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Highlights
California's heart and soul reside in San Diego. You can see it in the romantic architecture abounding
in Balboa Park; in the whimsical red-roofed turrets of the Hotel del Coronado, known by locals simply
as "the Del"; and in the vibrant mix of restored brownstones and handsome Victorian buildings housing pastel-tinted art galleries and jazzy restaurants in the Gaslamp Quarter. Sit under the stars taking in Shakespeare at the Old Globe, enjoy the mariachi band serenading diners at a Mexican restaurant in
Old Town, and get eyeball-to-eyeball with gorillas at the World Famous San Diego Zoo. You could
spend days, even weeks happily exploring the many faces of San Diego, but then you'd miss a number of surprises waiting farther afield- the north county's classic beach towns, a city made entirely out of LEGOs in Carlsbad, and the old-California beauty of Cuyamaca Rancho State Park and nearby Mt. Laguna.
Perhaps the best way to think of the San Diego County region is to picture it as a small state or an
island, bounded by some of the best surfing beaches in California to the west, snowy mountainous peaks to the east, and an exotic neighbor-Mexico-to the south. Within these borders is the Wild Animal Park in Escondido, several California missions dating from the 1800s, a small alpine town packed
with hole-in-the-wall cafes (each selling homemade apple pie that claims to be "the best"), dense stands of ancient oaks and pine trees, splashing orcas at SeaWorld off Mission Bay, and coastal wetlands that every spring and fall attract hundreds of species of migratory birds-Canada geese,
snowy egrets, and green-winged teals among them.
The people here are as diverse as the landscape they live in. Pacific Beach attracts a laid-back surfing culture, while La Jolla attracts a more upscale crowd to its chic art galleries and fashionable shops. North of this village is a string of seaside towns that are known for their luxury resorts, challenging golf courses, and spectacular beaches. In Del Mar, the ponies have been running since Bing Crosby founded the Thoroughbred Club in the 1930s, while flower fields are the attraction near Encinitas and Leucadia-go for blooming ranunculus in spring and poinsettias in December. On the island of San Diego County, there's something for everyone.
Getting Around San Diego Area
AIRPORTS
Borrego Valley (LO8)
1820 Palm Canyon Dr., Borrego Springs 92004; 760/767 7415 ; Desert Car Rental agency.
McClellan-Palomar (CLD)
2198 Palomar Airport Rd., Carlsbad 92008; 760/431-4646 ; served by United Express and America
West Express; Avis, Enterprise car rental agencies, limousines, taxi, shuttle.
San Diego International (SAN)
Lindbergh Field, 3665 N. Harbor Dr., San Diego 92101; 619/231-2100 ; served by national,
international, and commuter airlines; airport transport, major car rental agencies, taxis, buses,
shuttles.
RAIL SERVICE
Amtrak 800/872-7245 ; Amtrak staffed stations/ ticket offices in Oceanside, Solana Beach, and San Diego.
Coaster Train 619/233-3004 ; stations/ticket offices in Oceanside, Solana Beach, and downtown San Diego's Santa Fe Depot.
BUS SERVICE
Greyhound 800/231-2222
San Diego Transit and Light Rail
619/233-3004
California Welcome Center, San Diego
928 North Coast Highway
Oceanside, CA 92054
Tel: 760/721-1101 or 800/350-7873
www.oceansidechamber.com
Directions:
From Interstate 5, take the Coast Highway exit and follow the Traveling Bear signs.
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