Balboa Park
Balboa Park sits in the heart of the county and offers visitors an array of tourist attractions to keep every family member content. The park encompasses over 1,000 acres and attracts over 10 million tourists from around the globe annually.
Highlights of the San Diego park include its 15 diverse museums; a number of spectacular gardens; various interesting cultural and international associations; a massive sports complex with golf; changing special events and concerts; plus the legendary San Diego Zoo.
Other features of Balboa Park include several family picnic and play areas, hiking and biking paths, leash-free dog parks, an informative visitor center, park tours and a large variety of food options, from carts to full-service restaurants.
Balboa Park Visitors Center
1549 El Prado
San Diego CA 92101
(619) 239-0512
balboapark.org
Cabrillo National Monument
Cabrillo National Monument is the site where the first European, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, landed in 1542. Attractions and activities inside this National Park include an enlightening visitors center to help plan your day; hiking options along trails with impressive views of San Diego Bay and the city of that includes "one of the last remaining remnants of coastal sage scrub habitat" found anywhere.
There is also a lighthouse complex; historical military buildings once used for coastal defense; a tidepooling region with a rocky intertidal area that provides a close look at the region's ecosystems; and the annual migration of the Pacific gray whale, which can be seen December through February.
Cabrillo National Monument
1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive
San Diego, CA 92106
(619) 557-5450
nps.gov/cabr/index.htm
Pacific Surf School
A trip to San Diego County wouldn't be complete without taking a trip on a few waves and the Pacific Surf School is the place. Situated on a tiny peninsula in Mission Beach, Pacific Surf School offers a perfect location for surfing, with the Pacific Ocean on one side and Mission Bay on the other.
Choose from a large array of packages for all skill levels and age groups, including surf lessons (small semi-private or private daily lessons plus special weekend clinics), surf camps (three or five half-day camps or special five-day overnight ones) and special surf trips to places like Baja, Mexico, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Pacific Surf School
735 Santa Clara Place
San Diego, CA 92109
(858) 488-2685
pacificsurf.org
About The Author
Diane Dilov-Schultheis has been writing professionally since 2000. She is a food and travel writer who also specializes in gaming, satellites, RV repair, gardening, finances and electronics. She is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and has been published on Yahoo!, the Travel Channel and Intel.
