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MAJOR ATTRACTIONS
It's not a walking city like San Francisco, nor does it sprawl endlessly
like Los Angeles. San Diego falls somewhere in between, and you can best
enjoy its attractions by taking a combi-nation of inner-city walks and
short drives. In addition, OLD TOWN TROLLEY TOURS (619/298-8687) provides
convenient bus service to over 100 points of interest, including
most of the top attractions such as Balboa Park, Sea World, and the Gaslamp
Quarter allowing passengers to get on and off at leisure for one fee.
Trolley buses make the loop (which takes about two hours) almost every
day of the year.
One of the city's top draws is the world-famous SAN DIEGO ZOO (2920 Zoo
Drive, Balboa Park; 619/234-3153), where more than 4,000 animals thrive
in conditions that simulate their natural environments and about 6,500
plant species enrich Tiger River, Gorilla Tropics, Sun Bear
Forest, Hippo Beach, and Polar Bear Plunge. The reptile house is home
to scaly creatures including two-headed Thelma and Louise, while the Children's
Zoo lets kids (and kids at heart) pet and snuggle newborn animals. SEA
WORLD (500 Sea World Drive, Mission Bay; 619/226-3815), another famous
local attraction, is one of the largest marine-life amusement parks in
the world. Shamu, the kissing whale, has gained the most notoriety, while
other exhibits include the Forbidden Reef, Wild Encounter, Penguin Encounter,
and California Tide Pool. San Diego's other famous zoo, the WILD ANIMAL
PARK, is located to the northeast in Escondido (see Escondido section).
Wander around the GASLAMP QUARTER, the 16-block national historic district
bounded by Broadway and Market Streets and Fourth and Fifth Avenues, encompassing
Victorian architecture, cool shops, hot restaurants, and the Disneyland-esque
HORTON PLAZA retail complex (bounded by Broadway, G Street, First Avenue,
and Fourth Avenue; 619/238-1596). Pick up walking maps or take a Saturday
tour at WILLIAM HEATH DAVIS HOUSE (410 Island Avenue, at Fourth Avenue;
619/233-4692), one of the city's first residences, which was built in
1850 and is now the area's information center. The CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF
SAN DIEGO (200 West Island Avenue; 619/233-8792) mesmerizes kids
with interactive exhibits, art studios, and improvisational theater, as
wellas a plethora of art supplies, dress-up costumes, and educational
displays.
SEAPORT VILLAGE (close to the Gaslamp, on the Embarcadero; 619/235- 4014)
is a New England-like, touristy waterfront retail development, but the
Broadway Flying Horses Carousel is fabulous. The MARITIME MUSEUM (1306
North Harbor Drive, on the Embarcadero; 619/234- 9153) provides a close-up
exploration of three restored ships: the 1898 ferryboat Berkeley, the
1863 windjammer Star of India, and the 1904 steam yacht Medea. Hop a ferry
over to Coronado, via scheduled SAN DIEGO WATER TAXI ferry service (Broadway
and Harbor Drive; 619/235-8294) for a terrific view of the city and the
Coronado Bridge'
Explore Coronado's FERRY LANDING MARKETPLACE and the town's spectacular
gingerbread icon, the 1888 HOTEL DEL CORONADO (1500 Orange Avenue, Coronado;
935/435-6611)—film site of Some Like It Hot and a longtime hangout
for politicians and dignitaries. It's one of the city's (and the country's)
most superb pieces of architecture, and still a
top-notch people-watching spot. OLD TOWN STATE HISTORIC PARK (4002 Wallace
Street; 619/220- 5422), north of downtown, affords a glimpse into San
Diego's beginnings, though PRESIDIO HILL, which overlooks the park, is
the site of the first mission and fort and is where the city actually
began. OLD TOWN'S six square blocks encompass 20 historic buildings—most
surrounding the Old Town Plaza (bounded by San Diego Avenue and Wallace,
Cal houn, and Mason Streets), along with assorted restaurants, galleries,
and come-hither tourist shops. Free daily GUIDED WALKING TOURS depart
from Park Headquarters (in the Robinson-Rose Building, 4002 Wallace Street;
619/220-5422). California's first mission, SAN DIEGO DE ALCALA (10818
San Diego Mission Road, Mission Valley; 619/281-8449), is still an active
parish, but was moved and later rebuilt near what is now condo-mania.
Back at the coast and a slight jog south, CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENT (1800
Cabrillo Memorial Drive, Point Loma; 619/557-5450) commemorates Juan Rodriguez
Cabrillo's 1542 exploration of California. The visitor center features
films and lectures relating to the Portuguese explorer's landing, and
both the promontory and the restored lighthouse provide dizzying views
of the surrounding area, from the San Bernardino Mountains to the Mexican
hills.
The coastal enclave of LA JOLLA, with its gorgeous coves and beaches (LaJolla
Cove, Windansea Beach, LaJolla Shores), hillside mansions, and resort
ambience, is San Diego's Beverly Hills—a tourist attraction in itself.
The zip code called home by wealthy professionals and retirees lures locals,
visitors, and visiting celebrities with ritzy shops, galleries, and restaurants
along Prospect Street and Girard Avenue, and further tempts them with
the wonderful MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART (700 Prospect Street; 858/454-3541)
and the impressive STEPHEN BIRCH AQUARIUM (2300 Expedition Way; 858/534-3474)
at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. For more information, contact
LA JOLLA TOWN
COUNCIL (7734 Herschel Ave, Suite F; 858/454-1444).
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