San Diego Sights

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See San Diego with children for travelers with children.

A couple of discount passes offer admission to a number of places:

• Go San Diego Card www.gosandiegocard.com – This enables free admission and express entry to over 50 attractions.
• Southern California CityPass www.citypass.com/city/socal.html – Gives you one day each at SeaWorld San Diego and the San Diego Zoo, another day at Universal Studios Hollywood, and a 3 day park hopper ticket for Disneyland.

Cactus Garden, Balboa Park

These are just the most significant sights. More specific information may be found under the individual District articles.

• Balboa Park – Here you'll find an expansive campus of museums, parks, gardens and arboretums. Neo-classical Spanish architecture, flowering gardens, a beautiful clock tower and intriguing museums make visiting Balboa Park a must.
  • San Diego Zoo. – Located in Balboa Park. Possibly the premier zoo in North America, the San Diego Zoo encompasses over 100 acres of displays and habitats. Animal shows run constantly, and there are creatures here that aren't visible in any other zoo on the planet. Definitely worth a visit, but you need a full day to really do it justice.
• Wild Animal Park. – The sister park to the San Diego Zoo. The park covers 1800 acres and is located about 30 miles north of San Diego near Escondido, in the San Pasqual Valley in Northeastern San Diego.
• Sea World. – Home of Shamu. Sea World San Diego allows visitors a chance to interact with aquatic animals in an exciting way. Through shows, displays and enclosures people can learn about the worlds oceans and the creatures that inhabit them. See the Mission Beach article.
• La Jolla – An upscale coastal community of San Diego, La Jolla includes secluded coves, beaches and ocean cliffs to explore. There are dozens of coffee shops, restaurants and high-end shopping outlets to be explored in La Jolla.
  • Harbor seals, Children's Cove. Originally a small beach built for children, this scenic little spot has become a breeding ground for harbor seals.
  • Birch Aquarium – Fantastic exhibits include physical oceanography, standard aquarium fish, and a massive kelp tank.

Point Loma lighthouse

• Point Loma Lighthouse, Cabrillo National Monument – From the high vantage point of Point Loma visitors can get a panoramic view of the Naval Air Station, downtown San Diego, the Coronado Bridge and the distant mountains. 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.
• Old Town – This area includes preserved buildings and icons of the Spanish heritage of San Diego and the Old West, from 19th century cannons to the haunted Whaley House. Shopping and restaurants dot this historic district and living history performances regularly take place.
• Downtown – The urban center of the city, with plenty of restaurants, shopping, and nightlife.
  • San Diego Maritime Museum – Home to a collection of 19th century sailing ships including the Star of India, the world's oldest active sailing ship, as well as a steam ferryboat and a former Soviet Union attack submarine.
  • USS Midway Museum – A former aircraft carrier of the US Navy, it is now open for tours and 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 a powerful, old warhorse.
• Mission San Diego de Alcala. – Located in Mission Valley Mission San Diego is the oldest of the California missions.
• Hotel Del Coronado. – Located in Coronado, this gorgeous hotel was constructed in the late 1800's and is located at the beach. Offers high class shops and service on one of San Diego's most beautiful and clean beaches.

• www.gosandiegocard.com
• www.citypass.com/city/socal.html