San Diego

Beaches are popular in San Diego, which has more than 70 miles of coastline, encompassing 30 individual beaches. Some of the most beautiful include Coronado Beach (and the adjacent Silver Strand) on Coronado Island, Mission Beach (a popular spot for the locals), Ocean Beach (great for surfing),and La Jolla Cove (some of the calmest and clearest water on the coast). For visitors who are used to the warm Atlantic or Caribbean water, keep in mind that the water temperature in the Pacific tends to be cooler, averaging in the 50s and 60s year-round.

Birch Aquarium at Scripps offers some of San Diego’s best views of the Pacific, as well as a more intimate look at Pacific sea life. This aquarium and research center is the educational arm of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, part of the University of California at San Diego. With tanks filled with everything from sharks to seahorses, including a huge kelp forest and large interactive tidepool, and an adjacent museum with exhibits on oceanography and weather, the Birch Aquarium is a great place for educational fun. Address: 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, CA 92037 Phone: 858-534-3474. Web: http:// aquarium.ucsd.edu.

Harbor tours take place on the bay of San Diego, either on a one- or two-hour tour, or an excursion including brunch or dinner. It is the best way to see the Navy ships in port, the Coronado Bay Bridge, and America’s Cup Harbor, as well as San Diego’s famous seals. Two of the most popular tour companies are Hornblower Cruises (888-467-6256, http://www.hornblower.com/home/sd) and Flagship Cruises and Events (800-442-7847, http://www.flagshipsd.com/).

Mission Bay is the largest man-made aquatic park in the United States and a great place to spend a day enjoying beautiful San Diego weather. SeaWorld is here, and visitors can enjoy water sports including windsurfing, waterskiing, and boating of all kinds or just pack a picnic and fly a kite. For more family fun, visit Belmont Park (858-488-1549, http:// www.belmontpark.com), an amusement park located on Mission Beach, featuring carnival favorites bumper cars, tilt-a-whirl, and carousel, as well as the 1925 Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster, and FlowRider, an “endless wave” for bodyboarding.

Old Town San Diego State Historic Park offers a rare glimpse into the past with a re-creation of life in the 1800s in the Mexican-owned California territory. A mix of original and replicated buildings house exhibits and shops, ranging from a working blacksmith to San Diego’s first public schoolhouse. Also in the park is Bazaar del Mundo, a bright and colorful marketplace, with Mexican-style shopping and authentic Mexican dining. If you find yourself in the San Diego area on Cinco de Mayo, this is the place to celebrate it! Address: San Diego Avenue at Twiggs Street, San Diego, CA, 92110. Phone: 619.291.4903. Web: http://www.oldtownsandiego.org/.