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ACCESS AND INFORMATION
Two major north-south routes traverse San Diego County. From Los Angeles,
INTERSTATE 5 (which originates at the Canadian border) more or less follows
the coast, passing Camp Pendle-ton, the beach communities, the University
of California at San Diego campus, and the turn-off
to La Jolla, Mission Bay Park, Old Town, and San Diego proper, before
ending at the Mexican border. INTERSTATE 15, from Las Vegas, is the inland
route—skirting wine country, the city of Escondido, high-tech campuses,
and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (previously Miramar
Naval Air Station), ending just south of San Diego, where it meets up
with Interstate 5. From Arizona, INTERSTATE 8 follows the Mexican border,
moving slightly northwest as it enters San Diego County and connects with
the interchanges. From the coast, HIGHWAYS 76 AND 78 offer varied options
for reaching Indian reservations. Mount Palomar, the Cleveland National
Forest, the mining and tourist town of Julian (also SAN DIEGO COUNTY reached
via High-way 79, from Interstate 8), and the vast Anza-Borrego Desert
State Park.
Major domestic and some international carriers serve SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT-LINDBERGH FIELD (3707 N Harbor Dr, near downtown; 619/231-2100),
and RENTAL CARS are readily available through all the big-name chains.
TAXIS are generally readily available, or you can grab a SHUTTLE from
Cloud Nine (800/974-8885) or San Diego
Xpress Airport (619/220-8454), or catch a San Diego Transit Bus (619/233-3004)
for the short ride into the city. MCCLELLAN PALOMAR AIRPORT (2198 Palomar
Airport Road; 619/431-4646), in Carlsbad (about 35 miles from San Diego),
is served by American Eagle and United Express for flights in and out
of Los Angeles. AMTRAK (800/872-7245) provides daily train service between
Los Angeles and San Diego's Santa Fe depot (at Kettner Boulevard and Broadway),
with additional stops in Oceanside and Solana Beach. GREYHOUND (120 West
Broadway; 800/231-2222) runs buses from all major cities to its San Diego
station.
The usually perfect-temperate WEATHER of San Diego is legendary. Even
the dreaded "El Nino" in the winter of '98-'99 hit San Diego
with only a few big storms. Daytime temperatures rarely dip below 55°F
in winter or rise above 85°F in summer. Desert areas, however, sizzle
well above the 100-degree mark most of the summer. Both deserts and mountains
can turn bitterly cold during winter, with occasional frost and snow at
higher elevations. June is traditionally foggy in the beach areas. For
more information, contact the SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL VISITORS INFORMATION
CENTER (11 Horton Plaza, on the corner of First and F Streets; 619/236-1212),
or visit its Web site at www.sandiego.org.
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