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Sandakan

Sandakan is a city of almost 440,000 people (2020) in Sabah, Borneo. It is the gateway to Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary and the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary.

Understand
Sandakan was the capital of British North Borneo until 1946. The town prospered in the early days due to its port with visiting traders from around the world. Sandakan is an important town to Australian and British World War II history with the infamous Death Marches commencing here in 1945 and ending in Ranau. After the war, the capital was moved to Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu).

"Sandakan" is derived from the Suluk word "sanda", meaning to pawn, and "kan" being the suffix. So "Sandakan" means the place that was pawned. Who pawned it, and to whom, remains a mystery.

Talk
Sandakan has always been a predominantly Chinese town. Unlike most other parts of Sabah, the main Chinese dialect in use among Sandakan's Chinese is Cantonese. However, the most widely spoken Chinese dialect in Sabah, Hakka, is also widely spoken and understood, as is Mandarin. Among locals of different ethnicities, the lingua franca is Malay. Most residents are able to understand and speak at least basic English. Other races, such as the Bajau and Suluk, may be able to speak their own native languages but generally these native tongues are not in common use as a lingua franca within the community.

By plane
Daily direct connections with Kuala Lumpur (by AirAsia) and to Kota Kinabalu (by Malaysia Airlines and its subsidiary MASWings). MASWings also has connecting flights with Kudat, Lahad Datu, and Tawau.

By bus
From Kota Kinabalu: several bus companies depart between 7AM-2PM, and 8PM (~5 hr, RM 33).
 * Tung Ma Express (Tel: +60 19-8827334 Mr Shim)-(buses from KK at 7AM, 8AM, 10AM, 12:30PM, 2PM, 8PM.
 * Sida Express (Tel: +60 12-816 5524 Ms. Sanita Binte Sapena) has departures from KK at 7:30AM, 9:30AM, 11:30AM, 2PM, 8PM.
 * Bunga Raya Express (Tel: +60 19-8999142 Ms. Suraidah Mohd) has departures from KK at 7:30AM, 9:30AM, 1:30PM, and 8PM.

You can purchase the full-fare ticket from Kota Kinabalu and request to be picked up from Kinabalu park HQ. (Duration from Kinabalu park about 4.5 hours. Updated Aug 2022 with Tung Ma bus. )

The bus will pass the junction to Sepilok Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre and you can ask to be dropped off here. The centre is about 4 km down the road and costs RM 3-5 pp by taxi to get to (drivers will be waiting at the bus drop-off).

To get to KK North Bus Terminal in Inanam get on a public bus (go to the bus station on Jalan Padang across from the State Library [RM 1.50, 20 min]) or by taxi (~RM 20).

To Semporna: buses leave from the express bus terminal for Semporna at 7:30AM, 8AM, and 2PM.

All express buses arrive at one of the express bus terminals, which are still 15 minutes from downtown, and a taxi ride to downtown should cost RM 15.

By boat
Aleson Lines runs a ferry from Zamboanga City in the Philippines every Monday at 1PM.

Get around
The city center area, near the jetty, is walkable. Otherwise, the city broadly sprawls out to the west and north up to the airport, and is best to rent a car or use Grab taxis.

By taxi
Travel by taxi out to places such as Sepilok or the War Memorial is easy, however fare negotiation will be required as meters are not commonly available. Taxi to Sepilok wait and return RM 40. Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary RM 180. Airport from downtown RM 28. [Feb 2010] Taxi to Sepilok and Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary wait and return RM 160. [Aug 2022]

By bus
There are buses and vans going everywhere in the areas around Sandakan, to the airport, Sepilok, Buli Sim Sim, etc.

By boat
There is a water taxi from Buli Sim-Sim to Pulau Berhala. For individual explorations of the islands within Sandakan Bay, it is highly recommended to book local boats only via tour agencies or experienced guides.

On foot
Sandakan is only a small town and it is easy to walk around. There is a walking trail which covers all the main sites.

Further afield

Buy
Fancy "Salted Fish"? Prawn crackers & dried shrimps are tasty and available at the local market.

Dried "Ikan Bilis" is also a locally produced product available at most shops and even at the Airport; available to bring back as gifts.

Eat
Sandakan has good and fresh seafood.

 * Restoran Ajmeer Located at mile 3 (Hing Lee) and mile 4 (Bandar Prima). Specialize in South Indian food and Malay-styled fried food. Also serve lamb briyani, fish head curry, dosai, idli, vadai and other Indian traditional food. They have been awarded as Cheap and Best Restaurant in town by Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs.
 * Sandakan Curry House, Beside Hotel Indah, Mile 4, Bandar Indah. Indian and local food. Excellent Fish Head Curry.
 * Habeeb Restaurant, at the third avenue in the town. Serve nice Indian and local food. Taste the Roti Cobra here.
 * Imperial Bay View, in the newly developed Harbour Square. Serve nice Chinese food with reasonable prices.
 * Ocean King Seafood Restaurant at Pasir Putih was once a famous seafood restaurant. It was closed down in the aftermath of a kidnapping incident in April 2015. The pier-like structure over the water, with indoor and outdoor seating is still there. An alternative are the seafood restaurants at Kg Buli Sim-Sim.
 * Restaurant 2020, serves non halal Chinese cuisine, but is considered expensive by local standards. Located at Bandar Kim Fung, Mile 4.
 * Several famous hawkers' centre in Sandakan. There are a few hawkers' centres at Sandakan located at Central Market (2nd & 3rd floor), Bandar Kim Fung Market, and Mile Eight Market. They provide you with delicious foods (mostly Chinese & Malay Cuisine) and the prices are very reasonable. After you've finish your foods there, do not forget to buy some kuih (something like small cake) in the market in the same building (market).
 * Several famous hawkers' centre in Sandakan. There are a few hawkers' centres at Sandakan located at Central Market (2nd & 3rd floor), Bandar Kim Fung Market, and Mile Eight Market. They provide you with delicious foods (mostly Chinese & Malay Cuisine) and the prices are very reasonable. After you've finish your foods there, do not forget to buy some kuih (something like small cake) in the market in the same building (market).
 * Several famous hawkers' centre in Sandakan. There are a few hawkers' centres at Sandakan located at Central Market (2nd & 3rd floor), Bandar Kim Fung Market, and Mile Eight Market. They provide you with delicious foods (mostly Chinese & Malay Cuisine) and the prices are very reasonable. After you've finish your foods there, do not forget to buy some kuih (something like small cake) in the market in the same building (market).

About seven kilometres outside of town in a few shoplots, there are a number of entirely or partially Chinese vegetarian restaurants serving mock meat dishes. It's a good place to stop on your way back from the Memorial Park. Also, don't forget the steamboat at the Trig Hill; it's very tasty and the seafood is very big. The price is also very reasonable.

Stay safe
Turtle eggs, while illegal, are obtainable at the local wet market at a very cheap rate. Bringing it out, or even buying it, when found by the custom officers or wildlife officers can really ruin your trip as they will press charges again you. Do not try! Do not get caught with turtle eggs in your luggage as police and customs officials will take a very serious view of this.

Due to the ongoing kidnapping threats and actions posed by pirates from the southern Philippines, there is a large military/police presence in Eastern Sabah coastal waters and a night time curfew on all vessels. (October 2017)

Go next

 * Sepilok — The Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is where orangutans rescued from plantations and also from being kept as pets are re-adapted to living in the jungle. Most popular are the twice daily feeding times when the orangutans come out from the jungle. Besides, there are surprisingly good Botanical Gardens near Sepilok, where one can learn about Palm Oil and the rain forest, enjoy walks and boats.
 * Turtle Islands Park — Three islands in the Sulu Sea where you can see turtles laying eggs and also turtle conservation at work. You can only stay on Selingan Island. Overnight stays on Turtle Island are now offered at RM 630 per person including flights and transfers from K.K. (2017).

title: Sandakan


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Sanday

Sanday is one of the Orkney Islands, northeast of Orkney Mainland. It's a thin low-lying strap, about 12 miles (20 km) long but seldom reaching a mile wide, flanked by sandy beaches. In 2011 the population was 494. There's nothing that amounts to a village, but Kettletoft is the main settlement - it was the ferry port until the pier at Loth was built in the 1990s to accommodate ro-ros.

Little is known of Sanday's early Pictish and Norse history, and archaeologists are still reeling from the discovery in 2021 of two 5500-year-old cricket balls.

Get in
By boat: Orkney Ferries sail from Kirkwall 2 or 3 times daily year-round to on the south end of the island. The ferry is a small ro-ro for vehicles and foot passengers; a day-trip gives you up to nine hours on the island. The direct sailing takes 90 min but some ferries are via Eday or Stronsay.

By plane: Loganair fly a triangle from Kirkwall and Stronsay, twice a day M-F and once Sa and Su. The morning flight is via Stronsay and the afternoon flight is direct from Kirkwall and continues to Stronsay. Residents have priority, and you can only book by phoning +44 1856 872494 or 873457 (lines open Su-F to 7PM, Sa to 6PM); you can't book online, see also Orkney Islands. The five-minute Stronsay-Sanday hop may well be the world's second-shortest scheduled flight, the very shortest being the two minutes between Westray and Papa Westray.

is a grand name for a cottage by a field with a windsock. It's in mid-island.

Get around
A minibus connects with the ferries. Hiring a bicycle is a good way to get around the island.

For a few months in 2006, Sanday boasted Britain's most northerly railway station, with a ridable miniature railway. It's unlikely to re-open, ever.

See

 * is a "tied island", connected to Sanday by a long tombola but no track. It's farmland; Broch of Wasso is an Iron Age broch, but is just a tall grassy mound. The tombola sandhills are worth strolling.
 * is a "tied island", connected to Sanday by a long tombola but no track. It's farmland; Broch of Wasso is an Iron Age broch, but is just a tall grassy mound. The tombola sandhills are worth strolling.

Do

 * Wildlife: bird life and seals are the main features, but always keep looking (including on the ferry), you never know what might come into view.
 * Night skies: Sanday is free of light pollution so expect starry skies and maybe the aurora borealis on any clear night Sept-April. In summer it's a lost cause as the sky never gets properly dark.

Buy

 * Sinclair's is the general store in mid-island, open M-Sa 9AM-8PM, Su noon-4PM.
 * The main Post Office at Kettletoft pier is open M Tu Th noon-3:30PM, F 3-6:30PM. There's another mid-island.

Eat and drink
Nothing was open in 2021, so you need to be self-sufficient.

Kimbland Distillery released its first whisky for sale in May 2023.

Connect
As of July 2024, the island has no mobile signal from any UK carrier.

Go next

 * You can reach Eday and Stronsay without returning to Orkney Mainland.
 * All routes eventually return to Kirkwall.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Sanday


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Sandbach

Sandbach is a town in North West England.

By car
Junction 17 of the M6.

Sandbach is to the west of the motorway. Follow the A534 Old Mill Road and turn right at the first set of traffic lights. This is a one way street that takes you into the centre of the town.

By bus
The nearest large bus station is Hanley, in Stoke-on-Trent. In order to get to Sandbach from here you can either catch the infrequent direct bus, or the much more frequent local bus from Stoke to Crewe and then from Crewe to Sandbach. The bus fare from Crewe to Sandbach is 3 pound on a normal bus or 2 on the mini-bus service which also runs between the two - the mini bus is obviously the better option price-wise, but fills up quite quickly with pensioners who have been shopping.

The Arriva bus no 37 runs three times an hour and starts at Crewe bus station, also calling at Crewe railway station before going to Sandbach via Haslington. The main stop at Sandbach is The Commons after which the bus travels up Middlewich road and drops at several stops including Sandbach railways station before going on to Middlewich and Winsford. The reverse journey also provides three buses an hour.

By train
Sandbach has its own station which is on the Crewe to Manchester line. The station is about a mile and a half from the town centre but a number 37 bus can be caught from the stop on nearby Middlewich Road. Alternatively the no 37 can be caught from Crewe railway station to the centre of Sandbach.

See
Listed Buildings

Sandbach is also home to many listed buildings, the buildings include Sandbach School, St Mary's Church, Sandbach and the Old Hall Hotel, Sandbach. Many of the local public houses, which were formerly stage coach stops, are listed, for example the Lower Chequer. Many of the buildings of the town were designed by the renowned architect Sir George Gilbert Scott; he designed Sandbach Literary Institution, Sandbach School, St John's, Sandbach Heath and the Almshouses. He also restored St Mary's Church.

The town has Methodist, Baptist, Anglican, and Catholic churches.

Do
There is an annual transport festival in April that celebrates the town heritage: Fodens trucks were built in the town.

Sandbach RUFC play in the national league 3 Midlands.

Buy
There is a small market held every Thursday where it is possible to get specialty items and home-baked cakes, etc., as well as a range of stalls that vary from week to week.

A Farmers Market is held on the second Saturday of each month.

The main supermarket is Waitrose to the east of the town centre. There are also a number of small independent shops offering a variety of goods including artisan chocolates, delicatessen items, crafts, pet goods, DIY items and a beer emporium.

Eat
There are a number of other pubs that offer food. There is a Chinese restaurant near the town centre and another in a former Baptist church on Middlewich Road. There are also a number of Indian and Chinese takeaways and fish and chip shops. An interesting addition to the eateries in Sandbach is a small dining area that has been created in a Lebanese delicatessen on Crewe Road.

Drink
There are a number of public houses clustered around the town centre.

Connect
As of Oct 2022, Sandbach and its approach roads have 4G from O2 and Three, and 5G from EE and Vodafone.

title: Sandbach


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Sandıklı

Sandıklı is a town in Western Anatolia.

By train
Sandıklı has a train station across the highway from the town. The Pamukkale Express is the single daily train calling there. Northwards, it departs from Denizli at 9:45 to arrive in Sandıklı at 13:15 (140 TL as of Sep 2023, about €4.85), while southwards it departs from Eskişehir at 11:10 (165 TL as of Sep 2023, about €5.70), calls at Kütahya at 12:30 (140 TL as of Sep 2023, about €4.85), at Afyon A. Çetinkaya (main station) at 14:30 (60 TL as of Sep 2023, about €2.05), and arrives in Sandıklı at 16:05.

By car
Sandıklı lies right on the highway D650, which is for the most part upgraded to motorway standards, and connecting Istanbul with the major resort city of Antalya on the Mediterranean via Afyon to the north of Sandıklı, and Burdur to the south.

By thumb
Getting a lift from Burdur in the south is not very hard.

Get around
Sandıklı consists of the twisting alleys of the older uphill part of the town, and the adjacent newer part along the wide avenue leading to the highway skirting the town to west, with the not-so-big central square between these two parts. Walking from highway to the square takes about 20–25 minutes.

Buy
There are a number of banks along the edges of town square, with ATMs available on their walls facing the square.

Connect
Sandıklı and its approach highways have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of Oct 2023, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Akdağ National Park (Akdağ Milli Parkı)

title: Sandıklı


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Sandefjord

Sandefjord is a small town in Vestfold in Norway. It has a notable history.

Understand
Sandefjord is a historical town which has become a modern town of culture with a dynamic business life, and a popular holiday destination with Norwegians. The history of Sandefjord has been formed by the Viking Age, the shipping industry and whaling in Arctic and Antarctic areas.

The Vikings had their first settlements in Vestfold, and the Gokstad Viking ship dating from the year 900 was discovered in Sandefjord. Today one can find a replica of this ship (the "Gaia“) at the harbour. Like the Vikings, the urge to go abroad and explore foreign parts of the world led the first whalers to the Antarctic Ocean. The history of the whalers can be explored at the Whaling Museum and at the Museum's Wharf with a visit aboard the whale-catcher "Southern Actor.“

By train
The VY, former Norwegian State Railway serves Sandefjord on the Oslo-Skien line (Vestfoldbanen).

There are self-service luggage lockers at the. 40NOK per day.

By bus
Nor-Way Busexpress' line 182 goes through Sandefjord.

By boat
The Color Line vehicle ferry connects Sandefjord to Strömstad (Sweden) five times a day.

Get around
Vestfold kollektivtrafikk operates a good bus service within Sandefjord and throughout Vestfold. The central bus station is just south of the train station on Møllersgate. Buy tickets on the bus, or buy a travel card at the Narvesen shop at the train station. You can get either a periodekort (period travel card) (unlimited travel in two weeks or a month) or a verdikort (stored-value card) (you must put at least 100kr on to start with, and can then add as much or as little as you like, in the shop or on the bus). The card costs 50kr.

There is a taxi stand at the train station.

See

Do
Go for a walk on the Vesterøya peninsula North Sea Trail. Take the 168 bus to the end of the route (Tveitan) and follow the blue tracks (marked Kyststien) around the point. The tourist information centre has maps. Careful, there are only a few buses per day.

Buy
Sandefjord has a charming city centre, consisting of a mixture of old and modern buildings and a wide selection of shopping possibilities.

Eat
Sandefjord has a good selection of restaurants and cafés. What is possibly one of Norway’s best gourmet restaurant outside Oslo, Solvold, is located here in a modern building near the harbour. Also located at the harbour is the fishmonger well known for the excellent quality of its goods and delicacies.

For self-catering:

Sleep

title: Sandefjord


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Sandford

There is more than one place called Sandford:

England

 * Sandford (Devon)
 * Sandford (Isle of Wight)
 * Sandford (Somerset)

Also:
 * Sandford-on-Thames
 * Sandford Orcas
 * Sandford, a fictional village in the film Hot Fuzz, said to be in Gloucestershire but was filmed in Wells, Somerset.

Australia

 * Sandford (Australia) - a town in Tasmania.

Canada

 * Sandford (Nova Scotia)

title: Sandford


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San Diego

From balmy beaches with a laid-back attitude to a gleaming modern image, San Diego offers much for the tourist to enjoy. Situated on the Southern California seacoast, San Diego is the second largest city in the state, with 1.4 million residents (2020), and has long attracted travelers for its ideal climate, miles of beaches, and location on the Mexican border right across from Tijuana.

But there's much more here than surfer culture and a quick hop across the border. A rich maritime and military heritage lives on in San Diego, which is home to the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy. The city has also become known for its part in the wildlife conservation movement, owing to the presence of the world-renowned San Diego Zoo and Safari Park and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Natural scenery abounds from rocky tidepools and seaside cliffs to desert hills and canyons inland.

San Diego is a proud city that never seems to cease growing, and though the city has a strong identity many of its residents are newcomers, joining in the flood of immigrants to this city. With this has come the problems associated with Southern California cities, such as traffic jams and air pollution. And yet, though large itself, San Diego is also a place where many come to escape the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, some 100 miles (160 km) to the northwest.

Districts
A city defined by its many neighborhoods, San Diego really doesn't have any clearly defined districts. This list, by no means an official division, is a reflection on how a visitor might see the city based on its attractions and amenities.

Understand
Like much of California and the Southwestern United States, English is the predominant language with Spanish the second most widely spoken. Store signs are written in English or both languages, and many businesses have bilingual employees who speak English and Spanish.

History
The area was long inhabited by the native Kumeyaay people (also known as the Diegueño by the later Spanish settlers), who lived off the land and created a proud culture. The first time a European visited the region was in 1542, when Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, sailing under the Spanish flag, claimed the bay for the Spanish Empire and named the site San Miguel. In November 1602, Sebastián Vizcaíno was sent to map the California coast. Arriving with his flagship "San Diego", Vizcaíno surveyed the harbor and what is now Mission Bay and Point Loma, renaming the area for the Spanish Catholic saint, St. Didacus (more commonly known as San Diego).

San Diego was established in 1769 as the first European settlement and Spanish mission in California, at the present site of Old Town. However, due to the poor nature of soils in the Old Town area, the mission was eventually relocated about 5 miles up river in Mission Valley. The mission had a troubled history, seeing bloodshed between the Spanish missionaries and natives resisting conversion, and the settlement didn't grow far beyond a few hundred people owing to the fact that it was too far from navigable water.

In the 19th century, San Diego passed from Spanish to Mexican to American hands. In 1850, a few years after the United States gained control of California, San Diego was officially designated a city. But with much of the westward expansion to California centered on the gold rush around San Francisco, American influences were slow to come to San Diego. Eventually they did, however, and in the 1860s Downtown was established on the shores of the bay, soon exploding in growth when the railroad arrived in the 1880s and developing into a major port. The city celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914 with a huge exposition touting San Diego's prominence and history; the fairgrounds, buildings, and exhibits of that expo formed the basis for today's Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo.

The U.S. Navy discovered San Diego in the early 20th century, and constructed a coaling station on Point Loma in 1907. Ten years later, the Naval Air Station on Coronado island was established, and in later years the military would take on an increasingly important role in the city's economy, peaking with World War II, when the city's ship building yards and naval base made San Diego one of the busiest ports on the west coast. San Diego is still home to the Navy's Pacific Fleet and is a favorite leave location for many sailors.

Growth in San Diego has exploded and the economy has shifted away from its maritime and military roots. The defense industry still plays a big role here, but it is now rivaled by tourism, trade, biomedical laboratories and research, with many corporations moving their headquarters here amid the huge influx of residents. San Diego is a favorite destination for retirees and tourists, drawn by the balmy weather and the many attractions the city has to offer.

Climate
The San Diego area can be an incredible place to visit almost any time of the year. With coastal temperatures around 75 °F (24 °C) most of the time, the weather is ideal. The climate of Southern California is rather complex, however, and temperatures change rapidly as one travels from the coast eastward. In the summer during the day, the temperature might increase as much as one degree Fahrenheit for each mile going east. In the winter, especially at night, eastern areas are usually relatively cooler. Some valleys and other areas have significantly different weather due to terrain and other factors. These are often referred to as "micro-climates".

If you're coming to San Diego expecting sunny weather, avoid coming in May or June, when San Diego is covered in clouds most days, a phenomenon referred to by the locals as "May Gray" or "June Gloom". September is usually the hottest month of the year in the daytime. Mid-September through October are labeled as the most at-risk months for wildfires, because of the long absence of any substantial rainfall. Along the beach during the warmer half of the year, it can get surprisingly cool after dark, even when it's not too cold a short distance inland. The months of March and April typically see the strongest winds. Along the coast, fog is most common September through April; it is not uncommon to experience 3-7 foggy days per month.

During the late summer and fall there is a reversal of the usual climate conditions, when hot, dry air blows from the desert to the coast. These winds are called the Santa Ana winds. Milder Santa Ana winds can result in excellent dry air conditions, but powerful ones can last days on end, significantly raising temperatures, creating tremendous fire danger, and making the outdoors unpleasant.

By plane
See also: San Diego International Airport
 * Terminal 1 – Has two concourses, East and West, plus the annex for gates 1 and 2. If you are connecting on Southwest, keep in mind there are three separate secure gate areas. Should you have to transfer aircraft, you might have to go through security again.
 * Terminal 1 West – Low-cost carriers including Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Sun Country Airlines
 * Terminal 1 East – Southwest
 * Terminal 2 – Terminal 2 has two concourses, East and West.
 * Terminal 2 East – Served by American Airlines and Alaska Airlines
 * Terminal 2 West – Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, all international carriers, and international arrivals on U.S. airlines (even if you departed from Terminal 1)
 * Terminal 2 West – Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, all international carriers, and international arrivals on U.S. airlines (even if you departed from Terminal 1)

Airport shuttle companies handle transportation to and from the San Diego airport. They generally cost around $15 per person. MTS bus #992 The Flyer ($2.25 per boarding or $6 for a day ticket to transfer to another bus or trolley) takes 10 minutes to travel from both terminals to the Santa Fe Depot in Downtown San Diego, where you can connect to other MTS bus routes, the Coaster commuter train, the Trolley, and Amtrak. There is also a direct free shuttle from both terminals to the Old Town Transit Center & trolley stop where passengers can connect to Greyhound, additional MTS buses/trains, or walk over to visit the famous Old Town.

The is on the opposite side of the airport from the terminals, at 3355 Admiral Boland Way directly off of Pacific Highway north of Downtown; from I-5 take the Sassafras Street exit and head towards the airport. The terminals are located along Harbor Drive between Downtown and Point Loma. Free shuttles run regularly between the airport terminals and the rental car center.

There is a separate, at opposite side of the road from the international arrivals doors, for military personnel and their families transiting into or out of the area and for travelers reporting for duty to the USMC Boot Camp (Recruit Depot). The USO is accessed via the Eastern Skybridge from Terminal 2.

For international travelers, flying into Los Angeles (LAX) and then taking ground transportation may be cheaper. Take the LAX Flyaway bus to Union Station, then Amtrak or Greyhound to San Diego.

in Mexico is not far from San Diego, and may be an option especially if traveling to/from Mexico as the fares would be less expensive as a domestic flight than if flying between Los Angeles or San Diego and Mexico. It offers numerous domestic flights from many destinations in Mexico. This allows many tourists from the Pacific Rim to bypass the Los Angeles or San Francisco airports when connecting to Latin America or arriving closer to San Diego. Tokyo flights now go direct to Mexico City. As this airport is not in the United States, travelers will need to make sure that they have the proper documentation such as passports or visas for their respective nationality to travel through Mexico into the United States. However, you may access the Tijuana Airport from the U.S. side of the border at the. A airport border-crossing pedestrian only bridge connects the CBX terminal into the main terminal in the Mexican side of the border. Passengers pay a US$19.95 to $26.95 toll each way (or $37.95 to $49.95 return), depending on season and direction, to walk across the bridge from the CBX terminal to the main terminal for departures and to enter the US for arrivals. The bridge is privately owned, and part of the fee pays for the U.S. Customs and Immigration inspectors. This is much faster than going through the vehicle inspection lanes, which often have hours-long delays. There's a shuttle that connects passengers from the downtown Santa Fe Station and from the Las Americas Premium Outlet Mall in San Ysiro to the CBX terminal (the last bus from the CBX to San Diego leaves at 20:30; bus stop is to the right as you exit the CBX). On return they offer drop off at the San Diego Airport on request. A cheaper but longer way going south is the 'UC San Diego Blue Line' trolley down to San Ysidro, cross the border on foot into Mexico and a taxi over to the airport in the Mexican side. The White & Orange 'Libre' Taxi is cheaper than the solid yellow taxis. Taxis of other color combinations are shared ride taxis operating on a fixed route like a bus. If coming to the United States it would be quicker to walk across the bridge into the second CBX terminal and take the CBX shuttle to downtown San Diego or San Ysidro bus station. This avoids the wait times for pedestrians and vehicles going into the United States as the wait times are longer going into the U.S. than to Mexico.

Private pilots will prefer the nearby general aviation airports,  in Clairemont Mesa,   in El Cajon, or   east of San Ysidro. There are several more in North County, including  in Carlsbad which is also served by SurfAir as the only small commercial carrier. If you are flying to the San Diego area from the east, watch out for the 5,722-foot (1,744-m) Volcan Mountain near Julian. Private aircraft have flown straight into the mountain at night, often with deadly results. Some air taxi and air charter firms offer specials to the San Diego area from local airports, including from many smaller Los Angeles airports and from the San Luis Obispo area.

By train

There are also secondary rail stations in Old Town and Sorrento Valley, used mainly by the Coaster (Commuter) Train. The trolley stops at Old Town and the downtown Santa Fe Station while the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner stops at Old Town, Solana Beach and Oceanside. Check if your train stops at the Old Town stop (OLT), if you plan to get off there. If you are coming from or going to areas of San Diego north of downtown, such as La Jolla or Mission Valley, the Old Town station is much easier to access than the Downtown (SAN) train station.

By car
San Diego is easily accessible by car via the 5, 8, and 15 interstate freeways:

 * I-5.svg Interstate 5 (I-5) begins in San Ysidro, at the US-Mexico border crossing, and continues northward through Los Angeles and Central California to Oregon and Washington, terminating in Blaine, Washington at the US-Canadian border crossing.
 * I-8.svg I-8 begins near the San Diego coast and continues eastward through eastern San Diego and Imperial Counties into Arizona, where it connects with Interstate 10 in Casa Grande, about half way between Phoenix and Tucson. From the Phoenix area, AZ Hwy 85 to I-8 at Gila Bend is often faster than I-10 to I-8, except from the eastern suburbs. On I-8, a mountain pass of about lies between the desert and coastal area. Closures or restrictions due to snow or wind happen on rare occasion, and there's a Border Patrol checkpoint just west of the Buckman Springs Rest Area (westbound lanes only).
 * California 15.svg to I-15.svg I-15 begins in southern San Diego County and continues northward into the California deserts, through Nevada, Utah, and Idaho, eventually terminating at the US-Canadian border in northern Montana. The southernmost stretch of highway, between I-5 and I-805 within San Diego, is marked "California 15" as it is not up to interstate standards, but it's the same highway.

Additionally, there are numerous other freeways that crisscross San Diego County, making access to most places in San Diego relatively easy. However, traffic is frequently congested during the weekday morning and evening commuting hours.

If you are coming from Mexico, keep in mind that Mexican rental cars cannot be driven across the border into the U.S. Driving a Mexican car into the U.S. is possible if have your own car, but you will need to purchase addition U.S. insurance, as Mexican insurance does not cover the U.S. In the reverse direction, it is possible to drive U.S. rental cars into Mexico if they were rented in one of the border states, and provided you inform your car rental company in advance, but you will need to purchase additional Mexican insurance as U.S. insurance does not cover Mexico. You will also be restricted to driving in the border region, and cannot drop your car off in Mexico.

By bus
The closest thing to a central bus station is in San Ysidro just north of the US inspection station, behind McDonald's. From there, there are numerous bus and shuttle services, including Greyhound, going up to Huntington Park, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Fresno, Stockton, Sacramento etc. The next one is the bus station just south of the border next to the roundabout at Amistad & Frontera, west of the freeway with buses going up to the U.S. and to nearby areas in Baja California (Ensenada, Rosario, etc). Otherwise the bus companies maintain their separate stations and stops all over the city: See By bus under Get in of the San Ysidro article for a list of additional bus and shuttle companies serving the area and in the Tijuana article for list of additional bus companies continuing south of the border.

Get around
The San Diego metropolitan area is large and sprawling. Car travel is the most efficient way of navigating the city and county. If you want to "see it all", rent a car. For less ambitious itineraries, public transportation may be used with enough planning and time allotted for travel.

Most San Diego addresses do not include the cardinal directions of north, south, east, and west. This is because the address grid north of Mission Valley is totally separate from that to the south, and nearly everything is east of the ocean. The exception is in the downtown area, where streets west of 1st Avenue are designated "west." For example, 234 Broadway in downtown is assumed to be East Broadway, while 234 West Broadway would never drop the word "west."

Unlike the greater Los Angeles area, the freeways go by their route numbers and not their names. Although most of the San Diego freeways do in fact have names, in practice, they're almost never used.

By car
Throughout the Downtown and beach communities, on-street parking is metered. Parking meters accept coins, pre-paid Parking Meter Cards, and some newer meters accept credit cards. For more information on parking meters and enforcement, or to purchase a pre-paid meter card, visit the City of San Diego Parking Administration website. Gas/petrol prices tend to be higher than elsewhere in the U.S., but gas is cheapest in the outlying communities of El Cajon, Santee, Lemon Grove, Poway, and Chula Vista. Many intersections with a traffic signal allow U-turns. If making a right turn on red, look both ways beforehand.

All the major rental car companies operate at the San Diego Airport, though most require you to take a 2½-mile shuttle which goes behind the terminal and runway. To get to the I-5 freeway, turn right at Sassafras Street, then cross the railroad tracks. Do not mistake the railroad crossing for Kettner Blvd./I-5 south as a few visitors have done (mostly after dark) over the years. These tracks are heavily used by Amtrak and other rail services, and there's a good chance of being hit by a train if you make a wrong turn. Likewise, the car rental returns are near the railroad tracks, so don't blindly follow your GPS before making a turn.

Bus
The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) operates bus service to large portions of the county, although service in many areas is sparse and infrequent. The weakest points in the transit system are suburb-to-suburb travel and poor links between some of the individual coastal communities, both of which often require long trips to one of the transit hubs, then back out. If you will be mainly in the areas around downtown, the bus may be suitable, but service generally gets weaker the farther you are from the central area. A few newer and wealthier communities have no public transportation at all, such as Carmel Valley (east of Del Mar).

There is bus service every 15 minutes or so (at least on weekdays) between Downtown San Diego and a number of destinations useful to tourists. These include the Airport, the Zoo, and neighborhoods such as Hillcrest, North Park, and La Jolla (about an hour ride). There is frequent service to Sea World and Pacific Beach from the Old Town Transit Center, where the trolley stops. Service from Downtown to Coronado and Ocean Beach is about once every 30 minutes. All downtown buses intersect with Broadway at some point. During the day all kinds of people will be taking the bus; at night some people might feel a little less comfortable, but generally not unsafe in the main parts of downtown.

MTS buses and the Trolley (see below) use an electronic fare system called PRONTO. Money can be loaded onto a physical card (which costs $2 to purchase) or a virtual card via a smartphone app for iOS or Android (no additional charge). The card is tapped or a QR-like code on the app is scanned on boarding. The fare for standard and Rapid buses is $2.50 and includes free transfers (including to the Trolley) for 2 hours after first use (Rapid Express buses cost $5.00 but are mainly catered to commuters). Taking $6.00 worth of trips on a single day automatically "earns" a day pass, making additional rides that day free.

Trolley
The San Diego Trolley is a light rail system operated by the MTS which mainly serves tourists and people living along the lines who need to get to downtown areas. There are three trolley lines: Blue, Green, and Orange.
 * The Blue Line operates from the US-Mexico border at San Ysidro and runs to Downtown via Chula Vista and National City, then continues northward to University City and UCSD, ending at the Westfield UTC mall.
 * The Green Line travels from Downtown east to Santee, via Old Town and Mission Valley and SDSU. This line passes closest to the Convention Center, while the Blue and Orange lines run through the downtown core.
 * The Orange Line connects the eastern cities of El Cajon and La Mesa with Downtown (generally less useful for tourists).

Trains run from at least 5AM-midnight every day. Frequency varies, but the trolley usually runs every 15 minutes, with service reduced to every 30 minutes for late-night, weekend, and holiday service.

Ticket vending machines are located on the platforms at each station. Just as with MTS buses (see above), Trolley fares and passes are paid using PRONTO. A new card costs $2 and can be purchased at vending machines at Trolley stations, or a free smartphone app can be downloaded. Trolley rides cost $2.50, which includes free transfers to buses and other trolley lines for 2 hours after first use. Taking $6.00 worth of trips on a single day automatically "earns" a day pass, making additional rides that day free. Riders must load their card/app with funds and either tap their card or scan their app at one of the purple PRONTO readers on the platform before boarding the train. There are no faregates at stations or validators on the trains, but there are trolley guards who may come around and ask to see your PRONTO card/app to make sure that you tapped/scanned it prior to boarding. Riders without a valid fare may be fined or told to get off the train at the next stop.

By bike
The weather in San Diego is ideally suited for bicycle riding, although a good lock is a necessity.

Bikes are a good way to explore the beachside communities. Many of the beach side community's residents use bikes to get around their neighborhood because parking is tight. The beach areas are flat and some beach cruiser rental spots can be found along the boardwalk areas in Mission/Pacific Beach.

In other parts of the city, cycling is much more difficult with numerous difficult-to-cross freeways, as well as hills, valleys and older streets, but is possible for the avid cyclist. A bicycle map of San Diego is available online.

San Diego is significantly better than the Los Angeles area at offering campgrounds to people traveling by bike, though there's still extremely limited hiker/biker camping.

See

 * See San Diego with children for travelers with children.

A couple of combination passes are available which offer discounted admission to multiple attractions:

Zoological
One of San Diego's main claims to fame is its array of renowned zoological attractions which are at the forefront in the wildlife conservation movement. Of them, the most respected is the San Diego Zoo, a massive zoo that encompasses over 100 acres of Balboa Park and is possibly the premier zoo in North America. One of the earliest adopters of naturalistic animal exhibits, this is also one of the most gorgeous zoos in the world. Animal shows run constantly, and there are creatures here that aren't visible in any other zoo on the planet. It's definitely worth a visit, but you need a full day to really do it justice.

The sister park to the San Diego Zoo and another stellar attraction in its own right, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park covers 1800 acres of the San Pasqual Valley, about 30 miles (50 km) north of Downtown San Diego near Escondido. Here the wide open expanse of the desert valley has enabled the creation of stunningly huge exhibits that resemble African savanna, where herds of animals roam and drink from watering holes. Like the Zoo, the Safari Park is also well worth a trip, but also requires a full day to take it in.

Considerably smaller but also important in its own right is the Birch Aquarium in La Jolla, the public face of the renowned Scripps Institute of Oceanography. The Birch holds fantastic exhibits which cover physical oceanography and plenty of beautiful aquarium fish, with highlights including a touchpool and a massive kelp tank that is a simulation of ocean life just off the San Diego coast. Less scientifically renowned but popular in its own right is Sea World on Mission Bay, the California branch of the marine theme park chain with its numerous animal shows and enclosures showcasing sharks, penguins, polar bears, dolphins, and killer whales among other marine animals. Also in the area and something of a hidden gem is the Living Coast Discovery Center, a nature center in the marshes of San Diego Bay in Chula Vista with a lot of interactive exhibits on the native wildlife.

Museums and historical attractions
In addition to the zoo, Balboa Park is home to an expansive campus of intriguing museums, flowering gardens and beautiful arboretums set amidst neo-classical Spanish architecture, making it a must-visit for any trip to San Diego. Among the highlight attractions are the San Diego Museum of Art, merely the largest of several art museums within the park, the San Diego Museum of Man with its exceptional anthropological exhibits, the San Diego Air and Space Museum with its numerous historical aircraft and full-scale models, the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center and the San Diego Natural History Museum with their kid-friendly interactive exhibits, and the very fun San Diego Model Railroad Museum.

Amidst Downtown San Diego's restaurants and nightlife is the historical district of Gaslamp Quarter, home to plenty of Victorian-era buildings that have been re-adapted to other uses. Nearby along the Downtown waterfront are two museums devoted to the city's maritime heritage: the San Diego Maritime Museum, with a collection of lovingly restored 19th-century sailing ships, a steam ferryboat, and a submarine, and the USS Midway Museum, a former aircraft carrier of the US Navy that is now open for tours and home to a collection of former naval aircraft housed on the ship's expansive flight deck. Across the bay from Downtown is the independent community of Coronado, home to a major naval facility and very charming streets, as well as the gorgeous Hotel del Coronado, a high-class hotel constructed in the late 1800s and sitting on one of San Diego's cleanest beaches.

Old Town is the city's main historical district, with preserved buildings and icons of the Spanish heritage of San Diego and the Old West, from 19th-century cannons to the haunted Whaley House. Shopping and restaurants dot the area and living history performances regularly take place. Up Mission Valley from Old Town and another reminder of the city's Spanish heritage is the Mission San Diego de Alcala, the oldest of the California missions, founded in 1769 by Junipero Serra.

Scenic
The San Diego coastline is rife with scenic attractions. Among the most spectacular is the view from Cabrillo National Monument at the tip of Point Loma. Created to commemorate the first California landing of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo's expedition for Spain in 1542, the monument is situated atop a high vantage point at the mouth of the San Diego Bay, where visitors can get a panoramic view of Downtown San Diego, the bay, the ocean, and the distant mountains, as well as tour a historic former lighthouse and the remnants of WWII-era coastal defense structures. To the north, near Ocean Beach, is a stretch of scenic coastline known as Sunset Cliffs, with some secluded beaches and tidepools beneath the steep ocean cliffs.

However, few places in Southern California can match La Jolla for coastal scenery. An upscale coastal community with dozens of coffee shops, restaurants and high-end shopping outlets, La Jolla also holds many secluded coves, beaches and ocean cliffs to explore, including the popular Children's Cove that has become a breeding ground for harbor seals. Just to the north of La Jolla proper is the scenic Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, situated atop a plateau with steep ocean cliffs overlooking the beautiful (and relatively secluded) Torrey Pines State Beach; hiking trails lead you through the park to the beach below.

Further inland, away from the coast, the rugged, scrubby terrain of Northern San Diego offers some understated scenic attractions, including the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve with its interesting rock formations and Mission Trails Regional Park, a hidden jewel that contains San Diego's highest point and a small gorge popular with rock climbers.

Beaches
Along San Diego's coast you can find miles of beaches providing excellent opportunities for swimming, surfing, and general beach-going. Each beach is unique, ranging from popular white sand beaches to harsh surf spots to the clothing-optional Black's Beach in La Jolla. Surf conditions vary by beach, and there are numerous surf schools throughout the San Diego area.

Among San Diego's beaches, Mission Beach and Pacific Beach are the most popular, with a connected boardwalk popular with bicyclists and roller bladers and plenty of shops, restaurants and bars catering to the huge crowds that show up, as well as a pier in Pacific Beach and a seaside amusement park on Mission Beach. This area tends to be the center of the Spring Break scene and has some of the calmest ocean swimming and surfing in San Diego, albeit also the most crowded.

To the south, Ocean Beach draws a more local crowd, with a large sandy beach, a fishing pier, and designated surfing and swimming zones, as well as a dog beach at the northern end, making it a good place to come if you want to get a taste of the local beach culture away from the crowds of Mission and Pacific Beaches. Further to the south, Coronado's main beach is noteworthy for its gleaming white sands and mostly family crowd, while the Silver Strand extending between Coronado and Imperial Beach has some excellent swimming and surfing spots.

To the north, La Jolla has some of the most scenic beaches around, including the popular La Jolla Cove, frequented by swimmers, snorkelers and scuba divers. Surfing is not allowed in the Cove, but the nearby Windansea Beach and Marine Street Beach are proven places to test your mettle against some rough surf. La Jolla Shores has some of the gentlest waves anywhere in San Diego, while Torrey Pines State Beach is arguably the most scenic, set against steep cliffs and a splendid place to get away from the crowds. Even further north, the coast of Northern San Diego County offers multiple scenic and popular beaches.

Water recreation
San Diego Bay offers amble opportunities for sailors to enjoy boating, with plenty of anchorages and marinas catering to all boaters. Launch ramps and marinas are located in Point Loma, Downtown, Coronado, National City and Chula Vista (see separate pages for specific places). Some anchorages require a permit, while others do not. If a permit is required, it can be obtained at the Shelter Island Harbor Police Facility in Point Loma (1401 Shelter Island Drive, ). There are also several moorings throughout the harbor for vessels ranging from two to 65 feet in length; see the SD Mooring Company Office on Harbor Island (near the airport; 2040 N. Harbor Island Drive, ) for a mooring application.

San Diego Bay and the calmer man-made inlet of Mission Bay are also excellent places for sailing, windsurfing, and jet skiing, with rentals and lessons offered on Mission Bay. The calm waters of Mission Bay also make it an excellent place for kayaking, with numerous rental places. Kayaking is also superb at La Jolla Shores, where you can see leopard sharks, dolphins, sea turtles, sea lions and pelicans, and explore ocean caves.

San Diego also features some great scuba diving, including the "Wreck Alley" where you can see kelp beds and explore the shipwrecks of the Yukon and the Ruby E. In addition, several dive boat operators offer regular runs to the Coronados Islands off the Mexican coast where you can dive with sea lions. Diving here is usually considered cold water diving and visibility is not always the greatest.

If you're looking for a more casual way to get on the water, there are also whale watching cruises. California gray whales migrate south along the coast each February, and there are some great places along the coast to view the migration, such as the overlook in Cabrillo National Monument (in Point Loma). Several private companies offer sailing tours during the migration season that bring you much closer to the whales.

Non-water recreation

 * Hang gliding – At the edge of cliffs towering above the Pacific Ocean, the Torrey Pines Glider Port in La Jolla allows anyone to soar over one of the most pristine sections of coastline in southern California. Training and tandem glides with an expert are offered.
 * Golfing – There are many public and private golf courses scattered throughout San Diego that suit nearly every budget. The Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla hosts the PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open annually in January or February.
 * Hiking & biking - San Diego’s near perfect climate, unique landscape, and low-crime rate make it one of the most pleasant places in the country to enjoy outdoor exercise. Because of this, visitors and locals alike will have no trouble finding a biking, hiking, or walking trail to suit their needs. There are numerous hiking trails and bike paths to choose from - big and small, highly visible or hidden. Information on some of the most popular individual trails can be found in the district articles.
 * Rock climbing - San Diego offers some unique opportunities for rock climbing both outdoor and indoor. Although San Diego is rarely considered a destination climbing area, specialist climbing companies offer guided rock climbing from professional climbers for the beginner to the experienced climber. All the climbing companies provide all the required equipment such as helmets, shoes and harnesses, and usually require an orientation meeting the week of the climb for all participants. Most good climbing spots are located either in North San Diego or Inland San Diego County.

Sports
San Diego sports fans have always had a hard time of it. Despite being one of the largest cities in the country and blessed with beautiful weather, no major league professional team in San Diego has won a championship, and none of the city's three current major college teams have won a national title in a popular sport.

San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball, who play at the lovely Petco Park in Downtown San Diego is San Diego's lone professional team. Over their history, the Padres have cultivated greats like Dave Winfield, Trevor Hoffman, and—of course—Tony Gwynn, have come closest to winning that elusive championship with two trips to the World Series, unfortunately being blown out both times. This is also the birthplace of the San Diego Chicken, a widely beloved mascot whose popularity inspired a wave of cartoony mascots throughout American professional sports. The city became home to a National Women's Soccer League team, San Diego Wave FC, in 2022, and will become home to a Major League Soccer team, San Diego FC, in 2025. San Diego is also home to a minor league hockey affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks, the San Diego Gulls, who play in the American Hockey League. The northern suburb of Oceanside will become home to the San Diego Clippers of the NBA G League in 2024; that team is a wholly-owned affiliate of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers, which played as the San Diego Clippers from 1978–1984.

In collegiate sports, the San Diego State Aztecs, representing San Diego State University, are the city's most notable NCAA program, with the basketball team playing their home games at Viejas Arena on the SDSU campus in Mid-City, the baseball team playing at Tony Gwynn Stadium (also on the SDSU campus) and the football team opening the new Snapdragon Stadium in Mission Valley in 2022. Also in the city are the San Diego Toreros of the University of San Diego, with college basketball, baseball, and football teams playing at facilities located on the USD campus in Mission Valley. Wave FC started its first season at Torero Stadium, but moved to Snapdragon Stadium once it opened. The city's third (and newest) Division I program is the UC San Diego Tritons (University of California, San Diego), which completed a four-year transition from NCAA Division II to Division I in 2024. Most Tritons teams play in one of the many facilities in the RIMAC complex (Recreational, Intramural, and Athletic Complex) at the La Jolla campus. Unlike SDSU or USD, UCSD doesn't play football.

Buy
San Diego is dotted with major shopping centers and upscale boutiques catering to nearly every style of dress and expression. The most well-known shopping centers in the area are Fashion Valley and Westfield Mission Valley in Mission Valley and Westfield UTC near La Jolla. In addition to these, one can find numerous other malls and outlet centers across the city.

If you're more interested in smaller shops and more local businesses than you'd ordinarily find in your average mall, Downtown, Hillcrest, and the beach neighborhoods (Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, La Jolla, etc.) offer a slightly more unique shopping scene. San Diego County has some unique antique markets, with a treasure trove of high end stores, as well as a host of second hand shops, bric a brac, and vintage stores.

Groceries and other basics
The major supermarket chains in San Diego are Ralph's (which is owned by Kroger), Vons (which is owned by Albertsons), Smart & Final, and Grocery Outlet. In addition many specialty and organic supermarkets such as Whole Foods Market, Jimbos, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Trader Joe's can also be found throughout the area along with ethnic supermarkets catering to San Diego's sizable Asian and Latino immigrant population.

Eat

Like any large metropolitan area, San Diego offers a wide variety of national and international cuisine. Food representing almost every world cuisine can be found somewhere in the city, and major restaurant chains are found in almost every district. Some of the best districts for fine dining are Downtown, Hillcrest, and La Jolla, which all offer extensive options that cater to both a local and tourist crowd. Pacific Beach also has a bustling — albeit more laid-back — dining scene, while the neighborhoods of Mid-City (particularly Kensington and North Park) have plenty of great restaurants that cater to a more local crowd. Other food scenes of note in San Diego are the concentration of Italian restaurants and delis in Little Italy in Downtown and the numerous Southeast Asian restaurants and markets that serve the large Asian-American population in Kearny Mesa.

Given the proximity to the border, it should come as no surprise that Mexican food is abundant in San Diego. Be sure to look beyond the touristy (and generally overpriced) concentration of Mexican restaurants in Old Town; this city offers endless options for Mexican food, from hole-in-the-wall taco joints to fine dining. Ask a local for their opinion; every San Diegan has their favorite place. A local specialty is rolled tacos, which consist of beef or chicken tightly rolled into a corn tortilla and fried until crispy, then served with guacamole and shredded cheese piled on top. You can find them all over Southern California, but the best ones are to be found in San Diego, where they're ubiquitous. Other quintessential San Diego menu items not to be missed are fish tacos and the carne asada burrito; unlike other regional burrito varieties that tend to use rice and beans as filler, the San Diego variety is typically jam-packed with chunks of carne asada steak with some guacamole and pico de gallo mixed in, making for an immensely satisfying meal. A variant of the carne asada burrito is the California burrito, which contains carne asada, French fries, cheese, and some combination of cilantro, pico de gallo, sour cream, onion, or guacamole.

Drink
Bars and clubs can stay open past 2AM but are not permitted to sell alcohol after this time. Expect beer bars to be open until midnight and bars and clubs to call last call around 1:30-1:50AM. A medium-sized beer generally costs $4-5 in a restaurant. The best bar scenes in San Diego are in the Gaslamp Quarter area of Downtown and in Pacific Beach.

San Diego is well-known for its craft-brewing scene, with an emphasis on highly-hopped beers. Local brewers of distinction include AleSmith Brewing Company, Stone Brewing Company, Karl Strauss Brewing Company, Green Flash Brewing Company, Coronado Brewing Company, Ballast Point Brewing Company, and Port Brewing Company. Craft beer can generally be found at nearly every bar in San Diego. In addition, many specialty craft beer bars are scattered throughout San Diego, boasting some of the best and most unique selections of beer in the country.

Happy hour specials are very popular in San Diego, offering some of the best and cheapest deals on food and drink in the city. The Pacific Beach and Downtown areas are particularly known for their numerous bars and restaurants offering significant deals during happy hour.

Sleep
San Diego offers a wide range of accommodation and a wide range of price levels. If you don't mind splurging, there are luxury highrise hotels in Downtown and many beachside (and bayside) hotels and lavish resorts along the coast in Coronado, Ocean Beach, Point Loma (along the bayside), Mission Beach/Bay, Pacific Beach, and La Jolla.

There are also many vacation rentals and beach cottages available for the traveler, most of which can be found along the shores of Mission Beach and Pacific Beach.

For travelers with a smaller budget, San Diego also has a few downtown hostels and many chain motels scattered across the city. A high concentration of the chain motels are along Hotel Circle in Mission Valley.

Comic-Con is a massive celebration of geek culture. Lodging, even well outside of downtown, becomes expensive and scarce during this time, so if this isn't your scene, you probably want to check the website for when it's going on and avoid San Diego.

Public County Campgrounds
The County of San Diego Parks & Recreation offers nine public campgrounds in the San Diego county, not all of which are within the districts highlighted above. Reservations are recommended, especially on weekends. The full list of these campgrounds as of 2022 is:
 * Agua Caliente County Park - offers tent camping and cabins
 * Dos Picos County Park - offers tent camping and ADA-accessible cabins
 * Guajome Regional Park - tent camping, RV camping, and one cabin
 * Lake Morena County Park - good for angler fishing, BYO drinking water, near Pacific Crest Trail - tent camping and some cabins
 * Oakoasis County Park - youth groups only
 * Potrero County Park - near Tecate border crossing - offers hiker/biker campsites, regular tent camping, two cabins
 * Sweetwater Summit County Park - popular with people who ride horses, most common campsite pests are ants and squirrels - offers tent campsites, RV campsites, and camping sites with horse corrals
 * Tijuana River Valley Regional Park - popular with people who ride horses, near San Ysidro border crossing - tent campsites, yurts
 * Vallecito County Park - offers tent campsites and campsites with horse corrals
 * William Heise County Park - at 4000+ feet - offers tent campsites and cabins

All county campgrounds use shower tokens, you should get them when you check in, the person checking you in may not remember to remind you and then you'll need them when you go to shower in the morning and the booth is closed.

Connect
The most common area code for San Diego Metropolitan area, including downtown, the south bay and the eastern suburbs is 619. North of I-8/Mission Valley uses 858, and the far northern suburbs (Escondido, Oceanside, Encinitas, etc.) use 760. The area code must be dialed with the phone number in all areas, i.e., 10-digit dialing is mandatory. Be sure to look when dialing a phone number that may be in a different area code. Most public telephones and hotel phones have the area code next to the phone number on the actual device.

There are numerous Wi-Fi hot spots in San Diego, many of which are at internet cafes. The San Diego Public Library system also offers wireless internet at all of its locations. If you're from out of state, ask for an "internet only" card, to avoid a $32 non-resident fee.

Stay safe
San Diego is considered to be one of the safest cities in California. Though crime is present, violent crime is on an overall decrease, but property crime still exists. You can now view real time crime reports of the area you plan to visit. One should use the same precautions as you would in any large metropolitan area. Avoid walking in Southeast San Diego or Barrio Logan (near or under the Coronado bridge) at night. If you do or must, avoid walking down dark alleyways or approaching unknown people. Most people do not encounter any problems if they avoid buying illegal drugs or prostitution. In addition, gangs are not as present as they are in Los Angeles, but they still exist.

In an emergency (immediate danger to loss of life or limb), call 911 to reach the Police Department, Fire Department, and/or to call for an ambulance. If you call from a cell phone, 911 calls are directed to the California Highway Patrol, which can result in delays in contacting city police. (911 calls made from land-line telephones are directed to the appropriate local agency.) 911 calls are free from all phones including pay phones.

In many cases, when within the city limits, it may be more appropriate to directly dial the San Diego non-emergency number,. For example, to report a crime in progress when you are not in direct danger, it is probably best to call the San Diego Police (or other local municipality) directly.

Police
San Diego is served by a professional police force as well as a county sheriff department. Additional protection is offered on the major highways by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). To report a non-emergency within city limits, call.

Fire Department
The city of San Diego fire department offers fire protection, emergency medical care, hazardous waste cleanup, and search and rescue functions. If you dial 911 for an emergency the first responders will be the San Diego Fire Department. Urban brush fires are always a risk during the summer and fall, but rarely affect tourists.

Beach safety
Rip currents are notorious in San Diego for their strength and sudden appearance. Do not go out in the water without lifeguard supervision or at night. At La Jolla Shores, rip currents can be so strong that people standing (not swimming) in waist-deep water have been pulled out over their heads -- sometimes with deadly results (especially for non-swimmers). Except for sunbathing, avoid low tide like the plague at this beach. (This means the largest of the two daily tide cycles. Check newspaper weather page for Scripps Pier, or view the Weather Channel.) All of the major beaches have lifeguards on duty in the summertime, with only the more popular beaches having lifeguards year round.

Many of the ocean cliffs are made of a compressed sandstone and are prone to collapse, even in dry weather. If walking along the cliffs at the beach, be 25 to 40 feet away, as they are unstable and dangerous. Obey all signs. Every year, there are a few serious injuries, and sometimes fatalities. Heavy rain may cause rising bacteria and chemical levels in the ocean waters. Care should be taken to read the newspapers or call the county health office to see if the water is safe for swimming. Generally, most people stay out of the water at the beaches for 24 to 72 hours after rain.

Access to the beaches is safely made by using any of the public stairways provided; they are well maintained (except at Black's Beach) and free. The stairs at Black's Beach are in disrepair, so use at one's own risk. Wear sturdy shoes, and don't try unless you are in very good physical condition and able to climb the back from the beach. Beware of the false trails going down the cliffs, as every year a few people get stuck (or worse!). The trailhead begins at the southern corner of the unpaved glider port parking lot. Take a little time to familiarize yourself with the area and observe where others are going. Though a long walk, you can also get in from the north via Torrey Pines State Beach. ($10-12 Monday-Thursday; $12-20 Friday-Sunday and Holidays, or free along the highway.) High tide will cut off this route, so plan ahead.

The bridge that connects Torrey Pines (north of Black's Beach) with Del Mar (former Hwy US 101) is old and in need of repair. Avoid walking directly underneath, as pieces of concrete occasionally fall off. It's still considered safe enough to drive over for now. If concerned, access this area from the south via I-5 and Genesee Avenue (exit #29) which soon becomes N. Torrey Pines Rd. Always supervise children very closely at places such as Sunset Cliffs and the Torrey Pines Glider Port above Black's Beach. It may be necessary to hold their hand at all times. If you have unruly kids, don't go there.

Thefts do occur at the beach and can ruin a perfectly wonderful day. Do not leave any purses or other personal items of value alone on the beach or in an open car. Vehicle burglaries are more prevalent in most beach communities and take place in broad daylight. If possible, do not leave anything of value in your car even when locked. Most kayak and beach rental shops offer safe boxes free of charge, and will store your valuables while renting.

In addition, take caution when around certain beach areas, as you may wander (inadvertently) onto a military installation, where security is tight and beaches are either reserved for military patrons and their families or training centers.

Alcohol is banned on all public beaches and coastal parks in the city of San Diego. Violators can be given up to a $250 fine, with repeat offenders fined up to $1,000 and six months in jail. The ban applies also to any sidewalk or street in the city of San Diego.

Earthquake
San Diego has no history of any major destructive earthquakes in modern times. The large San Andreas Fault that threatens San Francisco and Los Angeles runs far to the east here, and is actually closer to the Arizona border. Nevertheless, the smaller Rose Canyon Fault does run through San Diego. This has scientists concerned due to its proximity, even though it cannot produce a top-tier quake. When the "big one" hits LA, San Diego will be affected to some extent. Even if local damage is minimal, there will be supply shortages. You should take the same precautions as you would in any other area that potentially could have an earthquake someday.

Newspapers

 * San Diego Union-Tribune – The Union-Tribune is San Diego's main daily newspaper.
 * San Diego Reader – A free weekly publication and the largest alternative paper in the city.
 * San Diego CityBeat – An alternative free weekly paper.
 * Voice of San Diego – A nonprofit, independent online newspaper.
 * UCSD Guardian – A free student-operated newspaper at the University of California San Diego, published twice a week.
 * North County Times – A daily paper focusing on issues facing the communities of Northern San Diego County.
 * San Diego Magazine - A monthly publication.

Hospitals
There are numerous public and private hospitals in San Diego. These range from state funded institutions such as UCSD-Hillcrest and Thorton to private, world-renowned hospitals of Scripps La Jolla and the Children's Hospital. Non-profit Sharp Health Care also owns several hospitals, and has many "Urgent Care" centers for non-serious injuries such as a broken arm (daytime and early evening only). First-rate, world-class medical care can be found at any of these hospitals, as well as interpreters for more than a dozen languages.

San Diego is home to some of the most cutting edge health research in the country. The University of California, San Diego Medical Center is known for its world class research. Some residents head to Mexico for cheaper health care, but this can be risky, and it would be more wise to use San Diego hospitals and clinics. Many of the institutions have doctors of all nationalities so language may not be a problem for some whose English skills may not be so good.

Smoking
Smoking is banned in all restaurants, bars, public offices, and other places by order of California law, although smoking is allowed in tobacco shops and in coffee shops where tobacco is sold. There is a county wide ban on smoking in all state parks and there are city wide bans in San Diego, Del Mar, and Solana Beach that forbids smoking on public parks and beaches. El Cajon bans all outdoor smoking in public places. Smoking is also prohibited within 25 feet of any MTS transit station or bus stop, and those caught smoking near transit facilities will face a fine of $75.

Consulates
Most consulates are honorary which means they offer limited services to travelers and their nationals living in the area and usually available by appointment only. They are typically located in downtown but can be elsewhere too. The nearest cities for additional foreign consulates are in Los Angeles and San Francisco:
 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇩🇰 Denmark
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico
 * 🇳🇱 Netherlands
 * 🇳🇴 Norway
 * 🇸🇪 Sweden

Go next

 * San Diego is probably the best city in America for making a quick trip to Mexico. Tijuana, which sits directly across the US - Mexico border, can be reached by public transit. The San Diego Trolley's Blue Line provides service from downtown San Diego to the border. The trip on the trolley takes about 45 minutes from downtown. Once you reach the end of the line (San Ysidro), follow the people and signs to the border crossing. It takes less than five minutes from the trolley stop to the border. Once across, it is either a 20-minute walk or a 5-minute cab ride to reach Av. Revolucion, the main tourist shopping street in Tijuana. If you take a car, avoid driving hassles and long waits when returning by parking in pay lots near the border and walking across. This also saves you the added expense of purchasing Mexican insurance on the US side before you drive into Mexico. Be warned: it is illegal to drive your car or a rental car into Mexico without this type of insurance. Otherwise, taxis, buses, and private car hires are all available. If traveling to Tijuana Airport, the Mexican airline Volaris operates a bus service between that airport and San Diego's Santa Fe Train Depot.
 * For a delightful, low-key alternative, drive 60 minutes on the American side to the small border crossing of Tecate (home of the Tecate brewery). It's a short walk to the town square. Coming back, the line is usually shorter here at the pedestrian crossing. You can easily combine a trip to the train museum in nearby Campo with a quick trip across the border for lunch!
 * The greater San Diego County has a lot of smaller, more private beaches to the north (e.g., Del Mar and Encinitas). Del Mar has the largest county fair in the nation (June-early July), and horse racing mid summer to fall, plus November. There are also some great small towns to stay in and explore. Carlsbad, about 30 miles (50 km) north on I-5, is home to the popular Legoland California theme park. Further east, the Imperial Valley and the California Desert give a change of scenery.
 * Julian is the largest and most popular mountain community in San Diego County. Also, nearby is Cuyamaca Rancho State Park and Palomar Mountain which has a large observatory. Beware, on hot summer days, the mountains are actually warmer than the city (as they're next to the desert).
 * Temecula Wine Country is located about 60 minutes northeast of San Diego on I-15 and makes a good day trip. There are about 30 wineries (with tasting rooms) fairly close to each other. One hour further is the mountain resort of Idyllwild which features shopping and outdoor activities in an alpine forest.
 * It's also relatively easy to get up to Los Angeles and other points in Southern California. Interstate 5 extends through the San Joaquin Valley of California, Oregon and Washington to the Canadian border. Although slower, California Route 1 (Highway 1 or Pacific Coast Highway in most of Southern California) and the US Route 101, through the Central Coast, Monterey Bay, and the San Francisco Bay Area, makes for more of a pleasant and fruitful trip. There is no gas/petrol or other services on I-5 between Oceanside and San Clemente for a distance of about 20 miles (32 km). Hourly Greyhound and Amtrak service available to Los Angeles, with service extending further at less frequency.
 * There are no boats to Catalina Island (Avalon) within San Diego County. You'll have to go north into neighboring Orange County to the pier at Dana Point. By car, take I-5 to exit #79 Pacific Coast Hwy 1 (make reservations).  A car-free option includes taking Amtrak to San Clemente and a bus or Uber to the boat dock.

title: San Diego


text:
San Diego/Balboa Park-Hillcrest

San Diego's most beloved green space, Balboa Park is a massive urban park in the heart of the city just north of Downtown San Diego. Within the park's canyons and hills lie beautiful open spaces, lush gardens and vegetation, the renowned San Diego Zoo, the historic Old Globe Theatre, and numerous museums. Hillcrest, a neighborhood just to the northwest of Balboa Park, is a dense urban community that has undergone a lot of gentrification and is home to many locally-owned businesses and most of San Diego's gay nightlife. Bankers Hill to the south of Hillcrest is considerably quieter but home to several popular bars and restaurants.

By car
Being in the heart of the city, Balboa Park and Hillcrest are accessible by a number of major streets. Park Boulevard runs north-south through the park and the eastern edge of Hillcrest, connecting to Downtown to the south. 5th and 6th Avenues also provide a direct connection to the area, where one can continue north to Hillcrest or into Balboa Park via Laurel Street/El Prado over the Cabrillo Bridge. Laurel Street continues west towards the San Diego International Airport. Washington Street and University Avenue provide the major connection through Hillcrest, connecting to neighborhoods east and west.

SR-163 runs north-south through the neighborhood, connecting Hillcrest to Downtown to the south and Mission Valley to the north. However, there is no direct connection into Balboa Park from SR-163.

Parking can be very congested however, parking is available if you look in the right places. Parking lots are found throughout Balboa Park. There are two large parking lots in the park. One is for the San Diego Zoo and one is at Inspiration Point (on the east side of Park Boulevard north of Presidents Way), which is served by a free tram which connects the lot to many of the museums in Balboa Park. The tram runs 9AM-6PM daily, with extended hours during the summer. On-street metered parking is also available and can be paid for with coins, and many meters also accept credit or debit cards.

By bus
The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) operates buses in San Diego, which can be a good way to avoid parking hassles. The MTS has a couple of lines which directly serve Balboa Park, the Route 7 and the Rapid 215, both frequent services which run along Park Boulevard and connect Balboa to Downtown to the south and Mid-City neighborhoods to the northeast (note that the 215 only stops at the Naval Medical Center and Zoo Place within Balboa Park). Hillcrest is quite well connected, with a few frequent routes running south to Downtown along the western edge of Balboa Park (3, 11, 120) and a couple connecting Hillcrest to neighborhoods east and west (1, 10).

See
Most of Balboa Park's museums offer free admission one Tuesday per month to residents of San Diego County and to active-duty military and dependents.

San Diego Zoo

The many expansive and well-designed exhibits throughout the park provide a natural setting for the zoo's animals, with the exhibits generally divided up by continent; the major areas are Discovery Outpost (where you'll find most of the reptiles and a children's petting zoo), Lost Forest (with several large bird aviaries, most of the apes, Tiger Trail, Hippo Trail, and African rain forest animals), Northern Frontier (arctic animals, including polar bears), Asian Passage, Outback (Australian animals), and Urban Jungle and Elephant Odyssey (which together hold animals of the African savanna). The terrain of the park, with plateaus, steep canyons, and wide flat areas, creates an expansive setting with many hidden corners and less-beaten paths.

The zoo is so large that you really need to devote several hours—if not a whole day—to seeing it all. Visiting in the winter will mean fewer crowds and cooler weather, but visiting in the summer has the benefit of extended hours. Buses provide a way to get around the zoo. A special guided bus tour using double-decker buses takes you around much of the zoo without stopping, while the Kangaroo Buses (both double and single-decker) allow you to get on and off in different parts of the zoo. In addition, the Skyfari aerial tram provides a quick shortcut to get from one side of the zoo clear out to the other, providing magnificent views of the zoo. If you decide to walk around, moving walkways make traversing some of the steeper sections easier.

Do

 * Balboa Park's many gardens provide a scenic and quiet escape from the bustle of the city or a relaxing break between museum visits. Many of the gardens follow specific themes, with desert species, flowers, native species, a Moorish garden, a rose garden, and a Japanese garden. The highlight of Balboa's botanical collection is the, a historic structure which contains an adjacent lily pond and numerous species of ferns, orchids, palms, and other tropical plants. (The Botanical Building was closed for renovation in January 2022, and is projected to reopen in late 2023 or early 2024.)
 * Near the entrance of the San Diego Zoo, the and the  provide an entertaining diversion for kids. Each charges $2 per ride per person. The, a historic landmark built for an exposition in the 1930s, is a community home to many artists and art studios.
 * There are many hiking and biking trails through Balboa Park. One of the most popular running/walking trails is a 5.5-mile route that’s compatible with all fitness levels and starts and ends at C Street and 6th Avenue in Downtown and heads north, running past bridges, canyons, creeks, flower-covered hillsides, and gardens. There is also a 0.41-mile Balboa Park bike path which begins at Upas Street and Seventh Avenue, near the northwest corner of Balboa Park. The level of difficulty is well above average here as there are several steep descends, sharp turns, and a bridge that crosses highway 163. In several areas, bicyclists must dismount and walk, for safety.

Events

 * San Diego's St. Patrick's Day Parade takes place each March in Hillcrest, with the parade running along 6th Avenue on the west side of Balboa Park, followed up by an Irish festival with traditional music, food, and a Celtic village.
 * The San Diego LGBT Pride Parade and festival takes place during Pride Weekend each July in Hillcrest, with a music festival, a block party, a rally, and a major parade running down University and 6th Avenues.
 * Cityfest is a huge street festival that takes place every August in Hillcrest, with lots of arts, crafts, food and entertainment.
 * December Nights takes places in Balboa Park the first weekend of each December and is a celebration of the holiday season, with plenty of food, crafts, and entertainment at the park's various museums, which are free of charge during the event. The park is decked out in spectacular light displays, which remain up for the remainder of the holiday season.

Buy
Most of the museums in Balboa Park contain gift shops specializing in merchandise and items specific to that museum, like art shops at the art museums, science toys at the science museums, zoo stuff at the zoo, etc. There's also a general gift shop at the Balboa Park Visitors Center in the House of Hospitality, where you can purchase postcards and the like. In addition, the Spanish Village Art Center contains a number of art studios where you can purchase arts and crafts directly from the artist.

The Thursday Club, in Balboa Park, is one of the largest antique markets in the city and is held annually, usually sometime in March. Crowds start lining up for this event early in the morning, and bargains galore can always be found at this very well attended event.

Eat
Expect food to be overpriced(or very expensive) in Balboa Park. Most food options in the park revolve around museum cafes, as there aren't many stand-alone restaurants in the park. You can find a cafe in the Casa de Balboa building, the House of Hospitality, the Natural History Museum, the Science Center, the Old Globe Theater, the Sports Museum, and the Museum of Art. There is a tea pavilion at the Japanese Friendship garden, just south of the House of Hospitality. There are also snack carts around Balboa Park. The San Diego Zoo also provides a number of eating options.

Hillcrest
Hillcrest, on the other hand, has numerous fine restaurants:

title: San Diego/Balboa Park-Hillcrest


text:
San Diego/Downtown

Downtown San Diego (also referred to as "Centre City" in some cases) is the thriving central business district of San Diego. A heavily gentrified area with plenty of tourist amenities, Downtown serves as a hub of business and entertainment, with plenty of restaurants, shops, and nightlife to take in, as well as a few attractions, including several museums and the home of the San Diego Padres baseball team.

History
Downtown San Diego began in 1867, when Alonzo Erastus Horton bought 960 acres of land by the San Diego Bay after he decided that this should be the center of the city rather than Old Town, the site chosen by the Spanish for security reasons. Soon Horton found himself in the midst of an economic boom, resulting in the development of the southern Downtown neighborhoods, site of the present-day Gaslamp Quarter. However, in the late 1880s Horton's fortunes ran out and the Gaslamp Quarter began to deteriorate. At the same time, John D. Spreckels, a wealthy entrepreneur who had created a transportation and real estate empire in San Diego, began to develop land north of present-day Broadway, further contributing to the Gaslamp Quarter's decline.

Over the decades, Downtown fell into a state of disrepair as investment in the suburbs took its toll on the central city. In the 1970s, redevelopment efforts began taking off, and in the 1980s the area began to rebound with the completion of Horton Plaza, the San Diego Convention Center, and the start of revitalization efforts in the Gaslamp Quarter.

Neighborhoods
Downtown is divided into a number of individual neighborhoods, each with its own attractions and personality.

At the heart is Columbia, which runs along Broadway as it approaches the harbor. Columbia is mostly a commercial district and contains most of the city's tallest buildings, the train depot, and a sizable chunk of the waterfront which includes the USS Midway Museum, the Maritime Museum, the cruise ship terminal and the ferry landing. To the east of this lies the commercial and governmental center of Core as well as the shopping district of Horton Plaza, with its splendid namesake mall.

To the north of the main business district are a couple of quieter neighborhoods - Cortez Hill, on the hill at the north side of downtown, is a mostly residential neighborhood bumping up against Interstate 5, named for the historic El Cortez Hotel, the tallest building on the hill. Closer to the waterfront at the northwest end of downtown is Little Italy, originally a home to Italian fishermen, now a very active district of shops, restaurants, and parks, with an Italian theme, and is one of the hippest bar and restaurant areas in the city, with a large young professional crowd.

On the southern side of Downtown, Marina is a highly gentrified waterfront district, containing marinas, highrise condos, hotels, the Convention Center, and the Seaport Village shopping mall. To the north of this is Gaslamp Quarter, a historic district which was not only the birthplace of downtown but also the focal point of the first revitalization efforts in downtown during the 1970s. Today the neighborhood is the center of Downtown's nightlife scene; a thriving district of historic buildings, shops, theaters and restaurants. Capitalizing on Gaslamp's success, the East Village on the southeastern side of Downtown is undergoing a construction and redevelopment boom, spurred in part by the ballpark of the San Diego Padres in the neighborhood.

Get in
If you're arriving in San Diego by bus, train, or cruise ship you're likely to be getting off in Downtown. Even arriving by plane basically puts you in Downtown, given how close the airport is to the city center. Detailed info on arriving via those modes can be found in the Get in section of the San Diego article.

By car
Downtown is served by three freeways. Be warned though, Southern California is notorious for its confusing interchanges and freeway systems. You may exit off the freeway thinking you're going one direction, when it fact you'll find yourself heading in a completely different direction. So careful examination of a street map is recommended.

 * Interstate 5 wraps around downtown to the north and west, providing access from the north and the south. From the north, the Ketner Blvd. exit will provide you with the most direct access into Little Italy, while the Front St. exit will be your best bet for getting right into the thick of downtown. From the south, exiting onto 19th St., which acts as a frontage road to I-5, will get you to a number of east-west streets, including Market St., that upon turning left onto will take you right into downtown.
 * SR-163 enters downtown from the north, turning into 10th Avenue/11th Avenue in downtown. SR-163 connects downtown to the northcentral and northeastern areas of San Diego.
 * SR-94 connects to areas east, and turns into F Street/G Street upon entering downtown.

Downtown is easily accessible and traversed by automobile, but it is one of the very few areas of San Diego where it makes sense to get around by other means. Parking is expensive and can be very hard to find during special events (like Padres games at Petco Park). You can park at the garage at Westfield Horton Plaza for free for up to 3 hours as long as you validate the ticket at the small validation machines inside of the mall.

By public transit
The hub for rail services in San Diego is the at Broadway and Kettner, which serves as the southern terminus of the COASTER commuter rail service, which runs north along the coast of San Diego County to Oceanside, and the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner to Los Angeles. The Mission-style Santa Fe depot is an architectural gem and worth having a look at even if you don't need to catch a train. The name "Santa Fe" is a reference to the Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railroad, now part of BNSF corp., which built the station.

Downtown is served by all three lines of the San Diego Trolley light rail system, operated by the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS). The Blue Line comes up from the US-Mexico border at San Ysidro to the south and travels up Park Blvd. in the East Village neighborhood before turning west onto C Street, where it runs through the Core to Santa Fe Depot, then continues north to La Jolla. The Orange Line connects the eastern cities of El Cajon and La Mesa with Downtown and follows the same route as the Blue Line (Park Blvd and C Street). The Green Line comes south from Mission Valley and Old Town, passing through Little Italy and stopping at Santa Fe Depot; then it runs along Harbor Drive, stopping at the convention center and Petco Park.

The MTS also operates bus service throughout the city and in southern portions of the county, and downtown is the hub of the system, so bus service is pretty good in these parts. Nearly all bus routes that serve Downtown intersect with Broadway Street at some point. You can purchase passes, find schedules, and get information about the bus system at the in southeast Downtown, which also serves as the Greyhound station and is served by all three trolley lines.

Get around
Downtown is dense enough that it can usually be easily walked. Certain intersections (basically anything along Harbor Drive) can feel a little risky with the high volume of cars, but for the most part walking is quite safe, even at night. Downtown is fairly large: it's a long walk from Little Italy to Petco Park.

Taxis are readily available just about anywhere in downtown at night until very late; just flag one down. If you're more adventurous, you might be able to hire a Water Taxi to get to and from waterfront hotels, shopping centers, and restaurants along the bay in Downtown and Coronado. They run Fridays through Sundays from noon-10PM and cost $8 each way.

A vintage trolley service, the Silver Line runs in a clockwise direction around the San Diego Trolley loop within Downtown every hour from 9:07am to 5:07pm on selected holidays. The fare is $2.50 ($1.25 seniors/disabled; MTS/trolley passes accepted). This is really only worthwhile if you're interested in riding the old streetcar; otherwise just use the regular San Diego Trolley service.

Avoid the pedicabs (bike taxis) as a form of regular transportation, as they are one of the most expensive options available. Each of the 250 licensed pedicabs in the city can set its own prices, so you won't know the price unless you ask the driver (who may be reluctant to tell you until it's too late) or can spot the small sign on the cab (which some drivers have claimed don't apply, if they think they can trick you into paying more at the end of the ride). If you decide to take a tour this way, expect to pay a minimum of $20 per person for even a one-minute trip, and at least $1 per minute per person for a longer trip. All pedicabs must have a permit from the San Diego police department, so complaints about price gouging, fraud, unsafe driving, an aggressive insistence upon a tip in addition to the agreed-upon price, and other problems should be reported to the city's police department compliance team at +1 619-615-1539 as soon as possible.

Events

 * Mardi Gras is celebrated in San Diego with a huge party in Gaslamp Quarter on Fat Tuesday (by some claims the largest Mardi Gras event on the West Coast) that features a parade, live music, and (of course) plenty of drinking and revelry at the neighborhood's many bars. This is a ticketed event open only to those 21 and older; see the event website for details.
 * ArtWalk takes place every April in Little Italy and has grown into the largest art event in the city, with numerous artists set up along India Street to showcase and sell their work. Music, dance, and interactive art exhibits are also on show for visitors to enjoy.
 * Fourth of July brings huge crowds to the waterfront to witness the city's biggest pyrotechnics display, with fireworks launched from several points in the bay all at once, making for a spectacular show.
 * Labor Day Weekend brings the Festival of Sail to the Downtown waterfront. Hosted by the Maritime Museum, this event draws tall ships from around the world to take part in parades, mock cannon battles, and open their vessels for tours. Plenty of vendors, entertainers, and food are also on hand; if you have kids, this is a pretty exciting one to bring them to.
 * Little Italy Festa is a huge celebration of Italian culture that takes place in Little Italy every October. Visitors can expect to find plenty of delicious food, cooking demonstrations, traditional art and music, Gesso Italiano (Italian chalk art) painting, and stickball and bocce ball games.
 * Each December, the Parade of Lights sails past Downtown to celebrate the holiday season, with dozens of boats decked out in elaborate light displays.
 * Each December, the Parade of Lights sails past Downtown to celebrate the holiday season, with dozens of boats decked out in elaborate light displays.

Eat

Drink
Downtown San Diego offers a tremendous amount of drinking locations in a rather small area, making it an excellent nightlife area. Nearly any type of bar can be found in or near downtown, with dive bars, live music, wine bars, craft beer bars, and even several high-end multi-level dance clubs offering bottle service. Unfortunately, much of downtown San Diego is also among the most expensive nightlife in the city. Exercise caution in crowded nightclubs in the Gaslamp District, as pickpocketing is incredibly common and sophisticated; with thieves often stealing from closed purses.

Go next

 * Drive northeast on Park Boulevard to get to the beautiful Balboa Park, one of San Diego's greatest attractions and home to lovely gardens, numerous museums, and the world-famous San Diego Zoo.
 * Head due north on 5th or 6th Avenue to get to the western entrance to Balboa Park, or continue to the hip urban neighborhood of Hillcrest.
 * To the northwest of Downtown and easily accessed via I-5 or the San Diego Trolley is Old Town, the original site of the center of San Diego.
 * Coronado is a lovely little city that lies on a peninsula just across the bay, accessible from downtown by a ferry ride (departs from the Broadway Pier and the Convention Center) or by driving just a bit south of Downtown to get to the Bay Bridge.

title: San Diego/Downtown