field (ICAO: KSDM) east of San Ysidro. Some air taxi and air charter firms offer specials to the San Diego area from local airports, including from many smaller Los Angeles airports and from the San Luis Obispo area.

By train

San Diego's Amtrak station is at 1050 Kettner Blvd. It is within walking distance of downtown hotels and situated next to San Diego Bay. Shuttles offer service between the train depot and International Airport. Rail services include 'The Coaster', which is a daily commuter between northern San DiegoCounty and downtown.

Trolley service is limited to certain sections of San Diego, although expansions in recent years have continued to improve service. Major stops include downtown, El Cajon, Santee, Mission Valley, Qualcomm Stadium and San Ysidro, the border crossing between the US and Mexico.

By car

San Diego is easily accessible by car using any one of the three major interstate roadways, the 5, 8, and 15 Freeways.

• The 5 Freeway (Interstate 5) begins in San Ysidro, at the US-Mexico border crossing, and continues northward through Los Angeles and Central California to Oregon and Washington, terminating in Blaine, Washington at the US-Canadian border crossing.
• The 8 Freeway (Interstate 8) begins near the coast in Ocean Beach and continues eastward through eastern San Diego and Imperial Counties into Arizona, where it connects with Interstate 10.
• The 15 Freeway (Interstate 15) begins in southern San Diego County and continues northward into the California deserts, through Nevada, Utah, and Idaho, eventually terminating at the US-Canadian border in northern Montana.
  

Additionally, there are numerous other freeways that crisscross the county, making access to most places in San Diego relatively easy.

By bus

Greyhound has a station in downtown San Diego, on Broadway St. Private charter lines operate service between other California cities (especially Los Angeles) and Mexico.

By boat

Current cruise services offer excursions departing from San Diego to Baja Mexico and Los Angeles. These include dinner cruises, three-day gambling cruises and 'party excursions' to the Mexican coastal ports of Baja.

Generally speaking, San Diego's transportation infrastructure is much more efficient than that of Los Angeles; both automobiles and public transport are almost equally efficient in getting from one place to the next. The weakest points in the transit system are suburb-to-suburb travel and poor links between the individual coastal communities, both of which often require long trips to one of the transit hubs.

By car

The San Diego metropolitan area is large and sprawling. If possible, car travel is the most efficient way of navigating the city and county. However, in the beach communities parking can often be in short supply.

By public transit

Bus

The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) operates bus service to almost all parts of the county, although service in many areas is sparse and infrequent. If you will be mainly in the areas around downtown, the bus may be suitable, but as a rule San Diego has inadequate mass transport for tourists or residents. The fare is $1.75 for local/neighborhood routes, $2.25 for urban routes, and $2.50 for express routes. All downtown buses intersect with Broadway Street at some point. During the day all kinds of people will be taking the bus. At nights some people might feel a little less comfortable, but generally not unsafe on the main parts of downtown. The MTS has offices in downtown, on Broadway Street.

Trolley (light rail)

The San Diego Trolley is a light rail system operated by the MTS which mainly serves tourists and people living in the southern and eastern parts of the city that need to get to downtown areas. There are three trolley lines: blue, green, and orange. The Blue Line operates from the US-Mexico border at San Ysidro and runs to San Diego/Old Town|Old Town, via Chula Vista, National City, and Downtown. The Green Line travels from Old Town east to Santee, via shopping destinations in the Mission Valley area, Qualcomm Stadium, and SDSU. The Orange Line connects the eastern cities of El Cajon and La Mesa with Downtown (generally not as usable for tourists except for getting around parts of downtown).

Standard one-way fares run from $1.25 to $3 depending on how far you travel. Day passes run at $5, and there are 2 and 3 day passes available. Bus and trolley transfers are interchangeable. Tickets have to be purchased from the vending machines at the station before you board the train. There's no formal system to check if you've purchased a ticket, but there are trolley guards that may come around and ask to see your ticket, and the fine is normally around $120 for not having a ticket.

The San Diego area can be an incredible place to visit almost any time of the year. With coastal temperatures around 75 degrees (24°C) most of the time, the weather is ideal. The climate of Southern California is rather complex, however, and temperatures change rapidly as one travels from the coast eastward. In the summer during the day, the temperature might increase as much as one degree Fahrenheit for each mile going east. In the winter, especially at night, eastern areas are usually relatively cooler. Some valleys and other areas have significantly different weather due to terrain and other factors; this is often referred to as "microclimates".

In an emergency (immediate danger to loss of life or limb), call 911.

Be aware that if you call from a cell phone, 911 calls are currently directed to the California Highway Patrol, which can result in delays in contacting city police. (911 calls made from land-line telephones are directed to the appropriate local agency.)

In many cases when within the city limits it may be more appropriate to directly dial the San Diego non-emergency number, (619) 531-2000. For example, to report a crime in progress when you are not in direct danger, it is probably best to call the San Diego Police (or other local municipality) directly.

San Diego is a relatively safe city, but use the same precautions as you would in any large metropolitan area. Avoid walking in Barrio Logan, Downtown, and especially Southeast San Diego at night. If you do, avoid walking down dark alleyways or approaching unknown people. Avoid the Normal Heights and Hillcrest area late at night due to the sudden increase in violent crime and robberies. Most people do not encounter any problems if they avoid buying illegal drugs or prostitution.

Police

San Diego is served by a professional police force as well as a county sheriff department; additional protection is offered on the major highways by the California Highway Patrol (CHP).

Fire Department

The city of San Diego fire department is a top-rated service offering fire protection, emergency medical care, hazardous waste cleanup, and search and rescue functions. If you dial 911 for an emergency it is guaranteed that the first responders will be the San Diego Fire Department.

Hospitals

There are numerous public and private hospitals in San Diego. These range from state funded institutions such as UCSD-Hillcrest and Thorton to private, world-renowned hospitals of Scripps La Jolla and the Children's Hospital. First-rate, world-class medical care can be found at any of these hospitals, as well as interpreters for more than a dozen languages.

Beach Safety

Rip currents are notorious in San Diego for their strength and sudden appearance. Do not go out in the water without lifeguard supervision or at night. At La Jolla Shores, rip currents can be so strong that people standing (not swimming) in waist-deep water have been pulled out over their heads -- sometimes with deadly results (especially for non-swimmers). Except for sunbathing, avoid low tide like the plague at this beach. (This means the largest of the two daily tide cycles. Check newspaper weather page for Scripps Pier, or view the Weather Channel.) All of the major beaches have lifeguards on duty in the summertime, with only the more popular beaches having lifeguards year round.

Many of the ocean cliffs are made of a compressed sandstone and are prone to collapse, especially in rainy weather. Follow all signs. Access to the beaches is safely made by using any of the public stairways provided; they are well maintained (except at Black's Beach) and free. Always supervise children very closely at places such as Sunset Cliffs and the Torrey Pines Glider Port above Black's Beach. It may be necessary to hold their hand at all times. If you have unruly kids, don't go there.

Heavy rain may cause rising bacteria and chemical levels in the ocean waters. Care should be taken to read the newspapers or call the county health office to see if the water is safe for swimming. Generally most people keep away from the beaches for 24 to 72 hours after rain.

Thefts do occur at the beach, do not leave any purses or other personal items of value alone on the beach or in an open car. Vehicle burglaries are especially high in most beach communities.

Smoking

Smoking is banned in all restaurants, bars, public offices, and other places by order of California law. There is a county wide ban on smoking in all state parks and there is city wide bans in San Diego, Del Mar, and Solana Beach that forbids smoking on public parks and beaches. Smoking is bad!

• Seaport Village - Visit this beautiful 14-acre waterfront shopping, dining and entertainment complex recreating a harbor side setting of a century ago. It includes 54 one-of-a-kind shops, 13 casual dining eateries, and 4 fine-dining waterfront restaurants. Enjoy four miles of meandering cobblestone pathways bordered by ponds, lakes, fountains and colorful, lush landscaping and a quarter-mile slate boardwalk along the San Diego Bay. Located downtown on West Harbor Drive and Pacific Highway.
• Whale-watching - California gray whales migrate south along the coast each February.
• Scuba diving - San Diego has some great dives including the Yukon, Ruby E and others in Wreck Alley, kelp beds and much more. In addition several dive boat operators have regular runs to the Coronados Islands off the Mexican coast where you can dive with sea lions. Please be aware that diving here is usually considered cold water diving and the visibility is not always the greatest.
• Surfing - The coastal towns surrounding San Diego have some of the most consistent suf in all of southern california
• Hangliding - At the edge of cliffs towering above the Pacific Ocean, the Torrey Pines Glider Port in La Jolla allows anyone to soar over one of the most pristine sections of coastline in southern California. Training and tandem glides with an expert are offered.
• San Diego Maritime Museum - San Diego is steeped in nautical history and the Maritime Museum chronicles that history. Located across from the US Navy's North Island Naval Air Station (offering panoramic views of navy air craft carriers) the museum is home to a collection of 19th century sailing ships and the B-39, a former Soviet Union attack submarine.
• USS Midway Museum - Located just a short walk from the San Diego Maritime Museum is the USS Midway (CV-41), a former aircraft carrier of the US Navy. The Midway is home to a collection of former naval aircraft housed on her expansive flight deck. Guided tours and displays offer the public a unique look into the life aboard and of a powerful old warhorse.
• Old Town San Diego - Stepping into Old Town is taking a trip into the past. Preserved buildings and icons of the Spanish heritage of San Diego and the Old West will amaze visitors. From 19th century cannons to the haunted Whaley house there is much to explore and see in Old Town. Shopping and restaurants dot this historic district and living history performances help to make the past come alive.
• Point Loma Lighthouse, Cabrillo National Monument - From the sky high vantage point of Point Loma visitors can get the picture of a lifetime. The Naval Air Station, downtown San Diego, the Coronado Bridge and the distant mountains make for a panoramic picture you will never forget. The lighthouse is a short walk and allows stunning sunset views of the Pacific Ocean and off-shore islands. Cabrillo National Monument commemorates the landing of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo's expedition for Spain of California in 1542.
• Fort Rosecrans - Also located on Point Loma, Fort Rosecrans is a former WWII military outpost which contains bunkers, weapons emplacements and the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery (Arlington of the West). A visit to Fort Rosecrans is a somber reminder of the price of freedom.

San Diego is dotted with major shopping centers and upscale boutiques catering to nearly every style of dress and expression. The following is a list of a few of the major shopping centers in the San Diego area:

• Seaport Village
• University Town Centre
• Horton Plaza
• North County Fair
• Plaza Bonita
• Mission Valley Center
• Fashion Valley
• Carlsbad Premium Outlets
• Parkway
• Grossmont Center
• Del Mar Plaza
• San Diego/Pacific Beach|Pacific Beach
• Otay Ranch Town Center

A lot of stores also exist around the Gaslamp Quarter. The Gaslamp Quarter is a wonderful area to walk around.

• Mexico is just over the border - Don't forget your passport..
• Julian is a small town on the fringe of San Diego County and the Southern Desert. The place is famous for its pies, but more than that, its just a great place to get away from the megalopolis of the rest of Southern California and enjoy a small mountain village thats a kick back to life a hundred years ago. With unique seasons ranging from falls temperate weather and beautiful change of color, to winter snow falls, spring flower blooms, to the hot summer months, Julian offers pleanty of diversity for a nice side weekend getaway.
• Disneyland Who on earth has not heard of the original fantasy world of Disneyland. In Orange County about an hour and a half from San Diego (with no traffic), its not a matter of if, but when you are visiting
• Knotts Berry Farm The first full theme park in the United States is alive and well. Besides the exciting thrill rides, theres the old west ghost town and other shops all charming in their own way
• Catalina Island Take a relaxing day or weekend trip to visit the small town of Avolon on this naturally preserved island. By boat the trip is a couple of hours leaving from Long Beach.
• Los Angeles About a 2 hour drive from San Diego gets you to the entertainment capital of the world.